Monday, Aug. 31, 2015 Asian American Media

“Methodology” A way of asking questions

“Methodology” A way of asking questions Different questions illuminate different facets of a topic

“Methodology” A way of asking questions Different questions illuminate different facets of a topic A historian, a scientist, and a musician will all have a different “methodology” when they think about a concept (for example, rain)

“Methodology” A way of asking questions Different questions illuminate different facets of a topic A historian, a scientist, and a musician will all have a different “methodology” when they think about a concept (for example, rain) Methodologies we’ll focus on in this course: Cultural Studies, Critical Race Theory, Asian American Studies

Cultural Studies Formed post-WWII in the UK

Cultural Studies Formed post-WWII in the UK Old disciplines: History, English, Greek, Latin…

Cultural Studies Formed post-WWII in the UK Old disciplines: History, English, Greek, Latin… What about real people’s culture?

Cultural Studies Formed post-WWII in the UK Old disciplines: History, English, Greek, Latin… What about real people’s culture? Comic books, pop songs, television…

Cultural Studies Formed post-WWII in the UK Old disciplines: History, English, Greek, Latin… What about real people’s culture? Comic books, pop songs, television… Challenging the idea that “culture” comes from up high (ballet, theater, fancy stuff)

Cultural Studies Formed post-WWII in the UK Old disciplines: History, English, Greek, Latin… What about real people’s culture? Comic books, pop songs, television… Challenging the idea that “culture” comes from up high (ballet, theater, opera) Likewise, CS challenges that value, worth, and knowledge only come from above / the elite

Ethnic Studies Began in the late 1960’s, California

Ethnic Studies Began in the late 1960’s, California Students wanted to see themselves and their communities in the curriculum

Ethnic Studies Began in the late 1960’s, California Students wanted to see themselves and their communities in the curriculum Wanted “American History” to be more than just Presidents and treaties

Ethnic Studies Began in the late 1960’s, California Students wanted to see themselves and their communities in the curriculum Wanted “American History” to be more than just Presidents and treaties Wanted English Lit to be more than just dead white men

Ethnic Studies Began in the late 1960’s, California Students wanted to see themselves and their communities in the curriculum Wanted “American History” to be more than just Presidents and treaties Wanted English Lit to be more than just dead white men Fundamentally engaging with the question, “What is the purpose of education? Whom does it serve?”

History of Ethnic Studies: Arizona bans ethnic studies: ucson-s-mexican-american-studies-ban ucson-s-mexican-american-studies-ban

Keywords for Cultural Studies reality, identity, belief, expectations, what is “natural,” common sense, text, context, dominant, “normal,” denaturalize, challenge, interrogate Knowledge(s) – official, unofficial POWER – official, unofficial, soft, hard, self-regulated Culture – what is it? (texts, practices) Cultural narrative Social construct

Key Questions in Cultural Studies How do we know what we know? How do we come to value what we value? Desire what we desire?

Key Questions in Cultural Studies How do we know what we know? How do we come to value what we value? Desire what we desire? How does a society create and share meaning? (“Society” can mean a lot of different things here)

Key Questions in Cultural Studies How do we know what we know? How do we come to value what we value? Desire what we desire? How does a society create and share meaning? (“Society” can mean a lot of different things here) How is everyday life reproduced?

Key Questions in Cultural Studies How do we know what we know? How do we come to value what we value? Desire what we desire? How does a society create and share meaning? (“Society” can mean a lot of different things here) How are the norms of everyday life reproduced? Who benefits? Who loses? Where does value lie?

Key Questions in Cultural Studies How do we know what we know? How do we come to value what we value? Desire what we desire? How does a society create and share meaning? (“Society” can mean a lot of different things here) How are the norms of everyday life reproduced? Who benefits? Who loses? Where does value lie? How does power circulate?

Axioms (starting points) Culture transmits knowledge even though it doesn’t appear to (society separates knowledge + culture)

Axioms (starting points) Culture transmits knowledge even though it doesn’t appear to (society separates knowledge + culture) Culture is a “text” that can be read and interpreted in a range of ways (this is NOT about subliminal messages or hidden/ultimate/“true” meanings)

Axioms (starting points) Culture transmits knowledge even though it doesn’t appear to Culture is a “text” that can be read and interpreted in a range of ways (this is NOT about subliminal messages or hidden/ultimate/“true” meanings) Culture can be a way of understanding how a society negotiates and apportions power

Why ask these q’s? What’s at stake?

Institutional history / what counts as knowledge

Why ask these q’s? What’s at stake? Institutional history / what counts as knowledge Cultural Studies seeks to uncover the relationship between knowledge and power as it is communicated through culture.

Why ask these q’s? What’s at stake? Institutional history / what counts as knowledge Cultural Studies seeks to uncover the relationship between knowledge and power as it is communicated through culture. In doing so, it hopes to illuminate ways to resist oppression and transform society so it is more just, more equitable, more conducive to the flourishing of life.

Why ask these q’s? What’s at stake? Institutional history / what counts as knowledge Cultural Studies seeks to uncover the relationship between knowledge and power as it is communicated through culture. In doing so, it hopes to illuminate ways to resist oppression and transform society so it is more just, more equitable, more conducive to the flourishing of life. This can be destabilizing – keep an open mind!

Questions?

The Danger of a Single Story (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie) Think / Pair / Share: What are some single stories that circulate about Asian Americans? How and where do they circulate? What are the ramifications of those stories? (micro – small ones, or macro – large ones) How do we challenge the power of single stories?

Name Game