UWI Professor of Literary and Cultural Studies, Dr Carolyn Cooper has likened the Jamaican culture to the traffic situation in Jamaica from the time of independence

WASHINGTON, DC – Making an exciting presentation entitled “Stuck in Traffic: Jamaican Culture Outa Road”, Dr. Cooper said “Jamaican culture, like Jamaican traffic has special challenges. Sometimes nothing seems to move while at other times, there is vibrancy and excitement as different players vie for dominance in their special place.”

Professor Cooper, who was addressing an overflow audience at the second in the Jamaican Embassy’s Jamaica 50 lecture series in Washington DC, on Thursday December 13, surveyed aspects of Jamaican Culture through a metaphorical review of the traffic situation in the country from the time of Independence.

As an example, Professor Cooper showed how the traffic concept of the “right of way” could be used to symbolise different forms of conflict in Jamaica over multiple rights asserted by Jamaican citizens.

Professor Cooper also relied on the idea of social relations as reflected in the former tramcar system, in the minibus, and in the private use of motorcars, to demonstrate different class and racial perspectives of the Jamaican people.

Professor Cooper’s presentation, which carried references to Bob Marley, Louise Bennett, Mervyn Morris, Susan Lowe, Eric Donaldson, Junior Gong, and others from the Jamaican cultural environment, was well-received by the audience made up of Jamaicans in the Diaspora.

In his introductory remarks, the Jamaican Ambassador to the United States of America, H.E. Stephen Vasciannie, noted that the Jamaica 50 Lecture series is intended to encourage reflection and discussion about aspects of Jamaican life since Independence, and to promote recognition of the rich tapestry of Jamaica from diverse perspectives.

Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Stephen Vasciannie looks attentively as Professor of Literary and Cultural Studies at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Dr. Carolyn Cooper, signs a copy of her latest book “Global Reggae”, for the Ambassador after she delivered the 2nd in the series of Jamaica 50 Lectures.
(Photo credit: Derrick Scott)

The Vote of Thanks was given by Mrs. Ariel Bowen, Minister-Counsellor at the Jamaican Embassy. Following the Vote of Thanks, copies of the book, Global Reggae, edited by Professor Cooper, were made available for sale hot off the press.