Identity is the way we define ourselves in relation to other things within a culture. For example, one's economic status is defined as upper, middle, or lower class. This connotes that one is comparing and defining one's own social status with that of others within the same culture.
Self is the way we think of ourselves. In some cultures, like the American culture, one thinks of oneself egocentrically, as separate from the construct of society. In other cultures, like the Japanese culture, one defines oneself as sociocentric, as part of a social network.
In a continuation school, establishing one's identity is extremely important.
The first step to establishing one's identity is one's clothing. The style of one's dress usually dictates what kind of music you listen to. What kind of music you listen to dictates which clique you end up in.
Another step is to establish your position on gangs. Whether you are part of one, whether you are not part of one. Whether you readily accept them, whether you do not readily accept them. Lastly, which gang you belong to and what area's you represent. The latter is usually expressed through wearing colors and random tagging using letters and numbers.
As in most high schools, the students define themselves in a way as to let the world know who they are at a glance, thus appearance begins to become very important. The right clothes and the right attitude can allow a student to penetrate almost any clique.
Students who are in gangs tend to think of themselves in a more sociocentric way, going as far as to make sure they express their gang colors and symbols in every way possible. Other students tend to think of themselves more egocentrically.
It is interesting to note that students who are in gangs tend to butt heads with students that are in other gangs. Meanwhile, students who are not in gangs tend to butt heads on a more individual level.
These separations may not be very apparent at first, but if one looks closely, especially during events such as school assemblies, the students will clearly separate themselves according to these groups.
The students do not separate themselves in this way due to some sort of internal instinct, but because they are trying to find their place in a cultural construct by defining themselves according to their surroundings.
Culture plays a huge role in defining who we are. We tend to look at ourselves in relation to the world around us. This becomes especially important in our teenage years when we are learning to branch out and experience more of the world. The students at this school define themselves in the environment offered to them. Some choose a more risque path, while others choose a more traditional path. The way one thinks of oneself tends to influence one's identity as well. If one thinks of oneself in a sociocentric way, then one's decisions depend on the culture that he or she is a part of. If one thinks of oneself in a egocentric way then his or her decisions are based on individual needs, apart from their culture.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
SGO: Race and Ethnicity
Race is based on genetic characteristics and appearance. Common race does not necessarily mean common culture.
Ethnicity on the other hand is based on oneself and what one identifies as. This can be considered an element within culture.
At cultural events one can see this in action, as people of a certain ethnicity will group together but separate within this group according to their specific cultural identity. Race, being more readily apparent, may be what attracted these people to each other in the first place, but it is their ethnicity, their common culture, that keeps them together. For example, an African American cannot be expected to have the same cultural experiences and roots as an African from Africa.
In a continuation high school race obviously plays a huge role.
But before I get into that, a little background. I grew up in a predominantly white city. Most of my friends are white, and the fact that I'm not just never bothered me. Race was just not something I noticed. When I first began working at a Continuation School, I was somewhat uncomfortable with the emphasis many of my students put on race.
I noticed that the Mexican kids hung out with the Mexican kids. The white kids with the white kids, the black kids with the black kids. Not to say there wasn't any intermingling involved, but for the most part, the kids spend more time with people of their own race.
Now, there are more than three cliques inside the school. While it is similar race, the most outwardly apparent feature, that attracts students to each other, they soon separate into ethnic groups.
From here I will narrow my focus just a little bit to the Mexican kids, since they are the ones who spend the most time in my room during break times.
The more traditional Mexican kids that come from more traditional families tend to group together, transitioning easily from Spanish to English. The more Americanized Mexican kids will spend time together, speaking mainly in English, though still retaining a pride in their culture. These kids are attracted to each other due to their race, but they separate based on their own cultural differences.
One's race plays a huge role in one's sense of identity. In a continuation school, where these lines are so clearly defined, one's identity becomes defined by one's friends. Identity is an important thing to a teenager, thus friends are chosen wisely, each student doing his or her best to fit into the social construct of the school.
Ethnicity on the other hand is based on oneself and what one identifies as. This can be considered an element within culture.
At cultural events one can see this in action, as people of a certain ethnicity will group together but separate within this group according to their specific cultural identity. Race, being more readily apparent, may be what attracted these people to each other in the first place, but it is their ethnicity, their common culture, that keeps them together. For example, an African American cannot be expected to have the same cultural experiences and roots as an African from Africa.
In a continuation high school race obviously plays a huge role.
But before I get into that, a little background. I grew up in a predominantly white city. Most of my friends are white, and the fact that I'm not just never bothered me. Race was just not something I noticed. When I first began working at a Continuation School, I was somewhat uncomfortable with the emphasis many of my students put on race.
I noticed that the Mexican kids hung out with the Mexican kids. The white kids with the white kids, the black kids with the black kids. Not to say there wasn't any intermingling involved, but for the most part, the kids spend more time with people of their own race.
Now, there are more than three cliques inside the school. While it is similar race, the most outwardly apparent feature, that attracts students to each other, they soon separate into ethnic groups.
From here I will narrow my focus just a little bit to the Mexican kids, since they are the ones who spend the most time in my room during break times.
The more traditional Mexican kids that come from more traditional families tend to group together, transitioning easily from Spanish to English. The more Americanized Mexican kids will spend time together, speaking mainly in English, though still retaining a pride in their culture. These kids are attracted to each other due to their race, but they separate based on their own cultural differences.
One's race plays a huge role in one's sense of identity. In a continuation school, where these lines are so clearly defined, one's identity becomes defined by one's friends. Identity is an important thing to a teenager, thus friends are chosen wisely, each student doing his or her best to fit into the social construct of the school.
Friday, April 25, 2008
SGO: Sex and Gender
Sex is the biological definition of whether a person is male, female, or somewhere in between.
Gender is a culture's idea of what a person should act like depending on their sex.
In a continuation school, the cultural ideas of gender solidify themselves more than ever. Since it is such a small school, anyone found in the minority is usually alone. Thus, the majority of students choose to align themselves with the social construct.
For the boys, it is important to dress in a masculine fashion, but also in a way that appeals to girls. It is also important to demonstrate one's ability to fight or at least one's ability to hold onto one's pride. Lastly, it is important to establish a sense of daring, or one's willingness to break the rules, no matter how minor.
Failure to fulfill these roles results in a loss of masculinity. In some cases the students may go as far as to tease the student, calling them a "poser" or even worse (their words, not mine) a "pussy".
For girls, the situation is similar when it comes to clothing. It is important that girls dress femininely, and stylishly, in a way that appeals to boys. Girls also need to demonstrate a sense of daring or a willingness to break the rules. In some circles it is important for a girl to demonstrate her ability to fight, but in all circles it is important that a girl hold on to her pride even through bouts of high school drama.
Failure to fulfill these roles results in a loss of friendship, and status.
In some cases, such a dichotomy can prove to be very useful. It allows the students a clear template for fitting in, which is one of the most important goals for a high school student. On the other hand, this dichotomy can simply prove stressful and restrain a person to one narrow set of roles.
Sex does not influence as much as gender. Cultural influence, particularly the influence of peers can dictate a person's actions far more easily then biological influence. In some cases our actions are carried out under cultural pressures, regardless of what our natural impulse might be. The same tends to hold true when it comes to sex and gender. In the end, biology, in this case sex, tends to win over, but, at least temporarily, we are capable of lying to ourselves and others in order to fit easily into a social construct.
Gender is a culture's idea of what a person should act like depending on their sex.
In a continuation school, the cultural ideas of gender solidify themselves more than ever. Since it is such a small school, anyone found in the minority is usually alone. Thus, the majority of students choose to align themselves with the social construct.
For the boys, it is important to dress in a masculine fashion, but also in a way that appeals to girls. It is also important to demonstrate one's ability to fight or at least one's ability to hold onto one's pride. Lastly, it is important to establish a sense of daring, or one's willingness to break the rules, no matter how minor.
Failure to fulfill these roles results in a loss of masculinity. In some cases the students may go as far as to tease the student, calling them a "poser" or even worse (their words, not mine) a "pussy".
For girls, the situation is similar when it comes to clothing. It is important that girls dress femininely, and stylishly, in a way that appeals to boys. Girls also need to demonstrate a sense of daring or a willingness to break the rules. In some circles it is important for a girl to demonstrate her ability to fight, but in all circles it is important that a girl hold on to her pride even through bouts of high school drama.
Failure to fulfill these roles results in a loss of friendship, and status.
In some cases, such a dichotomy can prove to be very useful. It allows the students a clear template for fitting in, which is one of the most important goals for a high school student. On the other hand, this dichotomy can simply prove stressful and restrain a person to one narrow set of roles.
Sex does not influence as much as gender. Cultural influence, particularly the influence of peers can dictate a person's actions far more easily then biological influence. In some cases our actions are carried out under cultural pressures, regardless of what our natural impulse might be. The same tends to hold true when it comes to sex and gender. In the end, biology, in this case sex, tends to win over, but, at least temporarily, we are capable of lying to ourselves and others in order to fit easily into a social construct.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
SGO: Power and Control
Power is somewhat of a force. Instead of belonging to people it moves through people. In some cases it is given and in other cases it is earned. In any case, power gives one the ability to influence and create.
Control is similar to power and can sometimes be a product of it. When one directs power and uses its influence to its full extent, one is in control.
First, I'd like to trace the system of power through a continuation schoo.
We have all stepped into a classroom at some point in our lives. We have all experienced the hierarchy that lies within a school system. Usually we do not realize the convoluted nature of this hierarchy, so dependent on attention, power, and ultimately respect, but if one were to step into a continuation school, more specifically a continuation high school, the hierarchy and its many paths would come quickly apparent.
Firstly it is important for us to understand that attending a continuation school is like having detention during recess. While everyone else goes on with their daily lives at normal high schools, those at a continuation school find themselves keeping up with the outside through snippets and shouts from afar. Continuation schools are not ignored, but they are not usually mentioned either. Seen as a place for kids on their last chance, many outside sources such as district administrators view continuation schools as unnecessary or a waste of time and money. A continuation school is a school that lives on the fringes, a place where 'bad kids' go when normal high schools can't deal with them anymore.
In this sort of environment there is a struggle to be seen and heard. The principal struggles for attention from the heads of the schools, the parents, the students and the heads of the districts. The secretary struggles for attention from the parents, and the students. The teachers struggle for attention from the students, and the parents. The students themselves, more often than not, struggle for attention from anyone who will give it to them. It seems as if the only people who do not struggle to be noticed are the janitors whose comings and goings are hardly noticed by the unemptied trashcans.
But the power struggles are not as straightforward as it seems. The balance of power changes on a day-to-day basis. The principal, within the confines of the school, holds the most power. She is the one who cuts deals with students and parents alike. She holds the power to change schedules, and administer punishments from detentions to expulsions. However, it is the part of being noticed that is the hardest for the principal. The principal's primary goal is to deal with the bureaucratic issues involved in running a school, so that these kids can have a decent education. Not only does this require at least some motivation on the part of the student who is many times on his or her last chance, it also involves the tracking down of busy administrators. In a district filled with everything from ambitious AP students to apathetic rebellious students, it is somewhat understandable the administrator's desire to concentrate his or her efforts on the already ambitious students. However this is precisely the sort of attitude that leads rebellious students to become more and more apathetic towards their own education. The principal also struggles to make sure that parents and students alike understand the significance of the school in their own lives. She meets with students and makes calls to parents trying to stress the importance of education, the importance of enforcing rules, and the importance of listening to what is being said. The principal finds herself fighting for all these ideas, all the while attempting to convince the outside world that a continuation school is not a place for easy credits. The principal's fight for attention, her fight for power outside of the school lies with her ability to convince people to take her and her school seriously. Within the school she is the guiding light for the students and parents that pass through there.
The teachers use power in a most unique way. Their power depends partially on the interest of a student, and this is the biggest struggle for a teacher. The teachers hold within them all the knowledge the students must, or want to know. The teachers choose what the pass on and what to withhold. The teachers are able to decide what view of the world, fair or not, that the students see. They can teach their students to be optimists or pessimists. They can teach students to be healthy of unhealthy. Unless one of the students takes their own initiative outside of a classroom, then he or she is going to accept the view of the world that the teacher presents to them. For example, if I were to teach that two negatives equaled another negative, my students would continue to use this faulty knowledge, unless one of them were to speak up and state the contrary. The teacher is put into the position of being able to mold young minds to agree with their own ideals while knowing that they should educate the kids and allow them to make their own decision. In a way, a teacher wields more power than the principal and district administrators combined. If a teacher plays their cards right then they can influence students for the rest of their lives. A teacher also has the power to decide what kind of teacher they want to be. Some teachers, especially at a continuation school, find themselves distancing themselves from the students and maintaining a more unfeeling and frigid attitude. Other teachers choose to integrate themselves into the student lives and become more emotionally involved. Both approaches have their ups and their downs and both allow the teacher different kinds of power over the students. The first method is used by some teachers due to the fact that these kids come and go all the time. It certainly does not help that most of these kids have lives that are a little bit difficult to hear about. The second method allows for more stress and emotional involvement on the part of the teacher, but also allows more personal level of interest with the students. The first allows for a stricter, more structured teaching environment, but the second allows for are more interactive, lighthearted atmosphere in the classroom, but also more difficult to control environment. It is up to the teacher to decide what works best for his or her own abilities and students.
However the student holds a certain amount of power over the teacher as well. They have the power to learn or not to learn. There is a Chinese proverb that says, “Teachers open the door, you enter by yourself.” This is definitely true for a continuation school. Whether students take advantage of the education and opportunity given to them is completely up to the individual. Some students study hard for their education while others would obviously rather be elsewhere. Some students dream of college while others dream of nothing more than the upcoming weekend. But all students, to a certain degree find themselves fighting for attention from the very same teachers they try to gain control over. Whether they want to learn or not they strive to be noticed among a sea of faces. Despite the fact that this is a continuation school with little over 30 students in all, there is still a fear of being ignored, forgotten, or invisible to the people that surround them.
In a continuation school attention equals power. To have attention is to be heard. Like a kid asked to stay in class during recess, any message that may want to be sent to the outside world must be shouted loud and clear. The members of a continuation school know this. They also know that the person closest to the door, the person with the most power, is the one who will succeed in getting their message across. Thus there is a pushing and shoving and scrambling in order to get to the best position possible. Like any society there emerges an alpha male and an alpha female, both of which, in a continuation school, are clearly marked. These are the ones that can shout the loudest, and garner the most respect from the most people. They may not be the best liked, but they are definitely the best qualified for their job. This goes for the students, the teachers, and most importantly the principal.
Respect is another key to power in a continuation school. Without respect, one finds that attention is hard to come by. Some students find that they can garner respect temporarily by acting tough or daring to break rules in a way that no one else will dare. They attempt to emulate the air of indifference surrounding those that actually do hold that respect. As with most situations, admitting that something is important to you is admitting that you have a sense of vulnerability and it means opening oneself up to the manipulations of others. Thus those that lack respect are the ones that are taken advantage of by the ones that have it.
Those that already hold respect are showered with all the attention they could want from people that admire, appreciate, or want to be like them. Many times this sort of power is abused by the students who find themselves at the top of the respect ladder. They manipulate and play games with those that have still not mastered the technique of acquiring respect. However theses sorts of diversions can backfire and lead to a loss of respect.
While respect is important for students, it is far more important for teachers. If a teacher at a continuation school does not acquire respect or show that they are worthy of respect in the first couple days then the students are sure to take advantage of that fact and begin to try and assert their own authority over the teacher’s authority. But how exactly does one go about achieving this respect? For a teacher to be respected at a continuation school there must be an unspoken understanding between teacher and student that this is a two way relationship. In exchange for taking in information that the teacher gives the student, the student must feel like they are able to express themselves and their ideas to the teacher. The students want to know that their teachers understand a bit of their world and that the teachers know where they are coming from. A teacher’s goal is obviously to educate the student and help the student take the next step in life. This give and take relationship usually allows for a more relaxed and easygoing learning environment. Though many teachers will have a more impassive attitude, there still must exist a personal level of communication between student teacher. This will not only garner respect, but trust.
Let’s look at the example of one of the students at the continuation school in which I work. His name, for the purpose of this essay, is George. George is an average student, doing just enough work to get by. He has trouble paying attention in class, and does his best to get his teachers off track whenever he is bored. He too reflects this hierarchy. First he attempts to get attention by disrupting the classroom, or making some sort of ruckus. This of course is much appreciated by the students who would rather be elsewhere and welcome his antics as an alternative to the teacher’s lecture. This leads him to gain a little bit of power. He is the center of attention, but he still isn’t there yet. George has seen other kids like, for example, Tim, who exudes an air of calm and confidence. He attempts to pass of this incident in a similar manner. He nonchalantly tries to brush the incident over, doing his best to sweet-talk and apologize to the teacher. This may or may not earn his respect from all of his peers, but for the students that look up to the power held by people like George and Tim, it is just another layer of icing on the cake.
A continuation school holds within it a strange, and many times confusing, hierarchy. One may note that there is very little mention of the school rules here. This is because at a continuation school, the school rules don’t hold as much power as the student’s ability to break them and the teacher’s ability to enforce them, despite opposition. Thus, the need for power turns into a need for respect, and the need for respect turns into a need for attention. No matter what the situation, these elements prevail and hold true. As in any situation those with power are not willing to sacrifice power for the well being of others, and those without power want it badly enough to play right into the hands of those with power. The dynamic that exists in a continuation school is both unique and to be expected.
Formal mechanisms of control: School rules, teachers, principal.
Informal mechanisms of control: Parents, peers, age.
[This turned out a bit longer than I intended....]
Control is similar to power and can sometimes be a product of it. When one directs power and uses its influence to its full extent, one is in control.
First, I'd like to trace the system of power through a continuation schoo.
We have all stepped into a classroom at some point in our lives. We have all experienced the hierarchy that lies within a school system. Usually we do not realize the convoluted nature of this hierarchy, so dependent on attention, power, and ultimately respect, but if one were to step into a continuation school, more specifically a continuation high school, the hierarchy and its many paths would come quickly apparent.
Firstly it is important for us to understand that attending a continuation school is like having detention during recess. While everyone else goes on with their daily lives at normal high schools, those at a continuation school find themselves keeping up with the outside through snippets and shouts from afar. Continuation schools are not ignored, but they are not usually mentioned either. Seen as a place for kids on their last chance, many outside sources such as district administrators view continuation schools as unnecessary or a waste of time and money. A continuation school is a school that lives on the fringes, a place where 'bad kids' go when normal high schools can't deal with them anymore.
In this sort of environment there is a struggle to be seen and heard. The principal struggles for attention from the heads of the schools, the parents, the students and the heads of the districts. The secretary struggles for attention from the parents, and the students. The teachers struggle for attention from the students, and the parents. The students themselves, more often than not, struggle for attention from anyone who will give it to them. It seems as if the only people who do not struggle to be noticed are the janitors whose comings and goings are hardly noticed by the unemptied trashcans.
But the power struggles are not as straightforward as it seems. The balance of power changes on a day-to-day basis. The principal, within the confines of the school, holds the most power. She is the one who cuts deals with students and parents alike. She holds the power to change schedules, and administer punishments from detentions to expulsions. However, it is the part of being noticed that is the hardest for the principal. The principal's primary goal is to deal with the bureaucratic issues involved in running a school, so that these kids can have a decent education. Not only does this require at least some motivation on the part of the student who is many times on his or her last chance, it also involves the tracking down of busy administrators. In a district filled with everything from ambitious AP students to apathetic rebellious students, it is somewhat understandable the administrator's desire to concentrate his or her efforts on the already ambitious students. However this is precisely the sort of attitude that leads rebellious students to become more and more apathetic towards their own education. The principal also struggles to make sure that parents and students alike understand the significance of the school in their own lives. She meets with students and makes calls to parents trying to stress the importance of education, the importance of enforcing rules, and the importance of listening to what is being said. The principal finds herself fighting for all these ideas, all the while attempting to convince the outside world that a continuation school is not a place for easy credits. The principal's fight for attention, her fight for power outside of the school lies with her ability to convince people to take her and her school seriously. Within the school she is the guiding light for the students and parents that pass through there.
The teachers use power in a most unique way. Their power depends partially on the interest of a student, and this is the biggest struggle for a teacher. The teachers hold within them all the knowledge the students must, or want to know. The teachers choose what the pass on and what to withhold. The teachers are able to decide what view of the world, fair or not, that the students see. They can teach their students to be optimists or pessimists. They can teach students to be healthy of unhealthy. Unless one of the students takes their own initiative outside of a classroom, then he or she is going to accept the view of the world that the teacher presents to them. For example, if I were to teach that two negatives equaled another negative, my students would continue to use this faulty knowledge, unless one of them were to speak up and state the contrary. The teacher is put into the position of being able to mold young minds to agree with their own ideals while knowing that they should educate the kids and allow them to make their own decision. In a way, a teacher wields more power than the principal and district administrators combined. If a teacher plays their cards right then they can influence students for the rest of their lives. A teacher also has the power to decide what kind of teacher they want to be. Some teachers, especially at a continuation school, find themselves distancing themselves from the students and maintaining a more unfeeling and frigid attitude. Other teachers choose to integrate themselves into the student lives and become more emotionally involved. Both approaches have their ups and their downs and both allow the teacher different kinds of power over the students. The first method is used by some teachers due to the fact that these kids come and go all the time. It certainly does not help that most of these kids have lives that are a little bit difficult to hear about. The second method allows for more stress and emotional involvement on the part of the teacher, but also allows more personal level of interest with the students. The first allows for a stricter, more structured teaching environment, but the second allows for are more interactive, lighthearted atmosphere in the classroom, but also more difficult to control environment. It is up to the teacher to decide what works best for his or her own abilities and students.
However the student holds a certain amount of power over the teacher as well. They have the power to learn or not to learn. There is a Chinese proverb that says, “Teachers open the door, you enter by yourself.” This is definitely true for a continuation school. Whether students take advantage of the education and opportunity given to them is completely up to the individual. Some students study hard for their education while others would obviously rather be elsewhere. Some students dream of college while others dream of nothing more than the upcoming weekend. But all students, to a certain degree find themselves fighting for attention from the very same teachers they try to gain control over. Whether they want to learn or not they strive to be noticed among a sea of faces. Despite the fact that this is a continuation school with little over 30 students in all, there is still a fear of being ignored, forgotten, or invisible to the people that surround them.
In a continuation school attention equals power. To have attention is to be heard. Like a kid asked to stay in class during recess, any message that may want to be sent to the outside world must be shouted loud and clear. The members of a continuation school know this. They also know that the person closest to the door, the person with the most power, is the one who will succeed in getting their message across. Thus there is a pushing and shoving and scrambling in order to get to the best position possible. Like any society there emerges an alpha male and an alpha female, both of which, in a continuation school, are clearly marked. These are the ones that can shout the loudest, and garner the most respect from the most people. They may not be the best liked, but they are definitely the best qualified for their job. This goes for the students, the teachers, and most importantly the principal.
Respect is another key to power in a continuation school. Without respect, one finds that attention is hard to come by. Some students find that they can garner respect temporarily by acting tough or daring to break rules in a way that no one else will dare. They attempt to emulate the air of indifference surrounding those that actually do hold that respect. As with most situations, admitting that something is important to you is admitting that you have a sense of vulnerability and it means opening oneself up to the manipulations of others. Thus those that lack respect are the ones that are taken advantage of by the ones that have it.
Those that already hold respect are showered with all the attention they could want from people that admire, appreciate, or want to be like them. Many times this sort of power is abused by the students who find themselves at the top of the respect ladder. They manipulate and play games with those that have still not mastered the technique of acquiring respect. However theses sorts of diversions can backfire and lead to a loss of respect.
While respect is important for students, it is far more important for teachers. If a teacher at a continuation school does not acquire respect or show that they are worthy of respect in the first couple days then the students are sure to take advantage of that fact and begin to try and assert their own authority over the teacher’s authority. But how exactly does one go about achieving this respect? For a teacher to be respected at a continuation school there must be an unspoken understanding between teacher and student that this is a two way relationship. In exchange for taking in information that the teacher gives the student, the student must feel like they are able to express themselves and their ideas to the teacher. The students want to know that their teachers understand a bit of their world and that the teachers know where they are coming from. A teacher’s goal is obviously to educate the student and help the student take the next step in life. This give and take relationship usually allows for a more relaxed and easygoing learning environment. Though many teachers will have a more impassive attitude, there still must exist a personal level of communication between student teacher. This will not only garner respect, but trust.
Let’s look at the example of one of the students at the continuation school in which I work. His name, for the purpose of this essay, is George. George is an average student, doing just enough work to get by. He has trouble paying attention in class, and does his best to get his teachers off track whenever he is bored. He too reflects this hierarchy. First he attempts to get attention by disrupting the classroom, or making some sort of ruckus. This of course is much appreciated by the students who would rather be elsewhere and welcome his antics as an alternative to the teacher’s lecture. This leads him to gain a little bit of power. He is the center of attention, but he still isn’t there yet. George has seen other kids like, for example, Tim, who exudes an air of calm and confidence. He attempts to pass of this incident in a similar manner. He nonchalantly tries to brush the incident over, doing his best to sweet-talk and apologize to the teacher. This may or may not earn his respect from all of his peers, but for the students that look up to the power held by people like George and Tim, it is just another layer of icing on the cake.
A continuation school holds within it a strange, and many times confusing, hierarchy. One may note that there is very little mention of the school rules here. This is because at a continuation school, the school rules don’t hold as much power as the student’s ability to break them and the teacher’s ability to enforce them, despite opposition. Thus, the need for power turns into a need for respect, and the need for respect turns into a need for attention. No matter what the situation, these elements prevail and hold true. As in any situation those with power are not willing to sacrifice power for the well being of others, and those without power want it badly enough to play right into the hands of those with power. The dynamic that exists in a continuation school is both unique and to be expected.
Formal mechanisms of control: School rules, teachers, principal.
Informal mechanisms of control: Parents, peers, age.
[This turned out a bit longer than I intended....]
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Essential Outcomes: Perspective and Experience, Ethnocentrism
1) Define ethnocentrism in your own words.
Ethnocentrism is the idea that one views the world through his or her own culture. This belief can be both positive or negative depending on how a situation is handled.
2) Define cultural relativism in your own words.
Cultural relativism is the idea that though we may see the world ethnocentrically, we must observe without making judgement in order to truly understand a culture.
Now apply these concepts to an example. Let’s use the practice of female circumcision. Read some of the information provided, discuss with classmates and then respond to the questions below:
3) What is your initial response to the practice of female circumcision?
To be honest, I was kind of revolted. I had no idea that anything like this existed, but I wanted to learn more about the justifications for it, if only to develop counter-arguments to them.
4) What is an ethnocentric perspective regarding this cultural practice?
From the perspective of those who support this practice, FGM is probably meant for the best. It is a sure way to guarantee a woman's honor and secure her a good husband, which is very important in Islamic societies.
From an outsider's perspective, FGM is a horrible process. One can assume that this is meant to control a woman, not protect her. An outsider may not consider the importance of honor and securing a good husband.
5) What is a culturally relative perspective regarding this practice?
As mentioned above, one might assume that FGM is a way of controlling a woman. However, this allows us a different perspective. By looking at the justifications for the support of FGM one can better understand the origins of the process, though one's opinions on the subject may not change. If we were to live in a society that put a woman's honor and finding a good husband above all else, we might be more open to understanding this practice.
6) What are the problems with thinking ethnocentrically in this context?
Of course one runs the risk of being too close-minded on the matter. If one were to think ethnocentrically, then the idea that cultures that practice FGM are somehow primitive might arise. One may look at countries that practice FGM and draw negative conclusions about their view or treatment of women.
7) What are the problems of thinking relativistically in this context?
If we think relatively we might miss key aspects of the culture. With FGM it is vital that the observer come to some concrete conclusion about the true motivation behind this practice. If one does not do that it becomes difficult to further understand any rituals associated with the culture.
8) In your view does cultural relativism necessarily mean ethical relativism? Why or why not?
Though, like culture, ethics are learned, they are harder to ignore. If one were confronted with, cannibalism for example and their sense of ethics tells them this is wrong, it is difficult to think otherwise. Though one may still understand the motivations behind a practice, their opinion is still controlled by their system of ethics.
9) What, if anything, do you think should be done? Why?
In the interest of not imposing my own beliefs on others, I feel that FMG should be legal but only under specific (anesthesia, steralized setting, etc.) conditions and consent of the woman involved.
Ethnocentrism can drastically alter our view of the world. If one goes on thinking that a certain culture better than all the rest, then any difference from one's own culture automatically becomes a flaw. The problem with seeing the world this way is that it can lead to hate and prejudice by the grouping of people into hierarchies based on your own culture. Our culture tends to be what we view the world though, but if we are not aware of it, our culture can easily distort rather than clarify the things we see in the world.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Essential Outcomes: Language and Culture
1. Identify a specific speech event and site where you’d like to conduct an “ethnography of speaking.” What is the site?
Coffee shop.
2. What are a few of the specific speech acts people engage in repetitively in the site you’ve chosen?
Ordering, conversation, pleasantries.
3. Record some of the statements you and others made below:
Me, ordering: I'll have a caramel macchiatto, please.
Customer, pleasantries: Thanks for the drink.
Customer, conversation: My friend and I are going down to the lake this weekend.
4. How do the statements above reveal important elements of the components of speech acts?
| Component | Comments |
| Purpose | |
| Message Content | |
| Message Form | |
| Channel | |
| Setting | |
| Tone | |
| Participants | |
| Outcome | |
5. Was the “ethnography of speaking” approach to studying a speech event useful? What did it reveal about the event that you might not have realized otherwise?
It was very useful. By isolating the different types of interaction, I learned that language was a bit more complex than it seemed. The way that one asked for a drink or the way a employee responded varied vastly and changed the tone of the interaction. This exercise allowed me to better understand the complexities of language and the way it is used.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Essential Outcomes: Globalization
Globalization is defined by our text as "A social process in which the constraints of geography on social and cultural arrangements recede, and in which people become increasingly aware that they are receding(p. 380)." Essentially, globalization is an integration of cultures around the world, from technology to food to architecture.
Globalization has had an interesting effect in the US. The American culture is pretty powerful in the grand scheme of things. (How else do you explain the international success of overpriced ripped jeans?) Thus, the US tends to affect other countries before other countries effect us. For example, the Japanese adopted The Backstreet Boys far before Americans began demanding any sort of Japanese music. However, when Americans allow a bit of another culture to become part of theirs, they seem to completely forget that it was foreign in the first place. Given the origins of the country, this is hardly surprising. Nevertheless, when other countries adopt something uniquely American, they do not forget as easily that it comes from a different country.
But how does this affect the culture as a whole? In America, globalization means sharing American culture with other countries. Yes, other cultures leave their mark, but it is solely about sharing American ideas. In other countries it becomes a matter of preserving one's own culture while trying to adapt to the ever present American culture.
Globalization can definitely be a good thing. It can, in fact, be a great thing. Globalization can, in the right circumstances, promote better understanding of cultures, and help broaden one's horizons. However, it can also be a bad thing, since the ethnocentrism is bound to rear is head.
I can completely understand this fear. The fear that one's culture, which is an essential part of one's life, is being erased. From culture we learn our values, we learn our past, we even learn our fears. The threat of having a culture, however bland or rich, erased can put people on the defensive.
Globalization is a double sided mirror, having the potential to bring out the worst as well as the best.
Edits:
For India, globilization has definitely been a good thing. To many, India is still the overpopulated third world country that we've been reading about in the news for years. More recently, it has been connected with things like outsourcing. Understandably, this is confusing to someone who has not seen the effects of globalization on India. How can a country that has so many economic problems be putting out people that are talented enough to attract attention from abroad? Yes, there are rural areas in need, but India also contains a vast urban sprawl. The fact is, the India of today is nothing like the India of 20 years ago. Before the advent of globalization, India was a very traditional country, now it is a bustling hub. A simple way to look at it would be though acceptable women's fashions. In the late '80s, when I was born, women usually wore traditional clothes, most women never removing the scarf they wore on their shoulders or wrapped around their neck. My last visit to India was six years ago in 2002. Imagine my surprise as I walked off the plane wearing a, by my standards, modest knee-length skirt and my aunt gasped in horror. Though some younger women had begun to adapt western clothing or elements of western clothing, they continued to be very modest. No one ever wore a skirt unless it was either a school uniform or a floor-length skirt. I am planning to visit India again this summer, and this is what everyone's been telling me: "Pack your skirts and tank-tops!" Within the past six years, strict Indian standards have given way to western ideals. While a skirt or a tank-top may have been seen a grossly immodest a mere six years ago, it is now acceptable dress, even in the conservative area of south India.
This sort of situation has carried over to America as well, with the rise of yoga, meditation, and, more recently, ayurvedic medicines.
(Though, to be honest, if I see another horribly generic, badly done "How to do Yoga" book/cd/dvd, I might go into convulsions....)
Globalization has had an interesting effect in the US. The American culture is pretty powerful in the grand scheme of things. (How else do you explain the international success of overpriced ripped jeans?) Thus, the US tends to affect other countries before other countries effect us. For example, the Japanese adopted The Backstreet Boys far before Americans began demanding any sort of Japanese music. However, when Americans allow a bit of another culture to become part of theirs, they seem to completely forget that it was foreign in the first place. Given the origins of the country, this is hardly surprising. Nevertheless, when other countries adopt something uniquely American, they do not forget as easily that it comes from a different country.
But how does this affect the culture as a whole? In America, globalization means sharing American culture with other countries. Yes, other cultures leave their mark, but it is solely about sharing American ideas. In other countries it becomes a matter of preserving one's own culture while trying to adapt to the ever present American culture.
Globalization can definitely be a good thing. It can, in fact, be a great thing. Globalization can, in the right circumstances, promote better understanding of cultures, and help broaden one's horizons. However, it can also be a bad thing, since the ethnocentrism is bound to rear is head.
I can completely understand this fear. The fear that one's culture, which is an essential part of one's life, is being erased. From culture we learn our values, we learn our past, we even learn our fears. The threat of having a culture, however bland or rich, erased can put people on the defensive.
Globalization is a double sided mirror, having the potential to bring out the worst as well as the best.
Edits:
For India, globilization has definitely been a good thing. To many, India is still the overpopulated third world country that we've been reading about in the news for years. More recently, it has been connected with things like outsourcing. Understandably, this is confusing to someone who has not seen the effects of globalization on India. How can a country that has so many economic problems be putting out people that are talented enough to attract attention from abroad? Yes, there are rural areas in need, but India also contains a vast urban sprawl. The fact is, the India of today is nothing like the India of 20 years ago. Before the advent of globalization, India was a very traditional country, now it is a bustling hub. A simple way to look at it would be though acceptable women's fashions. In the late '80s, when I was born, women usually wore traditional clothes, most women never removing the scarf they wore on their shoulders or wrapped around their neck. My last visit to India was six years ago in 2002. Imagine my surprise as I walked off the plane wearing a, by my standards, modest knee-length skirt and my aunt gasped in horror. Though some younger women had begun to adapt western clothing or elements of western clothing, they continued to be very modest. No one ever wore a skirt unless it was either a school uniform or a floor-length skirt. I am planning to visit India again this summer, and this is what everyone's been telling me: "Pack your skirts and tank-tops!" Within the past six years, strict Indian standards have given way to western ideals. While a skirt or a tank-top may have been seen a grossly immodest a mere six years ago, it is now acceptable dress, even in the conservative area of south India.
This sort of situation has carried over to America as well, with the rise of yoga, meditation, and, more recently, ayurvedic medicines.
(Though, to be honest, if I see another horribly generic, badly done "How to do Yoga" book/cd/dvd, I might go into convulsions....)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
