Attention Please!

Incoming Public Service Announcements!

Please take a moment to read these announcements - brief, to-the-point incarnations of your classmates' term-long research.  More PSA links will be forthcoming. Leave a comment to let them know the effect their PSA had on you.

Ashton: Learn a New Language!
Emma: The Internet, Community, and Learning
Claire: Music Education Should be Required for Adolescents
Caitlin: Super Fun (SHORT) Personality Quiz!
Allison: It's Time to Log Off
Gabrielle: Accessory of an Accessory to Murder
Marlen: Should You Get a Tattoo?
Mel: Christianity & Homosexuality Q & A
Kris: Heroic Icons or Villians?
Rachael: Identity vs. Role Confusion
Clare:   YOU Get an Education and YOU get an--oh wait, not you
Nicole C: Are Friends Necessary?
Mahvish: Raise Your Voice!
Jessica: Should You Go to Church?
Morgan: Debunking Football Myths
Ryan: Guns: It's Up to You
Sam: The Beast That Is Blogging
Lizzy: Love is Just a Click Away
Grace: Why Home Gardening is a Must
Comet: Just Do It: But Should You?
Liam: Flag Desecration
Kristin: Guess What's Terrorizing Your Barbeque?
Daniel: Attention: Want to be a Miracle?

Calling all Experts

Here are the class "experts" for both sections. Within the group of experts for your section, make sure that you are each looking into some different aspect of the topic so that you each have a different area of expertise. Feel free to use these questions, or to choose other relevant areas that you can research. You don't need to prepare a presentation, but as we begin discussion on each day, let the class know what your area of expertise is, and be ready to chime in with your research, or to answer questions on that topic.

Weds., Jan. 28 – Sanneh, “The Intensity Gap” (abortion debate & politics):  

Section 1: Grace, Mahvish, KT, Kris

Section 2: Clare, Gabby, Morgan, Kia

Possible topics:  what is the history of abortion & its legality in the U.S.? What contributed to its legalization? When it it become a political issue? For what reasons do people get abortions? For what reasons do people oppose it?

Fri., Jan. 30 – Freitas, “God vs. My Boyfriend” (impact of conservative Christianity on sexuality)

Section 1:  Madison, Claire, Emma, Mel, Katie

Section 2: Jaime, Becca, Keenan, Caitlin

Possible topics: What does the Bible say about sexuality? How about other religions? What is abstinence-only education? What is the purity movement in the U.S.?

Monday, Feb. 2 – Spector, “Seeds of Doubt” (GMOs)

Section 1:Allison, Sam, Rachel, Ashton

Section 2: Anna, Kristin, Heather

Possible topics: What is the background on corporations like Monsanto?  What are the health risks of GMOs? What are the benefits to nations struggling with hunger? How do GMOs affect the economy 

Wednesday, Feb. 4 - Lehrer, “Kin & Kind” (Biological origins of altruism)

Section 1: Ryan, Lizzy, Liam, Hannah

Section 2: Jess, Kyle, Nicole, Gabrielle

Posible topics: What do philosophers  say about altruism? Why do some resist the theory that is biological? What, exactly, does E.O. Wilson argue about ants?

Friday, Feb. 6 – Katherine Boo, “After Welfare” (benefits & drawbacks of being on welfare)

Section 1: Comet, Rachael, Nicole, Daniel, Victoria

Section 2: Tori, Josh, Marlen, Nicole

Possible topics: What are some of the rules governing welfare recipients now?  What do experts say about the success of the 1996 welfare reform? How about its drawbacks?  For what reasons do people go on welfare? What are the regulations guiding welfare in Illinois?

Forming a Community

Here are the blogging groups as discussed in class today. You'll read posts by other members of your group and offer new fodder for discussion by commenting on their posts--as well on comments offered by other group members. In most cases, I hope we'll be able to sustain that conversation through in-class meetings as well.

Section 1:
Liam, Mel, Katie L., Lizzie
Allison, Madison, Grace, Ryan, Comet
Emma, Ashton, Nicole, Rachael, KT G.
Sam, Rachel, Claire, Mahvish
Victoria, Daniel, Hannah, Kris

Section 2:
Josh, Tori, Nicole, Marlen, Clare
Kyle, Becca, Gabby, Morgan, Jessica
Anna, Kia, Gabrielle, Keenan
Kaime, Heather, Nikki, Kristin, Caitlin

No place like home

....to read the Hunger Games!

Whether you feel like curling up by the fire or escaping the chaos for a while, here are some questions to ponder as you read:

1. In the book, how do television and technology control people and/or information? How does it shape "truth" or "knowledge"? Who is closer to the truth -- Katniss and the others in the arena or the game makers in their control room? Is there something inherent in the technology that means it skews the truth somehow, or is technology a neutral force, employed in a morally suspect manner? 
2. What sort of fulfillment do citizens of Panem (especially the Capitol) seem to get out of watching the Hunger Games? We are all often compelled by images/stories of disaster and death.  What compels us about these images/stories? Does hearing about them/watching them fulfill any social role for us as a community? Is death (someone else’s, our own) necessary to give clarity to life?

Wishing you all a little silver parachute full of the thing you need most. 

Defining Oppression

Study guide for Young, “Five Faces of Oppression”

In your own words (this usually means without looking at the text) describe in a sentence or two your understanding of each concept:

1. Social  group
2. Aggregate
3.  Association
4. Heidegger’s “thrownness”
5. Exploitation
6.   “menial” work
7. Powerlessness
8. Characteristics of “professionalism”
9. Cultural imperialism
10. Double consciousness
11.  Violence

Then, write down any concepts/terms that are confusing to you, and that you’d like to discuss in class. Write your answers down and bring them to class on Wednesday. 

How Not to Hate

Here's a condensed list of traits of troll/hater strategies that both sections came up with in class. It's a good way to recognize trolls, and a good list of strategies to try to avoid in your own arguments:

- refer to, but don't actually use, evidence
- don't provide support for claims
- pick small details to bicker with rather than addressing the real claims
- try to take down people with popular appeal/claims to power
- use the indirect approach--try to mask your criticism with irony in case it fails
- try to annihilate the opponent rather than further the conversation
- personally attack your opponent (& their mothers) rather than the ideas they most likely share with others
- use inflammatory language
- mask intolerance with appeal to broad culture values (no, YOU'RE the racist!)
- identify as a mistreated an oppressed outsider rather than acknowledge your own power & privilege
- gang up on your opponent
- when all else fails, resort to extra-legal means

And for ONE response to haters, see this video!

And the losers are.....

Okay, learners, not losers! Here are the featured blogs this week. Commentators, see if you can invite conversation BETWEEN blogs with your comments by commenting on 3-4 of them.  And don't forget: be ready to bring in an example of uncivil discourse on the web for Monday.

Section 1 Blogs:
Baby, It's Cold in this Incubator
My Conversation with Firestone
Firestone: Extreme and Absurd or Progressive and Rational?
On Activism and My Own Failings
PROOF That I Lost to Clifford
Experiences and Perceptions
Pink Ribbons & Positive Attitudes
Duty Over Morals?
Temper Tantrums & Feminism

Commentators:
Comet, Emma, Hannah, Nicole K., Sam, Ryan

In-class responders:
Katie L., Rachel, Daniel

Section 2 Blogs: 
Feminism and the Art of Fence-Sitting
They Say that Laughter...
How to Lose an Argument
Victoria's Secret is Out
[Re Thoreau]
The Lukewarm Feminist vs. Firestone
Taking Root in a Rootless World
Madeline Vs. Me: No Chance

Commentators: 
Kyle, Jess, Jaime, Gabby, Kristin, Gabrielle, Clare

In-class Responders: 
Becca, Heather, Anna