Week 10: Atheists

Week 10: Atheists
Mon 3.29/Wed 3.31
No class—Spring Break

Upcoming:

Week 11: Asian-Americans
Mon 3.29/Wed 3.31
Read: Apple—"Self-Diagnosis: How Did That Happen?" – "Self-Diagnosis: Sick of Running"
Class: Library research session; Multimedia presentations; Watch—"Why is violence against Asian-Americans on the rise?" from Al Jazeera
Due: REFLECTION 4

Research Project: Subcultures and Identity

sub·cul·ture n. 1. A cultural subgroup differentiated by status, ethnic background, residence, religion, or other factors that functionally unify the group and act collectively on each member.

For you research project, you will investigate a unique American subculture. This will be achieved, in part, through an interview with an active member of that subculture. In addition to accurately reporting on a group of people, a place, or an event from an insider’s perspective, you will explore the distinctive characteristics of those people.

Requirements:

• Be a minimum of 12 slides (plus works cited)
• Have cohesive design, including illustrations
• Contextualize your subculture’s history (and future) in America 
• Interweave your subject's experience into the larger cultural landscape
• Have clean spelling and grammar

Some possible subcultures to investigate:

• Arts: Performance artists, Poets, Singers, Actors, Techies, Hip hop dancing
• Motorcycle Enthusiasts: Bikers, Motocross
• Car Enthusiasts: Hot Rodders, Car Collectors
• Crafts: Quilting Bees, Scrapbooking, Glass Blowing
• Bicycle Enthusiasts: Cyclists, Fixed Gear/Fixies
• Body Art: Tattoo and piercing artists, Tattoo and piercing collectors
• Boarding: Skateboarders, Snowboarders, Surfers
• Collectors: Antiques, Sports Collectibles, Sneakers, Toys, Barbie, Disney
• Cultural: Chicanos
• Fandom: Anime, Star Trek, Horror, Zombie, Elvis, Star Wars, Cosplay, Furries
• Fantasy Enthusiasts: Renaissance fairs, RPGs
• Food: Foodies, Wine collectors, Beer crafters
• Gaming: Competitive gamers
• Gay Culture: Drag, Gaymers
• Gym Culture: Bodybuilders, Crossfit
• Hip-Hop Culture: Deejaying, Emceeing, Breakdancing
• Recreation: Coupon clubs, Bingo, Quidditch, Karaoke, Rodeo
• Lifestyles: Hippies, Hipsters, RVers
• Military: Veterans, Military Buffs; Civil War reenacters
• Music: Deadheads, Parrotheads, Juddalos, ARMY (BTS), Punk, Goth, Rockabilly, EDM
• Nature: Bird Watchers, Scouts, Star Gazers, Survivalists, Off-gridders, Naturists
• Paranormal: Ghost hunters, Ufologists, Bigfoot hunters
• Political: Trump supporters, Progressives, Environmentalists
• Sexuality: Incels, MGTOWs, Asexuals, Polyamorists
• Social Media: Influencers
• Spirituality: Mormonism, New Age, Jehovah's Witness, Wiccans
• Sports: Competitive cheer
• Sport Fanatics: Raiders Nations, Soccer supporters clubs
• Tech: Hackers, Coders, DIYers, Makers

Notes on making contact with an interviewee:

• To find a contact within your chosen subculture, search the Web for local associations, such as Eventbrite, Meetup or Facebook, related to your particular group. Most any group will have some type of association. Another route to take is asking family or friends for references. Depending on the group, a friend or relative might be the best way in. However you get in, remember to have accurate contact information for the person you will be dealing with.
• When trying to establish a contact within a group, do not assume you will get a timely response (especially during Covid-19). It is important to remember that a particular subgroup might be suspicious of strangers, so gentle persistence may be required. Have a backup plan in case your original choice falls through. Once you make contact, politely introduce yourself and explain what it is you are trying to do. If the person is unable (or unwilling) to assist you, ask if he or she knows of someone else who might assist you.
• Once you have established a friendly contact, work out a date for you to interview that person. 
• Before your interview, do your homework. Learn as much as you can about that group before you interview. Of course, always be respectful.
• After the assignment is over, a handwritten note of thanks for your main contacts (or, at minimum, an email) should be sent. 
• VERY IMPORTANT: 1. Though Covid-19 restrictions are loosening, it is critical you still maintain all safety precautions (masks, social distancing, etc.) when interacting with a group. Use your discretion, but please err on the side of caution. 2. You may NOT engage in any activities that are dangerous or illegal.
  

Schedule:
1. Week 12: Mon 4.5/Wed 4.7 - Have Research Project finished up to slide 2
2. Week 13: Baby Boomers: Mon 4.12/Wed 4.14 - Have Research Project finished up to slide 4
3. Week 14: Mon 4.19/Wed 4.21 - Have Research Project finished up to slide 8
4. Week 15: Mon 4.26/Wed 4.28 - Have Research Project finished up to slide 10-12
5. Week 16: Gen Z - Mon 5.3/*

NEW RESEARCH PROJECT DUE DATE: SAT 5.15 (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS BY 6 P.M.)

Identity News 3.23

• ASIAN-AMERICANS: How American culture has relentlessly exoticized Asian women (Vox
• GEN Z: Pandemic be damned, college students flock to Florida by the thousands for spring break (Buzzfeed)
• WOMEN: Fifty percent of men say their sex lives improved during the pandemic, but 70% of women say it did nothing to boost their sexual satisfaction (New York Post)
• BABY BOOMERS: Gen Z is paying twice what Boomers paid for college (BuisnessInsider)
• REPUBLICANS: Half of GOP men refusing to get the Covid-19 vaccine (Los Angeles Times)

Week 9: Latinos

Week 9: Latinos
Mon 3.22/Wed 3.24
Read: Apple—"Self-Diagnosis: I Want to Go Home Now" – "Self-Diagnosis: Ouch"
Class: Multimedia presentations; Watch—"Are Hispanics White?" (MTV Decoded)
Due: REFLECTION 3

Upcoming:

Week 10: Atheists
Mon 3.29/Wed 3.31
No class—Spring Break

Reflection 3: Transformative—Undertsanding Transgenderism Today

"Transgender" is an umbrella term used to describe people whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. For trans people, the sex they were were born and their own internal gender identity may not align—what the medical community now refers to as "gender dysphoria." And some, may go so far as to "transition" to become their opposite sex. Others, may remain their birth sex, but identify as various genders (e.g. queergender, non-binary, gender fluid, etc.). Encouraged by the success of the contemporary gay rights movement, many trans Americans, specifically those who've transitioned, have become both more visible and vocal in the past 20 years. Trans politicians, athletes, celebrities, and members of the military are fighting for acceptance in American society. But just as gay Americans were met with resistance, so too are this country's trans population. Conservatives have met the rise in trans visibility with anti-trans bathroom laws, bans of trans athletes, weakened job protection, limitations on healthcare access, and exclusions in military service. But even conservatives are facing opposition to their opposition. American pop culture, for example, now routinely features pro-trans celebrities and messaging. And younger Americans are generally more accepting of their trans peers than their older counterparts. But where will all of this lead? What does the future hold for trans rights? Will American society ever fully accept trans people?

Include at least two of the following in your discussion:

• "Things Not to Say to a Trans Person" (BBC Three)
• "Inside Idaho's Ban on Trans Women in Sports" (Vice)
• "Elliot Page Opens Up in First Interview Since Coming Out as Transgender (Entertainment Tonight)
• "Ask Matt: Why Do Trans People Make Me Uncomfortable?" (TheTransAdvocate)
• "Leyna Bloom Makes Sports Illustrated History as First Black, Asian Transgender Model" (Good Morning America)

Required:

• MLA Style
• Approximately 300 words
• Works cited 

Due: Wed 3.24

 

Identity News 3.16

 

• ASIAN-AMERICANS: New data says there were nearly 3,800 anti-Asian attacks since last February (NBC Bay Area)
• TRUMP SUPPORTERS: Fifty-percent of Trump supporters refuse to be vaccinated against Covid-19 (Yahoo! News)
• TEENS: Nearly half of parents surveyed say their teens' mental health has worsened during the pandemic (CNN)
• LGBTQ AMERICANS: Marvel to introduce a gay teen Captain America in comics (New York Daily News)
• VEGANS: VP Harris visits vegan taco shop, says she's dabbling in veganism (PlantBasedNews)

 

Week 8: Veterans

Week 8: Veterans
Mon 3.15/Wed 3.17
Read: Apple—"Choose Your Own Adventure"
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations; Watch—"America’s Veteran Crisis: Abandoned at Home" from Vice
Due: EXPLICATION

Upcoming:

Week 9: Latinos
Mon 3.22/Wed 3.24
Read: Apple—"Self-Diagnosis: I Want to Go Home Now" – "Self-Diagnosis: Ouch"
Class: Multimedia presentations; Watch—"What Happens to Religious Professionals When They Stop Believing in God?" from Vice
Due: REFLECTION 3

Identity News 3.13

• BLACK WOMEN:  Conservative commentator says Meghan Markle isn't Black enough to experience racism (Yahoo! News)
• TRANSGENDER AMERICANS: Many states loving to limit trans women in sports (New York Times)
  
• QANON: How white women are fueling the rise of QAnon (Full Frontal with Samantha Bee)
• GEN X/MILLENNIALS: Gen X and Millennial women quickly becoming the primary breadwinners in their families (Financial Advisor)
• PARANORMAL ENTHUSIASTS: Here are the spookiest paranormal TikToks to follow (ScreenRant)

 

Week 7: Trump Supporters

Week 7: Trump Supporters
Mon 3.8/Wed 3.10
Class: Multimedia presentations; Watch—"Donald Trump: Fifty Supporters Explain Why They Love Him" from BBC News

Upcoming:

Week 8: Veterans
Mon 3.15/Wed 3.17
Read: Apple—"Choose Your Own Adventure"
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations; Watch—"America’s Veteran Crisis: Abandoned at Home" from Vice
Due: EXPLICATION

Identity News 3.6

• DREAMERS: Corporate America wants a path to citizenship for Dreamers (CNBC)
• MILLENNIALS: Millennial attacking Gen Z on TikTok are getting roasted (BusinessInsider)
• CHRISTIANS: Scientist pleas with Christians to "love thy neighbor" and get vaccinated (HuffPost)
• GAY AMERICANS: Billy Eichner lands deal for first major studio gay rom-com (Los Angeles Times)
• ATHEISTS: Tips on coming out as atheist (Patheos)

Explication: Snapshots of American Life and Identity

An explication, sometimes called a close read, is a detailed analysis of a small section of a text, such as a paragraph of a novel, or a shorter text, such as a poem. Though traditionally applied to poetry and fiction, close reads can also be relevant to photos, songs, films, even video games. Whatever the medium, goal is always to uncover new meanings through a minute analysis.

For this assignment, you will conduct close reading of a photograph of Americans who illustrate a unique aspect of our culture.

Required:

• MLA Style
• Approximately 750 words

 

Due: Wed 3.17 (via Canvas)

***

Below are the photos you may choose from for you close read—write about only one. Each is labeled with its location and photographer.

Louisville, Kentucky | Jerm Cohen 

Cape Cod, Massachusetts | Randi Baird



San Jose, California | Dai Sugano



Standing Rock Indian Reservation, North and South Dakota | Camille Seaman



Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Brian K. Crain 

Ashburn, Georgia | Charles Ommanney



Oakland, California | Yalonda M. James



Asheville, North Carolina | Jabin Botsford 

 


Portland, Oregon | Natalie Gildersleeve 

Los Angeles, California | Martin Schoeller



Dearborn, Michigan | Bill Pugliano

 

New York City, New York | Brandon Stanton