Review
Thanks for your responses last week. For the most part, they were thoughtful and articulate. I'm glad that we're able to apply some of the concepts we've learned in our analysis of new cultural texts.
So, hopefully we have some basic understandings of economic and social class. Class is the division of society into a hierarchy of people groups based on their economic standing. Karl Marx, living in Germany during the Industrial Revolution, was a "materialist." He believed that our material (or our economic) circumstances dictate our consciousness (so, in essence, economy determines existence). He saw capitalism (the economic system reliant on the concept of "free market") as being oppressive of working classes. He describes the exploitation of the laborer as mere "forces of production" and the "alienation" experienced by the laborer as he is further separated from his labors, his fellow men, and his environment. Marx critiqued the use of money as a means of exchange, noting the dangerous potential of its socially-constructed, symbolic value (I can exchange money for power and influence OR in order to get medical care, I need money. Even though power and health don't have any real connection to my wages.) Marx predicted that capitalism would end with revolution--the working class would rise up and share control of the economic means of production.
Post-Marxists, like Gramsci, revised some of Marx's ideas. Gramsci's concept of hegemony explained the reason why the Marxist revolution had not occurred. Rather than revolt, overthrow and establish a new system, the working class is constantly engaged in negotiations of power with the ruling class. The upper class rules not just by oppression, but "leads" the working class. And while the class division is maintained, the power is shared by ruling and working classes (although unequally).
Egalitarianism is the theory that involves the redistribution of wealth based on notions of inherent human equality and "just meritocracy." So, an egalitarian system would be one in which social and economic division would be nonexistent. The use of money would be limited, avoiding Marx's "transposition of all things." And individuals would merit rewards that naturally correspond to their needs and efforts (so medical care would be available to all in need of care, not just the financially funded; political influence would be merited by skills of leadership and persuasion rather than money).
Neoliberalism is the extension of capitalistic concepts. The use of "liberal" refers not to political/social conservatism/liberalism, but rather the "laissez faire" theory of market-driven economics. This economic system (the most prevalent in the Western world today) champions "free trade" and the deregulation and privatization of all services. While proponents of neoliberalism explain it as a means of developing modern, economically interdependent global-economic relations, it is criticized for the potential for economic imperialism and exploitation of "developing" nations (like the Third World) by "developed" nations (like the U.S. and Western Europe).
Film and Race Assignment
So, lets give it another try this week. Use our discussions of race and ethnicity from the previous weeks (Society Divided, Stereotypes, The Western, The War Film, African American Film) as foundations for your learning this week. Read the concepts listed, and then choose a pop culture text from the list that (in some way) corresponds with a specific concept.
***Be sure to acknowledge the complexity of the correspondence between text and concept. For example, while many of the texts last week could be related to egalitarianism, none of them exemplified it. Fergie, The Cosby Show, and the vast majority of pop culture demonstrates capitalism (the Protestant work ethic, the American dream, the triumph of the market, the freedom of the consumer, and the hierarchy of social class). So, while there probably is a correspondence between each concept and each text, be careful of oversimplifying that correspondence.***
Concepts
otherness
assimilation
nationalism/separatism
hybridity
multiculturalism
Texts
Hotel Rwanda
American Gangster
Bamboozled
X2
Spy Kids trilogy
Heroes
Lost
Chapelle's Show
Aliens in America
The Office
George Lopez Show
Survivor: Cook Islands
"Freedom" by Rage Against the Machine
"Straight Outta Compton" by N.W.A.
"War" by Bob Marley
"Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American)" by Toby Keith
Quiz
In his Stuart Hall's discussion of power (as defined by Foucault, Gramsci, and himself), Hall writes that “it cannot be thought of in terms of one group having a monopoly of power…” How does he subsequently explain power?
Presentations???
No one did a presentation on Class last week. I'm hoping some students choose to present this week on Race. See last week's post for assignment details. Remember that each student must present one week (and there's only three weeks left).
All quizzes (emailed to Jennifer), assignments (posted on the blog), and presentations (posted on the blog in place of the student's assignment) are due this Friday, the 9th by 11:59pm.
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16 comments:
Multiculturalism and Chapelle's Show.
I believe that Chapelle's Show and Multiculturalism correspond very well. While being a blsck stand up comic in no way does Chapelle let that guide what he does on his show. He makes fun of every race including his own and how other cultures act. To do this and not get in trouble his hard and Chapelle sometimes walks a thin line like when he did the skit "Black White Supremacist." To be able to not care about cultural boundaries or think what people will think when you decide to make fun of them is very courageous to me. Maybe this isn't the best way to view multiculturalism to some, but to me I would rather laugh and see what he's seeing then to be serious all the time. Chapelle shows us it's ok to make fun of ourselves sometimes while bringing to light realistic truths.
“Presentation”
Zach S.
Denzel Washington on Race
Denzel Washington
When I think of race in films one of the first performer/actor that comes to mind is Denzel Washington. Denzel has had many roles in many movies having to do with race. Big time movies such as Malcolm X, Remember the Titans, and the recent hit American Gangster. Ironically Denzel’s father was a preaching so I think that had a lot to do with the roles he played. Washington was also the second African-American performer ever to win an Academy Award in the category of Best Actor (for Training Day). A good number of his roles had to do with him being an African American in a white majority society. Besides the obvious role of Malcolm X another role that displays this was when he played Herman Boone in Remember the Titans. He was an African American football coach that moved into a White community in Virginia. Throughout the film there are racially motivated conflicts that his character must solve. In the conclusion of the movie Herman Boone solves most of the town’s segregation problem by uniting the two races. Denzel Washington has contributed a lot to everyone’s view on racism in the United States through his roles in films. Washington has done a good job on the subject of one of this week’s topic, Ethnocentrism. Ethnocentrism is to view one’s culture/race as the best and look down upon everyone else’s. As in my example before, in Remember the Titans he really demonstrates to both sides (African Americans, and Whites) that both races are good and being different is not always a bad thing. He has done a wonderful job so far in his films dealing with the subject of race and I am sure he will continue to keep up the good work.
I'm glad you chose Denzel. If you like his performances in X and Titans, then you should definitely check out Cry Freedom, Glory, and A Soldier's Story.
multiculturalism and "Lost"
The term multiculturalism can be defined as a state of both ethnic and cultural diversity within a specific social space. The show "Lost" is a good example of multiculturalism. The show follows 14 total stangers after their plane crashes on a remote island in the south pacific. These characters are from a wide variety of cultural and social backgrounds. The island is the social space where these very different individuals interact and live together. The series follows each character individually by showing flashbacks from their lives before the crash. This gives the viewers a sense of where they come from and who they are. By showing thier past cultures and ethnic backgrounds i think this show is the perfect example of multiculturalism.
The concept of otherness is based on one group of individuals defining themselves as positive by stigmatizing another group as “other”. X-men 2 certainly exhibits this idea of otherness. X2 is set in the near future where mutant humans are now being born into society and humanity is now divided as to what to do with them. The main antagonist, Stryker intends to destroy all of mutant-kind. He views mutant-kind as an affront to non-mutants, an aberration that needs to be wiped. Stryker views himself and the rest of the non-mutant humans as the true form of humanity opposing the corrupt and dangerous form that mutant-kind presents. By identifying the mutants as the “others”, Stryker is able to create an image of himself as the savior of humanity, justifying his actions even though what he is doing is nothing short of mass genocide.
"Otherness" and "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (Angry American)" by Toby Keith
Otherness is described as defining and securing one's own positive identity through the stigmatization of an "other". It also portrays the concept of "us" versus "them"; or the concept of a "chosen" group. Usually otherness deals along the lines of racial, geographic, ethnic, economical, or ideological. This song by Toby Keith definitely has some elements of "otherness" in it. It is a very patriotic song and you can see the theme of "us" versus "them". Additionally, what happened on 9/11 was devastating to our country and this song picked up Americans and their soldiers; but also it came across as Americans being the best nation. Words in this song, like "justice served" show that Keith as well as Americans feel that we were wronged and we had to go over there and invade and bomb, but there is always another side of the story. Do the people over there feel like we wronged them in the beginning. This is a great song I think and it definitely has elements of "otherness" all throughout it.
Multiculturalism and The George Lopez Show
This country is becoming more and more diverse because there are a variety of immigrant groups that have moved here and have settled in this country because they feel that it would benefit them. The Hispanic population has grown increasingly over the years. Multiculturalism is basically a concept that encompasses cultural and ethnic diversity is a certain social area. The George Lopez show features a Hispanic family dealing with the everyday family/growing up situations.
This show was actually started because Sandra Bullock didn't think that there was enough Hispanic-based sitcoms on television. The networks tend to air typical American family sitcoms that they feel everyone can relate to. The question is, "What is American?" American is not what most people think it is meaning a white, anglo-saxon person. American is everything that exists in America, it is cultural melting pot that has a lot more to offer than people know. Multiculturalism is a great thing because it enables people to be more culturally diverse and teach others about other cultures and backgrounds. The George Lopez show is a good example of how the media is trying to incorporate cultural aspects into our day to day activities.
Multiculturalism and Aliens in America.
One of the great things about this nation is the cultural diversity that is everpresent in its society. Everything from the music we listen to, to the way we talk, to the food we eat is influenced by an outside nation. On television there are a few good shows which exemplify this diversity. One such show is Aliens in America on the CW. This show is about a Pakistani exchange student who comes to live with an American family. His influence on teh family is clear and everpresent. He comes into the life of people who would normally not have any interaction with people such as himself and thus ends up having a lasting effect on the people that he meets.
Multiculturalism and "The Office"
Multiculturalism as defined is, “the preservation of different cultures or cultural identities within a unified society, as a state or nation” (dictionary.com). The United States has had a long struggle with providing a sense of multiculturalism while preserving a sense of unity of nation. Many of the issues, conflicts and awkwardness of providing for this sense of multiculturalism are shown in "The Office". The show is about the everyday issues of a normal and rather dull company Dunder Mifflin. The workers both blue and white collar are brought together in the unified sense of their job. The conflicts that arise are often from the differences in the worker's cultural backgrounds. The show pokes fun at the struggle of U.S. business to effectively understand and incorporate multiculturalism into the workplace. They often hold meetings or go on 'outings' in which they seem to humorously stumble around these issues. One example is when the office workers attend the Hindu Diwali festival to support one of their coworkers Kelly Kapoor, an Indian American. They all attempt to experience Indian cultural by taking part in the dances and trying the food. It however becomes obvious fairly soon that they are out of place at the festival. In this instance the festival is a display of multiculturalism within the U.S, while the actions of the coworkers represent the struggle of different backgrounds to support the idea of multiculturalism.
~Matthew Neal
otherness and X2
Otherness is defining and securing one’s own positive identity through the stigmatization of an "other." Its basically an "us" vs. "them" idea. X-men 2 is a great example of otherness. The movie conveys the same type of idea. "Us" being Homo sapiens and "them" being the mutants. The Homo sapiens think they are supierior to the mutants. This idea of otherness creates a somewhat hostile enviornment. In the movie, this is clearly shown when a military team attacks the mutant school.
I will talk about X2 and multiculturalism. These two topics correlate because multiculturalism is the grouping of many different cultures living in the same country that dissimilar from each other. This works out well for X2 because in the movie the mutants are very different from the normal population because they contain special powers. The mutants want to get their identity with the rest of the country but their mutant abilities are holding them back. The film depicts two different cultures trying to simultaneously live their lives.
Nationalism/Separatism and "Heroes"
Nationalism/separatism is most easily likened to the Black community in America with defining their culture in response to other races and dealing with an assimilationist ideal. It also relates to "Heroes" in the most recent episodes as we see that some heroes are trying to lead the world into a new era. Adam Monroe, as seen in the latest episode, has had designs to conquer the world since the beginning of the company. His dissatisfaction with the status quo and apparently strong desires to break off from history and create a new era clearly displays a separatist ideal. Conversely, other characters work to preserve the world as it is and save it from people like Adam. Claire, a character who just wants to live a normal life, is not proud of her powers and tries to blend in most of the time. While that seems assimilationist, it is more nationalist because of the end result that her and other heroes will come to save the day whatever the apocalyptic scenario may be. The show essentially captures the struggle of a race with whether to take pride as a diverse nation or to take pride as a separate entity.
Othering and Heroes
Othering is described as being distinct or different from that otherwise experienced or known. Otherness places people as second class citizens, making the newly formed group view themselves as Others. The show Heroes depicts the lives of a small group of people, who have distinct differences compared to others in society. The characters show how they are seen as inferiors to society by different agencies that aim to cure them of their illness. This shows how they are viewed as Others because of the things they can do. These curing organizations isolate certain people and study them like lab mice. These people must view themselves as others because they are being targeted as outcast.
Multiculturalism and Bob Marley's War
In Multiculturalism, there is the belief that all cultures should have both cultural and ethnic diversity within a society that are equal and both well respected. In Bob Marley's song, he speaks of making war until there are no first class and second class citizens. He speaks of making war until everyone is treated equally within societies, naming specifically the people being held hostage in Angola. Bob Marley in this song is promoting multiculturalism, in saying that the people should war until all cultures are respected within societies. Bob Marley is pushing for more tolerance within nations of many cultures and for the end of repression of those shunned cultues within the african nations. Bob Marley is promoting Multiculturalism in that he is calling for a push for all cultures to be respected and for there to be multiple cultures and people recognized as equals.
Multicultualism and American Gangster
Multicultualism has to do with different groups of people with different cultures and ethnicity all together in a certain location.
In the movie American Gangster, Denzel Washington plays a gangster named Frank Lucas who controls the African American group and starts up a huge drug operation in New York. He soon has to interact with other groups of people such as the Italians. So, this movie portreys how the African Americans interact with whites, Italians, and cops. They are all extremely different and expirience different struggles.
On the television series "Lost", two concepts are demonstrated. In the first few first episodes, the passengers of the downed Oceanic flight 815 demonstrated strained multiculturalism. Though, for the most part, the newly-forming community tolerated the vast array of cultures present amongst their ranks, many issues of race clashing occured, mostly involving the white, Southern, American Sawyer, the Iraqi Sayid, and the South Korean couple Jin and Sun. Eventually, however, the survivors managed to create a balanced multicultural community. Many races and creeds coexist, including Jewish, Hispanic, African, White, Korean, English, Irish, and African-Americans survivors, a well as Bernard and Rose, a multi-racial married couple. These people live together, allowing one another to go about heir own beliefs, and never questioning their motivations or culture. By the end of the first season, however, othering began to make itself present outside of the survivors. After several kidnappings and sightings, it became apparent that there was another group living on the island, perhaps one that was native to it. These people were actually referred to as the "Others". Once their presence became known, and they began directly interacting with the survivors, there still existed a distinct feeling of opposition between the two groups. This may very well be caused in part by the Others violent and aggresive action towards the survivors, however, even in times of goodwill amongst survivors and Others, such as a time when an Other came to live permanently with the survivors and against the Others, there still existed a scathing distaste for anyone who is or was at one point an "Other". To this day on the series, the survivors still refer to the Others in terms of "us" and "them".
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