Solar Mamas (Sumblog 11)

Casey French

 

 

 

This week, we discussed about three theories and applied it to the documentary "Solar Mamas". Modernization Theory is a unidirectional approach to become Western. Dependency Theory refers to a capitalist world where there is winners and loser. World-systems Theory categorizes the world into three zones: core, semi-periphery, and periphery. All of these theories relate to the documentary, because education of Jordan women in India is linked to these perspectives. The Dependency Theory contradicts the Modernization Theory, because it explains that there are multiple directions that a nation can take to become Western. I argue that the women of Jordan are bringing back the knowledge of solar energy to better their situation. It is a step toward modernity, but it is not an absolute. The World-Systems Theory also relates to the documentary because the core, "Western" countries supply the resources to countries in the semi-periphery. By doing so, India was able to educate many Jordan women, who live in the periphery. They are all interconnected. Inequality is a clear theme in "Solar Mamas". Men have control of all facets of Jordan's society. They can make decisions, act independently, have multiple spouses, and dictate their women. It was interesting how she transformed from a submissive wife to one that acted confidently and defied her husband, despite threats of divorce. The only theory I have difficulty with is Modernization Theory...mostly because it's very narrow-minded. Of course, there are multiple ways to reach "civilized" or "developed". I guess it depends on what criteria each nation considers to be "Western". Maybe the "Western" route to modernity is flawed. We all live different realities.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJMiKAPKfOY

 

Here is a short clip of the film directors explaining how addressing these issues promotes global awareness. Getting the message of sustainability out to the world ties with the concept of interconnectiveness.

The Concept of Power (Sumblog 10)

Casey French

 

 

 

In class, we discussed the concept of authority and the three dimensions of power. The Ukraine conflict was my example of how the media perpetuates fear to boost ratings. It is more profitable to create a desired reaction from the viewers. There is a definite disconnect between factual knowledge and the interpretation of a certain topic. Professor Barry showed a chart of where Americans believe Ukraine is located on the map. For me, this was scary. I feel that those that were outside of the "red zone" are uninformed and that the media feeds from this fear. Fear from this conflict contributes to the idea of nationalism, justifying our domination of being a world order. In a sense, the media provides us with information that deliberately targets Russia in a negative light. Granted, there is aggression on both sides, but fear can also be a tool for unity. We discussed how the "American Dream" is a concept that is losing its luster. What unifying force do we have that brings Americans together? We all come from different backgrounds and economic situations. If the "American Dream" becomes the "Denmark Dream" as mentioned in class, what are we left with as a nation? I feel that our country lacks that unifying component that most other autonomous regions have like those in Europe. Our "salad" or "stew" (as Barry would say) would become cold and the nation would fragment. In other words, the media likes the idea of "good" vs. "bad", and having Russia dehumanized is a way for politicians and specific groups to gain leverage to make decisions. Basically, the idea of our country's legitimate domination over the world strives on unification within our borders and the media is very important in distributing knowledge to the masses.

 

 

So I totally stumbled upon this lecture and I know that my Sumblog turned very political, but this short clip demonstrates how power of the United States maintains its domination over other cultures. This lecturer discusses how "power is chaotically distributed" and requires cooperation in order to maintain that authority.

 



Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis (Sumblog 9)

Casey French

 

 

According to the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, "people perceive the world through the cultural lens of language". This semester I am taking a cultural linguistics class and we watched a BBC documentary about how color and space is constructed by language. The way we perceive color and space is based on how we interact and is different from one society to the other. For instance, Russian speakers have two words for blue. They differentiate the two based on dark and light blue. When asked to differentiate two shades of blue, they could easily pick out the odd one. However, our American perception of blue is limited and therefore, it is more difficult for us to distinguish between the two. Based on the experiment, the tribe had difficulty with blues and greens. In a way, language changes the way we see reality. Watch this clip of the experiment being conducted, because it is difficult for me to explain. It's quite fascinating how language may affect how we perceive color.

 

http://vimeo.com/33471433



 

We also discussed about technology and how it creates inequality. An example from the readings is how libraries are tailoring to fit the demand for technological resources. The old and the homeless do not always know how to access information efficiently. In modern society, the demand for technology abilities is a must...Microsoft Word, Email, Adobe Photoshop, etc. I can't tell you how many times teachers stress to put down these abilities in our resumes. Employers look for these skills in order to decide if you are fit for the position. People without that knowledge sets themselves apart from those who do, creating a clear divide to privileges. For some reason, in class I wrote in my notebook "Ron Swanson" and I wanted to show you this clip. This shows how the media benefits from the two-way flow of information from its audience.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1Vc6oJ2qOM

Illegal Immigration (Sumblog 8)

Casey French

 

 

 

On Wednesday, Professor Barry told the class to put a word or phrase that comes to mind in reference to "immigration". This activity was very interesting for me. Many of the words and phrases had a negative connotation attached to "immigration" while others were more sympathetic and historically based. "Ellis Island", "Illegal", "Opportunity", and "Foreign" depict conflicting viewpoints. I found that some of the connotations dehumanized the issue of illegal immigration, making people from Mexico especially feel that their presence in the United States is unwanted. This topic hits me personally, because earlier in the semester, I wrote a personal narrative on my friend who is an illegal immigrant. Throughout his life, he's struggled in so many ways...things many of us take for granted. He couldn't get a job without admitting of his legal status. He can't apply for a drivers license, so he is constantly paranoid that if he gets pulled over, he could face criminal charges. However, it was not his choice to come to the United States. His family moved here when he was young. His childhood is my hometown, not Mexico. If you want to read my personal narrative, here is a link to my friend's story.

 

http://cfren629.blogspot.com/2014/02/illegal-immigration-oppression.html

 

Immigration is a natural right for those looking for better opportunities in the United States. As a country, we should create a fair immigration reform.

 

 

Please watch this video. It will give you a wonderful perspective on how illegal immigration hurts younger generations that live with the stigma of being undocumented.

 



Transgender Parenting (Sumblog 7)

Casey French

This week, we watched an excerpt from Transgender Parenting which consisted of a series of interviews by different parents. Each parent discussed the difficulties of raising a child in our society. Our concept of "family" is defined as one man and one woman, but transgender parents challenge the social norm. What makes us male or female is determined solely on our reproductive organs at birth. All of our traits, behaviors, and attitudes are shaped around this critical factor. The roles of the family institution has been ingrained by the premise of biology and parent identity. What it means to be a mother or a father is interpreted by a distinct set of characteristics. For example, in the documentary, one transgender parent was contemplating what she considers herself to be once the baby is born. She questioned why she had to justify herself between the two roles.

Does this institution have to be like this? Of course not. The purpose of this institution is to provide children of future generations the same amount of care and affection as any other family unit. I believe that it is working, but it is faced with many obstacles. When the family unit separate, it creates a strain on parenting relationships for transgender people, especially if the child lives with the other parent. Another obstacle is revealing their new gender identity to their children, which could have a significant impact on how a child interprets gender transformation. No family is perfect, but if the intention is to raise a child, transgender parenting serves no threat to the structured family institution.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/12/sharon-shattuck-transgender-father_n_3910749.html

In this interview, a woman shares her experiences with her father who transitioned into a transgender woman while she was in middle school. Her father Trisha found it difficult to come out to his children for fear that exposing his new gender identity might negatively impact the family unit.

Experiencing Social Inequality (Sumblog 6)

Casey French

 

As with custodians, there is an obvious stigma attached to being a bus driver. The documentary film The Philosophy Kings reminded me of other occupations that are often assumed to be low-income, manual labor jobs. I take the bus almost every morning. Most people greet the bus driver with a friendly "hello", but others simply flash their student ID and find a seat. They barely give eye contact, because to them, it does not matter to them who the person behind the wheel is. Public transportation is sort of like custodial work...behind-the-scenes, uninteresting, and not worth their time. On most nights when I am returning home, I always get the same bus driver. I always greet him with a "How's it going" and his response is always "Wonderful!" in a very cheery, enthusiastic voice. One day, I asked him "Do you really mean it? You can't be wonderful every night. This weather is terrible!". He just laughed and said "Better to have an optimistic outlook on life. I mean, what am I suppose to say? I am a bus driver who drives in circles for hours. Nobody cares about anything other than their destination."

As I got to know him, he is actually a really nice guy. This job is temporary for him because he told me that he is able to retire, but is waiting for his wife to retire so they can travel the world together. I felt terrible that people could ignore such an interesting person based on his stigmatized occupation. He is alienated by his peers and the passenger he picks up. If people considered his ambitions and motivations to keep the job, our preconceptions would change. Whether to retire and travel with a spouse or simply to support a family, the struggle of having an occupation stigmatized by society makes the life of a bus driver so much more difficult.

 

Apparently there are quite a few job-shadowing clips that show how under-appreciated custodians are within the school environment. I thought his introductory quote "service is driven by needs" really demonstrates that their work is no different than any other profession.

Double Consciousness (Sumblog 5)

Casey French

This week, we discussed about majority and minority cultures and the four considerations of microaggressions. Certain minority groups are divided by this concept of double consciousness. In this theory proposed by W.E.B. Du Bois, specific environments influence the language and behavior of an individual. They are faced with this dilemma of polarizing both environments in which an individual would mediate between the two equally and therefore would not have a pure form of culture. By not associating oneself with either culture completely, that individual would face an identity conflict known as double consciousness. The other option is to pick one and associate themselves with one culture while facing the consequences set by society. I like the example of The Butler shown in class. Although I haven't watch the movie, there is a clear understanding that the butler, who essentially lives two realities, stays stagnate between a white and black environment. His son, however, proudly associates himself with the black movement, but his decision ultimately causes conflicts within the community. 

I also thought that the idea of microaggressions was an interesting concept. We as a society use subtle attempts at stereotypes without consciously understanding the psychological damage of our actions or words. The "Shit Girls Say" example shows how we are discriminating against a group of people to make an individual superior or an exception. It's meant to be a compliment, but also an insult at the same time. We don't always mean it, but on the receiving end, it is highly offensive.

I have the best example of how stereotypes and prejudices influence the way we perceive minority groups within the United States. In this episode of The Office, Michael hosts a diversity training activity in which he puts a variety of different races and ethnicities on a note card. The employees have no idea what they represent and have to rely on how others treat them to understand their identity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HK-Cf9R4q-c

By using these preconceived stereotypes, it shows a symbolic form of microaggressions that associate a certain ideology onto a specific culture.  Although it is a funny clip, it really shows how society acknowledges minorities with sometimes derogatory association.