Defining Gender and Power
Class Discussion
Group #3 – Observer B
Knowing that we all come from different backgrounds and with that different ideas and beliefs, we went into groups to try and define both gender and power. By doing this, you not only get your own perspective but are able to take in that of others and notice yourself either agreeing or disagreeing and search for the why. So far this is what I have heard from those in our group in terms of defining gender and power.
Gender is a representation of you, how you see yourself and are able to express that. It can be both conscious and subconscious but it is essentially a “label” that you buy into. You can’t talk about gender, without talking about sex, sex is what you physically are and gender is what society deems acceptable for that definition of sex, however narrow that may be. The most common and definite lines of gendering are feminism and masculinity. This is taught to you by your parents, society and teachers, and reinforced by your peers. It not only affects you on that scale of male or female but gendering will also affect the hobbies that you do and the environment that you create around you.
I asked the question how you stop something that is so engrained into you at birth and so “stuck.” My peer’s responded with it being a matter of noticing when you are judging and not allowing yourself to respond in a negative way, and figure out where these feelings come from. In other words becoming of aware of your surroundings and how they are affected by the way you grew up.
When we had to define power what came to our minds first was outspoken people that have the influence to make people see things their way. When people have power they generally have respect and are a figure that is role modeled. Power means that you have followers rather then following the crowd, you have the power to affect the minds and attitudes of the people, which as we have seen throughout history can be dangerous. Power could also be seen in privilege. When seen in privilege however, it is usually something that you are not conscious of, so it becomes necessary to become conscious. When people have power over them they are silenced, it then becomes the obligations of the people who have power to give power.
1. Note the gaps.
The first day of the discussion we all seemed to be pretty well rounded in terms of speaking or not speaking. When someone had thoughts that were said it seemed to go around in circles and branch off, not having just one person doing all the talking although some were more quiet then others. These people that were quieter though, spoke up when they found necessary and you could tell that they were engaged and listening.
2. The flow of the conversation and who organizes.
The note taker seemed to be the person who really organized and kept the conversation going. I think that this is partly because rather then just throwing out those thoughts, they are responsible for recording a definition that really makes sense. When we paused it was the note taker that moved us along and from there we all seem to build of each others ideas and not really disagreeing, just being open.
3. Clashing of Ideas
In terms of this clashing of ideas so far we haven’t reached any, if we have there were extremely subtle and explanations of where the person was coming from seemed to iron them out. If there have been things that have been disagreed on greatly then they have been kept silent. I think that we haven’t really clashed on ideas because we are brining up things that we have all observed in the class through those tools and not necessarily where they come from. It also could be that we come from semi similar backgrounds, of course we have differences but we understand where they come from.
4. Our goals as a team
We as a team trying to define gender and power must first off come to a consensus of what that might be. With that comes listening to each others ideas respectfully and if disagreeing trying to figure out where that comes from and why we are opposed to that idea. By doing that you are creating a safe environment for presenting ideas that are potentially very personal and a respect as a person.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
The World Bank, Water Wars, and Corporations
Womens Lives, Mulicultral Perspectives, Chapter 57- Gwyn Kirk and Margo Okazawa-Rey
The World Bank, WTO and Corporate Control Over Water (2002)
Written By Vandana Shiva
The United States America survives on capitalism, we live off of production and time is constantly on our minds. Being a part of this society, I can look back at look at how I have grown up, and see that for the most part at least from my background this is how it is. We go to school to learn, we go then, to continue in school, so we can get a job, and from there we work hard at our jobs to earn money. I have always been told since I was a child that we had to work hard to we could get a good job. Whenever I said things like, I don’t want money or don’t need money I was shot down.
Since this class, my idea of everyone working hard and getting money has changed. This is due to the fact that we certainly don’t start on an even field and underlying that is race and class, things I believed as a child didn’t exist. We are so focused on the goal of getting a job and earning money in order to ‘survive’ that we are almost blinded to what is going on around us. That or we simply don’t care what is happening to those around us because we are disconnected from that world. I understood people not being able to feel completely with disasters and horrors happening around the world because you can’t see, but in our own country we are blind to these things.
Looking at time and money as a way our society runs off of, I am not surprised when I read Vandana Shiva’s article, “The World Bank, WTO and Corporate Control Over Water (2002).” In summary she explains that water is becoming what some politicians call the new water or the new gold, and therefore due to its scarcity and importance, a profit to made off of it. It is true that water must be controlled and dispersed in a way that everyone can get some and live comfortably, but as a corporation who wants a profit, it is not the way. When this has happened in places live Bolivia, people who are the poorest didn’t have access to the water systems that were put into place by the World Bank, through corporations. When the community came together to try and gather water from rain, rivers etc., they were charged and were not even allowed the murky river water.
As citizens of the United States, we like to take pride in the fact that we aren’t run by our government, but what most of us don’t realize is that we are run by corporations that control the market. Beneath that, are the ideas of racism and class discrimination. So as citizens who are represented around the world by our government and maybe even more strongly, our corporations, what can we do so that we are heard?
The World Bank, WTO and Corporate Control Over Water (2002)
Written By Vandana Shiva
The United States America survives on capitalism, we live off of production and time is constantly on our minds. Being a part of this society, I can look back at look at how I have grown up, and see that for the most part at least from my background this is how it is. We go to school to learn, we go then, to continue in school, so we can get a job, and from there we work hard at our jobs to earn money. I have always been told since I was a child that we had to work hard to we could get a good job. Whenever I said things like, I don’t want money or don’t need money I was shot down.
Since this class, my idea of everyone working hard and getting money has changed. This is due to the fact that we certainly don’t start on an even field and underlying that is race and class, things I believed as a child didn’t exist. We are so focused on the goal of getting a job and earning money in order to ‘survive’ that we are almost blinded to what is going on around us. That or we simply don’t care what is happening to those around us because we are disconnected from that world. I understood people not being able to feel completely with disasters and horrors happening around the world because you can’t see, but in our own country we are blind to these things.
Looking at time and money as a way our society runs off of, I am not surprised when I read Vandana Shiva’s article, “The World Bank, WTO and Corporate Control Over Water (2002).” In summary she explains that water is becoming what some politicians call the new water or the new gold, and therefore due to its scarcity and importance, a profit to made off of it. It is true that water must be controlled and dispersed in a way that everyone can get some and live comfortably, but as a corporation who wants a profit, it is not the way. When this has happened in places live Bolivia, people who are the poorest didn’t have access to the water systems that were put into place by the World Bank, through corporations. When the community came together to try and gather water from rain, rivers etc., they were charged and were not even allowed the murky river water.
As citizens of the United States, we like to take pride in the fact that we aren’t run by our government, but what most of us don’t realize is that we are run by corporations that control the market. Beneath that, are the ideas of racism and class discrimination. So as citizens who are represented around the world by our government and maybe even more strongly, our corporations, what can we do so that we are heard?
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Water
The Penguin Atlas of Women in the World: Fourth Edition, revised and updated by Joni Seager
For most Americans and other industrialized countries, when we want water we simply go and turn on the tap. There are not many worries about what is coming out and if it is safe, not to mention running out of water. Of course there are places that come into droughts or have sanitatoin problems but for the most part we have no worries. Water to the industralized world is still seen as if it is a renewable resource like we once viewed oil and gold.
According to the reading, Americas use the most water at a huge amount of 585 liters per day. Comparing this to europeans at say around 300 on average, this is a huge difference between two industrialized countries or groups of countries. So my question is, where is all this water going to? This is not even to mention some of the poorest people in the world who only use between five and thirty liters per day, and most of them have to walk miles and miles a day to get it from a watering hole, or if they are lucky, a local pump.
I feel that since water is a non renewable resource and probably the most important necessity to survive that water should be payed for. But, because not everyone can pay for water and it is necessary, like I said to survive, the United Nations and World Bank should look greatly into finding the amount of water necessary in liters per person, per day for a person to live compfortably. Once they found this number, everyone should be aloud to have that amount of water for free, and if you feel you need more then you pay a fee for it. I know that something like this is not realisitic but as our aquifers and rivers are drying up I hope that we as a whole group of people could come to an agreement like this.
We constantly hear that history is taught so that we learn from our mistakes. Well, as you can see that doesn't happen very often. One example of this would be the people that lived in the
Mesa Verde Valley. They were an advanced people that were able to settle down. What happened though, was that they were not careful in using their resources and were forced to move out of the valley or starve. Today, this is happening around the world and we still don't see it, the biggest example now being with oil. We are constantly repeating the pattern of using resources until they are no longer available, rather then looking for alternative ways that are renewable.
I feel that we really need to be careful and aware especially as a leading nation that people look to, it becomes our responsibilty. We are going to use up all the water before people in Africa even have safe access for everyone. So my question is I suppose, is when are we as a nation going to wake up and in a sense stop killing ourselves slowly?
For most Americans and other industrialized countries, when we want water we simply go and turn on the tap. There are not many worries about what is coming out and if it is safe, not to mention running out of water. Of course there are places that come into droughts or have sanitatoin problems but for the most part we have no worries. Water to the industralized world is still seen as if it is a renewable resource like we once viewed oil and gold.
According to the reading, Americas use the most water at a huge amount of 585 liters per day. Comparing this to europeans at say around 300 on average, this is a huge difference between two industrialized countries or groups of countries. So my question is, where is all this water going to? This is not even to mention some of the poorest people in the world who only use between five and thirty liters per day, and most of them have to walk miles and miles a day to get it from a watering hole, or if they are lucky, a local pump.
I feel that since water is a non renewable resource and probably the most important necessity to survive that water should be payed for. But, because not everyone can pay for water and it is necessary, like I said to survive, the United Nations and World Bank should look greatly into finding the amount of water necessary in liters per person, per day for a person to live compfortably. Once they found this number, everyone should be aloud to have that amount of water for free, and if you feel you need more then you pay a fee for it. I know that something like this is not realisitic but as our aquifers and rivers are drying up I hope that we as a whole group of people could come to an agreement like this.
We constantly hear that history is taught so that we learn from our mistakes. Well, as you can see that doesn't happen very often. One example of this would be the people that lived in the
Mesa Verde Valley. They were an advanced people that were able to settle down. What happened though, was that they were not careful in using their resources and were forced to move out of the valley or starve. Today, this is happening around the world and we still don't see it, the biggest example now being with oil. We are constantly repeating the pattern of using resources until they are no longer available, rather then looking for alternative ways that are renewable.
I feel that we really need to be careful and aware especially as a leading nation that people look to, it becomes our responsibilty. We are going to use up all the water before people in Africa even have safe access for everyone. So my question is I suppose, is when are we as a nation going to wake up and in a sense stop killing ourselves slowly?
Monday, February 23, 2009
Chapter 4, Racism the begginers Guide, Chp. 4 Racism without race?
Racism, the Beginners Guide
Chapter 4, “Racism Without Race?”
Written by, Alana Lentin
Summary
Many people today in politics and those who fall into the category as the standardized normal would say that America is a post-racial society. The author, Alana Lentin writes this chapter with the main purpose of showing how far we really are from getting rid of the idea of ‘race.’ Race in America has gone from what we think of before and during the civil rights movement, to something more subtle. In my opinion what we have today is almost more dangerous because we don’t see it. In America you have two sides or different cultures, the rich white people who can afford health care and private schools etc… and the poor people of multiple ethnicities. We use the excuse that poor people have put themselves there when in fact we don’t start on an even field. To have good schools and good health care you need money to start with. Our fend for yourself culture allows for this and justifies it. The fact that we still have racism shows in that we still use race and differentiate cultures. We use the terms, Asian, Black, White etc… in the same way we look at people and say girl, boy or tall short etc… which has its own problems. Racism in America is everywhere if you look for it and are aware some of the biggest according to the author being in Hurricane Katrina and our justifications for immigration policy.
Key Terms
Post-racial America- the idea that we as a country and people have put racism behind us.
Ethnocentrism- looking at the world from only your own cultural views and values.
Racelessness- the idea that white people are the norm and have become invisible.
Colorblindness- white, not seen as a color, the norm and invisible.
Re-segregation- “is ensured by the privatization of all common resources from roads to healthcare and schools.” (p.100)
Kinaltruism- a tendency to protect and help those of your own kind.
Instinctivism- the idea of protecting your group from outsiders, justified by evolution.
Important Quotes
-“…racism does not stand alone; it is bound up with the way our societies function.” (p. 91)
-“…Hear no Evil, See no Evil, Speak No Evil. If we do not mention the fact that someone is different maybe her difference will go away.” (p.95)
-The badge of race, “to the ‘physical bond’ that the ‘common history’ of those who have suffered a long disaster and ‘have one long memory’ have to carry with them.” (p.104) (Du Bois 1940, cited in Appiah 1985: 33)
-“…can avoid being accused of racism because it is based on the argument that all human groups share the instinct to want to live separately from others.” (p.107)
Questions
-Since the idea of race has been created and is so bound in our culture like male and female, can it ever go away?
-How aware are we that we are all racist in some way because we have pre conceived notions about everyone?
-A world with social justice is what most people would agree is what they want, but could we even imagine a world where that was possible?
Chapter 4, “Racism Without Race?”
Written by, Alana Lentin
Summary
Many people today in politics and those who fall into the category as the standardized normal would say that America is a post-racial society. The author, Alana Lentin writes this chapter with the main purpose of showing how far we really are from getting rid of the idea of ‘race.’ Race in America has gone from what we think of before and during the civil rights movement, to something more subtle. In my opinion what we have today is almost more dangerous because we don’t see it. In America you have two sides or different cultures, the rich white people who can afford health care and private schools etc… and the poor people of multiple ethnicities. We use the excuse that poor people have put themselves there when in fact we don’t start on an even field. To have good schools and good health care you need money to start with. Our fend for yourself culture allows for this and justifies it. The fact that we still have racism shows in that we still use race and differentiate cultures. We use the terms, Asian, Black, White etc… in the same way we look at people and say girl, boy or tall short etc… which has its own problems. Racism in America is everywhere if you look for it and are aware some of the biggest according to the author being in Hurricane Katrina and our justifications for immigration policy.
Key Terms
Post-racial America- the idea that we as a country and people have put racism behind us.
Ethnocentrism- looking at the world from only your own cultural views and values.
Racelessness- the idea that white people are the norm and have become invisible.
Colorblindness- white, not seen as a color, the norm and invisible.
Re-segregation- “is ensured by the privatization of all common resources from roads to healthcare and schools.” (p.100)
Kinaltruism- a tendency to protect and help those of your own kind.
Instinctivism- the idea of protecting your group from outsiders, justified by evolution.
Important Quotes
-“…racism does not stand alone; it is bound up with the way our societies function.” (p. 91)
-“…Hear no Evil, See no Evil, Speak No Evil. If we do not mention the fact that someone is different maybe her difference will go away.” (p.95)
-The badge of race, “to the ‘physical bond’ that the ‘common history’ of those who have suffered a long disaster and ‘have one long memory’ have to carry with them.” (p.104) (Du Bois 1940, cited in Appiah 1985: 33)
-“…can avoid being accused of racism because it is based on the argument that all human groups share the instinct to want to live separately from others.” (p.107)
Questions
-Since the idea of race has been created and is so bound in our culture like male and female, can it ever go away?
-How aware are we that we are all racist in some way because we have pre conceived notions about everyone?
-A world with social justice is what most people would agree is what they want, but could we even imagine a world where that was possible?
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Social Catagories and sterotyping, who am I?
After reading Identities and Social Locatoins: Who am I? Who are my people?, I was left with a lot of questions regarding myself and where I stand in terms of knowing, knowing when I am letting things taught to me by society interefere with my actions or who I communicate with. The reading talked a lot about how we change our personalities in order to be more acceptable to the people around us and if you think about it closely we do, and to me thats kind of scary. It also brings up the question in my mind of, are we ever able to achieve this sense of self and who I am? Also, is it ok to define yourself by things such as women, teacher, daughter etc...? The reading I think is trying to say that you can be definded as the things I listed earlier because its who you are but you have to be aware of how they affect your judgment on people and the world. It's important to read this early in the course because its this way of thinking and being aware that we have to read the texts and apply that thinking in order to understand where, racism and power come from.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Reading Response for, Lorber and Johnson
Both of these texts were really hard to understand simply because they are concepts that are so hard to understand. These authors are taking something that is so engrainded in our brains that it becomse difficult to seperate yourself from it and take a stop back to examine it. But with patience and a lot of concentration the authors really do explain the process well with examples and you can step back and go wow, this really does happen. Having already read, "The Social Construction of Gender" by Judith Lorber and having it explainded before, it was nice to look back at what she was saying and have it be more easily understood rather then going in blind. What I got from her piece was looking at how we construct gender and how race is also a part of it. Depending on who you are, it affects your role in society. It starts with gender, age and then ethnicity, making a strong point that the male is at the top and specifically the white male. It goes on to define social constructions as white males and women being opposites of eachother and then as you continue with ethnicity, the differences between male and female becomes less definded and they intermix. The piece by Alan G. Johnson, "Patriarchy, the System: An it, Not a He, a Them, or an Us" goes on to explain not only that we have different roles given to us and definded by society but why, where the come from and how to eliminate what he calls a patriachal society. His strongest message to me was that by doing nothing we contribute to this evil that allows for men to be on top and have superiority. He had many examples explaining how this system works and how we are a part of it whether we like it or not. One of my favorites was the example of the game monoply, it not only teaches us to put ourselves on top, by giving us rules it allows us to have an excuse to act in a way that puts others below you. In order to change the system that we are a part of is not necessarily easy and is not the answer that we would normally jump to. Johnson gives the examply of, when a man is accused of rapping a child, we very quickly blame him and the idea of him having a sick mind rather then examining the society that allows violence towards women in video games and movies. Its about looking at the roots. My question after all of this was, how do you not participate in a system like this that is so engranded in our heads and defines who we are? Johnsons answer for this was that you can't, he says, "we can no more avoid being involoved in it than we can avoid being female or male." (WL p.37) But what we can do he says, is we can control how we participate and the way we do that is up for discussion.
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