Related: Visual Chronicle Series
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
AOC: Limiting Choices
Haley Scholars Fall 2012 Reading Groups
By Danielle Hall
In the second part of chapter 7 of The Art of Choosing, Sheena Iyengar discusses the ways that decisions made out of "suspicion or fear" may cause more damage in the long run (237). Put differently, some of the worst or least informed decisions happen when one must confront unattractive choices. Avoiding complex choices is usually what leads one to being "caught between a rock and a hard place." Iyengar warns that ignoring unattractive choices, or choosing not to choose, is problematic and potentially harmful.
Something of note is how the concept of restrictive choice, which we discussed previously in chapter 6, resurfaces again throughout this chapter. Again, Iyengar urges readers to consider the benefits of letting go and reminds us that there are other options available to us that can help alleviate the pressures of choosing and yield positive outcomes (240 & 254-55).
Based on the reading, what new or notable insight did you gain concerning the idea of limiting our choices?
By Danielle Hall
In the second part of chapter 7 of The Art of Choosing, Sheena Iyengar discusses the ways that decisions made out of "suspicion or fear" may cause more damage in the long run (237). Put differently, some of the worst or least informed decisions happen when one must confront unattractive choices. Avoiding complex choices is usually what leads one to being "caught between a rock and a hard place." Iyengar warns that ignoring unattractive choices, or choosing not to choose, is problematic and potentially harmful.
Something of note is how the concept of restrictive choice, which we discussed previously in chapter 6, resurfaces again throughout this chapter. Again, Iyengar urges readers to consider the benefits of letting go and reminds us that there are other options available to us that can help alleviate the pressures of choosing and yield positive outcomes (240 & 254-55).
Based on the reading, what new or notable insight did you gain concerning the idea of limiting our choices?
The Power of Habit [Chapter 9]
Haley Scholars Fall 2012 Reading Groups
By Danielle Hall
In chapter nine of The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg explores the complex links between deep-rooted habits as automatic behaviors, “the neurology of free will,” and the role of society in assigning responsibility. He queries “the ethics of habit and choice” through the lives of Brian Thomas and Angie Bachmann — both of whom on the exterior appear to have two remotely different experiences that result in loss. Yet, both examples demonstrate how the brain responds to ingrained habits and how neurological processes can trigger or impede one’s ability to make decisions.
According to Duhigg, some habits are indeed “automatic behaviors so ingrained in our neurology that, studies show, they can occur with almost no input from the higher regions of the brain” (255). In other words, Brian’s automatism/sleep terror and Angie’s pathological gambling look quite similar when viewed as reflexive behaviors or responses from individuals acting without choice. Despite the outcome in each narrative, Duhigg reminds readers that even under the most uncanny or dire circumstances, “habits… aren’t destiny” but that “every habit, no matter its complexity, is malleable” (270).
He later states that the “real power of habit” is “the insight that your habits are what you choose them to be (273).” Based on the reading, do you feel that Angie Bachmann’s gambling case was (more/less/as) justified as Brian Thomas’ sleep terror example? Why?
By Danielle Hall
In chapter nine of The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg explores the complex links between deep-rooted habits as automatic behaviors, “the neurology of free will,” and the role of society in assigning responsibility. He queries “the ethics of habit and choice” through the lives of Brian Thomas and Angie Bachmann — both of whom on the exterior appear to have two remotely different experiences that result in loss. Yet, both examples demonstrate how the brain responds to ingrained habits and how neurological processes can trigger or impede one’s ability to make decisions.
According to Duhigg, some habits are indeed “automatic behaviors so ingrained in our neurology that, studies show, they can occur with almost no input from the higher regions of the brain” (255). In other words, Brian’s automatism/sleep terror and Angie’s pathological gambling look quite similar when viewed as reflexive behaviors or responses from individuals acting without choice. Despite the outcome in each narrative, Duhigg reminds readers that even under the most uncanny or dire circumstances, “habits… aren’t destiny” but that “every habit, no matter its complexity, is malleable” (270).
He later states that the “real power of habit” is “the insight that your habits are what you choose them to be (273).” Based on the reading, do you feel that Angie Bachmann’s gambling case was (more/less/as) justified as Brian Thomas’ sleep terror example? Why?
When a poet studies game film: Adrian Matejka and Jack Johnson
Rita Dove has written pieces about ballroom dancing, and I'm familiar with at least one piece by Allison Joseph that focuses on running. Although they'll appreciate me mentioning those works, I suspect that the sporting activities of black men represents one of the notable interests of the fellas. Along those lines, next semester, some of us will cover a few of Adrian Matejka's poems on the boxer Jack Johnson.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Bargains and Outliers
Haley Scholars Fall 2012 Reading Groups
he “Marita’s Bargain” chapter focuses on a leading college-prep school, the KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) in a struggling community in New York City. Gladwell gives special attention to one of the students, Marita, and the considerable effort and sacrifices she must make in order to do well at the school. She must rise early and study late into the night
Gladwell argues that KIPP “has succeeded by taking the idea of cultural legacies seriously.” That means that a tradition like summer vacation is replaced with year-round schooling, and the times that the school day begins and ends changes as well as how students are instructed to pay attention in class. And, a student like Marita is given more of a “chance” when someone brings “a little bit of the rice paddy to the South Bronx” and explains “the miracle of meaningful work.”
KIPP Academies seem to have tremendous success assisting young people from poor, neglected environments make it to college. What is one KIPP-like strategy do you think would be most important for a large group of us to adopt in order to ensure that larger numbers of students at the university attain academic and professional success? Why?
he “Marita’s Bargain” chapter focuses on a leading college-prep school, the KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) in a struggling community in New York City. Gladwell gives special attention to one of the students, Marita, and the considerable effort and sacrifices she must make in order to do well at the school. She must rise early and study late into the night
Gladwell argues that KIPP “has succeeded by taking the idea of cultural legacies seriously.” That means that a tradition like summer vacation is replaced with year-round schooling, and the times that the school day begins and ends changes as well as how students are instructed to pay attention in class. And, a student like Marita is given more of a “chance” when someone brings “a little bit of the rice paddy to the South Bronx” and explains “the miracle of meaningful work.”
KIPP Academies seem to have tremendous success assisting young people from poor, neglected environments make it to college. What is one KIPP-like strategy do you think would be most important for a large group of us to adopt in order to ensure that larger numbers of students at the university attain academic and professional success? Why?
Academically Adrift: Chapter 5 Part 2
Haley Scholars Fall 2012 Reading Groups
By Chandra Alford
In part 2 of chapter five, Arum and Roksa are arguing for institutions of higher education to have more transparency. But, the authors acknowledge the pitfalls of having a system that requires these institutions to be more transparent in their reports on student development and learning. Also, the authors recognized the power that higher institutions have in persuading public opinions and policies.
“Standing in the way of significant reform efforts are, of course, a set of entrenched organizational interests and deeply ingrained institutional practices," they write. "While the lack of undergraduate academic learning has generated increased hand-wringing in various quarters, efforts to address the problem have been feeble and ineffective to date. A primary reason is that undergraduate learning is peripheral to the concerns of the vast majority of those involved with the higher-education system” (143).
Based on Arum and Roksa’s observations and claims, how did you respond to the idea that "undergraduate learning is peripheral"? Why?
By Chandra Alford
In part 2 of chapter five, Arum and Roksa are arguing for institutions of higher education to have more transparency. But, the authors acknowledge the pitfalls of having a system that requires these institutions to be more transparent in their reports on student development and learning. Also, the authors recognized the power that higher institutions have in persuading public opinions and policies.
“Standing in the way of significant reform efforts are, of course, a set of entrenched organizational interests and deeply ingrained institutional practices," they write. "While the lack of undergraduate academic learning has generated increased hand-wringing in various quarters, efforts to address the problem have been feeble and ineffective to date. A primary reason is that undergraduate learning is peripheral to the concerns of the vast majority of those involved with the higher-education system” (143).
Based on Arum and Roksa’s observations and claims, how did you respond to the idea that "undergraduate learning is peripheral"? Why?
A photo-review of black studies programming in November
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| Nikki Giovanni with black studies contributors Danielle Hall and Cindy Lyles, Nov. 5 |
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| SOAR-sponsored, black studies coordinated trip to Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Ohio, Nov. 10 |
A photo-review of black studies programming in October
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| Underground Freedom Galleries exhibit, October 1 |
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| Public Thinking Event, October 2 |
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| Underground Freedom Galleries exhibit, October 3 |
Monday, November 26, 2012
Poetry's Old-timey reputation
Few of the hip-talking, streetwise young sisters and brothers in my literature courses marvel at the language practices displayed in poetry. They seem surprised when I speak of the newness of contemporary poetry, because in their minds the words and phrasings used by so many of the poets that they encounter seems dated.
For so many of them, poetry has this old-timey reputation, evidenced by the lack of hip language, not so much in poets' over-use of archaic wording. If the poetry was so hip, some of them wonder, then why ain't it got no evidence of that hipness in the words the poets use? So many of them have been raised on the rapid-fire movement of rap mixtapes and other up-to-date verbal performances. They've developed high standards for contemporary black language use and references.
For so many of them, poetry has this old-timey reputation, evidenced by the lack of hip language, not so much in poets' over-use of archaic wording. If the poetry was so hip, some of them wonder, then why ain't it got no evidence of that hipness in the words the poets use? So many of them have been raised on the rapid-fire movement of rap mixtapes and other up-to-date verbal performances. They've developed high standards for contemporary black language use and references.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Imagine a poetry campaign that took African American readers seriously
Lately, Democrats, Republicans, political commentators, and journalists have been noting the "93%," as in the percentage of black voters who selected Barack Obama in the recent presidential election. The commentators and journalists have spent time dissecting exactly how the Obama campaign mobilized such considerable support, and I suspect Democratic and Republican strategists are considering what those levels of support might mean for upcoming elections.
What would it mean, I wondered, if literature professors, poets, and others sought to win black readers with the same intensity that, say, the Obama campaign went after African American voters? Sure, the Obama campaign was a multi-million dollar enterprise, and there are various reasons why a campaign of that magnitude is hardly analogous to an initiative for nurturing interest in poetry. Still, amid the national political discussions of black interests, why not also consider reading possibilities?
What would it mean, I wondered, if literature professors, poets, and others sought to win black readers with the same intensity that, say, the Obama campaign went after African American voters? Sure, the Obama campaign was a multi-million dollar enterprise, and there are various reasons why a campaign of that magnitude is hardly analogous to an initiative for nurturing interest in poetry. Still, amid the national political discussions of black interests, why not also consider reading possibilities?
Friday, November 23, 2012
The Profound Intellect of Lucille Clifton
I am startled by the silence in these interpretations of her work. There are no references to her intellect, imagination, scholarship or her risk-taking manipulation of language. To me she is not the big mama/big sister of racial reassurance and self-empowerment. I read her skill as that emanating from an astute, profound intellect--characteristics mostly absent from her reviews. The personal courage of the woman cannot be gainsaid, but it should not function as a substitute for piercing insight and bracing intelligence.As Morrison suggests, you do not have to go far to find people who love Lucille Clifton. However, finding commentary on her "profound intellect" is a harder task.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
A growing distance between poets and readers?
For some strange reason or several, many of the students in my courses display more connections to poems published decades and decades ago and by typically older poets as opposed to contemporary poems and younger poets (To be fair, the older canonical poems have gone through extensive filtering processes and often represent the "best of"). The growing distance between contemporary poets and readers can be scary, especially since we subscribe to the premise that both groups need each other. Yet, evidence indicates that they increasingly don't.
Although most contemporary poets would certainly welcome popular and widespread book sales, the reality is that financial stability for poets comes most often through appointments as professors at colleges and universities. Poets with the more prestigious appointments tend to be those with higher credentials, which not surprisingly are linked to elite institutions and esteemed awards. None of that stability is dependent on mass support of readers. In fact, a relatively small number of interconnected specialists, most of whom are poets, make the most important judgements and defining decisions about poets and poetry.
Although most contemporary poets would certainly welcome popular and widespread book sales, the reality is that financial stability for poets comes most often through appointments as professors at colleges and universities. Poets with the more prestigious appointments tend to be those with higher credentials, which not surprisingly are linked to elite institutions and esteemed awards. None of that stability is dependent on mass support of readers. In fact, a relatively small number of interconnected specialists, most of whom are poets, make the most important judgements and defining decisions about poets and poetry.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
From Little Richard to James Brown to Amiri Baraka
It's almost strange to say, but there's really a discernible link between Little Richard and Amiri Baraka. So much of what's written about Little Richard is over there in Rock n' Roll, and much of what's written about Baraka is over here in poetry. Still, there are links between the two, and one of those links is James Brown.
Little Richard (b. 1932), James Brown (b. 1933 - 2006), and Amiri Baraka (b. 1934) share a common generational connection; all of them came of age during really dramatic years for black folks and the nation as a whole. Recently, I was reading an interview with musician and writer Greg Tate, and he was talking about how Little Richard influenced Brown:
Monday, November 19, 2012
The promise and problem of relatable poetry
When I ask groups of my students about the poems we've covered that they are drawn to, they often highlight pieces that they describe as "relatable." Poems and poets that they can establish a connection with, they say, are the ones that move them the most. These kinds of poems are also the ones that they are most likely to concentrate on for their writing assignments.
Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou, for instance, are beloved based on how relatable their more known poems are. Students connect with the humor of Ishmael Reed's poem "Flight to Canada;" thus they find that piece especially enjoyable. Poems deemed less relatable receive less interest.
Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou, for instance, are beloved based on how relatable their more known poems are. Students connect with the humor of Ishmael Reed's poem "Flight to Canada;" thus they find that piece especially enjoyable. Poems deemed less relatable receive less interest.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
What if there was a weekly New Volume of Poetry Day?
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| Crave Radiance (poetry), The Walking Dead (comic book), Leadbelly (poetry), and Chew (comic book) |
Can't make it to your local store on Wednesday, and you're worried that issues you want might run out? No sweat. Just have the title added to your "pull list," and employees will reserve the title(s) you select until you can make it in to the store.
I've sometimes wondered what the realm of American poetry would be like if there was a "New Poetry Book Day." What if on a certain day every week, new volumes of poetry were released? As it stands, new books (novels, non-fiction, poetry, etc.) are officially released on Tuesdays. However, there's no coordinated effort for new poetry releases, and there's certainly no system for the publication of a single poet once per month.
Considering Tamar, Again
I’m not sure if I can claim to be a Tamartian. She does fascinate me to no end and, unlike some of my friends, you’ll never hear me say “I just can’t with Tamar right now.” For this moment, she seems particularly apropos, a woman of her time. Her whole schtick is very Althusser.
[Related: “That Ain’t the Move” or Why the Disabled Should Care About Tamar Braxton’s Uterus]
Case: I was watching Tamar & Vince the other night. Vince was upset because Tamar kept saying that Vince’s hospital stay happened to her. Normally, I identify with the ill/disabled/sick person in this situation, but I found a kinship with her here. She really had been through something. I wasn’t quite sure what, but it was something.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Alondra Nelson’s Body and Soul: The Black Panther Party and the Fight Against Discrimination
URG: Notebook on Alondra Nelson's Body and Soul
By Christina Gutierrez
In Body and Soul, Alondra Nelson situates the Black Panther Party (BPP)’s health activism within a broader historical trajectory that “was firmly rooted in a tradition that had developed during slavery in interface with how bondage, racism, and segregation affected the well-being of black communities” (8). Nelson’s emphasis on the protracted tradition of health activism in black communities signals an important progression in African American political organizing with respect to the struggle for wellness as a fundamental human right. This progression demonstrates African Americans’ ongoing resistances to racial science and medical oppression, which manifested (and continue to do so) in distinct yet overlapping ways according to historical context.
As Nelson notes, the BPP’s approach to health activism was informed by “the social and legal developments of the civil rights era that immediately preceded the Party’s birth” (xv). In spite of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, continued health disparities reinforced institutionalized racist practices that excluded African Americans and poor people from accessing any or adequate healthcare. Thus, in the wake of civil rights, concerns about citizenship emerged alongside those focused on systemic health injustices.
By Christina Gutierrez
In Body and Soul, Alondra Nelson situates the Black Panther Party (BPP)’s health activism within a broader historical trajectory that “was firmly rooted in a tradition that had developed during slavery in interface with how bondage, racism, and segregation affected the well-being of black communities” (8). Nelson’s emphasis on the protracted tradition of health activism in black communities signals an important progression in African American political organizing with respect to the struggle for wellness as a fundamental human right. This progression demonstrates African Americans’ ongoing resistances to racial science and medical oppression, which manifested (and continue to do so) in distinct yet overlapping ways according to historical context.
As Nelson notes, the BPP’s approach to health activism was informed by “the social and legal developments of the civil rights era that immediately preceded the Party’s birth” (xv). In spite of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, continued health disparities reinforced institutionalized racist practices that excluded African Americans and poor people from accessing any or adequate healthcare. Thus, in the wake of civil rights, concerns about citizenship emerged alongside those focused on systemic health injustices.
Kevin Young & ampersands
More than any of the dozens of poets that I read on the regular, Kevin Young is the most likely to use the ampersand, you know, that logogram "&" representing the word "and." Ampersands, in fact, are one of the subtle, signature features of Young's poetry. As early as his first volume of poetry Most Way Home, Young was using ampersands, and he has increasingly used the sign in his poems over the years.
Not all readers have responded favorably to his use of the symbol. In a December 2009 letter to the Editor of Poetry magazine, Don Jones complimented Young's poem "The Mission," but questioned the use of the ampersand in the poem: "It adds nothing and, amid the gentle power of Young’s lines, is irritating." Young responded that "I’ve used ampersands for some time—not always, but often. I suppose the reason in part has to do with speech and its everyday abbreviations and linkages—not to mention I think ampersands look good."
The absent black poetry problem
There's been a consistent discussion among several first-year African American college students in two of my literature courses about how little they learned about black poetry in high school. They routinely express their frustrations concerning their under exposure to poets and aspects of African American history, which many of them often describe as "our history." I imagine that there are many subjects and topics that the average 18-year-old has not been exposed to, but in my two classes they talk extensively about the absent black poetry problem prior to entering college.
All the students in both of those courses are African American, and the majority of them have acknowledged how little experience they've had with black poetry and history. That so many of them identified themselves as feeling underexposed might explain why they felt comfortable talking so freely about what they perceived as weaknesses of their educational experiences. A couple of students testify about the prior absence of black poetry in their lives, and that leads others to speak about the prior absence of poetry in their lives as well.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Canonical poets known for poems, contemporary poets known for books
Folks know Langston Hughes's "Mother to Son" and "The Negro Speaks of Rivers." They know Gwendolyn Brooks's "We Real Cool," Robert Hayden's "Those Winter Sundays," and Margaret Walker's "For My People." But, fewer people know the specific volumes of poetry by those poets where those individual poems appeared in the context of several other works.
Contemporary poets are often known by their volumes of poetry, especially award-winning books. So large numbers of people are aware of Terrance Hayes's Lighthead, which won the National Book Award for Poetry in 2010, Nikky Finney's Head Off & Split, which one the award in 2011, and Tracy K. Smith's Life on Mars, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 2012. Far less people can identify specific poems from those volumes and the volumes of other award-winning contemporary volumes.
Contemporary poets are often known by their volumes of poetry, especially award-winning books. So large numbers of people are aware of Terrance Hayes's Lighthead, which won the National Book Award for Poetry in 2010, Nikky Finney's Head Off & Split, which one the award in 2011, and Tracy K. Smith's Life on Mars, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 2012. Far less people can identify specific poems from those volumes and the volumes of other award-winning contemporary volumes.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
A.O.C.: Choosing with less of a focus on being right
Haley Scholars Fall 2012 Reading Groups
By Danielle Hall
In chapter 7 of The Art of Choosing, Sheena Iyengar discusses the long-term effects of making difficult decisions, especially when we must assign value to people we love or become accountable for more than just our own quality of life. Under such circumstances, she points to how we often seek sources of "authority and expertise to alleviate the burden of a difficult decision" (236).
One thing that stood out in this reading was the "cake and death" concept, that is a clear desirable answer vs. a non-desirable one. Iyengar notes, however, that two seemingly different choices can be rooted in a similar "psychological process" (217).
What particular useful insight did you gain from Iyengar's discussion of choice in this chapter? What made that idea of issue particularly useful?
By Danielle Hall
In chapter 7 of The Art of Choosing, Sheena Iyengar discusses the long-term effects of making difficult decisions, especially when we must assign value to people we love or become accountable for more than just our own quality of life. Under such circumstances, she points to how we often seek sources of "authority and expertise to alleviate the burden of a difficult decision" (236).
One thing that stood out in this reading was the "cake and death" concept, that is a clear desirable answer vs. a non-desirable one. Iyengar notes, however, that two seemingly different choices can be rooted in a similar "psychological process" (217).
What particular useful insight did you gain from Iyengar's discussion of choice in this chapter? What made that idea of issue particularly useful?
The Power of Habit [Chapter 8]
Haley Scholars Fall 2012 Reading Groups
By Danielle Hall
In chapter 8 of The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg discusses the significance of transcending social boundaries and the influence of social habits when individuals begin to see themselves “as part of a vast social enterprise” (242). Using examples such as Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott-- at the onset of the Civil Rights Movement-- and the rapid growth and success of Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church ministries in California, Duhigg makes some useful connections as to how “business gets done and communities self-organize” (225).
More notably, Duhigg emphasizes the importance of having weak and strong ties in helping shape the habits of social patterns in both examples. With this in mind, he describes this type of group conformity and communal expectation as peer pressure or habits of peer pressure (225). Put differently, the impact of a single incident is more likely to gain momentum when there are a series of isolated events among community members and leaders that create or forge “social habits of friendship” and “strong ties between close acquaintances” when there are “habits of a community” and when participants have a “sense of identity and a feeling of ownership” within a movement (217).
Based on the reading, which ideas – i.e. the impact of strong and weak ties, social habits and patterns within communities, or individuals seeing themselves from a collective standpoint -- drew your attention most? Why?
By Danielle Hall
In chapter 8 of The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg discusses the significance of transcending social boundaries and the influence of social habits when individuals begin to see themselves “as part of a vast social enterprise” (242). Using examples such as Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott-- at the onset of the Civil Rights Movement-- and the rapid growth and success of Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church ministries in California, Duhigg makes some useful connections as to how “business gets done and communities self-organize” (225).
More notably, Duhigg emphasizes the importance of having weak and strong ties in helping shape the habits of social patterns in both examples. With this in mind, he describes this type of group conformity and communal expectation as peer pressure or habits of peer pressure (225). Put differently, the impact of a single incident is more likely to gain momentum when there are a series of isolated events among community members and leaders that create or forge “social habits of friendship” and “strong ties between close acquaintances” when there are “habits of a community” and when participants have a “sense of identity and a feeling of ownership” within a movement (217).
Based on the reading, which ideas – i.e. the impact of strong and weak ties, social habits and patterns within communities, or individuals seeing themselves from a collective standpoint -- drew your attention most? Why?
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Rice Paddies and Outliers
Haley Scholars Fall 2012 Reading Groups
In chapter eight, “Rice Paddies and Math Tests,” Malcolm Gladwell continues to explore his claim that cultures can have significant impacts on various aspects of success. He takes an in-depth look at the work ethics of farmers in southern China and reveals how rice cultivation can be an intricate, laborious, and, if done well, rewarding process for an entire family. And over long periods of time, the processes and culture of rice cultivation appear to yield benefits to a people well beyond the farms.
According to Gladwell, rice farmers, the majority of whom have limited resources, improved the returns on their labor by “becoming smarter, by being better managers of their own time, and by making better choices.” In other words, more than simply working hard, they worked intelligently and strategically. Gladwell proposes that cultures “shaped by the tradition of wet-rice agriculture and meaningful work” tend to produce students with the fortitude to “sit still long enough” to find solutions to time-consuming and complex math problems, for instance.
You’ll recall the proverbs Gladwell cites that emerged in southern China such as “No one who can rise before dawn three hundred sixty days a year fails to make his family rich.” Help us come up with local remixes to that saying. In no more than 10 additional words, compose useful and creative insertions to complete the following sentence:
No one who can __________________________________ throughout a semester fails to achieve academic success at SIUE.
In chapter eight, “Rice Paddies and Math Tests,” Malcolm Gladwell continues to explore his claim that cultures can have significant impacts on various aspects of success. He takes an in-depth look at the work ethics of farmers in southern China and reveals how rice cultivation can be an intricate, laborious, and, if done well, rewarding process for an entire family. And over long periods of time, the processes and culture of rice cultivation appear to yield benefits to a people well beyond the farms.
According to Gladwell, rice farmers, the majority of whom have limited resources, improved the returns on their labor by “becoming smarter, by being better managers of their own time, and by making better choices.” In other words, more than simply working hard, they worked intelligently and strategically. Gladwell proposes that cultures “shaped by the tradition of wet-rice agriculture and meaningful work” tend to produce students with the fortitude to “sit still long enough” to find solutions to time-consuming and complex math problems, for instance.
You’ll recall the proverbs Gladwell cites that emerged in southern China such as “No one who can rise before dawn three hundred sixty days a year fails to make his family rich.” Help us come up with local remixes to that saying. In no more than 10 additional words, compose useful and creative insertions to complete the following sentence:
No one who can __________________________________ throughout a semester fails to achieve academic success at SIUE.
Academically Adrift: Chapter 5 (121 - 135)
Haley Scholars Fall 2012 Reading Groups
By Chandra Alford
In Chapter 5 of Academically Adrift, Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa present their claims about the type of reform that needs to occur at the collegiate level in this country. The authors address several key issues, such as limited learning, student preparation, higher education leadership, and curriculum and instruction. The lack of reform with these issues, the authors claim, is impacting the competitive edge our education system has had over other countries for many decades.
Arum and Roksa make very strong claims in this chapter, but one in particular seems to embody their entire argument about the need to have mandatory reform in higher education: “While higher education is expected to accomplish many tasks -- and contemporary colleges and universities have indeed contributed to society in ways as diverse as producing pharmaceutical patent as well as primetime athletic bowls -- existing organizational cultures and practices too often do not prioritize undergraduate learning” (122).
Based on the material covered so far in this chapter, which of the issues highlighted by the authors--limited learning, student preparation, higher education leadership, and curriculum and instruction, do you believe should be addressed first in order to start the process of reformation in higher education in this country? Why?
By Chandra Alford
In Chapter 5 of Academically Adrift, Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa present their claims about the type of reform that needs to occur at the collegiate level in this country. The authors address several key issues, such as limited learning, student preparation, higher education leadership, and curriculum and instruction. The lack of reform with these issues, the authors claim, is impacting the competitive edge our education system has had over other countries for many decades.
Arum and Roksa make very strong claims in this chapter, but one in particular seems to embody their entire argument about the need to have mandatory reform in higher education: “While higher education is expected to accomplish many tasks -- and contemporary colleges and universities have indeed contributed to society in ways as diverse as producing pharmaceutical patent as well as primetime athletic bowls -- existing organizational cultures and practices too often do not prioritize undergraduate learning” (122).
Based on the material covered so far in this chapter, which of the issues highlighted by the authors--limited learning, student preparation, higher education leadership, and curriculum and instruction, do you believe should be addressed first in order to start the process of reformation in higher education in this country? Why?
Monday, November 12, 2012
Amiri Baraka's Frightening Poetic Recollections
In "Dope," Baraka mentions the poet "Pablo Neruda" and "Allende's government" (a reference to Salvador Allende), both of whom died under seemingly mysterious circumstances during a coup of Chile in 1973, which was secretly backed by the U.S. government. The coup brought the notorious dictator Augusto Pinochet to power.
Talented student readers in African American poetry courses
Over the last ten years, young black women have been among the best "readers" of poetry in my African American literature courses. Every year it seems, one or two black women in my courses are known for their talents as readers or performers of the poems we cover. Some of them develop reputations as powerful readers of poems, and more notably, some become known as dependable readers, willing to read the pieces when others are not.
I suspect that I'm indebted to black churches for some of the talents of the performers. Black churches might be one of the most prevalent institutions within black communities that provide young sisters with multiple opportunities to perform and witness performances during their childhoods. The preachers, choirs, soloists, dramatic readers, and participants in special programs at church services and activities provide a wealth of sources and models for young sisters.
I suspect that I'm indebted to black churches for some of the talents of the performers. Black churches might be one of the most prevalent institutions within black communities that provide young sisters with multiple opportunities to perform and witness performances during their childhoods. The preachers, choirs, soloists, dramatic readers, and participants in special programs at church services and activities provide a wealth of sources and models for young sisters.
Friday, November 9, 2012
25 More EBR Facts
As a lead up to Eugene B. Redmond's 75th birthday on December 1, I decided to highlight approximately 75 facts concerning his life and career. I provided 25 EBR Facts the other day. Here, I provide 25 more:
Redmond:
1. published Drumvoices: The Mission of Afro-American Poetry, A Critical History in 1976.
2. named Poet Laureate of East St. Louis in 1976.
3. awarded a National Endowment for the Arts creative writing fellowship in 1978.
4. worked as special assistant on culture and language arts for the East St. Louis School District in 1985.
5. co-founded the Eugene B. Redmond Writers Club in 1986.
6. served as editor of Henry Dumas’s Goodbye Sweet-water in 1988.
7. served as editor of Henry Dumas’s Knees of a Natural Man is published in 1989.
Redmond:
1. published Drumvoices: The Mission of Afro-American Poetry, A Critical History in 1976.
2. named Poet Laureate of East St. Louis in 1976.
3. awarded a National Endowment for the Arts creative writing fellowship in 1978.
4. worked as special assistant on culture and language arts for the East St. Louis School District in 1985.
5. co-founded the Eugene B. Redmond Writers Club in 1986.
6. served as editor of Henry Dumas’s Goodbye Sweet-water in 1988.
7. served as editor of Henry Dumas’s Knees of a Natural Man is published in 1989.
Recognizing the importance of networks of support for new black faculty
For one of my ongoing research projects, I have concentrated on what networks of support have meant in the careers of four prominent African American men writers, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Aaron McGruder, Colson Whitehead, and Kevin Young. However, I recently considered what such networks have meant for my own career as a college professor. Looking back on my nearly 10 years at SIUE, it's clear to me just how important interconnected lines of support have been.
When I arrived at SIUE, I received constant advising from two senior black men faculty members, Eugene B. Redmond and Reggie Thomas. During my first semester, Redmond and I talked nearly once a day every day of the work week; in the process, I absorbed a broad body of first-hand accounts about the social lives of dozens of artists who established themselves during the 1970s. Reggie Thomas and I spoke frequently about jazz and culture, and he eventually recruited me to direct the Black Studies Program. Unfortunately, few faculty members in the entire country can say that they've had two such accomplished senior black men faculty so involved in their early academic and professional lives.
When I arrived at SIUE, I received constant advising from two senior black men faculty members, Eugene B. Redmond and Reggie Thomas. During my first semester, Redmond and I talked nearly once a day every day of the work week; in the process, I absorbed a broad body of first-hand accounts about the social lives of dozens of artists who established themselves during the 1970s. Reggie Thomas and I spoke frequently about jazz and culture, and he eventually recruited me to direct the Black Studies Program. Unfortunately, few faculty members in the entire country can say that they've had two such accomplished senior black men faculty so involved in their early academic and professional lives.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
The Case for Early Support for Black Collegiate Women
Literature scholar Joycelyn Moody from the University of Texas at San Antonio and Earleen Patterson, director of a program for under-represented students here at SIUE, have, in a large way, convinced me and supported my efforts to provide support to students as early as possible in their undergraduate careers. For now, I wanted to focus on some of the processes of supporting young black women, a demographic that is routinely overlooked for a number of reasons.
Here on the ground, Patterson has been key for getting me to think up ways of assisting the lil sisters. When I first arrived at SIUE, she invited, or more accurately, insisted that I co-teach and then later teach a first-year orientation course and program for black men college students. After the success with the young men and because of the pressing need to reach out to young black women as well, Patterson recruited me to teach a course for first-year black women as well. Now, after about 5 or 6 years teaching the course, I have a better sense of how young women benefit, in multiple ways, from active networks of support and from early exposure to African American literature.
Here on the ground, Patterson has been key for getting me to think up ways of assisting the lil sisters. When I first arrived at SIUE, she invited, or more accurately, insisted that I co-teach and then later teach a first-year orientation course and program for black men college students. After the success with the young men and because of the pressing need to reach out to young black women as well, Patterson recruited me to teach a course for first-year black women as well. Now, after about 5 or 6 years teaching the course, I have a better sense of how young women benefit, in multiple ways, from active networks of support and from early exposure to African American literature.
Toni Morrison's character Pilate as an Uncanny Black Woman
By Briana Whiteside
A couple weeks ago, while beginning to prepare a paper, I stumbled across the concept of the "uncanny," which has now turned into a much larger project. When applied to African American literature texts, the term "uncanny" (unusual / strange) provides a new way of viewing African American women characters. Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon, situates an uncanny black woman named Pilate into a community where she is ostracized and feared. However, it is because the majority of the community isolates her that she is able to shine and stand out with all her unusual features and abilities.
There is one key scene in Song of Solomon that drove this whole uncanny + black woman = supernatural character theme, and it was when Pilate’s daughter Reba was getting beaten by her suitor. When Pilate is made aware of the situation, she does what any mother would do, save her child. But the way she does it is weird. She “looked up from the geography book she was reading and closed it. Slowly walked over to a shelf that hung over the dry sink, put the geography book on it, and removed a knife. Slowly still, she walked out of the front door.”
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
25 EBR Facts
As a lead up to his birthday, I decided to highlight approximately 75 facts concerning his life and career. For now, I'll begin with 25 quick facts:
A.O.C.: Creativity and Restrictive Choice
Haley Scholars Fall 2012 Reading Groups
By Danielle Hall
In the second part of chapter 6 of The Art of Choosing, Sheena Iyengar discusses the advantages and disadvantages of “keeping doors open” (201). Iyengar makes some useful connections throughout this section. More notably is the link between creativity and the practice of restrictive choice where she concludes that “creative disciplines” are where we can look "for guidance” (214).
Iyengar discusses how inventors and artists now come to know the value of restrictive choice(s) and while some boundaries are broken, newer ones can still be defined. One concept that is useful to consider is Iyengar’s proposition that “to choose is to invent,” by which she means that "choosing is a creative process, one through which we construct our environment, our lives, our selves" (213).
Which idea -- "restrictive choice" or choosing as a creative process -- drew your attention most? Why?
By Danielle Hall
In the second part of chapter 6 of The Art of Choosing, Sheena Iyengar discusses the advantages and disadvantages of “keeping doors open” (201). Iyengar makes some useful connections throughout this section. More notably is the link between creativity and the practice of restrictive choice where she concludes that “creative disciplines” are where we can look "for guidance” (214).
Iyengar discusses how inventors and artists now come to know the value of restrictive choice(s) and while some boundaries are broken, newer ones can still be defined. One concept that is useful to consider is Iyengar’s proposition that “to choose is to invent,” by which she means that "choosing is a creative process, one through which we construct our environment, our lives, our selves" (213).
Which idea -- "restrictive choice" or choosing as a creative process -- drew your attention most? Why?
Eugene B. Redmond and Prominent Black Poets at SIUE
 |
| Eugene B. Redmond and Amiri Baraka at a reception at Redmond's home in 2005 |
In 2009, the university's Arts and Issues program hosted Maya Angelou and then two nights ago, the program hosted Nikki Giovanni. In both cases, the interests of African American literature at SIUE helped influence the decisions to bring Giovanni and Angelou to campus. Demonstrating that we had a history of bringing prominent poets, especially those linked to the Black Arts era of the 1960s and 1970s, was crucial in encouraging the university officials to move forward with featuring these figures.
The Power of Habit, Chapter 7
Haley Scholars Fall 2012 Reading Groups
In Chapter 7 of The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg discusses how researchers and statisticians at major companies like Target take extensive steps to learn and understand the habits of American shoppers. Duhigg reveals that many well-financed stores spend millions of dollars researching and collecting data on their customers.
The chapter concentrates in part on "a mathematical mind reader" who utilizes his skills "deciphering shoppers' habits in order to convince them to spend more" (184). Researchers discovered "consumers going through major life events" often shift their shopping patterns, and for major retailers trying to appeal to those going through major changes, "pregnant women are gold mines (192). Companies invest considerable energies into identifying and influencing new parents for they understand that winning them over as customers can translate into large profits over the course of many, many years.
Based on the material covered in the chapter, what's something particularly fascinating or even unsettling that you discovered concerning the steps that major retailers take to collect data on and draw the interest of potential customers? Why did you find what you identified especially fascinating or unsettling?
In Chapter 7 of The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg discusses how researchers and statisticians at major companies like Target take extensive steps to learn and understand the habits of American shoppers. Duhigg reveals that many well-financed stores spend millions of dollars researching and collecting data on their customers.
The chapter concentrates in part on "a mathematical mind reader" who utilizes his skills "deciphering shoppers' habits in order to convince them to spend more" (184). Researchers discovered "consumers going through major life events" often shift their shopping patterns, and for major retailers trying to appeal to those going through major changes, "pregnant women are gold mines (192). Companies invest considerable energies into identifying and influencing new parents for they understand that winning them over as customers can translate into large profits over the course of many, many years.
Based on the material covered in the chapter, what's something particularly fascinating or even unsettling that you discovered concerning the steps that major retailers take to collect data on and draw the interest of potential customers? Why did you find what you identified especially fascinating or unsettling?
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
A Notebook on Octavia Butler
Folks in our circles have been reading and enjoying the science fiction works of Octavia Butler for years now. We're finally moving toward the development of a notebook on her works.
Entries
2019
• February 3: Octavia Butler, the Patternist Series, and Black Book History
2017
• December 2: Octavia Butler & Contemporary Book History
2016
• February 18: The Octavia Butler exhibit
• February 16: Scenes from the Octavia Butler and Toni Morrison exhibit
2014
• November 16: Considering Octavia Butler’s Kindred and Derrick Bell’s And We Are Not Saved by Briana Whiteside
• August 14: The Promise of Skin Color in Octavia Butler’s Fledgling by Briana Whiteside
• July 3: Octavia Butler’s Imago by Briana Whiteside
• July 1: Octavia Butler’s “Childfinder” by Briana Whiteside
• June 30: The Human Contradiction in Octavia Butler’s Adulthood Rites by Briana Whiteside
• June 25: Social Stratification in Octavia Butler's "A Necessary Being" by Briana Whiteside
• June 24: Octavia Butler’s “A Necessary Being” by Briana Whiteside
• June 17: Octavia Butler’s Lilith by Briana Whiteside
• April 19: Octavia Butler’s Mary by Briana Whiteside
• April 19: Celebrating Octavia Butler by Briana Whiteside
• April 9: The Kindred cover by Briana Whiteside
• April 9: Butler’s Healing Womenby Briana Whiteside
• March 21: Why Mary is one of my favorite characters from the Patternist Series by Briana Whiteside
• March 17: Octavia Butler Publications by Briana Whiteside
• January 5: Survivor Character list by Briana Whiteside
• January 5: Patternmaster Character List by Briana Whiteside
2013
• December 8: Covers of Octavia Butler’s Mind of My Mind by Briana Whiteside
• October 11: The Nature of Family in Wild Seed (part 4) by Briana Whiteside
• October 11: Troubled Relationships in Wild Seed (pt3) by Briana Whiteside
• September 21: The Nature of Family in Wild Seed (pt 3) by Briana Whiteside
• September 21: Covers of Octavia Butler Patternist Series Novels by Howard Rambsy II
• September 20: Clay’s Ark Character List by Briana Whiteside
• September 17: Troubled Relationships in Wild Seed (pt2) by Briana Whiteside
• September 6: Mind of My Mind Character List by Briana Whiteside
• September 5: Troubled relationships in Wild Seed (pt 1) by Briana Whiteside
• September 3: Reconsidering Clay's Ark by Briana Whiteside
• September 1: Wild Seed Character List compiled by Briana Whiteside
• September 1: 4 Reasons I Enjoy Octavia Butler's Wild Seed by Erin Ranft
• August 30: Keira, Butler’s Resilient Protagonist by Briana Whiteside
• August 30: Raising Octavia Butler's Survivor From the Dead by Briana Whiteside
• August 29: The Nature of Family in Wild Seed (pt1) by Briana Whiteside
• August 28: Alanna, The Missing Sister in Octavia Butler's Survivor by Briana Whiteside
• August 27: Octavia Butler’s Survivor by Briana Whiteside
• August 23: An Octavia Butler Timeline by Briana Whiteside
• March 25: Octavia Butler's Patternmaster by Briana Whiteside
• March 21: Octavia Butler as an Uncanny writer by Briana Whiteside
• March 14: Octavia Butler's Clay's Ark by Briana Whiteside
• February 20: Octavia Butler’s unexpected Mary by Briana Whiteside
• February 11: Making a case for Octavia Butler's Wild Seed by Erin Ranft
• February 2: Octavia Butler’s Future Histories By Briana Whiteside
2012
• October 31: The Dawn of Octavia Butler’s Monstrosities By Emily A Phillips
• October 31: Octavia Butler’s Uncanny Wild Seed By Briana Whiteside
• October 31: Octavia Butler’s blood-curdling short story By Erin Ranft
• September 28: In Search of Octavia Butler’s Wild Seed Manuscripts by Erin Ranft
• September 16: Where are you, Octavia Butler? by Erin Ranft
2011
• June 7: Octavia Butler's Book Covers By Howard Rambsy II
Related:
An Extended Notebook on the works of writers & artists
Entries
2019
• February 3: Octavia Butler, the Patternist Series, and Black Book History
2017
• December 2: Octavia Butler & Contemporary Book History
2016
• February 18: The Octavia Butler exhibit
• February 16: Scenes from the Octavia Butler and Toni Morrison exhibit
2014
• November 16: Considering Octavia Butler’s Kindred and Derrick Bell’s And We Are Not Saved by Briana Whiteside
• August 14: The Promise of Skin Color in Octavia Butler’s Fledgling by Briana Whiteside
• July 3: Octavia Butler’s Imago by Briana Whiteside
• July 1: Octavia Butler’s “Childfinder” by Briana Whiteside
• June 30: The Human Contradiction in Octavia Butler’s Adulthood Rites by Briana Whiteside
• June 25: Social Stratification in Octavia Butler's "A Necessary Being" by Briana Whiteside
• June 24: Octavia Butler’s “A Necessary Being” by Briana Whiteside
• June 17: Octavia Butler’s Lilith by Briana Whiteside
• April 19: Octavia Butler’s Mary by Briana Whiteside
• April 19: Celebrating Octavia Butler by Briana Whiteside
• April 9: The Kindred cover by Briana Whiteside
• April 9: Butler’s Healing Womenby Briana Whiteside
• March 21: Why Mary is one of my favorite characters from the Patternist Series by Briana Whiteside
• March 17: Octavia Butler Publications by Briana Whiteside
• January 5: Survivor Character list by Briana Whiteside
• January 5: Patternmaster Character List by Briana Whiteside
2013
• December 8: Covers of Octavia Butler’s Mind of My Mind by Briana Whiteside
• October 11: The Nature of Family in Wild Seed (part 4) by Briana Whiteside
• October 11: Troubled Relationships in Wild Seed (pt3) by Briana Whiteside
• September 21: The Nature of Family in Wild Seed (pt 3) by Briana Whiteside
• September 21: Covers of Octavia Butler Patternist Series Novels by Howard Rambsy II
• September 20: Clay’s Ark Character List by Briana Whiteside
• September 17: Troubled Relationships in Wild Seed (pt2) by Briana Whiteside
• September 6: Mind of My Mind Character List by Briana Whiteside
• September 5: Troubled relationships in Wild Seed (pt 1) by Briana Whiteside
• September 3: Reconsidering Clay's Ark by Briana Whiteside
• September 1: Wild Seed Character List compiled by Briana Whiteside
• September 1: 4 Reasons I Enjoy Octavia Butler's Wild Seed by Erin Ranft
• August 30: Keira, Butler’s Resilient Protagonist by Briana Whiteside
• August 30: Raising Octavia Butler's Survivor From the Dead by Briana Whiteside
• August 29: The Nature of Family in Wild Seed (pt1) by Briana Whiteside
• August 28: Alanna, The Missing Sister in Octavia Butler's Survivor by Briana Whiteside
• August 27: Octavia Butler’s Survivor by Briana Whiteside
• August 23: An Octavia Butler Timeline by Briana Whiteside
• March 25: Octavia Butler's Patternmaster by Briana Whiteside
• March 21: Octavia Butler as an Uncanny writer by Briana Whiteside
• March 14: Octavia Butler's Clay's Ark by Briana Whiteside
• February 20: Octavia Butler’s unexpected Mary by Briana Whiteside
• February 11: Making a case for Octavia Butler's Wild Seed by Erin Ranft
• February 2: Octavia Butler’s Future Histories By Briana Whiteside
2012
• October 31: The Dawn of Octavia Butler’s Monstrosities By Emily A Phillips
• October 31: Octavia Butler’s Uncanny Wild Seed By Briana Whiteside
• October 31: Octavia Butler’s blood-curdling short story By Erin Ranft
• September 28: In Search of Octavia Butler’s Wild Seed Manuscripts by Erin Ranft
• September 16: Where are you, Octavia Butler? by Erin Ranft
2011
• June 7: Octavia Butler's Book Covers By Howard Rambsy II
Related:
An Extended Notebook on the works of writers & artists
Academically Adrift: Chapter 4, Pt. 2
Haley Scholars Fall 2012 Reading Groups
By Chandra Alford
In the second of chapter 4, Arum and Roksa present data about the complexities faced by African American students when it comes to financing a higher education and focusing on aspects of their learning. Students’ characteristics and institutional resources greatly influenced the success rates for minority students to attain their degrees.
The achievement gap between African American and white students has many contributing factors, but according to Arum and Roksa, there are a few factors that influence the width of this gap: “The primary factors driving the increase in the gap between African-American and white students are hours spent in fraternities, percent of college cost covered by grants and scholarships, and college major" (112). The experiences students bring to college contribute, somewhat, to their degree attainment, but as Arum and Roksa highlighted in this chapter, what students do while they are in college greatly influences their academic, intellectual, and social development.
To what extent did the issues concerning the relationship between academic achievement and how time is spent in college confirm or unsettle your previous thinking on the subject?
By Chandra Alford
In the second of chapter 4, Arum and Roksa present data about the complexities faced by African American students when it comes to financing a higher education and focusing on aspects of their learning. Students’ characteristics and institutional resources greatly influenced the success rates for minority students to attain their degrees.
The achievement gap between African American and white students has many contributing factors, but according to Arum and Roksa, there are a few factors that influence the width of this gap: “The primary factors driving the increase in the gap between African-American and white students are hours spent in fraternities, percent of college cost covered by grants and scholarships, and college major" (112). The experiences students bring to college contribute, somewhat, to their degree attainment, but as Arum and Roksa highlighted in this chapter, what students do while they are in college greatly influences their academic, intellectual, and social development.
To what extent did the issues concerning the relationship between academic achievement and how time is spent in college confirm or unsettle your previous thinking on the subject?
Outliers and PDI
Haley Scholars Fall 2012 Reading Groups
In chapter seven “The Ethnic Theory of Plane Crashes,” Malcolm Gladwell discusses the activities of a tragic Korean Air flight and readers get a sense of how the interactions between pilots and co-pilots relates to the larger discussion of cultural legacies. Gladwell explains that some airplane crashes can be linked to the modes of communication, and lack thereof, among the officers within the cockpit.
In addition to pointing out that airplane crashes are the result of a combination of several factors, Gladwell identifies Geert Hofstede’s concept “Power Distance Index" (PDI) – a measuring system “concerned with attitudes toward hierarchy, specifically with how much a particular culture values and respects authority” – as a crucial issue for understanding why, for example, pilots from some nations may have been at a cultural disadvantage for effective and essential communication in an airplane cockpit.
How did you respond to Gladwell's discussion of PDI? Why or how so?
In chapter seven “The Ethnic Theory of Plane Crashes,” Malcolm Gladwell discusses the activities of a tragic Korean Air flight and readers get a sense of how the interactions between pilots and co-pilots relates to the larger discussion of cultural legacies. Gladwell explains that some airplane crashes can be linked to the modes of communication, and lack thereof, among the officers within the cockpit.
In addition to pointing out that airplane crashes are the result of a combination of several factors, Gladwell identifies Geert Hofstede’s concept “Power Distance Index" (PDI) – a measuring system “concerned with attitudes toward hierarchy, specifically with how much a particular culture values and respects authority” – as a crucial issue for understanding why, for example, pilots from some nations may have been at a cultural disadvantage for effective and essential communication in an airplane cockpit.
How did you respond to Gladwell's discussion of PDI? Why or how so?
Nikki Giovanni -- The Great Gateway Poet
Last night, Nikki Giovanni gave a reading at SIUE. Well, "a reading" might be the wrong word for it. Anytime Giovanni presents, she actually tells these captivating, far out stories and then mixes in a few poems. For decades now, Giovanni has been weaving these captivating and hilarious narratives for large audiences.
But everybody knows about the audacious Nikki Giovanni. What's less discussed is the fact that she is one of our greatest "gateway poets." Large numbers of people go into poetry after encountering Giovanni.
Monday, November 5, 2012
The scary presence of rap in an African American poetry course
Nonetheless, in the first sets of papers, students frequently referenced rap music as they sought ways to develop their ideas about African American folklore. Students came to my class with limited knowledge about African American poetry. Rap, on the other hand, was a discourse that they knew more about, and many held strong opinions about various performers. For the several students from Chicago in my course, Chief Keef's representations of black men matter more than Gwendolyn Brooks's, and it also mattered to them that I, a college professor, even knew of Keef.
The language of silence concerning black college students
Beyond the announcements each fall about an increase in the enrollment of "minority" students, there has been considerable silence concerning African American college students at my university for the last several years. Race is a tough and scary subject. Administrators and professors are fearful about saying the wrong thing, so they often choose to say nothing.
I used to raise more questions to university officials about the plight of black students than I do now. But I soon discovered that my words were perceived as threatening; I was viewed as angry. I've had to regroup and move some of my concerns underground.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Nas and an “Illustrious Cemetery” for Hip Hop’s Dead and Invisible Female Emcees
By Danielle Hall
Recently, I was listening to Nas’s eighth studio album, Hip Hop Is Dead (2006), and one of my favorite songs on it is “Where Are They Now?” Certainly, Nas’s litany of namedropping over a James Brown sample speaks to the essential role that memory has in the oral tradition and written accounts of African American history and culture. However, it also highlights the interplay between private, collective, and generational memory. As a kind of verbal libation, Nas memorializes those rap “legends” that have since passed on or have disappeared into obscurity, far from the public’s memory.
Take for example, the following lines from his first verse: “Rap is like a ghost town, real mystic / Like these folks never existed / They the reason rap became addictive / Play their CD or wax and get lifted.” Here, his tone is reminiscent of Zora Neale Hurston, who in 1945 proposed to W.E.B. Du Bois an “illustrious cemetery for the Negro dead” in which “no Negro celebrity, no matter what financial condition they might be in at death, lie in inconspicuous forgetfulness.” Of course, it’s not just the death of Hip Hop that Nas is concerned about, but how to resurrect it and preserve it, urging the study of those who helped create and contributed to the genre. Thus, his rhetoric of naming is central to not only what he remembers, but how he remembers which after all, has shaped his interpretation.
Michonne vs. Michonne
Well, fans of The Walking Dead finally got what we asked for, the television appearance of Michonne--the black woman katana (sword) wielding zombie killing machine. Michonne had quickly become a fan favorite in the comic book series, so we waited patiently or anxiously for her to become fully realized in the television version of the series. She showed up in a closing scene of the finale of season 2, and everyone rejoiced anticipating her more frequent appearances in season 3.
She's here now, and we've seen quiet a bit of Michonne so far. It's rare to see a black woman taking such a leading role as a lethal and skilled force in a mainstream television show. In the history of horror films at least, women are often presented as "scream queens" and sexualized objects who are frequently pursued by monsters and psychopaths, and then rescued by apparent brave men. So Michonne represents a notable difference--a black woman in horror who is quite capable of taking care of herself and others.
My work as a Blogger vs. my work as an Author
As a literature professor, one of the best things about having tenure, or that is, having a bit of job security, is that you get to somewhat relax when it comes to publishing. (Ironically though, many associate professors end up publishing far more than when they were assistants). Prior to tenure, there's some pressure and anxiety about getting published in a "reputable" venue, which means a respected scholarly journal or press. It's somewhat telling that I picked up the pace as a poetry blogger after I had tenure, after I had a book contract.
Unfortunately, I doubt my current employer or most potential future employers would have respected my status as a frequent blogger on African American poetry as much they respected my identity as an author with the University of Michigan Press. Yet, I get the sense that far more readers have covered my blog entries on poetry than have read my book. Last Sunday, I published an entry "Rita Dove and the fear of poems that aren't black enough," which now has received 233 page-views. I suspect that my book has received substantially less page-views.
Unfortunately, I doubt my current employer or most potential future employers would have respected my status as a frequent blogger on African American poetry as much they respected my identity as an author with the University of Michigan Press. Yet, I get the sense that far more readers have covered my blog entries on poetry than have read my book. Last Sunday, I published an entry "Rita Dove and the fear of poems that aren't black enough," which now has received 233 page-views. I suspect that my book has received substantially less page-views.
Blogging about Poetry in October 2012
October seemed to fly by, but I got the opportunity to touch on a few different topics while blogging. Most importantly, I began publishing my writings concerning "the fear of language," a series that necessarily gives me new opportunities to expound on poetry, among other topics.
[Related content: Blogging about Poetry]
A list of links:
[Related content: Blogging about Poetry]
A list of links:
Saturday, November 3, 2012
What scares black students in a black poetry course
Over the years, I've discovered that the fear of being perceived as "dumb" is one of the persistent worries among African American students in my black poetry courses. My courses are among the only ones at the university that enrolls a majority of black students. So the fear, in large part, relates to how black students think they will be viewed by other black students.
The rarity of being in a class with so many black students and an African American professor perhaps raises the level of fear and anxiety among individual black students. In the majority of courses offered at the university, which enroll primarily white students and are taught by white professors, black students apparently have less to worry about. The white students and professors, they inform me, pretty much ignore African American students except on those rare occasions when a "black" subject comes up in the course.
Friday, November 2, 2012
What scares white students in a black poetry course
For years now, being viewed as racist for making "the wrong" comment has been a persistent fear for large numbers of white students enrolled in my African American poetry courses. Unlike the vast majority of courses at the university, my classes tend to enroll somewhat larger numbers of black students. At the moment, I have 33 students in my black poetry and folklore course--20 of the students are African American; one is from Africa.
We read and discuss more than 50 poems by black poets during the course of the semester, and exposure to such a broad range of African American writers and ideas leads some white students to express feelings of intimidation. Every semester, after the first few class sessions, at least a couple of white students separately approach me after to class to inform me that they are worried about their preparedness for the course since they have never been exposed to so many African American writers in their lives. I let them know that a sense of nervousness is normal given the shift in subject matter, and more importantly, the material is new to just about everybody in the class, I tell them.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
The Jackson Effect -- African American Literature at SIUE
If we ever write a history of African American literature at SIUE, we'll be inclined to devote special attention to the years 2010 - 2012, when my colleague Candice Jackson was employed here. Although she was at the university for only two years before accepting an administration position at Tougaloo College in Mississippi, Jackson made important contributions to our overall efforts concerning African American literature and black studies.
For one, Jackson helped us implement our various course offerings. During the spring of 2012, for instance, she and I taught a total of 7 African American literature courses, which enrolled nearly 160 students. During that same time period, she assisted the black studies program, which I direct, in the production of approximately 50 public humanities programs, and in May, she and I coordinated a trip, as we had done in 2011, to New York City with undergraduates and graduate students.
For one, Jackson helped us implement our various course offerings. During the spring of 2012, for instance, she and I taught a total of 7 African American literature courses, which enrolled nearly 160 students. During that same time period, she assisted the black studies program, which I direct, in the production of approximately 50 public humanities programs, and in May, she and I coordinated a trip, as we had done in 2011, to New York City with undergraduates and graduate students.
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