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Dangerous metaphors of "roots" and "foundations"

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Amphitheater, Bates College

Talking about places we can want to feel solidly there, closed and secure. This often leads to a simplified understanding of the role of places, and to questionable images, such as being rooted, or resting on firm foundations, or being secure within clear borders. Such images are dangerous, because they do not lead quite where we expect.

We get interesting results when we push on the images of roots or foundations.

The idea of secure borders can lead to oppressive unities.