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EC Concept Map from Tuesday’s Class

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Religion Fieldwork Assignment

For this fieldwork assignment, I accompanied my friend to her church. It is a bilingual Salvadorian church.

There were many examples of the sacred and the profane in the church. The altar, bible, cross, and music are some of the sacred items. Cursing/swearing, dressing inappropriately, and abrupt behavior is considered profane. There are not necessarily a lot of profane objects in the church, but more so profane actions. The ritual of attending church is separative in of itself. The act of going to church separates churchgoers from non-church goers. Liminality consists of attending church and listening to messages. Reincorporation consists of joining the church and participating in church activities.

The Crucifix is one of the most important symbols in Christianity. It is symbolic of the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for humanity. Christians are the ones that assign meaning to the cross. To them, it is a physical representation of the ultimate sacrifice and of love. Karl Marx’s critique of religion being, “the opiate of the masses” is relevant. During the service, the pastor constantly referred back to his home country of El Salvador. Also, many of the church members are from El Salvador and have most likely found solace in God as they were able to survive and prosper through their struggles.

Power is relevant is the majority of the church leaders were male and of an older age. Even little things such as a mother disciplining her child show the power dynamics in the church.Globalization is also relevant as the pastor continue refreshments churches in biblical tales from El Salvador and his sermon. The church is cell consist of an immigrant community.

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Power Fieldwork Assignment

The show I watched was The Office (US version).

In The Office, there is a hierarchy based on status. The person with the most power in the workplace is Michael Scott who is the Regional Manager of Dunder Mifflin. The salespeople have the second highest status in the office due to their salary. Lastly, the receptionist has the lowest status in the office because many see this occupation as one that does not require a lot of skill.

Michael Scott often makes inappropriate and offensive jokes about age, gender, race, and sexuality in the show. As he is in a position of power and of privilege, he is not aware of the impact that his offensive jokes have. Pam, who is a woman, is also the receptionist at the show. Later when she is replaced, another woman named Erin becomes a receptionist as well. Power within Michael’s subordinates is also organized by income. The salespeople in the show make the second highest amount of money other than Michael, and at times this has been a cause of conflict within the workplace in the show.

The political negotiations that occur in these power relationships are often a result of either interpersonal conflict or inappropriate behavior in the office. When this occurs, Toby, a human resources officers will mediate and assist in resolving the conflict. The power dynamics within The Office were most likely established in archaic times when people were separated based on some system of supremacy. The power dynamics can only be changed by those in power. However, this change first occurs through change.

I see representations of the state by virtue of attending a public university, through financial aid and federal loans, walking to class and seeing the American Flag flying on the pole, and at sports games when the national anthem is played. It makes it seem as though the state is everywhere and inescapable. Almost as if there is no privacy.

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President Trump has made it easier for churches to be more political without loosing their tax-exempt status. Not only that but religious organizations no longer are obligated to pay for services such as abortion under Obamacare. Churches will be able to further assert power & influence over their attendees by way of politicizing their sermons. By giving churches a greater political voice, it further blurs the line between church & state. Not only that, but because of the church’s power it can influence the masses to support or denounce any candidate that does not support the views of the church. This executive order was most likely only “offered” to the Christian religion, thereby enforcing and invalidating the existence of all other religious organizations in the United States that exist.

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Occupy Wall Street In-Class Concept Map

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Interview with a Migrant: Fieldwork Assignment Chapter 13

Mia Hickman

SOCI 110.001

Dr. Angela Howell

November 18, 2017

My name is Nadine, and I was interviewed by one of the high school classmates, Mia about my experience as an immigrant in the United States. This is my story.

I am originally from Togo. It is West African country located between Ghana and Benin. I left my country in pursuit of the American Dream. My mother and father wanted to give my sister and I the best opportunities possible. Education, healthcare, quality of life. They new that in America these things could be so much more than what they would be in Togo. We were pretty fortunate in coming here. We did not have to wait long to get our visas and whatnot. Although, I do remember my mother wanted to bring more of us over. The was a young man we considered a brother to the family. He practically was family. My mother wanted to bring him over, but because he did not share our last name, the United States government did not recognize him as such.

So, we left. I was only four years old when we immigrated to the United States. My sister was only two years old then. When we came over, we lived with my grandmother. She had already been living the States for awhile, so it was her that helped us adjust to our new life. She let us stay with her until parents had enough money to buy a place of their own. I never specifically remember “assimilating” into American culture. I was brought over so young, and did not really grow up in my Togolese culture. I grew up surrounded by American culture. I often struggled with remembering traditions and customs from back home. The two cultures would often times clash. At times, I remember my mother reminding that I, “Was not one of these Black American kids. You’re African, remember our culture and traditions”.

In Togo, it is typical of the women to cater to the men. The women cook, clean, and care for the children. Only a few women break this norm and have both a family and a career. This is the norm. In America, this occurs tenfold. There is more leniency for women who decide to have career and not get married and have children. My parents brought us to this country so we could grow up and have successful, amazing futures. They wanted us to find a good careers and jobs, that pay well of course, so we can be successful and independent. My mom’s family always stressed the importance of education, so I knew that my mother would the same to us. However, her parents also equally stressed how important it was for her to marry someone wealthy and start a family. She in a way, did the same thing to me as well. My life is so different from my parents life, both their families weren’t rich and they had a lot of siblings. Their fathers had more than one wife and they struggled growing up and they didn’t have as much opportunities that my sister and I have. Growing up we had access to a good education we played sports we didn’t always get everything we wanted but we got everything we needed

Despite my life being so different from my parents’, without them and their sacrifices I never would have it where I am today. I am forever grateful for them and for the American Dream.

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Migration Concept Map

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Mayor Michael Bloomberg #10th Richest Person in the World

Mayor Michael Bloomberg made his financial start as the CEO and owner/founder of Bloomberg L.P., a global financial, media, and software company. His company for one of the first worldwide financial advising firms. He has been the mayor of New York City for three terms. He at first was as Republicans, then Democrat, and as of 2007 he identifies as an Independent. In the most recent Presidential Election, Bloomberg endorsed Hillary Clinton. From each Presidental Election since 2008 he has been suggested by many to run. He supports candiadate and organization from both parties, as he has been a member of both the Republican and Democratic parties during his life. Bloomberg i️s a philanthropist, although the majorities of his initiative are US based and not international.

Source

https://www.biography.com/people/michael-bloomberg-16466704

https://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/bloomberg-new-york-donor-230861

https://www.bloomberg.org/about/

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Social Class Documentary

https://youtu.be/O7A8JUUm13E

Sources:

Statue of Liberty image: https://www.nycgo.com/attractions/statue-of-liberty-national-monument

American Flag via Getty Images: http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/american-flag-waving-in-breeze-on-pole-royalty-free-image/157605738

Capitalism Definition via Merriam Webster Online Dictionary: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capitalism

Image of hands in circle: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/574279389955798620/

Census Bureau Wealth, Asset Ownwership & Debt of Household Detailed Tables: 2013

Pie Chart Data: http://www2.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/power/wealth.html

CNN Video: https://youtu.be/j_m7Fia_v5A

Racism X-ed Out photo: http://www.clubinkorea.com/korean-clubs-are-racist-explanation-of-racism/

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Chapter 10 Kinship Fieldwork Assignment: Tracing Your Family Tree

Key:

*All kinship terms in the diagram are in relation to the Ego. Ex: the mother of the ego would not be labelled wife, it would be labelled mother.*

*For two Kinship Abbreviations together: M is mother, Z is sister, so MZ is mother’s sister.

My kinship chart shows the diversity in family types. Although my parents, siblings, and I are apart of a nuclear family structure, the same does not apply for my father’s side of the family, or my mother’s sister’s side of the family. My paternal grandmother never married and had four children my father being one of them. My mother and maternal aunt both had children within their marriage. In reality, my family tree, the earliest generation starting from my grandparents, has to include at least 40 people in it. I do not know all of my family members or how I am related to them, so attempting to include them in the kinship diagram would prove difficult.Both the maternal grandmother and paternal grandmother come from families that have many siblings. For example, my maternal grandmother is one of twelve children. There is a pattern of noticeable in my paternal grandmother; she was never married yet had four children. Perhaps she does not agree with the institution of marriage, or that a woman needs to be married in order to have children. A pattern in the paternal side of my family tends to consist of blended families, whereas the maternal side of my family consists of nuclear families. Perhaps this is just a result of the generation social upbringings of each familiar generation.

The paternal side of my family is the side that has the most records. Given the fact that in American culture when women get married, they take their husband’s last name, there would assumably be more easily traceable records on the paternal side of my family. This relates back to gender stratification, in that women are seen as less then men, even in how family lineages are recorded. that has been inserted historically and currently into our society. My maternal grandfather was adopted, and so because of that there is whole part of my biological kin that I never heard of nor interacted with. It is harder to trace down the records on my maternal family’s side given the fact that the records tend to be patrilineal and the fact that my paternal grandfather was adopted.

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Concept Map: Beach Resorts, Dominican Women, and Sex Work

(Sorry for the blurriness)

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Your Turn Fieldwork: Cartoon Commericials and the Construction of Gender

Video games, action figures, nerf guns, and buildable toys (Lego, Bionicle, etc.) are most advertised for boys. Dolls, makeup (kid makeup), diaries, and clothes are the most advertised for girls. The colors in the boy commercials are blue, grey, black, and forest green. The colors in the girl commercials are pink, red, and white. Both commercials have the kids playing with their respective toys. Both appear excited to play with the toys. Both genders behave, from my observations, in the same way when presented with their respective toys.

For the commercials that had adults, they did not really "participate" in the commercial. Many were only seen in the background. if they appeared at all. Of about seven toy commercials, only one parent appeared, and they appeared in the background only. For all toy commercials, they mostly took place in the living room of the assumed house. Some took place in the respective child's bedroom as well. In the boy commercials, the narrator was always male. The voiceover actor's tone was much more serious; it was not whimsical. In the girl commercials, the narrator was always a women. The voiceover artist also typically spoke in a very high-pitched voice. It was also very enthusiastic and whimsical.

Judging from the commercials, to be a male in American culture means liking video games, "violent" toys and games, and "action figures" (aka masculine dolls). Judging by the commercials, to be a female in American culture means liking the color pink, playing with dolls, dress-up, and cooking. These examples of toy commercials really show the early enculturation of what is means to be feminine and masculine in the United States. Children are exposed to these gender “differences” as soon as they are born and continue absorbing it throughout their childhood.

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Concept Map: Guerillas, Spirit Mediums, and Nationalism in Zimbabwe

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What is your… Race, Ethinicity, State and Nation

Ethnicity: African American

Race: Black

State: United States

Nation: United States

Ancestry: (West) African, European, Possibly Native/Indigenous

For me, being black in America is a whole other experience in of itself. This country and its people has yet to come to terms with its racist past. African-Americans here never given any sort of reparations for slavery or Jim Crow. It wasn’t until I was older that I realized that I cannot celebrate this country that doesn’t celebrate me.

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This piece speaks a lot about the ideas of colorism in today’s world. Even today, in practically every culture that has had any interaction with Europe and with white people, there is always some form of colorism in that culture. Colorism is present in the African-American community. Everything is based in proximaty to whiteness. People with darker tend to have less makeup color options than people with lighter skin because darker skinned is not catered to. As the textbook dicussed, in Brazil, people of a darker compexion tend to be of a lower class. The lighter you are the more beautiful you are. Certain stereotypes associated with dark-skinned black women will never apply to lighter skin black women, because they may be “white passing”. They are not assumed to be white, meaning certain streotuuypes such as “angry black woman” will not necessarily apply. Colorism is without a doubt another mean of control via racism and white supremacy. But the first step towards abolishing is having open conversation about race and colorism within our community.

of all the countries to receive enslaved Africans during the trans atlantic trade, Brazil took in the most by far. approximately 4 million Africans made it to the shores of Brazil, about 10 times the amount that came to the United States. following the end of slavery, Brazil carried out a series of immigration policies that favored immigration from Europe in an effort to whiten its population. this practice was known as branqueamento.

unlike the United States which accept(ed/s) a ‘one drop rule’ definition of blackness, in Brazil (and many other parts of the world) ideas of race were/are different. Blackness is something that can be diluted and done away with over time and many distinctions are given to those who have mixed ancestry.

This painting is an artist’s depiction of a young white child, her mixed race mother and white father. her black grandmother seems to be giving thanks to white jesus that the baby shows no sign of 'black blood.’

work: A Redenção de Cam (Redemption of Ham), Modesto Brocos, 1895

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I remember this story came first came to light. It still amazes me that even though black are in a country and society where black people are the racial majority, they still have to fight for the right to wear their hair natural in school because it’s “unkept” or “needs to be fix”. This want or need for Black girls to assimilate to whiteness in an African country truly shows how dominant and necessary the power of whiteness and its influence is. White/European culture should not be the dominant culture in a country where White people are not racial majority. I expect this in the United States, because everything that Black people have the right to do at one point in time had to be fought for. South Africa in a lot of ways reminds me of the United States. Both countries have a livid racist and segregationist past, and both have a long way to go.

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I personally found this entire situation to be very interesting especially given the status of dreadlocks in modern culture. Unlike box braids and cornrows, dreadlocks are not exclusive to African culture. The Ancient Grecian Kouros Statue has what appears to be dreadlocks. Dreadlocks are a common hairstyle within the Tibetan Buddhist culture as well. I do not see Jeremy Lin in the wrong here. However that could be because I have “given up” on calling out people who were their hair in dreadlocks because it is hard to prove their exclusivity. Lin also make an interesting point to Kenyon Martine. Lin eloquently calls Martin out on his Kanji tattoos, especially considering the exoticize of races, ethnicities, and cultures that use languages that have Kanji, Arabic, and Hangul scripts. Moreover, people will get tattoos in these languages why people who do not speak or write in that language. So not only is the tattoo not written correctly, it may also say something totally different from what it is supposed to say. There is definitely a racial component to cultural appropriation, because it appears that these cultural practices are not being respected because of feelings either racial superiority or blatant ignorance towards other races’ cultures. Whether this situation is an issue of cultural appropriation or racial exoticism is debatable.

Ancient Greek Kouros https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/32.11.1/

Tibetan Monks and Dreadlocks https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/596567