The Caribbean Frontier: Learning from the ‘small’ islands - St. Vincent and the Grenadines

A neglected feature of societies in the Caribbean is their ‘frontier’ style. They are societies caught in the balance between imposed ‘civilizing’ forces and an untamed ‘wild’ that is forever encroaching. Both elements are also in constant flux. Frontier traits are to be found as much in the way that these societies are organized and run, as they are to be found in the traits or styles of Caribbean Individuals. My paper will first discuss problems and limitations at the theoretical and practical levels with existing ways of reading the Caribbean. I will go on to offer a ‘frontier analysis’ that provides an alternative approach to understanding the region.