Chris R. Giroux, Henry. Kids for Sale: Corporate Culture and the Challenge of Public Schooling. pgs. 171-175

Chris Refsdal
9/28/07
WGS 220-05

Description:

• The amount of corporate advertising in many public schools undermines the democratic values that our education system seeks to instill in children. (pg. 171-175)
  

Analysis:

• Instead of learning civic courage, corporate advertising transforms genuine knowledge into recognizing brand names and learning attitudes for low-skilled and low-paying occupation (pg. 173)
• Many educators justify the intrusion of corporations by claiming that it truly empowers children to learn, allowing the practice to persist. (pg. 173)
• Corporate advertising can in some cases suppress freedom of choice and opinion, as with the students who were punished by wearing Pepsi logos to a Coke-sponsored event. (pg. 174)
  

Vision:

• Schools should not need to rely on corporations for funding, and should uphold the need to teach the values of a democracy of citizens and not those of a democracy of consumers. (pg. 174)
  

Strategy:

• Implied. Schools must first recognize that corporate advertising does have a detrimental effect on students and that it intrudes upon the values that educators attempt to teach. Schools should look for alternate methods of funding, or at least teach students not to be swayed by corporate advertising.

Chris R. Henley, Nancy & Jo Freeman. The Sexual Politics of Interpersonal Behavior. pgs 84-93

Chris Refsdal
9/7/07
WGS 220-05

Description:

• Components of social interaction, both verbal and nonverbal, serve to continually remind women of their inferiority, so much so, that it becomes habitual. (pg. 84)
  

Analysis:

• The posture and dress of women has generally been perceived as “restricted” and “confined”. While clothing from the beginning of the 20^th century concealed much of a woman’s body, modern dress can still be seen as “confined”, being that most women’s clothing is made to be tight in order to highlight her features. (pg. 86)
• Touching is seen as the action of a superior towards an inferior, so men generally initiate touching towards women. In this way, it is seen as an act of power. However, if women initiate touching, it is seen as an act of intimacy. (pg. 87-88)
• Forms of verbal dominance, such as swearing and interrupting, are most often seen in men. Swearing allows men to vent their anger without resorting to physical violence, yet women are encouraged to simply direct their anger inwards. Likewise, men were found to more often interrupt conversation than women. (pg. 89)

Vision:

• Implied. The asymmetry in the interpersonal behaviors of the sexes should be eliminated. One sex should not have so many means of power and dominance over the other.
  

Strategy:

• Simply acknowledging that an asymmetry exists is the first step towards change. However, this does not mean that women should simply start using the actions of power and dominance that men have used. As shown, these actions could be misinterpreted as signs of intimacy or otherwise. Instead, the gradual revealing of emotions and increased expressivity in both sexes could better both the individual and society as a whole. (pg. 91)

Rachel S. Gilman, Susan Jane. Klaus Barbie and other dolls I'd like to see. Pg. 72-75.

Description:
• Dolls are girls' first impressions of what is considered to be beautiful and Barbie dolls give girls an impression of an unattainable, Aryan image. (pg. 73)

Analysis:
• Barbies are more of an "adult cult and aesthetic obsession" than merely a children's toy. (pg. 73)
• All of the different Barbie dolls that have ever been introduced from different backgrounds than the traditional blonde, Aryan Barbie depiction have been labeled as "special" or "limited edition" thus characterizing them as "other." (pg. 74).

Vision:
• Barbies need to serve the purpose of expanding girls' images of what is beautiful, rather than constricting them. (pg. 74)

Strategy:
• New models of Barbie dolls should be created, in all ethnicities, shapes and sizes. (pg. 74-75)

Rachel S. Gender, Sexuality and Popular Culture. Pg. 22-25.

Description:
• In our society, the media has an obsession with adolescent girls. (pg. 22)

Analysis:
• There is a subculture of heterosexual patriarchal privilege where men are entitled to the bodies of girls. (pg. 23)
• When girls internalize negative sexual images, they become mistrusting of their own bodies and feelings. (pg. 23)

Vision:
• Girls need to become aware of their sexuality through sexual education. (pg. 24)

Strategy:
• The sexual education can be achieved when taught through close relationships that girls have control over their bodies and additionally, that girls do live in a society in which men take advantage of them. (pg. 24)

Jill L. anastasia higginbotham, teen mags, 93-96

Jillian Limone
October 2, 2007
Gender and Popular Culture: section 5
Anastasia Higginbotham. Teen Mags: How to Get a Guy, Drop 20 Pounds, and Lose Your Self- Esteem. 93-96.
Description:
• Teen Magazines tell young girls how to make themselves prettier, cooler, better and more like that image of "an ideal girl" instead of exploring the reality of true girlhood.
Analysis:
• Teen magazines provide "hints and tips" to be successful in the social world. (93)
• The magazines provide girls how to be super sexy but then do not continue with safety skills, self defense or self esteem articles. (95)
• Provide contradictory articles relating to diets and boy-related problems. (95)
• Reinforce many negative stereotypes of women in today's society. (95)
• The provide unrealistic size requirements for girls, racist definitions of beauty as well as stress the importance of make-up, hair dos and prom queen. (96)
Vision:
• Magazines need to reflect the true reality of girls' lives and the constant pressures from society that they face.
Strategy:
• Magazines need to inject "real life stories" of girlhood and provide articles that every girl can relate to.

Jill L. naomi wolf, the beauty myth, 120-125

Jillian Limone
October 2, 2007
Gender and Popular Culture: section 5
Naomi Wolf. The Beauty Myth. 120-125

Description:
• As society focuses more on physical appearance, bodies, faces, hair and clothes, women feel their freedoms poisoned by self-hatred and the "terror of aging." (120)
Analysis:
• As women become more successful, the crueler and more demeaning images of female beauty arise in our society. (120)
• Under women's success is a climate of confusion, cynicism and exhaustion. (120)
• Studies show that women have been becoming more powerful and independent; however eating disorders rose as well as cosmetic surgery being one of the top medical procedures. (120)
• Women begin to worry too much about losing a few pounds rather then achieving their life long dreams.
• Our society is using images of female beauty as a political as well as a psychological weapon to hinder women's liberation- also known as the beauty myth. (120)
• Women fall under social control.
• Woman want "beauty" and men want women who have that "beauty." (121)
• The beauty myth "prescribes behavior" and is composed of "emotional distance, politics, finance and sexual repression." (122)
• The beauty myth is about institutional power as well as male power. (122)

Vision:
• Society must not allow the contemporary economy to depend on the representation of women through the beauty myth. (124)
Strategy:
• Women can not allow themselves to lose self-confidence from contemporary culture's power of their "beauty."

Jesenia R. Paulo Freire, “Pedagogy of the Oppressed”. (5-23).

Jesenia Ramirez
17 September 2007
WGS 220-05
Paulo Freire, “Pedagogy of the Oppressed”. (5-23).

Description
The oppressed cannot participate in developing the pedagogy of their liberation (9).

Analysis
The have to confront reality critically, objecting it and acting upon it (11).
Pedagogy of the oppressed cannot be practiced by the oppressor (13).
Violence begins by oppressor, who fail to recognize others as people (13).

Vision
Oppressed have to take power away from oppressors to dominate, to restore to oppressors the humanity they have lost (14).

Strategy

It is necessary for oppressed to pursue fight to solve inconsistency they are caught in which will be solved by new man in process of liberation (14).

Jesenia R. Moschkovich, Judit. "But I Know You American Woman"

Jesenia Ramirez
17 September 2007
WGS 220-05
Judit Moschkovich, “But I Know You, American Woman”. (83-88)

Description
Lack of knowledge and ignorance of other cultures is basis for cultural oppression.(83)

Analysis
“It is not the duty of the oppressed to educate the oppressor”. It is not up to us who know to teach the ignorant who don’t want to learn. There is so much information out there, people should read and find out (83).
Many insult Latin culture, without knowing about it, so it becomes hard to want to respond to anything, or want to teach anyone (84).
Author lives in America, follows American rules, and customs and all she receives is ignorance and people who believe in myths and stereotypes they hear.

Vision
To see everyone past the need to explain their cultures (88).

Strategy

To learn about different cultures. However, it needs to be a sharing experience where we all learn from each other, making it balanced. This takes time, and respect towards each other.

Joe V. Friere, Paulo. Pedagogy of the Oppressed.

Joe Valenzuela
September 18, 2007
WGS 220-05
Friere, Paulo. Pedagogy of the Oppressed
Description
• Oppression goes against the human vocation by dehumanizing people. (pg. 5)
Analysis
• Dehumanization not only dehumanizes the oppressed, but dehumanizes the oppressor as well. (pg. 6)
• The oppressors can never fully humanize both themselves and the oppressed, that task is solely on the oppressed (pg. 6)
• Only the oppressed can understand what it is like to be oppressed (pg. 6)
• The oppressed fall into the trap of becoming the oppressor once attaining power (pg. 7)
• The ideal to become men is rooted in the idea that men are to be oppressors (pg. 7)
• Freedom can only be achieved through conquest and change (pg. 8)
• Fear often hinders the quest for freedom as oppression has become the norm. The quest for freedom is lost in the desire to fit in. (pg. 8)
• Fear becomes a secondary oppress (pg. 9)
• The oppressed must first unveil the oppression in their midst and try to change it, and after that the pedagogy becomes a pedagogy for others oppressed. (pg. 13)
• Oppressors utilize sadism to turn oppressed into inanimate objects, thus making it easier to oppress (pg. 16)
• Oppressed and Oppressor become dependent on each other. (pg. 20)
Vision
• The destruction of dehumanizing oppression (pg. 6)
Strategy
• Only the oppressed can free themselves and the oppressors (pg. 6)
• People must overcome their fear in order to attain their freedom (pg. 8)
• Those with the humanizing pedagogy must reach out to those oppressed to assist them in their quests to be fully human.
• The oppressed must not exploit their power once it is attained over the oppressors. (pg. 7)

Joe V. Moschkovich, Judit. "-But I Know You, American Woman"

Joe Valenzuela
September 18, 2007
WGS 220-05
Moschkovich, Judit. "-But I Know You, American Woman"
Description
• Cultural ignorance among American women perpetuates cultural oppression. (pg. 83)
Analysis
• American media and culture promotes a cultural ignorance towards other culture. (pg. 83)
• Cultural isolationism allows Americans to have a disconnect from their actions and the repercussions of those actions around the world. (pg. 84)
• Oppression of culture is similar to the patriarchy a woman must endure. (pg.84)
• Americans base the cultural identities of others on unproven stereotypes and selective historical information. (pg. 85)
• While America knows little of other cultures, American mass media is pervasive globally (pg. 85)
• Americans expect immigrants to do away with their previous cultural identity and adopt the American way of life. (pg. 87)
Vision
• A world in which individual cultures could be celebrated for their own eccentricities. (pg. 88)
Strategy
• People must learn about culture aside from their own. (pg. 88)
• People must respect each others' cultures without the agenda of trying to indoctrinate their own. (pg.88)

Jen Hatrak. Susan Jane Gilman. Klaus Barbie and other dolls I'd like to see pgs 72-75

Jennifer Hatrak
September 25, 2007
WGS 220-01 Gender and Pop Culture
Susan Jane Gilman. Klaus Barbie, and other dolls i'd like to see. Pgs 72-75

Description:
• The Barbie doll reinforces social norms and oppresses women by showing young girls that they must look thin, white, and fashionable in order to be successful and reinforces this standard of beauty in America which young girls emulate and aspire to be (pg 1).

Analysis:
• Even adults emulate Barbie and some attempt to look like her by using plastic surgery (pg 73)
• Barbie dolls in recent years have evolved into some Limited Edition types who are of different ethnicities and backgrounds, however, they are the stereotype of these ethnicities and are only offered for a limited time or special edition, meaning they are not the norm, and therefore, othered (pg 74)
• According to the author, the fact that Barbie's head pops off sends a message that body parts are not important if it means that dressing the dolls and fashion take top priority, as well as talking Barbie who says that "math is hard" telling children that it is okay and valued in society if girls are not good at math and are not smart (pg 74)

Vision:
• Dolls should be a way to teach children to have open minded views about the world, especially beauty, instead of constricting their views and showing them that fashion is the only thing that matters (pg 74)
Strategy:
• The author mentions several Barbie dolls she would like to see, including Birkenstock Barbie, Bisexual Barbie, Butch Barbie, Harley Barbie, and Body Piercings Barbie, which would change the way children think of themselves and others in the world (pg 74).

Jen Hatrak. Linnea Due. Growing Up Hidden pgs 153-154

Description:
• The author discusses her sexual identity and how it affected her life, requiring her to hide in order to meet the standards of society and not become ostracized (pg 153).
Analysis:
• She began to reveal her identity, and it was only met with stereotypical negative comments such as, "girls don't need to be strong" and "you won't have a wife, you'll have a husband." (pg 153)
• The author began reading psychology books about homosexuality which stated that homosexuality is a disorder (pg 154)
• The author began to try and hide her sexuality by overcompensating and dressing feminine which was not the way she usually dressed (pg 154)
Vision:
• (Implied) Be confident with who you are despite the negative and condescending attitudes and comments of others (pg 154)
Strategy:
• (Implied) Teach others in society to accept all people regardless of sexual orientation (pg 154)

Stephanie H. Girls, Sexuality and Popular Culture

Stephanie Herrick

WGS 220-05

September 24, 2007

Girls, Sexuality and Popular Culture


Description:



• Today's culture forces adolescent girls to be sexually exploited, and there is no proper education on how they can learn to be in control of themselves and their sexuality. (22)



Analysis:



• Pop music encourages girls to sell themselves as sexual beings (23)
• Films will frequently put young women in situations where it is "sexy" and "appropriate" to be sexual with a much older man. (23)
• Advertisements, films, music, and other elements of our culture send the message out to young girls that men are entitled to their bodies (23)
• Films where girls have control of their sexuality aren't released or are shown to small audiences (23)
• Females are judged on their sexual appeal, negative feedback can result in poor self-image, eating disorders, and self mutilation (24)



Vision:



• Females will understand their own sexuality, be able to control it, and understand messages that are sent to them through the media. They will know how to process these messages and challenge them. (23-25)



Strategy:



• Two fold strategy (24)
• Must incorporate all the pro-body teachings feminists currently have and combine them with the tactics of cultural revolution feminists (24)
• Teach girls sex is not shameful, dirty or illicit (24)
• Teach girls they have control over their own bodies (25)
• Challenge and understand media's messages (25)

Natalie H. Giroux. Kids for Sale. 171-175.

Natalie Hage
Friday September 27, 2007
Gender & Popular Culture WGS 220 05
Giroux. Kids for Sale. 171-175.

Description:

• Corporate culture manifests itself within the intricate corners of schools d playgrounds, where children are blind to the commercialization that is growing around them.

• By making their way into schools, companies gain the power to influence parental spending.

• Aside from the profit gained from commercialization, these companies target schools as a sort of 'training ground'. They aim to educate students and, in turn, transform them into consumers.

• Schools are often accepting of corporate-sponsored curricula, yet other schools are unaware of just how much corporate culture goes unsighted in day to day school life. There are even schools that promote commercialization in the hallways and buses and even on book covers

Vision:

• Corporate culture must stop punishing any student who challenges the commercial approach to learning (174)

• Schools should not be used as advertising billboards for corporate interests (174).

• Commercialism needs to be decelerated when it comes to schools.

Strategy:

• Children need to gain an individual right to dissent, to freely express their opinions and ideas, and to challenge authority (174).

• There must be a development of non-market values in schools. Ideals such as love, trust and compassion should be what is presented to children rather than vocabulary that revolves around corporate culture (174).

Ron Parks--Gilman. Klaus Barbie , and Other Dolls I’d Like to See. (72-75).

Ron Parks
September 22, 2007
WGS 220-05
Gilman. Klaus Barbie, and Other Dolls I'd Like to See. (72-75).

Description:
• Barbie dolls instill a false sense of beauty and value in young girls in
their early childhood (73).
Analysis:
• In today's society, looks define ones status and worth (73).
• The "Barbie Effect" has caused girls to believe that if they don't look
like Barbie, they are not beautiful or valuable (73).
• Girls form their dreams of what beauty is based on Barbie dolls (73).
• Barbie's pick up where Hitler left off--they carry on the Aryan race (73).
• Ethnic Barbie dolls are marked as "special" or "limited edition", making
it clear that dolls that are not blonde haired, blue eyed and white are
not the "standard" (74).
• Barbie implies that beauty is more important than brains (74).
Vision:
• Dolls that expand girls' vision of beauty and value (74).
Strategy:
• Produce Barbie dolls that teach value, such as "Working Barbie", "Barbie
Business", and more ethnically diverse Barbie's that are not marketed as
"special" or "limited edition" (74).

Ron Parks--Asher. Girls, Sexuality, and Pop Culture. (22-26).

Ron Parks

September 22, 2007

WGS 220-05

Asher. Girls, Sexuality, and Pop Culture. (22-26).

Description:

• Teaching girls about sexuality without warning them about the harmful elements of pop culture puts girls at risk for danger, leads to exploitation of girls (22).

Analysis:

• Little differentiation between developing sexuality of girls and the developed sexualities of women, leads to sexual exploitation of girls due to lack of sexual control with adults (22).
• Girls are exploited to sell products by using their sexuality, often without the girl’s knowledge they’re being used for their sexuality (22-23).
• Theme of adult male loving adolescent girls dominant in film industry, theme of girls in control of their sexuality do not succeed as often (23).
• Men often feel entitled to girl’s bodies due to the media’s display of girl’s bodies as inanimate sexual objects (23).
• Girls are taught to exist in relation to males, causing girls to fall into a false sense of security when older males give them attention because of their sexual appeal (23).
• Media portrayal of the “ideal body” causes girls to lack an understanding and control over their body, causing some to enter unhealthy relationships to normalize their desire (24).

Vision:

• Introduce adolescent female sexuality into popular culture, while warning girls about sexuality and the media (24).

Strategy:

· Teach girls that their sex is not dirty or shameful, with these concepts introduced by females who are close to the girls, before the girls become sexually active (24).

· Attack structure of the media by warning girls about the media’s exploitation of them (24).

· Teach girls to fight the stereotypes and to be in control of their own sexuality (24).

Adam M. Judit Moschkovich. But I know You, American Woman. Pages 83-89.

Adam Mamawala

10/8/07

WGS 220-05

Description:

· Americans are often too ignorant to acknowledge the truth about other cultures and to disavow their previously believed stereotypes. Because of this, those people living in America from other cultural backgrounds often feel misunderstood or believe that they must disregard their heritage in some way.

Analysis:

· The disparity of knowledge regarding other cultures is one of the reasons that oppression occurs. Because many Americans do not understand the intricacies of other cultures, they assume that what is different is wrong, and treat people accordingly (p.83).

· While it would be unfair to equate all Americans with imperialist and racist ideologies, one would be justified in accusing Americans who do not attempt to understand “non-dominant” cultures as being responsible for their own lack of transformation (p.85).

· Regardless of its form or intensity, oppression is oppression. Comparing different types of oppression is futile unless one understands the aforementioned idea (p.86).

Vision:

· Society should get past the point of being forced to explain and defend each person’s different cultures. Even if one cannot comprehend every facet of other cultures, understanding that this comprehension is difficult to attain can be important (p.88).

Strategy:

· The learning process must be a sharing experience, in which people of all backgrounds and cultures openly and freely discuss their customs and beliefs in an environment that is not oppressive. This can only be achieved when a deep level of respect and understanding is developed.

Paulo Friere. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Pages 5-23.

Adam Mamawala

10/8/07

WGS 220-05

Description:

· Oppressed people frequently allow themselves to contribute to the oppression under which they suffer. Because they do not know any other way of living, the oppressed become resigned to accepting the dehumanization they have become accustomed to.

Analysis:

· Having been downtrodden for so long, the oppressed often feel that the struggle for freedom would not be worth running the risks required to rebel. They also believe that without the full support of their oppressed comrades, any attempt at change would be futile (p.8).

· Even after victory is ensured, it takes a rare person to come from a life of oppression and not become a bigger oppressor than the one under whom they served. The newfound power and freedom can cause an otherwise docile person to become a tyrant (p.7).

· Liberation is a long, arduous, and painful process, that even once ensured requires a profound rebirth for the formerly oppressed. Those who undergo the transformation from being oppressed to living in a world of fairness and opportunity must inevitably change who they were (p.17).

Vision:

· In order to succeed in no longer being oppressed, one must understand the commitment it takes and the process that must be completed. In addition, the oppressed must be sure not to become oppressors if they succeed in liberating themselves (p.20).

Strategy:

· The oppressed must witness the vulnerability of the oppressor in order to maintain some level of hope. Though they will continue to be fearful and abused by their oppressor, they can little by little attempt forms of rebellion. Throughout the entire process, the oppressed must see themselves as men engaged in an attempt to become more human. The leaders of the revolution must understand that their personal reasons for the necessity of struggle were created by no one other than themselves, and as such, are authentic. In the beginning, they had their own personal reasons to want change, and they must keep these reasons paramount in their minds.

Clare D. Kelnner. "Cultural Studies, Multiculturalism, & Media Culture."

Clare Duffy
September 7, 2007
WGS 220 Section 05
Kellner. “Cultural Studies, Multiculturalism, & Media Culture.” p9-20.

Description:

· Media dictates mainstream culture, including values, behaviors, reactions to diversity (p10)


Analysis:

· All news controlled by few conglomerates (p13)
· Dominant readings come from entertainment (p17)
· Artifacts of media influence behavior (p17)

Vision:

· Cultural studies becomes multiperspectival through use of political economy, textual analysis, and audience reception (p18)

Strategy:

· Semiotics can discover hidden signs of dominant culture in media (p14)

Henley and Freeman. "The Sexual Politics of Inerpersonal Behavior"

Clare Duffy
September 7, 2007
WGS 220 Section 05
Henley & Freeman. “The Sexual Politics of Interpersonal Behavior.” P84-93

Description:

· Status within one’s society witnessed through social interactions, specifically through gender and power(p.84)

Analysis:
· Nonverbal messages reassert status
o Advertisements present assumed roles (p84)
o Women’s personal space taken for granted (p84)
o Female demeanor radiates submission (p86)
o Forced types of dress (p86)
o Superior can initiate touching (p88)
· Verbalization used as dominance, ie interruption, swearing(p89)

Vision:
· Women recognize implications behavior personifies and demand that others respond to their intentions instead of implications (p91)
Strategy:
· Revealing emotions (p91)
o Change nonverbal behavior only when contradicts intention (p91)
o Ignore gender roles and behave in ways which make them feel strong (p91)