Please respond to this at least 1 question in this post no later than Tuesday May 20, 2008 at Midnight.
Also note that a survey which is posted on Blackboard must be completed either in class or sent to me via e-mail by NOON tomorrow Thursday May 15, 2008 in order for your Blogging requirements to marked as fulfilled.
Last night as I watched Nightline I became very upset by the images/pics of the earthquake victims in China. As the camera panned across people sleeping in the street (either because they had no place to go or because they were afraid to sleep indoors because of the aftershocks), I was reminded of Hurricane Katrina. I thought to myself, as rich a nation as China is, why haven’t they invested more money into the maintenance and development of their infrastructure? Although the earthquake was a natural disaster and was unavoidable, the aftermath and events leading to Hurricane Katrina were avaoidable. Here you have two nations considered to be some of the most technologically advanced and developed nations in the world yet both nations have decided not to invest in the maintenance of their building structures, bridges, tunnels, etc.
So do you think the technological advancement of developed nations must come at the expense of infrastructure? Why can’t some nations take a holistic approach and prioritize by meeting the needs of residents in rural areas as much as they do those living in urban centers? If you are aware of them, are there nations that are sucessful at accomplishing both, making advances in technology and ensuring that their citizens aren’t destitute after natural disasters?
On another note, I thought to myself at least China has a military to deploy to these remote areas, if a natural disaster were to happen on that scale in the U.S. with most of our troops deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, what would we do? Would we turn down assistance from nations like Venezuela and Cuba like we did during Hurricane Katrina, or would citizens step up to the plate like they did during 9/11 and Katrina and worry about the health consequences later?
Today’s consumption patterns indicate about contemporary class levels of the consumers. In other words, things that you buy can tell a lot about you and the class you belong to. People of higher class can afford luxury goods that are not available for lower class people. Income level have a direct influence on buyer’s decisions. Purchasing habits of some people allow them to create or re-create new identities for themselves. Once someone becomes rich he/she immediatly starts to buy more of luxury goods that they couldn’t buy before.
In light of yesterday’s discussion about Brent Williams’ article on Debt and/or the current housing crisis, do you think the issue of class is or will be the biggest problem of the 21st century? Why or Why not?
How do you think geographical spaces and landscapes inform an individual’s perception of class? (i.e. do you think class disparities are heightened in urban areas as opposed to rural areas, why or why not?)
Just take a look around NYC how are certain geographical spaces landscaped to ‘mark’ certain areas by class? What are some markers in your neighborhood that reveal the economic class of the residents?
Please Respond to one or all questions by midnight, Friday May 9, 2008
The issue of class reflects a serious problem of economic inequality. However, I don’t think that it would the biggest problem of the 21st century. In my opinion, the downfall of US economy nowadays is much more significant because it will affect all of us dirrectly, as well as class issues. I agree that geographical spaces and landscapes inform an individual’s perception of class. It is easy to define your social status just by looking at the place you live in, your neighbourhood. I think that class disparities are heightened in rural areas as opposed to urban areas. People in a big cities don’t really care about others and their class status. Some geographical spaces landscaped to define certain areas by class. For example, the “Jewish” streets, unlike the regular ones in my neighbourhood in Brooklyn, are described by beautiful houses with nice little gardens that tell a lot about the social status of their owners.
Please respond to this post by Thursday April 17, 2008.
In light of the film we saw in class Life & Debt and the articles on microcredit/microlending, do you think that marginalized groups/nations stand a chance in today’s global economy? Will ‘developing’ nations ever become fully ‘developed’ (i.e. reach the advanced status of Western nations) and if they do , at what cost?
I know you guys are pretty tired from midterms, and really don’t want to think anymore, but…Everyone please respond to either this post or your fellow classmates’ response to this post by Monday morning.
In light of recent readings such as Freeman’s article on Pink collar informatics/data entry workers in Barbados, and Mathur’s article on the increasing marginalization & disempowerment of workers in factories, what are some challenges that you have noticed (through observations in the media, local neighborhoods, workplace, personal stories) that working class people continue to face in the work environment? Are there differences in the ways that working class women are treated in the workplace or in surrounding communities, as opposed to working class men?
I think that the American Dream to some extent exists. There diversity in our society and our nation makes it almost impossible for one to establish “An American Dream”. I believe that most Americans have “dreams” but they may be searching for a job, apt, house, food, paid health care, better education, and so on. It is impossible to determine who will reach their dreams but due to our capitalist structured economy I do feel it is easier for some to reach their American dream and for others just a phrase that gives them hope. I feel that especially living in New York everyone is fighting for the same thing we are all “keeping up with the Jones’s” and some never get anywhere and some who so finally get somewhere, it is at a great expense. Either their own health trying to pay for health insurance or maybe putting those extra hours in to give your family a better life and then what do you know your going through a divorce because you were never home. Simply stated: Americans are working harder for less. And being students, we know the price it pays—literally to advance in society. Nowadays you need a Masters at a minimum for some careers –who pays?? And it makes you wonder is it worth it?
Group Question:
Often at the heart of mobility among classes lies the notion of the “achieving the American dream.” Do you think that this “dream” still exists? Why or why not? Is there a particular group in society that is more likely to achieve the American dream?
Group members: Rosie, Crystal, Lenny, Meldin
Please respond to all OR one of the questions in the post, all students should comment to my post no later than Thurs. March 20.
Taking into account some of the readings that address the issue of gender, such as the article on “I’m Here but I’m There: Latina Transnational Motherhood” by Hondagneu-Sotelo and Avila, what do you think about the role of gender and ‘accepted’ gender roles that men and women occupy in a family? What are some ways that we can examine the role of gender in relation to the family outside of traditional notions of family (i.e. heterosexual couple, 2 kids, house w/picket fence and dog)? What constitutes a family when one has family members living in different parts of the world?
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia on Feb. 17, 2008. Do you think that Kosovo’s declaration should recognized? If that happens, do you think Serbia would find it necessary to recognize it as well or will Serbia continue acts of vandalism and attacks on Kosovo?
Related article: http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/news/calls-calm-serbs-rally-20080221