Monday night, Alonna, Kevin and I (Victoria) met to discuss the readings and our responses to the material and terms. After re-reading the chapters and becoming aquatinted with terms such ‘European universalism” “universal universalism” and debated America’s position and view as a global superpower.
Some of our initial responses to the text included Kevin’s thoughts on Bush and his presentation of the situation in the Middle East as the US mission from heaven, the presence of US troops in Iran and Afghanistan as culturally imperialistic, and this country’s view of Muslim nations as oppressive and backwards in comparison to the advancement and modernity of the US. He also drew comparisons to many American’s vacation habits and rituals, which is the popularity of resorts in foreign countries instead of exploring, living near and interacting with locals. He claims that it is a tendency to avoid the reality of the country one is visiting instead Americans want to believe our ‘island vacation fantasy’. Although (many) Americans say that wherever they are visiting is complex, beautiful and exotic we lack the will and interest to explore it beyond the means of a resort. We create the image, which Said’s Orientalism and the first few pages of Jamaica Kincad’s A Small Place addresses. Tourists/foreigners see what they create and want to see, they impose an image and even package an American ideal back to the natives.
This leads into my own thoughts about our education on Cold War Era Communism (Soviet Union, China, Cuba, Vietnam, North Korea) vs. Democracy (U.S, N.A.T.O). I always look back upon our education as American citizens and how we viewed the world. It never ends even today because the US still presents itself as the moral, cultural, political, and economical example for a ‘great’ country that ‘helps’ the world. We make ourselves superior like Europeans made themselves during the period of colonialisation. Before an extensive university education I felt that my high school courses presented Americans as the ‘good guy’ in political “intervening” throughout history and the Communists as ‘revolutionary rebels that hurt everyone”. It is strange how we felt obligated to storm through the crumbling Berlin Wall and ‘liberate’ the eastern Germans from communism. The Korean and Vietnam war also demonstrate our ability to justify intervention and war for a form of government we want to be dominant. The events also demonstrate the US reaffirming its status as the ‘protector of truth, rights, freedom and equality in democracy. We set ourselves up and sells the image of the U.S police who protects and intervenes under the flag of human rights and ending torture.
I noticed, like Kevin and Alonna, that the US has a very us and them view of the entire world: “God bless America” why not everyone else?(K), “Bring democracy to the world” what if they don’t want it? (V), “We are bringing good and civilization” same question but with exclamation marks(A), “it is modern Eurocentricism unchanged and obviously embedded in our culture and education” we are Americans, we have the democratic answer(A/V).
Alonna brought up how European universalism stems from Eurocentric views of culture, history and nations outside Europe (even those in Eastern and parts of southern Europe). She talked about how Europeans created a sense of superior history and culture in order to create the paradigm. Once one creates the paradigm and set the rules then there is a sense of power over others. She also related ideas from Said and McClintock by relating how this author makes theories that went against the mainstream way to understand the historical and culture patterns of Europe and US in indigenous areas. Alonna also cited that because this author, unlike Dussel, uses sources like Las Casas to demonstrate that historically there were those that did go against the paradigm but were oppressed by the dominant powers. With period-based examples we can draw upon notions that clash with the ‘white-standard’ education that has trickled through time and into the textbooks.
Drawing from Wallerstein, I (Kevin) feel as if European Universalism was also expressed throughout the Pear Soap advertisements. In these advertisements, the object was to paint the “others” as inferior. By doing this, the British now appear to be superior. This type of European Universalism is showcased in many aspects of American culture. Take for example, sports in the United States. For baseball, it’s not the United States Series, it’s the World Series. Although maybe they’re representing the multitude of foreign players, it’s still held in the United States, and the game is completely commercialized with American culture. If it truly was the World Series, we would play teams such as Japan, China, and Mexico. Also, they’re are zero advertisements from foreign countries. The stands, commercials, and advertisements are completely Americanized. The fact the Major League Baseball calls it the “World Series” shows that the US is the center of the world. And it also shows that the power dictated from the powerful trickles down into all aspects of the culture, and that’s problematic.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
On Images...
Said, Pratt and Dussel all challenged different ideas and concepts in their pieces. Pratt wrote from a modern understanding and analyzed past representations of historical documents and recognized the need for autoenthnographic texts in popularized history. While Dussel analyzed the structures in which history was written (imperialism, colonizations, etc) and why these Eurocentric historical texts and ideas emerged and why they emerged so prominently. Lastly, Said demonstrated the need for autoenthnographic texts by actually creating one refuting the ideas of orientalism.
The scientific drawing presented in Set 1, represent ideas of Darwinism, orentialism, eurocentrism and much more. The first image depicts genealogy of the dominant Eurocentric race to their counterparts (Negro and Irish Iberian). The claim this image is depicting is that Irish Iberian and Negro races are both derived from Africa due to their similar facial structures and bone structure. The caption below the picture clearly defines this claim. The center of the image depicts an Anglo-Tuetonic (this person features and bone structures reflect those of the European – Anglo race). The purpose of this image is to give scientific evidence for the separation of the Anglo-race from those that originated in Africa (Negro and Irish Iberian).
The second and third images are making a claim for Darwinism; the idea that Negros are the lesser developed products of evolution and are closely related or cousins to the Ape species. The claim is being argued from the scientific perspective that the shape and structure of the skull of the Negro race is the connecting evolutionary stage (“species”) between the ape and the Anglo man. These two pictures are a clear depiction of how eurocentrism and imperialism work together. Eurocentric views (dominant culture) are being imposed on other cultures through texts and historical images.
The last two images most reflect the ideas that Said presented in his autoenthnographic text, “On Orientalism.” My understanding of orientalism from Said documentary is when a group of people or cultures have a pre-conceived notion about other cultures. Many times these stereo types are derived from historical misrepresentations published and promoted by Eurocentric views. For many years these were the only views represented and taught throughout history. These imperialistic views were taught and imposed on non-western cultures and peoples. The last two images make a clear distinction between animals and Negro and Middle Eastern races. Said mentions in his documentary that the image Eurocentric historical views have depicted the Middle Eastern as a mysterious people who live in mysterious places in a very barbaric fashion. In both of these images the Middle Eastern and the Negro are showed with accentuated ape-like facial features. The Middle Eastern people are depicted as mysterious hooded people that are very dark in color. There facial expressions are less inviting and more intimidating then their Anglo counterparts.
It is because of historical texts and images that Pratt references to the need to ethnographic texts. These Eurocentric images have been accepted throughout history. Pratt is calling for a rebuttal to these misrepresentations. She is calling for text, like Said’s, that create a new image of cultures from the members of those cultures. In order to present and accurate representation of history all perspectives are needed and must be represented. Pratt, Said and Dusell are all calling for the equal representations of all cultures both from academic and experiential perspectives. Many of these texts for forced on cultures due to imperialism and colonization that led to acculturation and eventually assimilation. It is necessary to have the perspective of the dominant class as well as the mis-represented culture to have an accurate depiction of history. The text presented in Set 1 were only reflective of the dominant culture and how they viewed other cultures; they were an inaccurate representation and only with text and images like those shown in Said’s text and images “On Orientalism” could a true representation ever be accomplished.
The scientific drawing presented in Set 1, represent ideas of Darwinism, orentialism, eurocentrism and much more. The first image depicts genealogy of the dominant Eurocentric race to their counterparts (Negro and Irish Iberian). The claim this image is depicting is that Irish Iberian and Negro races are both derived from Africa due to their similar facial structures and bone structure. The caption below the picture clearly defines this claim. The center of the image depicts an Anglo-Tuetonic (this person features and bone structures reflect those of the European – Anglo race). The purpose of this image is to give scientific evidence for the separation of the Anglo-race from those that originated in Africa (Negro and Irish Iberian).
The second and third images are making a claim for Darwinism; the idea that Negros are the lesser developed products of evolution and are closely related or cousins to the Ape species. The claim is being argued from the scientific perspective that the shape and structure of the skull of the Negro race is the connecting evolutionary stage (“species”) between the ape and the Anglo man. These two pictures are a clear depiction of how eurocentrism and imperialism work together. Eurocentric views (dominant culture) are being imposed on other cultures through texts and historical images.
The last two images most reflect the ideas that Said presented in his autoenthnographic text, “On Orientalism.” My understanding of orientalism from Said documentary is when a group of people or cultures have a pre-conceived notion about other cultures. Many times these stereo types are derived from historical misrepresentations published and promoted by Eurocentric views. For many years these were the only views represented and taught throughout history. These imperialistic views were taught and imposed on non-western cultures and peoples. The last two images make a clear distinction between animals and Negro and Middle Eastern races. Said mentions in his documentary that the image Eurocentric historical views have depicted the Middle Eastern as a mysterious people who live in mysterious places in a very barbaric fashion. In both of these images the Middle Eastern and the Negro are showed with accentuated ape-like facial features. The Middle Eastern people are depicted as mysterious hooded people that are very dark in color. There facial expressions are less inviting and more intimidating then their Anglo counterparts.
It is because of historical texts and images that Pratt references to the need to ethnographic texts. These Eurocentric images have been accepted throughout history. Pratt is calling for a rebuttal to these misrepresentations. She is calling for text, like Said’s, that create a new image of cultures from the members of those cultures. In order to present and accurate representation of history all perspectives are needed and must be represented. Pratt, Said and Dusell are all calling for the equal representations of all cultures both from academic and experiential perspectives. Many of these texts for forced on cultures due to imperialism and colonization that led to acculturation and eventually assimilation. It is necessary to have the perspective of the dominant class as well as the mis-represented culture to have an accurate depiction of history. The text presented in Set 1 were only reflective of the dominant culture and how they viewed other cultures; they were an inaccurate representation and only with text and images like those shown in Said’s text and images “On Orientalism” could a true representation ever be accomplished.
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