Student reflection: Think LOCALLY, act globally!

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Mar 12, 2026, 5:28 PM

Eileen Byrne

Relational Summary 4

The most important point from this week’s lecture was the ideology of Subaltern Studies. Instead of focusing on the stories of the powerful few, subaltern studies examine what happens to the masses; those from poorer backgrounds whose voices have been systematically excluded from mainstream history and political discourse. This idea was directly linked to Antonio Gramsci's concept of cultural hegemony, which explains how dominant groups maintain power by controlling which voices and experiences are deemed valid. The lecture also criticized higher education for maintaining a Eurocentric view, arguing that many universities still present knowledge through an imperial perspective, giving students an incomplete picture of history. I also learned about Aimé Césaire's claim that European colonialism and fascism are not separate, with colonialism being fascism, just applied to non-European peoples first. Europe only pulled back when Nazism turned inward, left me with much to think about. 

The "White Savior Complex" is discussed in Kayley Gould's TED Talk on the dark side of voluntourism. A much-needed, eye-opening perspective. I entered assuming that good intentions alone were enough to justify wanting to help, but Gould clarified that good intentions can cause real harm if they aren't paired with humility and a true awareness of power. This directly relates to what the lecture taught about hegemony: when a Westerner enters a community to "save" it, they aren't stepping outside of power structures; they are embodying them, centering their own worldview in a space that was never theirs to lead. That is exactly what subaltern studies opposes, and the TED talk brought that lesson to life in a way that made me question how often well-meaning people participate in inequality while believing they are working to eliminate it.

Encountering the effects of subaltern studies made me reflect on how much of my own education has been shaped by the dominant Eurocentric narrative without my ever questioning it. I had absorbed a version of history that simply did not include the perspectives of those most affected by colonialism and environmental injustices. Our classmate Esteban mentioned that, without a doubt, the version of history we learn in schools tends to dominate conversations, crowding out alternative perspectives before we even realize to look for them. Conventional higher education perpetuates hegemonic narratives by default, not necessarily by design. 

Second, I was genuinely shocked to learn that when Dr. Culhane applied to Barefoot College, he was turned away, not for lack of skill or passion, but because of his gender and formal educational background. Bunker Roy's words, shared with us, stayed with me after the lecture: "If you can teach the Barefoot College way in Europe and America, you WILL be working with us, working to make the world a better place." This is inspiring because it reframes what it means to make a difference; traveling abroad to help another community is not the only way to effect meaningful change. The real work begins at home, bringing people-centered approaches into the very institutions that have long perpetuated the problem. Third, the model of training grandmothers and rural village women to become solar engineers, biodigester builders, and sustainability teachers without the required Western academic certification made me rethink what knowledge, competence, and leadership actually look like, proving sustainability does not require a degree but trust, community, and the right kind of education.

The lecture's closing argument offers an appealing solution and advice for others, reversing the familiar phrase "Think Globally, Act Locally" to "Think Locally, Act Globally." We cannot truly think globally; the world is too vast and diverse, and pretending otherwise is the mindset of the would-be hegemon. What we can do is think deeply and honestly about our own communities and act with intention within them.