Pop Culture Artifact Señor Clean Charged with Meaning
The TV show Robot Chicken has provided examples of cliche stereotypes about Mexicans and Mexican Americans in the past (http://writerscholarprofessional.blogspot.com/2010/07/shared-assumptions-about-mexican.html). But when I saw the "Señor Clean" short below, I was reminded of Brummet's Rhetoric in Popular Culture and the discussion of meanings submerged in belief systems that hide reality. Speaking about the validity of the signs we see in the artifacts of pop culture, Brummet writes: "all signs are meaningful, and that artifacts in particular are signs that are charged with extra meaning"(31).
The caricature plays on the subservient role of the Latino domestic, representing the essence of the Mexican with a poncho and sombrero, but then takes a sexually aggressive turn. This suggestion reinforces the role of exoticized 'Other,' the symbolic reminder of inferiority.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
Prop 107 bans Affirmative Action in Arizona
More Bad News from Arizona
NPR has a good story on the current debate (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129216337) and what seems to be overlooked many times by students who claim to have their places in school 'taken by less qualified students of color' is that less qualified non-students of color (athletes, legacies & children whose parents make endowments) might be taking their spots. Still, it's easier for these entitled students to argue for what should come to them, even though affirmative action was started to offset the balance of educational inequality in public schools. It's too bad voters are the last to know that 'pulling oneself up by their bootstraps' is a myth because it doesn't account for the support of others or the presence of a functioning educational system.
A few friends went to the All Souls Procession yesterday and one of the local news channels said a few people found the procession to be a good place to vent about Prop 107 banning affirmative action in AZ (http://www.kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=13460971).
(photo from coachella.com website)
It's only slightly ironic that the channel is K-OLD when in fact the Souls Procession is linked to the Dia de los Muertos celebration of those friends and family members who've passed away because it is a kind of show of respect many times for elders who are no longer with us. But the disappointing situation with the passing of 107 means that much of the progress to reverse structural inequality that makes it difficult for people of color to succeed in higher education will be lost. NPR has a good story on the current debate (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129216337) and what seems to be overlooked many times by students who claim to have their places in school 'taken by less qualified students of color' is that less qualified non-students of color (athletes, legacies & children whose parents make endowments) might be taking their spots. Still, it's easier for these entitled students to argue for what should come to them, even though affirmative action was started to offset the balance of educational inequality in public schools. It's too bad voters are the last to know that 'pulling oneself up by their bootstraps' is a myth because it doesn't account for the support of others or the presence of a functioning educational system.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
So You Want a PhD in the Humanities
A New Media Application for Changing Genre
From what I understand of this website http://www.xtranormal.com/makemovies/, you can create a computer generated dramatization of your writing by simply typing in a dialogue (note to self: create my own later). While this is a great resource for the Controversy Analysis assignment that we have students research and then turn into a Public Argument, the subject matter in the video I've embedded is a bit depressing as someone earning a PhD in English.
From what I understand of this website http://www.xtranormal.com/makemovies/, you can create a computer generated dramatization of your writing by simply typing in a dialogue (note to self: create my own later). While this is a great resource for the Controversy Analysis assignment that we have students research and then turn into a Public Argument, the subject matter in the video I've embedded is a bit depressing as someone earning a PhD in English.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Second Annual National Day on Writing
National Day on Writing
For some reason, I feel as though I'm not going to get around to doing as much writing today as I would like to, but if you have some writing you'd like to submit to the National Gallery on Writing, click on the image; it goes to the NCTE online gallery.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Author Cecilia Rodriguez-Milanes on Yo Soy Latino
Author Ceclia Rodriguez-Milanes Talks Writing and Recent CD
From the Yo Soy Latino website:
"if its Noon time and Saturday its time for Yo Soy Latino with Jose Miranda & Haydee Ayala on the Big 810AM in Orlando, Florida or on line at www.yosoylatino.us just click the listen live button and enjoy."
From the Yo Soy Latino website:"if its Noon time and Saturday its time for Yo Soy Latino with Jose Miranda & Haydee Ayala on the Big 810AM in Orlando, Florida or on line at www.yosoylatino.us just click the listen live button and enjoy."
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Comps Thoughts
Selena and the Conflation of Sexuality with Criminality
Studying for my Comprehensive Exams, I realize that I have neglected to post much on my blog. Fortunately, since this blog serves as a space of synthesis, I was inspired to post on The Decolonial Imaginary by Emma Perez.
An aspect of the film and the life of Selena I hadn't taken into consideration was the murder and the complications of the relationship between Selena and Saldívar. Perez explains:
“The charge of lesbianism was made by disgruntled fans, but also by Selena’s father, to discredit Saldívar further, as if it were not enough that she stole, cheated, lied, and murdered. To his credit, director Gregory Nava ignored the lesbian rumors in the film, instead portraying Saldívar as a liar who betrayed her best friend”(119).
Perez points out the survival and revival of rhetorics of deficiency that conflate criminality with sexuality, attempting to use one to exacerbate the negativity associated with the other.
Studying for my Comprehensive Exams, I realize that I have neglected to post much on my blog. Fortunately, since this blog serves as a space of synthesis, I was inspired to post on The Decolonial Imaginary by Emma Perez.
Perez comments on how the life of Tejana artist Selena was mediated through the lens of her father. Thinking about this film, I had always thought of it through the lens of Latina/o students who listen to the music of Selena and relate to her music and life as someone who successfully navigated Mexican and Mexican American culture in the borderlands of Texas. Perez explains that “I was grateful that Nava had provided Latina/o communities with a story that would help us remember something of a young woman still revered by many”(119).
An aspect of the film and the life of Selena I hadn't taken into consideration was the murder and the complications of the relationship between Selena and Saldívar. Perez explains:
“The charge of lesbianism was made by disgruntled fans, but also by Selena’s father, to discredit Saldívar further, as if it were not enough that she stole, cheated, lied, and murdered. To his credit, director Gregory Nava ignored the lesbian rumors in the film, instead portraying Saldívar as a liar who betrayed her best friend”(119).
Perez points out the survival and revival of rhetorics of deficiency that conflate criminality with sexuality, attempting to use one to exacerbate the negativity associated with the other.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
More from Dos Vatos
Global Voices: Beyond the Border
From the makers of Beautiful Knowledge, a new documentary on PBS worth checking out. When I heard the production duo Dos Vatos speak, they said that it was surprising easier to find funding for documentaries and grants for the arts when dealing with issues of race in Kentucky than in Arizona. Just another example of proving stereotypes wrong.
http://www.pbs.org/itvs/globalvoices/beyondtheborder.html
From the makers of Beautiful Knowledge, a new documentary on PBS worth checking out. When I heard the production duo Dos Vatos speak, they said that it was surprising easier to find funding for documentaries and grants for the arts when dealing with issues of race in Kentucky than in Arizona. Just another example of proving stereotypes wrong.
http://www.pbs.org/itvs/globalvoices/beyondtheborder.html
Saturday, September 25, 2010
New Precious Knowledge Trailer!
A Great Documentary about the Tucson Unified School District
Precious Knowledge Trailer from Ari Palos on Vimeo.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Writing Less Badly
Tips for Writing
In The Chronicle of Higher Education, Michael C. Munger writes an interesting article that I'm posting the link to as a reminder to myself to think about when writing and re-writing.
http://chronicle.com/article/10-Tips-on-How-to-Write-Less/124268/
His #1 tip is that "writing is an exercise," which is important to remember when setting out to write after not having written and maybe even a good incentive for updating this here blog.
Tip number five: "Everyone's unwritten work is brilliant" also made me chuckle, but that might come as a result of my creative writing experience, or experience with creative writing students who enjoyed talking about their writing more than they seemed to write.
In The Chronicle of Higher Education, Michael C. Munger writes an interesting article that I'm posting the link to as a reminder to myself to think about when writing and re-writing.
http://chronicle.com/article/10-Tips-on-How-to-Write-Less/124268/
His #1 tip is that "writing is an exercise," which is important to remember when setting out to write after not having written and maybe even a good incentive for updating this here blog.
Tip number five: "Everyone's unwritten work is brilliant" also made me chuckle, but that might come as a result of my creative writing experience, or experience with creative writing students who enjoyed talking about their writing more than they seemed to write.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Warren Buffet: 'Make Private Schools Illegal'
Will Throwing Money at Schools Really Help?
The answer to this question is a resounding 'yes,' but it's not just education researchers who are pointing out the common sense behind the economic segregation that has children living in the same neighborhood attending drastically different educational institutions, namely public and private.
I had heard someone discuss Warren Buffet's solution to raising the quality of our public schools and I found it in an article on Spotlightonpoverty.org. In the article, Buffet's comments enunciate what many fiscally conservatives who educate their children in private institutions already know, but choose to ignore:
"“Make private schools illegal,” he said, “and assign every child to a public school by random lottery.” Think about what this would mean. CEOs’ children, diplomats’ children, many would be going to schools in Anacostia and east of the river, where most of our schools are. I guarantee we would never see a faster moving of resources from one end of the city to the other. I also guarantee we would soon have a system of high-quality schools."
The answer to this question is a resounding 'yes,' but it's not just education researchers who are pointing out the common sense behind the economic segregation that has children living in the same neighborhood attending drastically different educational institutions, namely public and private.
I had heard someone discuss Warren Buffet's solution to raising the quality of our public schools and I found it in an article on Spotlightonpoverty.org. In the article, Buffet's comments enunciate what many fiscally conservatives who educate their children in private institutions already know, but choose to ignore:
"“Make private schools illegal,” he said, “and assign every child to a public school by random lottery.” Think about what this would mean. CEOs’ children, diplomats’ children, many would be going to schools in Anacostia and east of the river, where most of our schools are. I guarantee we would never see a faster moving of resources from one end of the city to the other. I also guarantee we would soon have a system of high-quality schools."
Inagural Issue of Present Tense
A Journal of Rhetoric in Society
According to editor Alexandra Hidalgo:
"Present Tense: A Journal of Rhetoric in Society is proud to announce its inaugural issue at http://www.presenttensejournal.org/. Present Tense is dedicated to exploring contemporary social, cultural, political and economic issues through a rhetorical lens. The articles presented in Volume 1, Issue 1 include a diversity of current topics, of no more than 2,000 words, ranging from disciplinarity and sovereign power, to Google bombing, to race and the new equality. We hope you find the articles engaging and we encourage you to continue the conversation by commenting on the articles online.
Volume 1, Issue 1:
Turning Composition toward Sovereignty- John Schilb
Momma’s Memories and the New Equality- Vershawn Ashanti Young
I’ll Google It!: How Collective Wisdom in Search Engines Alters the Rhetorical Canons- Jill M. Parrott
Making Rhetoric Visible: Re-visioning a Capstone Civic Writing Seminar- Heather Lettner-RustCooking Codes: Cookbook Discourses as Women’s Rhetorical Practices- Elizabeth Fleitz
Program Review: The Land-Grant Way – Connected Knowing and the Call of Service- James M. Dubinsky
Book Review: Scott’s Dangerous Writing- Sheri Rysdam"
Submissions Information: http://www.presenttensejournal.org/submissions/
http://www.presenttensejournal.org/
According to editor Alexandra Hidalgo:
"Present Tense: A Journal of Rhetoric in Society is proud to announce its inaugural issue at http://www.presenttensejournal.org/. Present Tense is dedicated to exploring contemporary social, cultural, political and economic issues through a rhetorical lens. The articles presented in Volume 1, Issue 1 include a diversity of current topics, of no more than 2,000 words, ranging from disciplinarity and sovereign power, to Google bombing, to race and the new equality. We hope you find the articles engaging and we encourage you to continue the conversation by commenting on the articles online.
Volume 1, Issue 1:
Turning Composition toward Sovereignty- John Schilb
Momma’s Memories and the New Equality- Vershawn Ashanti Young
I’ll Google It!: How Collective Wisdom in Search Engines Alters the Rhetorical Canons- Jill M. Parrott
Making Rhetoric Visible: Re-visioning a Capstone Civic Writing Seminar- Heather Lettner-RustCooking Codes: Cookbook Discourses as Women’s Rhetorical Practices- Elizabeth Fleitz
Program Review: The Land-Grant Way – Connected Knowing and the Call of Service- James M. Dubinsky
Book Review: Scott’s Dangerous Writing- Sheri Rysdam"
Submissions Information: http://www.presenttensejournal.org/submissions/
http://www.presenttensejournal.org/
Monday, September 13, 2010
Writing and Working for Change
A Digital Archive of Social Activism by Teachers of NCTE/CCCC
It's always encouraging to see when NCTE/CCCC actively participates in fostering diversity and the work of their diverse membership and past members.
From the website below:
"In conjunction with efforts to chronicle historical moments for NCTE’s Centennial Celebration, this project specifically celebrates the collective work of teachers within and across diverse identities to insure the field recognize and respect the language, educational, political, and social rights of all students and teachers."
http://www.ncte.org/centennial/change
It's always encouraging to see when NCTE/CCCC actively participates in fostering diversity and the work of their diverse membership and past members.
From the website below:
"In conjunction with efforts to chronicle historical moments for NCTE’s Centennial Celebration, this project specifically celebrates the collective work of teachers within and across diverse identities to insure the field recognize and respect the language, educational, political, and social rights of all students and teachers."
http://www.ncte.org/centennial/change
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