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Aussie Culture

June 8, 2020 / Alejandro Rodriguez / 0 Comments

Foreign cultures are often watered down or altered in order to fit the cultural norms of a given society, though this isn’t always the case. During my time abroad in Australia, the only form of Latin American culture I noticed was the occasional Mexican restaurant(to many Aussies, synonymous with Latin America) that was the equivalent of Chipotle. It made sense because frankly, there were little to no Latinx people in Brisbane, the Australian city I was located in. Many of Mexico’s traditional plates are intended to be spicy, yet when I ordered the spiciest options at these restaurants, they were always lackluster. This heavily contrasts my experience in California and specifically Los Angeles, as Mexicans are the majority and that is reflected in the city’s culture. Los Angeles is one of the main epicenters of the Mexican diaspora and this has created a very raw, and authentic export of Mexican culture. Thus, it is evident that the existing population controls, whether directly through policymaking or indirectly through their purchases, the extent of a foreign culture’s influence and presence.

Another interesting point is seeing that in recent years Australia has attempted to make ‘fusion food’ apart of its identity. Because the nation is so young, it does not have uniquely Australian dishes. With the influx of migration from Asia, South Africa and other countries, the general culture has shifted towards fusing these different palettes and deeming them Australia. Yet, many Aussie journalists have criticized this cultural development because it erases the identity of foreign cultures and is also used as a tool to show Aussies are open to multiculturalism, disregarding Australia’s extremely racist past.

Student Experiences in Europe

June 8, 2020 / teeuwens / 2 Comments

As someone who is European and has studied in the United States, it was interesting to read about the stories of American students studying in Europe. I feel like before I went to college in the United States, there were a lot of topics that I had not actively thought about, including racism and sexism. One issue that people in the United States, and students at Dickinson, seem to be actively advocating for is LGBTQ+ issues. American students indicated that in many cases they encountered a liberal environment within the EU in terms of LGBTQ+ acceptance. Before leaving the Netherlands, I had not given the issue to much thought, since same sex marriage has been legal in the Netherlands since I was a young child. I learned about the law that legalized same sex marriage in my history class, when I also studied the abortion law legalizing abortion since 1984. For this reason, I never considered either LGBTQ+ rights or abortion as an issue, until I came to the United States. After coming to Dickinson, I remember I was talking to my sister about the fact that no one in the Netherlands ever seems to be advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, as opposed to in the United States. On the one hand, I believe that there really is less of a struggle for LGBTQ+ acceptance in the Netherlands, which would explain why less people are campaigning for it. On the other hand though, I know from stories of friends and family, that there is still a long way to go in terms of acceptance for LGBTQ+ rights within Dutch society.

Before coming to the United States I had also not given as much thought about the issue of racism, unlike I do now. Many of the American students indicated that they faced a lot of racism within Europe, which I can definitely see. Obviously institutional racism exists in the Netherlands, but I believe people tend to blame ‘cultural differences’, rather than critically evaluating the structures of institutional racism, for example in the case of Muslims in the Netherlands. The current protests in the Netherlands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter further underscore the ways through which racism is a part of Dutch society. I remember when I was in high school, we were taught about Dutch colonial history – which is referred to in the Netherlands as the Golden Age, even though the Dutch obviously looted the many countries it colonized. This terminology has been debated the last few years, with musea changing names and descriptions of art work from that period. However, there definitely still is a long way to go.

I often think about how to change societies structurally. Having studied both in the United States and in India, I realized how difficult it is to govern a country and create structural change, in a state so large and with so much diversity. Instead, in the Netherlands, it seems to me that it would be easier to change certain aspects of the society, because everyone watches either one of two news channels, and supports the same national sports teams, and buys groceries at the same six supermarkets. Obviously, the size of the Netherlands makes it much easier to govern. However, I do believe that, given the lesser diversity, issues that should be recognized and debated are not, as people are not realizing the existence and importance of issues.

How does consumption stymy global flows of culture & identity?

June 8, 2020 / merinorc / 1 Comment

This question is complicated to answer. I do not think that consumption stymies global flows of culture and identity. I think that consumption commodifies culture and identity, leading to conversations such as the ones had on NPR. In this regard, consumption can ease the flow of culture across borders, but have unintended negative effects. The discussion about Rosalia and Antonio Banderas being labeled as “Latinx” is important because of that colonial background and the power dynamics it represents. Seeing the conversation through an American lens, the difference may not be as important. They both speak Spanish and their work may seem familiar to those of Latin American descent. However, from a Salvadoran point of view, the idea that a person who does not share the specific types of oppressive experiences that many Latinx people do is recognized in the same space is a little upsetting.

Adding identity to the mix can complicate matters more because people’s identities can vary from place to place and over time, as mentioned by Banderas in the article. However, identifying with a group of people more than another does not necessarily mean that they share the same culture. Moreover, commodifying culture can be dangerous because only the parts that are profitable make the jump. This is apparent when certain public figures such as artists or sports players speak out against social injustices. Many times, they are met with comments of “you should stick with doing what you do instead of opening your mouth about xyz.” From this point of view, it is clear that only certain aspects of a culture are respected, and those tend to be the ones that sell. Commodification of culture is objectification, and it can further dehumanize certain groups of already marginalized people.

Identity

June 7, 2020 / rothcl / 2 Comments

Identity is complicated. There are so many things that go into making us who we are. There are things in our control and those which we have absolutely no authority over. Similarly, I believe there are both internal and external aspects.

In Eguchi’s ethnography they described their experience as a gay Japanese American. They wrote about how the colonial views on Japanese men feminizing them shaped their identity, however, they also explain how they chose to challenge those stereotypes through their “exaggerated performance of femininity”. Looking at Eguchi’s experience it is hard to tease apart which parts of their identity may be endogenous or exogenous, though only they could truly say.

When reflecting on my own identity I still find it challenging to distinguish what parts have been shaped by internal vs external factors. The community I grew up in has certainly molded my identity. Being a part of a small, mostly white, religious community shaped who I am, but so have my responses to living in such a community. Growing up with the same 30ish classmates for 13 years made me a very community-based person, but also taught me how to be independent. In response to interacting with the same people for over a decade, I learned the best way for me to deal with emotion is by being direct. While being community-based is a direct result of an endogenous factor, being direct was an internal response to growing up with the same small group of peers.

In trying to answer the prompt, whether identity is endogenous or exogenous, I think I’ve ended up less sure in my answer than when I began. However, I don’t think there is truly an answer to this question. Rather, I believe everyone’s identity has been shaped by an inordinate number of things, events, circumstances, decisions, and so forth and that the line between external and internal can be rather blurred.

Can you identify with any of the experiences?

June 7, 2020 / tings / 2 Comments

I am able to related to some of the experiences detailed in this presentation as, in some cases, I experienced the exact same thing and in other cases I experienced things that are along the same lines.

Because I am biracial, the situation I am in often changes how I am viewed. When I am surrounded by others of varying ethnicities, I appear ethnically ambiguous. However, when I am surrounded by Caucasians, I tend to appear more Asian. On the flip side, when I am surrounded or viewed by Asians, I often appear more Caucasian. This has led to me being on the receiving end of many different types of microaggressions which vary depending on the context.

When I appear more ethnically ambiguous, I am often asked where I am from. My usual response is that I am from the suburbs of DC. This often prevents people from asking anything else as DC, like many other cities, is known for being racially diverse. However, sometimes people do not accept this answer and they often ask what countries my parents are from, where I was born or other similar questions.

When I am surrounded by Caucasian, and therefore appear more Asian in comparison, I often see people staring or pointing at me. In some cases, people have said ‘Asian’ things as I walked by or pulled their eyes back. This was something that happened when I went to visit a school in the Midwest.

In comparison, when I went to China, I viewed and singled out for looking Caucasian. This led to restaurant staff replacing the utensils (they assumed that I was unable to use chopsticks). People also came up to me and asking if they could take a picture with ‘the white girl’ and talking about me in Chinese (assuming that I did not know what they were saying).

every human being has obligations to every other

June 5, 2020 / tings / 0 Comments

I think that the best way a person can advance the cosmopolitan idea that “every human being has obligations to every other” is by promoting and explaining the idea as well as illustrating how to fulfill the obligation. I think it is important to explain the idea of fulfilling obligations as many people may not understand what it means or why it important. I also think that it is important to point out the consequences of not fulfilling these obligations to help people fully understand the responsibility they have. It may also be helpful to show how in fulfilling these obligations, you are helping every human, not just some.

For example, of Martin Niemoller’s famous World War II poem ‘First They Came’, coupled with the historical events taking place at the time, illustrate why it is important to speak up against racial injustice and shows what happens what this is not done. Recent events have also reflected this.

In addition to explaining the obligations, I also believe that in order to increase the extent that people fulfill these obligations is to make an effort to fulfill these obligations yourself and lead by example. Depending on the obligation that is being addressed, this may be done by devoting time and/or resources to a cause, raising awareness, speaking out or participating in a protest against a practice, as many people are currently doing.

I am fortunate enough to have the opportunity to try to help people understand the idea of having obligations to other humans and the opportunity to lead by example and I often chose to do this by devoting my time to causes that help fulfill these obligations and raising awareness said obligations. Additionally, I, like many others, do my best to fulfill these obligations and help others by speaking out.

Cosmopolitanism in light of the Political Climate

June 5, 2020 / Alejandro Rodriguez / 0 Comments

What opportunities do you have, everyday, to increase or advance the extent to which our communities, countries, and world actually embrace the cosmopolitan ideal that “every human being has obligations to every other”?

Especially in today’s political climate, I believe the protests and uproar in regards to George Floyd’s murder and the Black Lives Matter movement have created unprecedented opportunities for not just me, but American society as a collective to further pursue a cosmopolitanism view of racial equity. I believe the collective protests across all 50 states and a number of foreign countries over the past few days have created a unified message that people are tired and past frustrated of the systemic racism in Amerikkka and other societies. However, as a white-passing Latino, it has also made me reflect as to why I haven’t done more for the movement at times when it doesn’t make national headlines.

Reflecting on this thought has made me uncomfortable. Why haven’t I called out the anti-blackness of networks like Univision and Telemundo and talked about it with my family? Part of me wants to believe that its because I don’t really watch these networks so I can’t call it out, part of me knows its because having that conversation would be an uncomfortable one. As many a part of the current movement have reiterated, it’s not enough to be against racism, you must be antiracist. While I believe I am the ladder, I know that I can do more to express it. This is all to say that I don’t think it’s just about the opportunities we do take to push cosmopolitanism, but also the opportunities we have that aren’t used— in my case, the uncomfortable conversations with family. Sitting in this feeling of uncomfortableness and understanding that it is wrong of me to not do more has motivated me to change that reality and begin to better utilize my everyday opportunities in favor of a cosmopolitan future.

Empathy and Cosmopolitanism

June 5, 2020 / rothcl / 0 Comments

There are endless ways in which we can extend cosmopolitanism every day. I perceive the sharing of information and empathizing as the best way to remind extend the idea that “every human has obligations to every other”. It is easy to view communities or cultures to which we do not belong in as “them”. Separating “them” from “us” makes it all too easy to be apathetic or even critical of others. When we are reminded of the humanity of ourselves and others it is much easier to empathize and seek to understand differences.

I have worked on various photography projects which centered around social issues. Through these projects, my goal was to share people’s stories with a powerful image in order to get the viewer to tap into their empathy and feel for a stranger. I believe photography has a unique power in that an image can bring so much emotion while also sharing information. When photographing in Kennsington, Philadelphia, the goal was to celebrate a community that is known for the opioid epidemic. Because of the association with heroin, many’s instincts are to feel pity, fear, or disdain toward the community- even though it’s apart of the city we love. By sharing images and learning the stories of individuals I was able to change the perspectives of my friends and family on Kennsington, challenging them to empathize with the residents there, rather than turning away.

Every day there are ways we can remind one another that we are all human. Sharing stories or accounts on social media, or with friends and family is a powerful method to remind one another of our obligation to help one another. I believe empathy opens the door to taking action.

Cosmopolitanism

June 5, 2020 / teeuwens / 0 Comments

One important philosopher within the field of cosmopolitanism is Peter Singer, an egalitarian thinker. Singer argues that every individual has a duty towards other human beings to prevent suffering. As Singer explains,

“If it is in our power to prevent something very bad from happening, without thereby sacrificing anything else morally significant, we ought, morally, to do it.”

By calling upon people to take their responsibility, Singer strives to minimize inequality globally. Singer calls upon everyone to take responsibility, given that individuals have obligations towards other individuals. These obligations are at the core of cosmopolitanism. In order to truly embrace the cosmopolitan ideal, I believe it is crucial, on a personal level, to first start by educating yourself on issues within your community, and how such issues also exist on a global scale. Moreover, it is crucial to evaluate your own position within the wider systems that are causing such issues. Lastly, one needs to take action to address such issues, given that we have obligations towards others.

The current protests that started following the death of George Floyd are an example of the obligations individuals have towards other individuals. Within the system of institutional racism, black people have been disadvantaged since 1619, while white people have continuously benefitted from their skin color. The global protests are showing that not only a negative duty exists of not being racist, but more importantly a positive duty of actively being anti-racist. Being anti-racist means actively fighting for systems change, in order to set up structures that treat people with dignity, thus leading to more equality. I believe that perhaps by fighting for structural changes within the local community, whatever the issue at hand, individuals are fulfilling (part of) their obligations towards others, thus moving towards the cosmopolitan ideal.

How can we advance the ideal that every human being has obligations to every other?

June 5, 2020 / merinorc / 0 Comments

This is a question I am having a difficult time answering in a way that I am happy with. The first thing that came to mind was having open and patient, yet firm conversations with others when talking about global human rights issues. It circles back to the point from earlier in the week that being a helpful global citizen requires humility. However, to engage with someone in order to advance the ideal “that every human being has obligations to every other,” that person has to want to have those conversations.

At a base level, it starts with leading by example. Maybe this takes the form of sharing a news story from another country or a video from a content creator talking about their experience with a certain issue. Bringing these issues up casually can be a way to open the conversation. Another approach is to speak honestly about your own experience in developing a perspective that values global justice. This can possibly resonate with others and help them get started on their own journey. Nevertheless, you cannot force someone to care if they don’t want to. This is especially obvious now with the deep divide between those fighting for systemic change and those wishing that protestors would just stand down. However, that is not reason enough to stop trying. Which brings me to my second point. Persistence.

We need to be persistent with our form of advocacy to shed light on little known issues or amplify the ignored ones. This includes making sure to further educate yourself on any given issue. It can be uncomfortable to be the only one talking about an issue in your circle of relationships. However, there might come a time when it reaches someone and that small chance is worth it. Not only that, staying persistent solidifies our own personal journeys with cosmopolitanism, which is important to keep in mind. Using your own platform and available resources, no matter how big or small, to spread awareness is needed to cultivate global relationships.