Where in the world is Professor Kulik?

Engaging Students In The "Online Course Resource"

2012-01-17T17:44:00.000-05:00

Students in my online course SOC 415 Global Social Change are actively engaged within our new online course resource. This is our first quarter using the resource.

So, what is an online course resource? This is not a "textbook". This is not an e-book. Instead, it is an interactive platform containing not just a book, but features that allow instructor and students to bookmark pages, highlight passages, post sticky notes and annotations associated with passages, and most important --- post comments, questions and answers to the instructor and classmates. Think back to those days in college when you used a yellow highlighter, wrote notes in margins and dog-eared pages. However, you had to wait until the next class to ask the professor to clarify or explain a difficult concept. Now, students can post a sticky note next to a page with a question or comment to the professor. And, this starts a conversation about the content of the readings.

So, what about the book, you might be wondering. Well, Courseload uploads a PDF file of a textbook from the publisher, but with all of the above interactive features as well. In my course we are using Scott Sernau's Global Problems: The Search for Equity, Peace and Sustainability 2nd edition, Pearson Publishing 2009.

So far, the students and I are getting comfortable with this new resource. Yes, there is a learning curve, but our instructional design department has provided students and instructors with excellent training and the HelpDesk provides round-the-clock support. So far, students are using the resource and starting to interact with me and their classmates.

Just because the online resource exists does not mean students will automatically embrace it and use it. First, the instructor must embrace it and use it..... and more.

So, how can we get the students to engage and interact within the online course resource? This requires encouragement and creativity from the instructor. One way is to give an assignment that requires students to post a note in the course resource and respond to a classmate.

This week my students are completing a PBS online interactive about the global coffee trade, "Your Coffee Dollar" I posted a link to the interactive within this week's reading in the course resource, http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/guatemala.mexico/coffee1.html. Students are posting the results of their exercise and a conversation has started about the complicated global trading system of coffee -- the second most valuable commodity (after oil) now traded in the world. This conversation will carry over to this week's discussion forum where we will make connections with economic globalization, trade and other important course concepts.

Many research studies have shown that interaction -- with classmates and the professor -- is one of the major factors that predicts learning success. I plan to ask my colleagues to share some tips for getting students engaged in this new interactive online course resource and will post these on my blog soon.

Online Students Enjoy Blogging About Global Issues

2011-12-25T15:48:00.001-05:00

During the Fall quarter, my students in SOC 415 Global Social Change created individual "global issue blogs" using the blog feature within the Blackboard learning management system. Each student selected one developing country as the focus of the blog. During the 12-week quarter, students blogged about some of the global problems --human trafficking, poverty, environmental problems, human rights violations, lack of education -- in that country and how non-profit organizations and social enterprises are helping solve those problems.

Early in the quarter, Loren Kleinman of the Academic Support Center (now with our instructional design department) and Elizabeth Leonard of the Online Library presented students with a Lib Guide workshop on Blogging at this link. The Berkeley College Library and Academic Support Center have created a number of excellent Lib Guides for our online courses at this link. Loren and Elizabeth helped moderate a class discussion in the online course and helped guide the students in their research on global issues in the country the selected for study.

Students had access to their classmates' blogs and posted comments during the quarter. Through visiting and commenting on one another's blogs, students learned about the social problems facing many developing countries, not just the country they researched. On our final discussion forum students reflected on their research blogging experience.

Doing the blog project also taught me a lot. Out of all the papers that I've done for my other classes, I enjoyed doing the blog the most. I really learned a lot about other countries. C.L.

I will admit, that I was uncertain about this class at first. You made it a lot more exciting with allowing us to use a blog to learn about the countries that not everyone might have known well. I even learned more about a country that holds part of my family and part of my heritage as well. It has made me also open my eyes so much more and I am very glad that I took this class! A.G.

What I enjoyed most was the blog project was the looking into the worlds of people in different countries and learning about the things that were going on socially and economically. K.B.

When I had first seen this class, I believed this course would help me make my decision whether I wanted to continue my education in international studies, which I would like to. This class has been enlightening and I have enjoyed learning about different countries social issues through our blog project. A.R.

I think our blog project was a great idea, since all this information was available to all of us! From our blog I learned a lot of new information about many poor countries. Z.M.

Global Social Change has really opend my eyes to the real world. When I thought I had it bad, the blogging project enlightened me to see there are people in Third World countries who are suffering. J.C.

Giving Our Students A High Impact Learning Experience

2011-11-21T12:55:00.000-05:00

How can we give our students a richer more engaging learning experience that will boost academic achievement and meet essential learning outcomes? One approach to meeting these challenges is the use of what George Kuh calls "high impact educational practices" (Kuh 2008) or HIPS.

In his article High Impact Educational Practices: What They Are, Who Has Access to Them, and Why They Matter (AAC&U 2008), George Kuh identifies several educational practices that have been shown to have a significant positive effect on student success. My colleagues and I have used several HIPS with great success both in onsite and online courses at Berkeley College, including collaborative learning, learning communities, internships, academic service-learning, capstone courses and general education.

Kuh's high impact practices include the following. Click HERE to see a chart showing these in greater detail.

First-year seminars and experiences - Within a small group context, students develop critical thinking, writing, information literacy, collaborative learning and other skills.

Common intellectual experiences - A new form of a "core curriculum", such as a program of general education courses, both introductory and upper-level, which examine broad integrative themes.

Learning communities - Students take two or more linked courses as a group and work closely with professors. Common themes, topics and readings are examined.

Writing-intensive courses - Similar to "writing across the curriculum", these courses focus on writing at all levels and across multiple disciplines from the humanities and social sciences to math and business.

Collaborative assignments and projects - Students learn to work together in teams to solve problems and complete projects. This can include study groups, writing, research and other assignments.

Undergraduate research - More colleges and universities are offering courses that give students experience in conducting research projects.

Diversity/global learning - Courses and programs that provide cross-cultural competence, awareness of diversity and global interconnectedness. Sometimes includes study abroad.

Service learning and community-based learning - Courses that offer students experiential learning opportunities that also provide services to nonprofit organizations.

Internships - Students acquire practical knowledge through faculty-supervised internships or job-related assignments.

Capstone courses and projects - Student projects completed near the end of their degree program, such as a portfolio of their work, a performance, art exhibit or research paper. The capstone project demonstrates an application of what they have learned.

These high impact learning activities benefit all students, however, with the greatest benefit to historically underserved students. To learn more about these benefits view the presentation High Impact Activities : What They Are, Why They Work, and Who Benefits. Robert M. Gonyea. Jillian Kinzie. George D. Kuh

Ethics Matters

2011-09-22T14:21:00.001-04:00

Professor Yesudas Choondassery,
School of Liberal Arts

Berkeley College students recently educated the Woodland Park campus community about the importance of ethics and charitable giving. As part of an academic service-learning course (HUM 225 Ethics) , Professor Yesudas Choondassery and his students presented educational posters about theories of ethics and global giving.

HUM 225 Ethics is an introduction to the study of ethics and moral philosophy, including its historical development, the major figures within that history, and some of the ethical and moral issues that face us today. Students are introduced to the ideas of great thinkers throughout history and the course encourages students’ own thinking on various ethical and moral issues.

Students presented many of the concepts they learned about in the course including consequentialst and non-consequentialist perspectives, Kant's duty ethics, intuitionism, divine command theory, utilitarianism, care ethics and gender differences in moral attitudes.

During the event funds were also raised for our international service partner, Casa de los Angeles, a Mexican-based non-profit daycare center that provides childcare to poor mothers thus helping to break the cycle of poverty. Many thanks to Ashante Barns-Awe and Sandra Coppola of Student Development and Campus Life, who helped coordinate the event and provided Mexican food for attendees.

Click the link for more information on Berkeley College Academic Service-Learning.

Oral History As A Pedagogical Tool

2011-08-19T22:40:00.004-04:00

Students in my online course, SOC 210 Sociology, recently completed their oral history interview projects.  Students interviewed family members or friends about their life histories, placed individual life experiences in historical context and shared their papers in a discussion forum. In doing so, they learned an important concept in sociology: the impact of history on individual lives. Oral history research is an excellent pedagogical tool and helps build a cohesive community in the online classroom.

In his book, The Sociological Imagination (1959), sociologist, C. Wright Mills, writes "neither the life of an individual nor the history of a society can be understood without understanding both." "Seldom aware of the intricate connection between the patterns of their own lives and the course of world history, ordinary people do not usually know what this connection means for the kinds of people they are becoming and for the kinds of history-making in which they might take part. They do not possess the quality of mind essential to grasp the interplay of individuals and society, of biography and history, of self and world" (Chapter One: The Promise, The Sociological Imagination, 1959).

The diverse cultural backgrounds of the students further enrich the learning experience.   Here are some examples of the students' interview subjects.

A father who immigrated to the U.S. from Cuba during the Carter administration in the late 1970s.
A mother who lived through the 35-year civil war in Guatemala.
Family members who lived in the Dominican Republic during the Trujillo era.
A family member who witnessed the Newark riots in the 1960s.
A mother's memories of living in South Korea during the Korean War.
A grandmother who described living in the South during Jim Crow segregation.
A grandmother's memories of the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

During our final discussion forum, students reflected on the experience of doing their oral history projects.

"I want to say that the class was a great experience. I not only learned new things from my fellow classmates, but I also learned new things about myself and society."

"In the words of my uncle: 'we need to try to understand the past, in order to understand the present.' He has said this many times about history and people. It is important to know where we all come from; what struggles our relatives have gone through. I feel that if we are aware of that, we can understand who they are and why they do, or don't do certain things; why they react, or don't react in certain ways. It also helps us have better understanding, and thus reduce stereotyping and discrimination."

"During this project, I have discovered a much greater appreciation for my mother and her sacrifices for her family. This class helped me gain that closer relationship I always wanted to have with my mother. Thank you."

“I have a greater appreciation for people who lived through the Great Depression, for the life and times I live in, and of course my grandma. My favorite part of the interview was when she was describing all the emotions she felt during the Great Depression and World War II. There were so many details that I now understand better.”

Go to the following websites for more information on doing oral histories.

Oral History Association www.oralhistory.org
International Oral History Association http://iohanet.org/
Do History: Step-by-Step Guide To Oral History
http://dohistory.org/on_your_own/toolkit/oralHistory.html

Are Women Better Hedge Fund Managers?

2011-06-13T14:21:00.002-04:00

On National Public Radio this morning, Brian Lehrer interviewed ABC News legal analyst, Dan Abrams, about his new book, Man Down: Proof Beyond A Reasonable Doubt That Women Are Better Cops, Drivers, Gamblers, Spies, World Leaders, Beer Tasters, Hedge Fund Managers And Just About Everything Else.

Women make up over half of the global population, but represent less than 15% of heads of state.   Yet, Abrams believes that the world just might be a better place if women were in charge. Why? Because studies show that women are better than men in many roles.

Worldwide studies have shown that countries with more women legislators are less corrupt.

From 1981 to 2009, US laws passed by female legislators were more popular and they got more money for their consituents. Women also passed more laws than male legislators.

Only 3% of hedge fund managers are women, yet female managers get consistently higher returns.

Women are more effective sports gamblers than men.

Women videogamers who get obsessed with gaming are less likely than their male counterparts to become dysfunctional.

Compared with men, women are 10% more accurate hammering nails.

Women are better beer-tasters because they have a better sense of smell.

Even being struck by lightning is more likely to happen to men.   From 1998 until 2008, 82% of those struck by lightning were men. Perhaps because they take more risks during thunderstorms, for example staying out on the golf course too long and other more reckless conduct?.

This book raises some important and critical questions:

How accurate is the science associated with these findings?

Are the results based on just one study or multiple studies?

Is it sexist to say that women are better leaders, executives, news broadcasters, legislators, etc than men? When someone says men are better than women at certain tasks, there are cries of sexism.

Perhaps one of the most interesting studies cited in Abrams's book is this:

One large survey asked to rate men and women on the most important of characteristics for world leaders --honesty, ambition, creativity, etc..   Women scored higher than men on 7 out of the 8, all except ambition. However, if you ask the same people if they would prefer a male or female leader, they answer MEN!

Here is a link to Abrams's blog and book information: http://www.mandownnews.com/

The interview with Abrams:

Berkeley College Hosts Service-Learning Symposium

2011-05-11T11:46:00.000-04:00

On Friday May 13, 2011, Berkeley College will host a symposium "Virtual Reality - Online Academic Service-Learning: Challenges and Opportunities", sponsored by the New York Campus Compact. The event will be held at the New York City campus at 12 East 41st Street from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 pm. It will also be streamed live on the Berkeley College website at www.berkeleycollege.edu.

What is Service Learning? Service Learning is often described as "learning by doing". It is a teaching method which combines community service with academic instruction, enabling students to apply academic knowledge and critical thinking skills to meet genuine community needs. It often provides an opportunity for students to gain a deeper understanding of course content and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility. Take advangate of this opportunity to see how Service Learning is applied in the Virtual World. Experience online academic service learning from multiple perspectives that will assist your institution in implementing successful online academic service learning courses. Remember, if you cannot make it LIVE to the event, see it streamed from our Berkeley College website at www.berkeleycollege.edu!

For more information about NYCC, go to http://nycampuscompact.org.

International Service-Learning Partner Wins Community Service Award

2011-04-20T17:56:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to our service-learning partner, Donna Quathamer, who recently received the De La Salle Award for community service from Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois. This prestigious award is presented each year to individuals who provide extraordinary service and leadership for the benefit of the community and region. As founder of Casa de los Angeles, a day care center that serves the poorest families in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico, Donna and her staff have helped improve the lives of so many children and struggling single moms.

It has been a privilege to have Casa de los Angeles as our international service-learning partner during the past year. So far, Berkeley College students have completed two service projects. During the spring quarter 2010, students in SOC 205 World Cultures online designed a blog prototype to be incorporated into the non-profit's social media strategy. Students from SOC 415 Global Social Change online spent the winter quarter 2011 researching and creating a grants database for Casa de los Angeles.

We look forward to partnering with Donna and Casa de los Angeles this coming summer quarter 2011. Philosophy professor, Dr. Yesudas Choondassery, and students in his HUM 225 Ethics class will hold an educational fundraiser as part of their academic service-learning project. Details will be posted on this blog in early June, and the event will be held in August.

For more information on Donna Quathamer and Casa de los Angeles, visit their website http://www.casadelosangeles.org/. You can also friend them on FaceBook at http://www.facebook.com/people/Casa-de-los-Angeles/754308063

Musical Diversity with Moroccan Jazz Singer, Malika Zarra

2011-04-18T17:42:00.001-04:00

Today, while driving to the Garret Mt. campus, I was introduced to the incredibly beautiful voice of "Morocco's jazz jewel", Malika Zarra, on NPR's Soundcheck. According to CNN, Zarra, who sings in Berber, Moroccan, French and English, "is redefining the term fusion and is adding her own unique sound to the world" (MalikaZarra.com).

"Malika was born in Southern Morocco, in a little village called Ouled Teima. Her father's family was originally from Tata, a city on the Sahara plain, while her mother was a Berber from the High Atlas. During her early childhood, there was always music and dancing in the house. After her family emigrated to a suburb of Paris, she found herself straddling two very different societies. I had to be French at school yet retain my Moroccan cultural heritage at home, she recalls, Like many immigrant children, I learned to switch quickly between the two. It was hard but brought me a lot of good things too."

Zarra was influenced by musicians such as fellow Moroccan Hajja Hamdaouia, Rais Mohand, the Lebanese-born, Egyptian-based ud virtuoso/composer Farid el Atrache, Um Kalthoum and Algerian singer Warda (Al-Jazairia), as well as American musicians, Ella Fitzgerald, Bobby McFerrin, Thelonious Monk, Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin.

To hear Zarra's new CD, Berber Taxi, go to http://www.malikazarra.com/ Malika Zarra also has a FaceBook page at http://www.facebook.com/MalikaZarra View a You Tube video of a recent performance below.

Why Do We Kiss?

2011-04-18T16:34:00.004-04:00

Over the years there have been numerous biological, anthropological, and psychological theories about kissing -- why we kiss, how we kiss, the evolutionary origins of kissing, cross-cultural patterns of kissing, etc. Now the Mind and Brain section of Discover Magazine Online (March 19, 2011) has posted its definitive list of 20 Things You Didn't Know About.... Kissing.

1 Only you: Human lips are different from those of all other animals because they are everted, meaning that they purse outward.

2 But we are not the only species to engage in kissing-like behaviors. Great apes press their lips together to express excitement, affection, or reconciliation.
3 Scientists are not sure why humans kiss, but some think the answer lies in early feeding experiences. Through nursing and (in some cultures) receiving pre-chewed food from a parent's mouth, infants may learn to associate lip pressure with a loving act.

4 Another possibility: Smelling a loved one's cheek has long served as a means of recognition in cultures around the world, from New Zealand to Alaska. Over time, a brush of the lips may have become a traditional accompaniment.

5 And yet kissing is not universal, leading some experts, like anthropologist Vaughn Bryant of Texas A&M, to think it might actually be a learned behavior.

6 The Roman military introduced kissing to many non-kissing cultures (after its conquests were over, presumably); later it was European explorers who carried the torch.

7 Being close enough to kiss helps our noses assess compatibility. In a landmark study, evolutionary biologist Claus Wedekind of the University of Lausanne in Switzerland reported that women prefer the scents of men whose immunity-coding genes are different from their own. Mixing genes that way may produce offspring with a stronger immune system.

8 Wedekind's experiment, widely known as the sweaty T-shirt study, involved very little sweat. Male participants were asked to shower beforehand so their scent would be faint.

9 The earliest literary evidence for kissing comes from northern Indias Vedic Sanskrit texts, written 1,000 to 2,000 years ago. A portion of the Satapatha Brahmana mentions lovers setting mouth to mouth.

10 Love Is the Drug: Dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with feelings of desire and reward, spikes in response to novel experiences, which explains why a kiss with someone new can feel so special.

11 In some people, a jolt of dopamine can cause a loss of appetite and an inability to sleep, symptoms commonly associated with falling in love.

12 Can't Get Enough of Your Love: Dopamine is produced in the ventral tegmental area of the brain, the same region affected by addictive drugs like cocaine.

13 In men, a passionate kiss can also promote the hormone oxytocin (video), which fosters bonding and attachment, according to behavioral neuroscientist Wendy Hill of Lafayette College in Pennsylvania.

14 Holding hands and kissing reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol, thereby lowering blood pressure and optimizing immune response.

15 And a passionate kiss has the same effect as belladonna in making our pupils dilate.

16 Prelude to a Kiss: Two-thirds of all people turn their head to the right when kissing, according to psychologist Onur Gntrkn of Ruhr-University Bochum in Germany. This behavior may mirror the head-turning preference observed in babies and even in fetuses.

17 Evolutionary psychologists have discovered that men are far more likely to prefer sloppy tongue kisses than women.

18 The exchange of saliva could provide a reproductive advantage for males. During an open-mouthed kiss, a man passes a bit of testosterone to his partner. Over weeks and months, repeated kissing could enhance a female's libido, making her more receptive to sex.

19 Always brush and floss, boys. Evolutionary psychologist Gordon Gallup of the State University of New York at Albany found that when deciding whether to kiss someone, women pay much closer attention than men do to the breath and teeth of their partner.

20 You Give Love a Bad Name: One milliliter of saliva contains about 100,000,000 bacteria.

Pepsi Buys Corn From Mexican Farmers

2011-02-23T20:40:00.006-05:00

Image from marketplace.publicradio.org (ChinaPhotos/Getty Images)

Very interesting article in the global business section of The New York Times (2/21/11), "For Pepsi, A Business Decision with Social Benefit". PepsiCo is now buying corn directly from Mexican corn farmers, eliminating middlemen, and guaranteeing the price upfront. According to the article,

"The deal enables the small farmers to secure credit to buy seeds and fertilizers, crop insurance and equipment. "Before, I had to sell my cow to buy what I needed,” said José Guzmán Santana, another farmer selling to Pepsi. “Now I keep the cow and my family has milk while I grow my crop." Pepsi

Co’s work with the corn farmers reflects a relatively new approach by corporations trying to maintain a business edge while helping out small communities and farmers."

This appears to be a win-win business relationship for the farmers and PepsiCo.

"The corn project saved PepsiCo transportation costs because the farms were close to two of its factories, and the use of local farms assured it access to types of corn best suited to its products and processes. “That gives us great leverage because corn prices don’t fluctuate so much, but transportation costs do,” said Pedro Padierna, president of PepsiCo’s operations in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. The social benefits of the corn program are obvious in higher incomes that have improved nutritional and educational standards among the participating farmers, not to mention its impact on illegal immigration and possibly even the reduction of marijuana production."

Students in my online course, Global Social Change, have examined and discusssed the interconnectedness of global trade, economics, poverty, illegal drugs and immigration. This article provides us with an excellent example to illustrate how these variables interact and impact both the U.S. and Mexico. To read the article, go to http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/22/business/global/22pepsi.html

Good Food World raises some interesting questions about the PepsiCo-Mexico relationship.

Who is determining which seeds they grow?
Are the seeds patented hybrids or GMOs?
Can the farmers save their own seed?
Which pesticides are they instructed to use?
Are the costs for seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides going up?
Who actually negotiates and sets the price for the corn? Is it a “take it or leave it” pricing from PepsiCo or do the farmers have input? (Good Food World)

These are fair questions. As they say, the devil is in the details.

Berkeley College Students Reflect On Academic Service Learning

2011-02-15T20:41:00.002-05:00

“Study without reflection is a waste of time;
reflection without study is dangerous.” -Confucius

Reading my students reflective journals is one of the most rewarding experiences of teaching an academic service learning course. It allows me to see how students make important connections between their service project and the academic learning experience.   This is why reflection is considered to be a core component of academic service-learning.

This course represents the second service-learning experience with our international service partner, Casa de los Angeles, located in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Last spring our students designed blog prototypes for Casa's social media strategy. Now, with help from Ed Rivera of the Berkeley College library, students are conducting research to find sources of grants for Casa de los Angeles.    The following are exerpts from student journals.

I learned that we are all entitled to respect and dignity; we all have the potential to fall on hard times and no one has the right to scrutinize us for that. Giving individuals a second chance as CASA does; a chance to believe in their abilities is more than anyone can ask for; the love and respect that they have for the less fortunate is what drives the organization. We need to continue to work together to make certain that CASA gets the resources that they need to stay afloat. This is why the grant research project is so important. So far, the service learning experience has impacted me in many ways. I am able to see life through a different lens. Living in my small world does not always allow me to open my eyes to the world around me; to see how life for others really is. I have mentioned in my posts how people can take what they have for granted because they have it, but once it is taken away, what do they do? There are not many organizations out here like CASA, so it is great that women and their children in need are afforded this experience.   N.D.

The experiences in this course have been memorable and invaluable. The theoretical basis combined with projects serving real organizations is more organic and holistic; I feel as though I have a greater depth and breadth of knowledge and perspective, that getting in and getting my hands dirty is the best way to experience the field and is integral to my future. To segue into the next stage, a graduating student requires a little push in the right direction. Community service-learning this semester has given me opportunities to show that I am a student, a citizen, and a member of a community; to show that I can manage my own projects, to see where strengths and weaknesses lie, and to truly engage in projects and research using methods and approaches which I can apply to future work and life. --A.A.

I have already learned so much from this experience, from the readings, videos, photos, discussions and research. Never one to volunteer or “work for free”, I have now developed a completely different outlook. Volunteering isn’t working for free. The happiness and second chances that places like Casa de los Angeles provides each and every day is reward enough. I believe that this experience may be teaching me something about myself. I feel that I have been selfish because I have been fortunate. As I said before, my favorite discussion so far has been the chance to "meet" real families that are being supported by Casa. It made me want to reach out to them and have a chance to contribute to their growing happiness. The fact that so many others have given their time to help out at Casa shows me that there are really good and generous people out there who don’t take life for granted. I want to be one of those people. --C.G.

For more information about reflective journals and academic service-learning, visit the
online library at the National Service-Learning Clearing House

Egypt Unrest: Live News

2011-02-03T10:41:00.007-05:00

There are several excellent web sites with live news from Egypt. One is from BBC News. To access click on this http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698 The site offers updated videos, Q & A, maps, updated summaries of key points, profiles of Egyptian politicians and opposition groups, and other interesting topics including:

Lessons of history

Will there be a domino effect?

Egyptians react to Mubarak speech

Anxious Israel

Protesters use voice tweets

Analysis: Army--deciding factor

Who's next?

The Guardian news blog also has live updates, including a live Twitter feed from their journalists in Egypt. Click http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/blog/2011/feb/03/egypt-protests-live-updates

The TIME Magazine web site has news updates and a live video feed Watch Egypt Live.

Excellent student-friendly resources and supplemental course materials for appropriate courses.

The Global Divide

2011-01-09T14:33:00.123-05:00

It is Week 2 of the winter quarter and our discussion topic this week is the double divide --- the "big gap between rich and poor nations and a big gap between the rich and poor within nations. Working in the gap are members of the global middle class. Still, the richest 5 percent of the world's people receive more than 100 times the income of the poorest 5 percent "(Sernau 16)

Why are poverty and inequality greater in some countries than others? We are exploring different perspectives or theories of global inequality to answer this question. These include modernization, dependency and world systems theories. Modernization holds that poor countries are poor because they lack modern technology and values. Dependency theorists acknowledged that the Western or First world did bring many things to poor nations (i.e., The Third World), but that most of them were negative and destructive. The destruction came with colonial empires but continued (via neocolonialism) after poor countries achieved independence" (Sernau 26-30). Following the approach of dependency theory, world systems theory takes dependency theory a step further with the view that "colonial powers created a world economic system that enriched the core nations at the expense of the periphery (i.e., their colonies)" (Sernau 30).

Economist, Hernando de Soto, author of the book The Mystery of Capital, has a unique perspective on global inequality. According to de Soto, entrepreneurism is part of human nature and capitalism works as long as certain conditions exist. The source of extreme poverty in developing countries is a lack of property rights. With property rights, he argues, "capitalism is a tool for poor people to prosper",(Commanding Heights Chapter 19: Capitalism Redefined).

Another approach to solving the problem of global poverty is the formation of cooperatives.

"A co-operative is an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and democratically-controlled enterprise" (Source: ICA Statement on the Cooperative Identity).

The following video from the National Cooperative Business Association explains how cooperatives work to give the poor in developing countries a chance to improve their economic future.

Last year, while in Mexico, I visited an agricultural cooperative near San Miguel de Allende. In response to the growing demand for organically-grown produce, this group of farmers formed a cooperative where they grow organic tomatoes for sale at the organic farmers' market in downtown San Miguel. A local non profit, the Center for Global Justice, provided farmers with loans for the construction of greenhouses. To read more about my trip to this cooperative, go to my January, 2010 blog postings.

International Co-operative Alliance - Statement on the Co-operative Identity February 1996 accessed 1/25/11 http://www.uwcc.wisc.edu/info/i_pages/prin.html

National Cooperative Business Association Cooperatives: Building A Better World video accessed 1/25/11. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXGm_ZG55Eg

Sernau, Scott (2009) Global Problems: The Search for Equity, Peace, and Sustainability. 2nd ed. Instructor Resources. New York: Pearson Publishing (Allyn & Bacon).

The Global Divide I Sample Video Clip The Commanding Heights: The Battle for the World Economy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWakV0L8XWI Accessed 1/9/11.

A New Service-Learning Project For 2011

2010-12-27T22:23:00.000-05:00

The winter quarter starts in just one week and students in SOC 415 Global Social Change will be working on a new service project for our international service partner, Casa de los Angeles, a non-profit daycare center in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Casa de los Angeles would like to apply for a grant to hire an administrator for their U.S. office in Illinois. My students will be conducting research to identify foundations and organizations that give grants to non-profits. A database of funding organizations will be presented to our service partner at the conclusion of the course.

Since this is an online course, students will be doing grant research by searching databases in the Berkeley College Library --all done online! One of our librarians will join us in our online course, giving us a presentation on how to access grant information through the library. He will also answer questions and moderate a discussion board during Week 3 of the quarter. By the end of the winter quarter, students will provide important funding information to Casa de los Angeles, gain valuable hands-on research skills, and learn about the global issues --social, economic, political --impacting Mexico today. For more information about our service partner, Casa de los Angeles, visit their website at www.casadelosangeles.org

Celebrate The National Day of Listening - November 26th

2010-11-24T23:02:00.068-05:00

Image from www.storycorps.org

November 26th is The National Day of Listening. Started by the national nonprofit organization, StoryCorps, in 2008, The National Day of Listening is an effort to encourage Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs to interview a friend, loved one, or member of their community about their lives on the day after Thanksgiving-offering a holiday alternative to Black Friday shopping sprees (StoryCorps).

From the StoryCorps website, you can even download a Do-It-Yourself Instruction Guide, which will help you prepare for, record, preserve, and share your interview. If you need inspiration, listen to some of the interviews.

Blanca Alvarez and her husband risked crossing the border to immigrate into the U.S. and then struggled to make ends meet. They hoped to shelter their children from these harsh realities, but Blanca's daughter Connie reveals how much children can really see of their parents' lives—and the inspiration they draw from their struggles.

Joseph Robertson was an infantryman in the U.S. Army during World War II, where he fought in the Battle of the Bulge. The stark black and white images in this short haunt the viewer, just as Robertson is haunted by his memories from that battle.

To learn more about The National Listening and StoryCorps, go to www.storycorps.org

National Distance Learning Week Starts November 8th

2010-11-06T20:36:00.002-04:00

Image from: ngdc.noaa.gov

November 8th-12th is National Distance Learning Week and Berkeley College has many activities planned. Attend a Virtual Open House, view a sample course, and enter a distance-learning essay contest. Visit this LINK to learn more.

Carol Smith, dean of Berkeley's distance learning program, has planned an all-day Distance Learning Symposium for Monday, November 8th. Online faculty members will attend this faculty development symposium and participate in a variety of workshops on effective practices in online learning.

In addition to teaching social science courses online, I also serve as Online Chair for the School of Liberal Arts. On Monday afternoon, I will deliver a presentation on the use of multimedia resources to engage students and help meet course objectives and learning outcomes. I will be showing some examples of how Liberal Arts faculty have successfully incorporated multimedia into their online courses.

For more information on National Distance Learning Week, visit the website here.

Did Music Help Our Ancestors Survive?

2010-10-13T11:11:00.000-04:00

Music has been called the universal language. Now, research in anthropology and neuroscience suggest that music actually helped human ancestors survive, particularly before language. In his book, "The Singing Neanderthals," Prof. Steven Mithen argues that "language may have been built on the neural underpinnings of music" (Begley 2006). Could it be that humans sang before they conversed?

Studies have shown that some people with severe language impairment can still have musical abilities, for example, playing a melody on the piano after hearing it only once. "Music," Mithen says, "can exist within the brain in the absence of language," a sign that the two evolved independently. And since language impairment does not wipe out musical ability, the latter "must have a longer evolutionary history" (Begley 2006).

So, if our brains are "hard-wired" for music, why did this happen? More than a century ago, Charles Darwin pondered this question and theorized that, as with bird songs, human singing evolved to attract mates. He wrote in his book The Descent of Man that "before acquiring the power of expressing their mutual love in articulate language, [humans] endeavored to charm each other with musical notes and rhythm" (Darwin 1883) Prof. Geoffrey Miller of the University of New Mexico agrees, saying that "Music was shaped by sexual selection to function mostly as a courtship display.." (Begley 2006).

Prof. Mithen asserts that music fostered social bonding. The music promoted "a sense of we-ness, of being together in the same situation facing the same problems," he suggests, creating "a social rather than a merely individual identity" (Begley 2006).

Music is a cultural universal, that is, it exists in all human cultures. However, there is significant diversity in musical expression from culture to culture.

Begley, Sharon (2006) Science Journal: Caveman crooners may have aided early human life. The Wall Street Journal. Friday, March 31, 2006.

Darwin, Charles (1883) The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex (New York: Appleton and Co.)

Back in the USA & Buying Local!

2010-09-05T19:20:00.009-04:00

Image from www.agricultureinformation.com

Just last week I was doing my shopping at the Tianguis Organic Farmers' Market in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico (see post and slide show below), enjoying fruits, berries, vegetables, eggs, coffee -- all organic -- and bath products, artisan breads, jams, etc. --all made from natural and organic ingredients by local producers in the area surrounding San Miguel de Allende.

Now, one week later, I am back in New Jersey, ready to "buy local" at some of the NJ farmers' markets and stores that offer locally produced meats, eggs, produce, etc. Whether in Mexico, the U.S. or any other corner of the globe, I believe community-supported agriculture is important.

So...Buy Local and Think Global!

The website Buy Local, Think Global, at http://www.buylocalthinkglobal.com/New_Jersey.cfm

has a list of links to New Jersey farmers' markets and other producers throughout the state. Many local farmers' markets are open through the end of October. You can also find information at the Jersey Fresh website at http://www.jerseyfresh.nj.gov/ Check out the great recipes at from Jersey Fresh.

If you want organic products, you can find information on New Jersey organic growers, events, educational materials, etc. at The Northeast Organic Farmers' Association of New Jersey, Their website is http://www.nofanj.org/

Tim LaSalle, Ph.D., CEO of the Rodale Institute, explains how organic farming techniques pull carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it as carbon in living soil—an overlooked, but significant, route to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change. More at http://www.rodaleinstitute.org

San Miguel de Allende Organic Farmers' Market

2010-08-31T21:25:00.003-04:00

The Organic Farmers' Market - Parque Juarez - Sat. 9-2 - San Miguel de Allende

The Tianguis Organic Farmers' Market in Parque Juarez is the place to be on Saturdays from 9-2 pm -- to support local organic farmers from the area around San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, meet friends and socialize, and eat delicious prepared foods. Yes, San Miguel has two large grocery stores, but I try to purchase food and other goods from this market and from other produce markets and tienditas (small stores) in my neighborhood. It is so important to support local producers and shopkeepers, especially in these difficult economic times. Below is a slide show of the Sat. organic market on a sunny day in the beautiful Parque Juarez.

Business Development Around The World

2010-08-04T16:48:00.019-04:00

Why is intercultural competence so important for all students, even those majoring in accounting, management, business administration, entrepreneurhsip, etc.? Well, there are many reasons. According to the Association of American Colleges & Universities,

"Educational success must be measured by our most ambitious striving for essential learning. College degrees will increasingly be judged by their global position (in a comparative and competitive sense, e.g., the Bologna Process) as well as their global positioning (how well they correlate to graduates who can compete in a global economy and act on their civic and ethical commitments in an interdependent and diverse world)" GLOBAL POSITIONING Essential Learning, Student Success, and the Currency of U.S. Degrees - (http://www.aacu.org/meetings/annualmeeting/index.cfm)

I learned today that the Peace Corps is now hiring senior and mid-level managers for overseas positions. (See the link I posted on the right margin for a link to that website.) Whether through a job or a volunteer position in the Peace Corps, a business major can contribute a great deal in helping promote economic development in communities all around the world at a grassroots level.

Here are some interesting videos about how this is being accomplished.

My Presentation At the 2010 Sloan-C Conference In San Jose, California

2010-07-24T10:57:00.012-04:00

Hello colleagues, students, and friends! I just returned from the Sloan-C/MERLOT, "Emerging Technologies in Online Learning Symposium" (July 20-23) in San Jose, Ca., where I presented a poster "Using A Web Log To Engage Students & Enhance Learning". In addition to my "onsite" presentation, I uploaded the poster to the Sloan-C Virtual Conference site for "virtual attendees", many from different parts of the world.

I enjoyed meeting and networking with other online educators, some who author their own blogs and others who are interested in supplementing their online courses with a faculty blog. My presentation focused on how I integrated my faculty blog "Where in the World Is Professor Kulik?" with my online course, Global Social Change, during the Summer of 2009 in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. To learn more about the Sloan Consortium, click on this link. To learn more about MERLOT (Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching, click on this link.

Cajas para Casa! Boxes for Bambinos!

2010-07-18T16:42:00.021-04:00

On Saturday, July 24, 2010, our academic service-learning partner, Casa de los Angeles, will be holding a fundraiser -- a silent auction and fiesta. Beautiful hand-crafted boxes created by local artists will be auctioned to raise funds for the non-profit daycare center. The event will be held at the Fabrica La Aurora from 6-8 p.m. and will include entertainment, music and botanas.

My friend, writer and artist, Lynda Schor, designed a box (Pajaros en Caja - Birds in a Box) to be auctioned at the fundraiser. See photo above.

Before it became an art and design center in 1991, the Fabrica La Aurora was a leading textile factory in Mexico (Negociacion Fabril de la Aurora) for over 90 years.

Fabrica La Aurora (above) is now an art and design center. The Fabrica
is home to over forty galleries, studios, shops, and restaurants

Above: The Fabrica during its heydey as a leading textile manufacturer

History of the Fabrica La Aurora
(1901-1991)

"Negociacion Fabril de la Aurora known as La Aurora was a leading textile factory for over 90 years. Its location below “Las Colonias” Dam was strategic for generating the electricity needed for the textile plant. The construction of the factory was completed in 1902 and is typical of textile plants designed by an English company in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Its façade with twelve stone-carved arches and the impressive wrought iron gates that open onto a gracious patio offer a sharp contrast to the functional design of the interior spaces. The original structure remains intact except for the minor renovations undertaken to accommodate the present studios, galleries, shops, and restaurants."

Above: The pipe that brought water from the resevoir to power the hydrolic turbines of the factory.

"As a working factory, La Aurora was equipped with cylinders, spindles, and looms to process the bales of raw cotton that arrived to the plant from the cotton-producing areas of La Laguna in the center part of Mexico and from the states of Sinaloa and Sonora. The process of cleaning, ginning, carding, and spinning the raw fiber into a yarn or thread was all done on the premises."

"The final product, manta or unbleached muslin, woven from the thread was sold throughout Mexico. The Aurora manta was of high quality and used to make indigenous clothing and home linens. Some special grades of thread were spun specifically for use in the making of “rebozos”. By the 1970’s, production included heavy canvas used in making tennis shoes."

"The first looms and spindles were imported from England in the early 20th century. By the mid-l950’s, most of the English machinery was replaced with later models from Germany and Switzerland. Being able to maintain this imported machinery was essential to production. La Aurora had an on-site forge, a mechanics shop, and a carpentry shop. In addition, there were storage spaces filled from floor to ceiling with replacement parts. Some of the most interesting structural features can be seen in the spaces that were formerly maintenance areas."

Above: Entrance to La Fabrica La Aurora

"Generations of San Miguelenses worked in the factory owned by the Garay family since 1932. At the time of its closing, La Aurora was the largest employer in San Miguel with a work force of over 300, and it had become an integral part of the daily lives of its workers and the San Miguel community. Sports, music, and participation in local celebrations were all a part of the Aurora trademark. For many years, San Miguel families would arrive to the factory grounds on Sunday with their picnic lunches to listen to the Aurora band that was set up under a kiosk in the garden. The Aurora also sponsored a soccer team and a baseball team. In addition, there were many observances of San Miguel traditions such as the Mass on December 12 to honor the Virgin of Guadalupe. An altar was arranged inside the factory, and a local priest came to deliver the Mass."

Above: The Garay family, owners of the factory.

"La Aurora also set tradition. The “Alborada” which celebrates the patron saint of San Miguel was instituted by the factory workers. On the designated September weekend, a special band of musicians contracted by the workers arrived by train. A cannon made in the factory forge especially for this event was loaded onto a wagon and prepared to fire. Then, in the predawn hours, the procession of workers and their families carrying the image of the patron saint was accompanied by the musicians and the Aurora cannon from La Colonia Aurora to the Parroquia. The “Alborada” has changed in many aspects today, but the procession marking the beginning of the feast day celebration still departs from the oldest neighborhood in the city, La Colonia Aurora.

Free trade agreements brought many changes to the Mexican textile industry and La Aurora was not an exception. Cotton imports began flooding the market and domestic production was greatly affected. As a result, the steam generated whistle which signaled the start and finish of each shift and was a notable sound in San Miguel for almost 90 years blew for the last time on March 11, l991." (History of La Aurora from: http://www.fabricalaaurora.com)

Mexican Sarapes of the 19th & 20th Centuries

2010-07-03T21:59:00.009-04:00

Last night I attended an exhibition of exquisite vintage Mexican sarapes (also spelled serape or zarape) curated by collector Mayer Shacter of Galeria Atotonilco. In August, the sarapes will be permanently housed at the Museum of the Sarape in Saltillo, Mexico.

What is a sarape?

According to the The Textile Museum, "Sarapes were an essential item for the vaqueros, or cowboys, of the ranches of northern Mexico in the 18th and 19th centuries, serving as cloak, sleeping blanket and saddle padding as needed. During the Mexican War of Independence from Spain from 1810 to 1821, the vaquero was idealized into a national hero and his sarape became an icon of the new Mexican national identity. The finest sarapes, such as this classic example, were extremely expensive and were probably worn by hacienda owners and other gentlemen as part of their riding costume, along with elaborately wrought silver spurs and embroidered chaps" (The Textile Museum).

Enjoy the following slide show of my photos of the exhibition.

Congratulations Soc 205 Online Service-Learning Students!

2010-06-30T15:35:00.011-04:00

I want to congratulate our online service-learning students for a job well done! As mentioned previously on this blog, students in my online course, Soc 205 World Cultures, spent the past 12 weeks working with our service partner, Casa de los Angeles, to create sample blogs that are designed to attract, educate and interact with supporters and volunteers.

This hands-on project, along with in-depth class discussions and reflective journals, helped enrich the study of world cultures and provided a transformative learning experience. Here are our students' "thank you" messages to Casa de los Angeles:

"After we began our service learning project, we realized that what we were doing, creating, and engaging in was more than just a school assignment. What we were involved in was something that we would remember forever; we were actually helping change the lives of others! One might ask what our favorite part of this project was. Some might answer that they enjoyed working on the creation of the blog. Some might say how much they’ve learned about the world around them. Some might even mention the feelings they have when they help others. As for us, we would tell you all of that and so much more!

Donna and Miguel, it’s an incredible feeling knowing that there are people out there like you, who can dedicate their time, energy, and themselves to a greater cause. It has been such an amazing experience working with Casa de los Angeles on our first service learning project. We would like to extend a thank you to you and every person who has been involved with your organization, including all of your little angels, for allowing us to be your service learning partner, and for showing us just how wonderful people can really be. It has been our pleasure." Sincerely, Team Three, Soc 205 OLS World Cultures Online

"This service project has taught us a lot over the past 12 weeks, and it has been an amazing journey to communicate with you, our professor and classmates online. We have also learned important skills through doing this ASL project. We hope our ideas and sample blog will help Casa de los Angeles continue to build a strong online Casa community.Once again thank you for being our service partner and for this wonderful experience. Please continue what you have been doing for the past 10 years, because you guys have given those children a future. We know the families in San Miguel de Allende must be thankful for what you and your staff have given to them." Sincerely, Team Four, Soc 205 Online

"Two hands are better than one, and by creating this sample blog, we hope to contribute ideas for bringing awareness to potential donors and volunteers, to help expand the organization and help end poverty. The service project has enriched our learning experience about World Cultures and the culture of Mexico. It has also taught us responsibility and allowed us to help strengthen a community. Thank you for allowing us to be of service to Casa de Los Angeles!" Sincerely, Team One Casa, Soc 205 Online

Below is a message to our students from Donna and Miguel at Casa de los Angeles:

Dear Students of Soc 205 ASL Online,
On behalf of the families we serve in Central Mexico, we would like to thank you for all that you have done to help . . . for the time and energy you have given to your work on our behalf. We look forward to using the ideas you created on your sample blogs to keep our supporters informed.

Isn’t it amazing that through your presence in cyberspace, your love and generosity have become apparent to our staff and the women and children we serve? We have shared the blogs you created with our staff and some of the moms. It is so heart warming to know that the time in your class was memorable and very well spent.

You give us all hope for the future because you have hearts for service and will do remarkable things in your lives. Know that there is an open invitation to you to come and visit us . . . esta es tu casa Mexicana!

Muchas gracias,
José Miguel Hernández Chávez
Donna Quathamer

I have also created a brief overview of the service project with screenshots from the team-created blogs and posted it below. Enjoy!

Academic Service-Learning - World Cultures

View more presentations from mkulik1.

2010-06-30T14:17:00.006-04:00

Dr. Coppola, left, Dr. Kulik, right

My friend and colleague, Dr. Sandra Coppola, Director of Counseling at Berkeley College, visited me in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico last week. While she was staying with me, we visited our academic service-learning partner, Casa de los Angeles, to meet some of the children and volunteers. After our visit, April, a new volunteer at the day care center, took a photograph of us next to one of the beautiful murals painted on the walls of the center.

"I was so happy to have the opportunity to visit Casa de los Angeles, the site for the online ASL project. The center was cheerful and the children and staff were so welcoming. I felt so proud to see the contribution our students made to such a worthwhile organization. The experience of seeing the smiling faces of the children in person is something that cannot be put into words. Thank you!"

--Dr. Sandra Coppola

El Dia de los Locos (The Day of the Crazies)

2010-06-08T21:14:00.014-04:00

"A little Madness in the Spring

Is wholesome even for the King.."

Emily Dickinson

On Sunday, June 13th, San Miguel de Allende celebrates one of its many festivals, El Dia de los Locos (The Festival of the Crazies). The parade of "los locos" will wind its way through the centro right past my house. Participants dress up as clowns, animals, cartoon characters, monsters, famous entertainers, Mexican politicians and cross-dressing men. This week's issue of the local newspaper, Atencion, describes the fascinating history of this festival, which is a blend of Catholicism and paganism.

"This carnival was originally an act of faith and devotion that began in the nineteenth century, when orchard workers danced to give thanks and ask San Pascual Bailon, patron saint of food, for a prosperous year. Today, some of the Locos participate in the parade not only for fun, but also to show their devotion to San Pascual Bailon.

During colonial times, San Miguel was surrounded by large orchards. They were all irrigated with natural springs and the water was carried through channels all around the city. The Franciscan friars at the Tercera Orden monastery, next to San Francisco church, held a celebration outside the church for the orchard workers to honor San Pascual Bailon on his day. In the afternoon, the friars went to the orchards to bless the crops.

The Locos parade derives from the orchard workers' dance on San Pascual Bailon Day. As onlookers increasingly crowded the dancers, some of the older celebrants began to disguise themselves as scarecrows to keep the crowd at a distance so the children would have room to dance. They also brought small wild animals such as racoons, skunks or possums to scare the crowd away. The people began to call them "locos", the name they still carry today. Later on, the Locos began to dress not only as scarecrows but also as clowns with colorful costumes and cardboard masks. The orchard laborers were divided into workgroups called cuadrillas, and each cuadrilla performed its own dance. This is how the current groups, called cuadros, began; The modern Locos parade actually condenses several celebrations into one event: San Isidro Day on May 15, San Pascual de Bailon Day on May 17, Corpus Christi, and San Antonio's Day on June 13" (Que Pasa, Atencion San Miguel, June 4, 2010, pg 2)

Visiting Our Service-Learning Partner

2010-06-08T19:24:00.012-04:00

As my online students put the finishing touches on their service-learning projects, I am back in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, where I will be meeting with our service-learning partner, Donna Quathamer, of Casa de los Angeles. Student teams are using their social media skills to create prototypes of a web log (blog) for this non-profit day care center. They are doing a superb job and have demonstrated sincere commitment to our service partner. Not only are the student-created blogs educational (about the culture of Mexico and mission of Casa de los Angeles), they are also designed to engage and update supporters and volunteers about news and events. By next week, we will be ready to present our projects to Casa de los Angeles!

Greetings From A Green Bed & Breakfast!

2010-05-24T13:58:00.029-04:00

Inn Nature earth-sheltered, solar-powered house.

Here I am enjoying the sun in Sarah's organic garden

I just returned from Amherst, Massachusetts, where I attended the college graduation of my son Maxwell. The Amherst-area hotels and inns were booked months in advance, so I did a web search for accomodations further west, toward the Berkshires. That is how I discovered Inn Nature, a solar-powered, earth-sheltered, "off the grid" bed & breakfast in Chesterfield, Ma.

Built into a hillside on twelve acres of woodland and meadow, Inn Nature provides an opportunity to reduce one's carbon footprint while enjoying the peace and quiet of this tranquil, rural area. Inn Nature is completely off the grid (no utility companies), harnessing the power of the sun for all its electricity.

Owner and inn-keeper, Sarah Prince, gave me an informative tour of the house and property. Because the house is built into a hillside, the rear and top are covered with 4 feet of earth, thus we were able to climb up on top of the roof, which is covered with plants, grass and solar panels (which provide power for the house).

"Earth sheltering is an effective way to regulate temperature in a home. It works well in almost any climate. Just below the frost line, the earth stays a fairly constant temperature: 50 degrees F, plus or minus a few degrees, depending on where you live. The surrounding soil provides natural insulation, making these houses inexpensive to heat and cool. The best location for an earth sheltered house is on a well-drained hillside. Windows facing the south or an overhead skylight will fill the interior with sunshine.

In the winter, earth-sheltered homes require very little additional heat to warm them. In the summer, the interior stays cool — while it may be 100F outside, the house will stay at comfortable 70F, thanks to it’s earthen wrap."

(from Optimal Green: Modern Earth Sheltering (www.treehugger.com)

"Earth-sheltered homes are very energy efficient. This type of construction can save as much as 85% on your home's use of fossil fuels for both heating and cooling. In fact, you can even incorporate passive annual heat storage, that effectively allows you to save heat in the summer to use in the winter!

Surprisingly, you also can save on lighting. Most designers of these homes recommend a south or south-east exposure, which guarantees a lot of light, as long as the home has a window for most rooms on the exposed side. Any additional needs for natural light can often be addressed with tubular skylights that can actually funnel light to the place where it is needed....you also save a bundle on maintenance. Because your walls are poured concrete, you don't have to do a lot of upkeep. In fact, an earth-sheltered house won't need a new roof or many other kinds of regular upkeep to either the exterior or interior. If you pick the right interior finishes, you could have a virtually maintenance-free home."

(from Mortgage Guide 101 Blog "Going Green: The Earth-Sheltered Home")

Berkeley College is working to reduce its carbon footprint. Click HERE to read the Project Greenpath newsletter.

Reflecting on the Service-Learning Experience

2010-05-13T13:14:00.035-04:00

An important part of academic service-learning is reflecting on the experience through writing in a reflective journal. For each journal entry, students are provided with a writing prompt(questions, quotes, etc). What has surprised me about the service partner and the people they serve? • What are the specific tasks I am responsible for in order to complete my team service-learning project? • What am I learning about others and myself? are just a few examples. Below are some excerpts from my students' reflective journals during the first few weeks of this course. It is already possible to see a shift in the students' perceptions and attitudes.

It amazed me how many people from all over the world know about this organization and travel and make living arrangements in Mexico to volunteer. There are so many volunteers of all ages. It was heartwarming to see such commitment in these childrens' lives. The majority of the volunteers are not Spanish speakers, yet the language barrier did not stop them from giving 100%. -A.A.

When you hear of centers that help families, they are not always in the best condition. I had the misconception that it wouldn't be a really clean environment. But, then I read the stories and saw the pictures, and it was truly amazing to me that the center was so nice. That is how you know the volunteers and staff really care about making the children and mothers feel more comfortable. What surprised me about the people they serve is that anyone could have a hard time in their life and be in the same situation. Sometimes we don’t look at what we have in common with others in that type of situation or with the homeless; it doesn’t take much to end up in their shoes. --V.A.

The dedication and achievement of those individuals involved with Casa surprised me. I was so captivated, thinking how some people can devote their valuable life to this kind of work. Actually, volunteering is a really magnificent and noble job. Volunteering gives us an opportunity to change lives, including our own. If we feel frustrated or overwhelmed by the news of a disaster, volunteering to help can be a great way to cope. If we’d like to support a cause but can't afford to donate money, we can donate our time instead. -M.A.

It surprised me how the service partner has news letters and updates on what’s going on in the community. I was amazed at how they have so many videos to show their love for what they are doing for Casa de los Angeles. I also like the way each family has stories, and how the service partners tell you a little about it. -S.D.

What really surprised me was that every woman is a part of this community and has to donate time to this wonderful place, maybe by making food or cleaning. This way it seems to be more of a bond between these people and this place. At first, I thought “that’s a bummer” you have a job and also you have to donate your time and energy to this place. But, after I watched some videos on youtube.com, I quickly changed my mind. You see, I was thinking in terms of American culture and here, I don’t think women would go for it. --A.K.

I was very surprised to see that Casa has an enormous list of volunteers. The list has to be about 5 pages long! It’s amazing how many generous people there are. I truly felt that warm feeling inside when I saw the list. I often see and deal with people who can’t find time to help out or even donate, but it is great to see that people are slowly becoming more involved. --C.L.

I am learning that I do not appreciate the things I have as much as I should. Every day I wake up and take my life for granted. The things that I have, I do not have because I deserve them as a person. I have them because my father has worked hard for his family. I am learning that while I stress about the small things in life, there are people out there that are truly working so hard just to be happy, but it seems the harder they work, the tougher things get for them. We as a society need to come together and help the people who need us the most. --D.P.

As many Americans do, I always had the impression I couldn’t make much of a difference by myself, but since becoming aware of Casa de Los Angeles, I see how much help they are giving to these families by something as simple as watching their children for only a few hours a day. --T.R.

These past weeks I have come to learn about many situations around the world that I never knew were happening. I am not trying to sound like I don’t watch the news or don’t care, but after taking this course, it has given me an interest in finding other organizations and reading about the kinds of services they provide. I found American Red Cross so interesting but yet shocked, because I never knew how many people are in need of help. When I saw Casa de Los Angeles, I learned that mothers in Mexico need daycare in order for them to work and earn money to survive. To me this is wonderful that Donna was able to do this for these families and bring joy to the childrens' hearts. Seeing their pictures and videos has taught me that there are good people in this world, people who care and have a heart to help others, and Donna is that example for them. I would love to volunteer myself because I love working with children and that will be such an amazing experience for me. --C.S.

Below is a wonderful slide show of photos of Casa families, courtesy of Kim Francois.

¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

2010-05-05T09:02:00.010-04:00

Cinco de Mayo is a holiday that celebrates the victory of the Mexican Army over the French in 1862 at the Batalla de Puebla (Battle of Puebla), about 100 miles east of Mexico City. "Although, the Mexican army was later defeated, the "Batalla de Puebla" came to represent a symbol of Mexican unity and patriotism. With this victory, Mexico demonstrated to the world that Mexico and all of Latin America were willing to defend themselves of any foreign intervention. Especially those from imperialist states bent on world conquest" (Cinco de Mayo, UCLA)

Many in the U.S. wrongly believe that Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of Mexican Independence, which took place more than 50 years earlier in 1810. The holiday of Cinco de Mayo has evolved into more of a Chicano celebration in the US and on a much grander scale than in Mexico. "People of Mexican descent in the United States celebrate this significant day by having parades, mariachi music, folklorico dancing and other types of festive activities" (Cinco de Mayo - UCLA).

Cinco de Mayo -UCLA http://clnet.ucla.edu/cinco.html 4 May, 2010.

El Dia del Niño-The Day of the Child

2010-04-18T15:36:00.026-04:00

Image from EnCuentos.com

El Dia del Niño (Day of The Child) is celebrated in Mexico on April 30th. Our service-learning partner, Casa de los Angeles, will be sending our ASL class a variety of photos of this celebration taken at the daycare center. So, check back in early May to see these photos.

Since 1925, this annual holiday honors the importance and well-being of children in society. Celebrations can include cultural events, parties, parades, piñatas and fundraising for the benefit of children. Many communities in the United States also celebrate El Dia del Niño, some in unique ways, such as libaries launching literacy campaigns.

Here is a video of a celebration in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico.

El Dia del Niño is celebrated not only in Mexico, but in other Latin American countries as well. Below is a video clip of the Festival of El Dia del Niño Añu in Venezuela. This ethnographic film was funded by the Anthropology Dept. at UC Santa Cruz. The filmaker describes the video as follows:

"This is a short ethnographic exploration of the annual "Day of the Añu Child" festival held in the Sinamaica Lagoon in July. The Sinamaica Lagoon is located in Venezuela's Zulia State, adjacent to Lake Maracaibo, which is the largest body of freshwater in South America. Its home to the Añu indigenous community, members of the group live in small houses built on stilts rising out of the lagoon's brackish waters.

The main form of transportation for the Añu is by lanchas, small shallow boats powered either by small outboard motors or paddles. The ancestors of the Añu were the first South American inhabitants to make contact with Spanish colonials.

Today they practice a religion that is a hybrid of catholic faith and animistic religions that pre-date Spanish influences, as in the representation of the Virgen de Carmen as both the Virgin Mary and Madre del niño Añu" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGsal4lL5pQ).

On an international level, UNICEF and other non-profit organizations raise awareness of the rights of children, for example, by celebrating World Day Against Child Labor, this year on June 12th.

"World Day Against Child Labour, celebrated on 12 June, this year highlights the continuing challenges to eliminating the worst forms of child labour, with a focus on exploitation of girls. Here is a related story. KIPUSHI, Democratic Republic of Congo, 12 June 2009 Covered in powder, Sylvian, 2, sits alongside his mother, pounding rocks with a mallet in an ore heap in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Rocks, dust and sun: This is the only life Sylvian has known. According to Article 32 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, children have the right to be protected from economic exploitation. Through the efforts of Group One, a UNICEF-supported Belgian non-governmental organization, this is starting to happen in DR Congo. Group One and UNICEF are working to remove children from the hazardous working conditions in the quarry and get them back to school" (UNICEF: June 12: World Day Against Child Labor from (http://vodpod.com/watch/1762851-unicef-june-12-world-day-against-child-labor). This summarizes the following video on the subject.

Do you know of any other countries that have similar celebrations of children? If so, please feel free to share your comments.

Our Service-Learning Students Speak

2010-04-11T19:02:00.051-04:00

We have just finished the first week of our online international academic service-learning course for the spring quarter, 2010. The students are ready and eager to learn and begin planning for our service project for Casa de los Angeles in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. I thought I would share some of the postings on our first discussion forum online.

"(After) reading the information, I am excited about participating in helping Casa de Los Angeles, and being in a team that can help to inform others about their mission and vision. I had chosen this class was because I was looking for a chance to give back, but didn’t know how. When I saw this class I knew I had to take it! I hope to gain and learn knowledge of how I can contribute and help out even if I am not located in the place that the help is needed." -V.A.

"I am interested in what this class will teach me. I know we live in a world filled with different cultures and it will help me understand why people are the way they are. The service learning project, I think, is great because it will allow us to closely interact with our service learning partner. I think that community is doing an awesome thing, which is to give back to the less fortunate. It's good to know that there's a commnuity out there who prides themselves in helping others and bettering their life." -A.A.

"I have a keen interest in the service learning project, which can widen the opportunity of community learning. We can share our mutual ideas through this project that will be very effective for our collective achievements. I am so delighted to know the works and achievements of our sharing partner Casa de Los Angeles. I appreciate their noble missions which can bolster us to dedicate our lives for the welfare of our community. I think throughout the course, we will learn something valuable that we can use in our career. I am eagerly looking forward to getting involved with our service learning project and working with our venerable partner." -M.A.

"I think this is wonderful and I'm very excited about this project that were are going to be doing. I think Casa de Los Angeles is a wonderful way to help the communities in Mexico. They are obviously doing a wonderful job and just by reading about it and watching that video opened my eyes. I had no idea that there were people that made places like this possible and to help women better themselves is just remarkable. I think the more people know about things like this, the better. Because the moment I knew about it, I wanted to help and be a part of this in some way. I think that they are really onto something and this non profit organisation may spread like wild fire to places that really need it." -A.K.

"I truly believe that our service learning partner, Casa de los Angeles is a wonderfull organization and I am so happy to be included in a movement like this. I hope to learn more about the culture of the people that are involved in this organization and hope to learn what we as a community can do to better the lives of these people =)" -D.P.

"I believe that our service learning partner and project will lead us to acknowledge what really goes on in different parts of the world where people are less fortunate and in need of our help. I admire the founder of Casa de los Angeles, Donna Quathamer, for her hard work and huge heart in starting this non- profit organization to provide a place for mothers to be able to find support to better their lives and the lives of their children." -V.R.

"I am so excited about our partner Casa de los Angeles mostly becuase it is non-profit, which is something that I want to become a part of once I am done with my education. I intern at a non-profit right now as well. I hope to learn all I can about our partner and I look forward to this class as well." -C.W.

What a great group of students!

What's New With Our ASL Partner?

2010-04-08T20:19:00.011-04:00

Our academic service-learning course, World Cultures online, has officially started, and students are becoming familiar with our international ASL partner, Casa de los Angeles, a non-profit daycare center in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. So, what is new with Casa? Here are some updates from their website and Facebook page.

Casa de los Angeles is one of the official charities of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon! Visit their TEAM CASA Facebook page H ERE

The 10th Anniversary of celebration of the founding of Casa de los Angeles is on May 22, 2010. The dinner and silent auction is called Angeles & Milagros (Angels and Miracles) and will be held in Oak Brook Terrace, Illinois. For more information click HERE.

Casa de los Angeles is on Good Search, a search engine that donates a penny to your charity everytime you do a search. All one has to do is go to www.goodsearch.com, type in Casa de los Angeles as the charity and the pennies will go to Casa.

To keep up with Casa news, visit their Facebook page and add them as a friend HERE.

Worldview Shifts In International Academic Service-Learning

2010-03-27T13:15:00.019-04:00

Image from www.nasa.gov

A longitudinal case study of an international service-learning program in Nicaragua, conducted by Richard Kiely (2004), found that "each student experienced profound changes in their world-view in at least one of six dimensions: political, moral, intellectual, personal, spiritual, and cultural" (p. 5).

The Six (6) Dimensions of Transformation

Kiely identifies six "transforming forms": political, moral, intellectual, cultural, personal, and spiritual.

For example, he defines political transformation as "an expanded sense of social responsibility and citizenship that is both local and global" while moral transformation is developing "a relationship of mutual respect and care and sense of solidarity with community" (p. 11). The intellectual transformation he observed in some students is their ability to question "assumptions about origin, nature and solutions to problems" (p. 11).

While his students did not change in all of these dimensions, this qualitative study (using onsite participant-observation, document analysis of student journals, questionnaires and reflection papers) revealed that each student experienced at least ONE of the six types of perspective transformation.

For more information about this and other studies of academic service-learning, click the link to visit the website of the Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning.

Work Cited
Kiely, R. (2004) A Chameleon with a Complex: Searching for Transformation in International Service-Learning Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, Spring, pp. 5-20.

International Service-Learning: Does It Transform Students? The Answer Is YES!

2010-03-16T10:58:00.030-04:00

Image from creativetherapy.files.wordpress

What impact does service-learning have on students? How are they transformed by the experience? There is a growing body of research in academic service-learning that is trying to answer these questions. And, so far, the answer is YES!

According to Dr. Richard Kiely of Cornell University, there has been extensive research and documentation on domestic academic service-learning and its positive effects on student's learning, personal and professional development. However, when it comes to international service-learning, systematic research on the impact of the ISL experience on students is needed(Kiely, 2004).

What we do know is that involvement in an international service-learning program "...increases students' intercultural competence, language skills, appreciation of cultural difference, tolerance for ambiguity, and experiential understanding of complex global problems related to their academic program of study" (Kiely, 2004).

Recent research on international service-learning has focused on "transformational learning" and have incorporated a model from transformational learning theory called "perspective transformation", which Mezirow (1991) defines as the process of becoming critically aware of how and why our presuppositions have come to constrain the way we perceive, understand and feel about our world; of reforumulating these assumptions to permit a more inclusive, discriminating, permeable and integrative perspective; and of making decisions or otherwise acting on these new understandings. (p.14)

Works Cited

Kiely, R. (2004) A Chameleon with a Complex: Searching for Transformation in International Service-Learning Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, Spring, pp.5-20.

Mezirow, J. (1991) Transformative dimensions of adult learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

"Perspective Transformation" in Service-Learning

2010-03-16T10:52:00.017-04:00

Image from www.answers.com/topic/perspective

How does service-learning transform students?

Numerous studies have shown the positive effects --academic, interpersonal, personal and professional --of academic service-learning (Kiely, 2004).

In their book, Where's the learning in service-learning? (1999), J.S. Eyler and D.E. Giles, Jr. argue that service-learning supports education that "raises fundamental questions and empowers students to do something about them" (p.133). Academic service-learning, they argue, is "not about accumulating more knowledge, but about seeing the world in a profoundly different way, one that calls for personal commitment and action" (p.129).

One study by W.A. Kellogg (1999) examined moral, intellectual and political dimensions of the transformational impact of service-learning by analyzing data collected through papers, surveys, and student journals. Kellogg describes the students' moral perspective transformation as "an enhanced sense of empathy and caring about urban neighborhoods...in which students would identify themselves and residents of these neighborhoods as members of the same community" (p. 64). The study also found a longer-term moral transformation in some students who continued to work in the service community after the semester ended.

For more information on research in this area, I suggest starting with this website:
Learn and Service America's National Service-Learning Clearinghouse (http://www.servicelearning.org/) has a library of resources on academic research studies of service-learning.

Works Cited
Eyler, J.S. & Giles, Jr. D.E. (1999) Where's the learning in service-learning? San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

Kiely, R. (2004) A Chameleon with a Complex: Searching for Transformation In International Service-Learning. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, Spring, pp. 5-20.

Kellogg, W.A. (1999) Toward more transformative service-learning: Experiences from an urban environmental problem-solving class. Michigan Journal of Service Learning, Fall, pp. 63-73.

Academic Service-Learning

2010-03-14T18:24:00.004-04:00

As I prepare for my Spring online academic service-learning course, I have posted some general information on ASL below.

What is academic service-learning?

It is a classroom-based program that involves students in some form of required community service and uses that activity as a means of understanding course concepts. It is a pedagogical approach whereby students engage in a service activity that benefits the common good. It is learning-by-doing.

What is the service learning pedagogy?
Service learning is a type of experiential learning that engages students in service within the community as an integrated aspect of a course. Students participate in an organized activity and reflect on that activity to gain further understanding of course content; a broader appreciation of the discipline; and an enhanced sense of personal values and civic responsibility. Service Learning engages students in active, collaborative, and inquiry-based learning experiences to meet identified needs of an organization or community at large.

What are the goals of Academic Service learning?
The goals of Academic Service learning are:

To blend service and learning goals and activities in such a way that the two reinforce each other and produce a greater impact than either could produce alone

To enhance students’ learning by enabling them to practice skills and test classroom knowledge through related service experiences in a non-profit organization

To enable students to provide needed assistance to community agencies

What are the key elements of ASL?
The critical elements of ASL are:

1. Meaningful service to community
2. Clearly conceptualized connection between courses’ objectives and service activities
3. Structured opportunities for students to synthesize and derive new meaning from their experiences as they relate those experiences to course goals and objectives
4. What are the benefits to students who take ASL courses?
5. Hands-on use of skills and knowledge
6. Increased relevance of academic skills
7. Opportunities that accommodate different learning styles
8. Increased analytical skills
9. Increased civic responsibility
10. Better prepared graduates to face real world market
11. Opportunity to develop as effective leaders and engaged citizens

What are the benefits to the community from the ASL program?

Awareness-building of community issues, agencies, and constituents
Opportunities to contribute to the educational process
Short- and long-term solutions to community needs
Positive community relationships

How is Academic Service Learning different from volunteer work?

The actual work you do at an agency might not be different from what you would have done as a volunteer. However, your approach to the work is different in the ASL program. You will be looking at the place, the people, your experiences, and your reactions to find out deeper meaning that relate to your course content. You learn something about the course you are taking by working in the community.

What kind of projects do students do in an ASL course?

It depends on the course you take and the partner organization. It may involve:
Developing marketing materials
Planning and executing an internal control audit
Preparing a volunteer recruitment plan
Developing a business plan

(FAQ above from the Berkeley College website.)

I have posted a few multimedia resources in the right-hand margin of my blog, including a video about service-learning at Berkeley College. Over the next week or so, I will be presenting some of the research on international service-learning, so stay tuned!

The Children & Staff At Casa de los Angeles

2010-03-05T18:48:00.003-05:00

Last week I visited Casa de los Angeles to record a welcome announcement from founder, Donna Quathamer, to Berkeley College students for my spring 2010 online academic service-learning course, World Cultures. I also started taking and collecting photographs for use in our service projects. These include some great photos of the children and staff, the celebration of Valentine's Day and of the beautiful murals painted on the inside of the courtyard. After a cold and rainy January and February, the sun is finally shining, as you can see! Enjoy the slide show!

Planning The Global ASL Partnership - Casa de los Angeles, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

2010-02-17T16:33:00.015-05:00

This past week I've been planning the academic service learning course for next term, Soc 205 World Cultures online. Preparation is essential for a successful service-learning course --finding out what the non-profit organization needs, planning the project that will meet those needs, and aligning the service project and course content with the learning objectives and outcomes of the course.

The founder of Casa de los Angeles daycare center, Donna Quathamer (in photo with children), is an incredible human being, a transformational leader and she will be an active partner with our students. Our recent discussions have focused on identifying what our service learning partner needs.

While Casa de los Angeles has a website and a Facebook page, they believe that their social media strategy needs more effective 2-way communication and would like our students to help brainstorm and create a sample template for a volunteer web log, which can be linked to their website and FB page. Casa de los Angeles has had at least 1000 volunteers from all over the world work at the center, and a blog would allow them to tell their stories and stay in touch. Our service project will help Casa de los Angeles build and expand their growing virtual community.

Over the next few weeks, Donna and I will work to refine the initial goals and objectives of the service project. Second, I will be collecting materials from Casa--photos, text, stories, video, audio, calendar of events, etc.--for students to use in their service project. And, Donna is now composing a special message to our students, which I plan to videotape and post on our Blackboard course site. There is so much to do here before I leave Mexico!

One of Casa's dedicated volunteers, Marisa Bollman, has made a short documentary on Casa de los Angeles. I hope you enjoy it!

Sí, se puede from Casa de los Angeles on Vimeo.

Meet Our Service-Learning Partner!

2010-02-12T15:48:00.009-05:00

I am pleased to introduce our global academic service-learning partner, Casa de los Angeles, a non-profit free daycare center in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Pictured above are the founder, Donna Quathamer (left) and me (right). However, as Donna says, "It's really all about the children!" Started in 2000, Casa de los Angeles is a community of caring people who gather to nurture children, serving the needs of the less fortunate, treating each person with dignity and respect as they work to make a better life for themselves and the community as a whole.

Students in my online course SOC 205 World Cultures next term, Spring 2010, will be doing an online service project for this organization while mastering course concepts in our study of cultures, including Mexico.

The service project will focus on ways in which Casa can use social networking --e.g. facebook, blogs, twitter, etc. -- to strengthen and expand its online community of volunteers and donors. This will be a creative, challenging and fun service project and a great learning experience for Berkeley online students! A global academic service-learning project is also a unique boost to a future graduate's portfolio and resume.

I will be posting much more as this academic service-learning course develops. In the meantime, check out their website at http://www.casadelosangeles.org/!

Here is a short video about the organization.

And, here is a slide show with music and audio in Spanish, made by a volunteer.

United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights

2010-02-03T13:38:00.030-05:00

Eleanor Roosevelt with copy of Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948

This week's discussion topic for students in SOC 415 Global Social Change is Democracy and Human Rights with a focus on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Click HERE to view the UDHR. Also, scroll down to view a short video.

Initially conceived of and written by Eleanor Roosevelt after World War II, the UDHR was adopted by the United Nations in 1948.

It is interesting that a study conducted just before the 50-year anniversary of the UDHR found that "only 8 percent of adults and 4 percent of young people are aware of and can name the Universal Declaration of Human Rights" (Landorf & Pineda 1997)

Critical Thinking About the UDHR

One of the learning outcomes of this course is: "Students will demonstrate general analytical and critical thinking skills by discussing, researching and writing about global social issues." Therefore, it is not enough just to name the UDHR and its history, but important also to think critically about and discuss in depth these universal human rights. Students are also debating the issue of how these human rights would be enforced.

Here are just a few of the questions that are guiding our discussion:

1. Which of the UDHR do you believe are most important? Least important?
2. Can you think of any rights that have not been listed, that you recommend be added? Which, if any, should be not be on the list?
3. Are universal human rights necessary, and should all nations have the same basic rights for their citizens?
4. Should universal human rights be enforced? If so, how? If no, why?
5. Is this goal attainable, practical, or just utopianism?

If you would like to view a video, this one summarizes the UDHR.

Works Cited:
Landorf, Hillary and Martha Fernanda Pineda (2007) Learning History Through the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Social Education, October 2007.

A Visit To El Pipila Peñón de los Baños

2010-01-26T00:48:00.018-05:00

Valentin, John, Cynthia & Prof Kulik

This past week I visited a farm cooperative on an ejido north of Los Rodriguez. Residents of this small dairy farming community want their children to stay home, not migrate to the U.S. What do the children need? Work. So, they have banded together and formed a SPR (Sociedad de Produccion Rural). They borrowed money from the revolving loan fund of a local non-profit organization, Center For Global Justice, and from the Weissman Foundation, and have built a greenhouse in which to grow organic tomatoes. With help and guidance from another agricultural cooperative, they constructed eight more greenhouses and are beginning to grow tomatoes and other crops. We toured the greenhouses to see their success and listened as they shared their hopes for the future. Then, they invited us to share comida (lunch).

Greenhouses of El Pipila Cooperative in Peñón de los Baños

2010-01-26T00:46:00.001-05:00

Valentin, member of the cooperative

2010-01-26T00:43:00.002-05:00

Valentin tells us about the effects of freezing temperatures on the tomato crop.

Los Jitomates

2010-01-26T00:40:00.001-05:00

Organic tomatoes on the vine

Lupe and Luisa Invite Us For Comida

2010-01-26T00:34:00.000-05:00

Una Comida Muy Rica

2010-01-26T00:31:00.002-05:00

Luisa and Lupe prepared a delicious lunch, starting with rice,
tortillas, chile con huevos and nopales salad.

Esmeralda

2010-01-26T00:29:00.001-05:00

Lupe's daughter, Esmeralda, joins us for comida.

Chiles Rellenos

2010-01-26T00:22:00.006-05:00

The final course of a 3-course afternoon comida --
Chiles Rellenos Poblanos --prepared by Luisa and Lupe

A Nuestros Amigos -- Gracias Por Todo!

2010-01-25T23:46:00.004-05:00

Left to right: Valentin, Augustin, Prof Kulik, Cynthia, John, Lupe & Luisa

A Tea To Benefit Casa de los Angeles

2010-01-21T10:34:00.005-05:00

Mexican Mask Gallery at Casa de la Cuesta, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Yesterday afternoon I attended a tea to benefit the daycare center, Casa de los Angeles, hosted by Heidi and Bill LaVasseur at their bed & breakfast, Casa de la Cuesta. It was a wonderful opportunity to tour the extraordinary mask museum, The Other Face of Mexico, curated by owner Bill LaVasseur (see photo above).

While enjoying different varieties of tea and goodies, we were entertained by local personality, Michael Sudheer, who performed cabaret style music and classical guitarist, Bryan Townsend.
But most important, the well-attended afternoon event raised much needed funds to keep providing free daycare to over 100 children of indigent Mexican women, two nutritious meals a day for moms and siblings who are there with the children, and a variety of other support services.

Non-Profit Daycare Helps Families in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

2010-01-15T11:53:00.069-05:00

In traditional communities, including Mexico, members of the extended family care for children while parents work. However, as poverty worsens, it is often the case that all family members must work just to meet basic survival needs. Unfortunately, sometimes the oldest child must stay home and care for younger siblings, making it impossible for her/him to attend school. All too often there is no one to care for children and they are left home alone while family members work. Without education, the next generation will stay mired in poverty.

Around ten years ago, Donna Quathamer started a free daycare center, Casa de los Angeles, to help poor families (mostly mothers) who work in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Last week I had the pleasure of meeting Donna through my friend Lee, also one of the center's board members, and I was given a tour of the center's two facilities. Casa de los Angeles currently serves 92 poor families and requires that each parent volunteer one hour for each day their children attend the program. In addition, there is a constant flow of volunteers from all over the world who spend anywhere from one week to one year working at the center. This reflects not only the dedication and hard work of everyone involved at the center, but also the inspiration of Donna Quathamer. Donna really is the epitome of transformational leadership.

According to their website:

"Casa de los Angeles is a community of caring people who gather to nurture children, serving the needs of the less fortunate, treating each person with dignity and respect as they work to make a better life for themselves and the community as a whole.

Established in the heart of San Miguel de Allende, it is a safe haven for the children of the streets and those whose mothers come from the outskirts of town to work or to sell their wares at the local mercado. Casa de los Angeles was founded on September 18, 2000. It has grown over the years to now serve more than 100 children from 83 families at two centers.

In addition to daycare, the centers provide a place for mothers to find the support and the help they need to make a good life for themselves and their children. Casa de los Angeles is able to provide medical care for the families, a food bank, summer camp, and scholarships" (Casa de los Angeles).

To learn more about the mission and vision of Casa de los Angeles, visit their website at: www.casadelosangeles.org.

Here is a short video from their website:

Mexico: Cultural Dimensions

2010-01-08T15:46:00.018-05:00

Geert Hofstede has depicted the rankings of four cultural dimensions for Mexico in the above graph (geert-hofstede.com). Note that Mexico ranks low (21) on the dimension "individualism" (IDV), meaning that the culture is more group-oriented. As Hofstede explains,

"this is manifest in a close long-term commitment to the member 'group', be that a family, extended family, or extended relationships. Loyalty in a collectivist culture is paramount, and over-rides most other societal rules and regulations. The society fosters strong relationships where everyone takes responsibility for fellow members of their group" (geert-hofstede.com).

Mexico has the second highest ranking (69) of "masculinity" (MAS) in Latin America. This means that "the male dominates a significant portion of the society and power structure. This situation generates a female population that becomes more assertive and competitive, although not at the level of the male population"(geert-hofstede.com).

The "power distance" (PDI) ranking is quite high (81), even higher than in other Latin American countries. "This is indicative of a high level of inequality of power and wealth within the society. This condition is not necessarily subverted upon the population, but rather accepted by the culture as a whole" (geert-hofstede.com).

In general, Mexico is a risk-adverse country, as revealed in its high ranking (82) for Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI), which indicates "the society’s low level of tolerance for uncertainty. In an effort to minimize or reduce this level of uncertainty, strict rules, laws, policies, and regulations are adopted and implemented. The ultimate goal of this population is to control everything in order to eliminate or avoid the unexpected. As a result of this high Uncertainty Avoidance characteristic, the society does not readily accept change and is very risk adverse (geert-hofstede.com).

To read more about these cultural dimensions, see the previous post on Culture and Communication.

Culture & Communication

2010-01-03T15:35:00.015-05:00

It is Week One of the winter term and my students are already selecting a country to study in-depth. Just a few selections include: Dominican Republic, Belize, Venezuela, and Jamaica. As they prepare their "virtual field study" projects, one area of research is how culture impacts communication.

One source of cross-cultural research in communication is from researcher, Geert Hofstede. Hofstede identified five (5) cultural dimensions that influence communication in different countries:

Power distance "the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions (like the family) accept and expect that power is distributed unequally" (Geert-Hofstede.com).

Individualism/collectivism "...the degree to which individuals are integrated into groups. On the individualist side we find societies in which the ties between individuals are loose: everyone is expected to look after him/herself and his/her immediate family. On the collectivist side, we find societies in which people from birth onwards are integrated into strong, cohesive in-groups, often extended families (with uncles, aunts and grandparents) which continue protecting them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty (Geert-Hofstede.com).

Masculinity/femininity "... (a) women's values differ less among societies than men's values; (b) men's values from one country to another contain a dimension from very assertive and competitive and maximally different from women's values on the one side, to modest and caring and similar to women's values on the other. The assertive pole has been called 'masculine' and the modest, caring pole 'feminine'. The women in feminine countries have the same modest, caring values as the men; in the masculine countries they are somewhat assertive and competitive, but not as much as the men, so that these countries show a gap between men's values and women's values" (Geert-Hofstede.com).

Uncertainty avoidance - "deals with a society's tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity; it ultimately refers to man's search for Truth. It indicates to what extent a culture programs its members to feel either uncomfortable or comfortable in unstructured situations" (Geert-Hofstede.com).

Long-term orientation. "versus short-term orientation: this fifth dimension was found in a study among students in 23 countries around the world, using a questionnaire designed by Chinese scholars It can be said to deal with Virtue regardless of Truth. Values associated with Long Term Orientation are thrift and perseverance; values associated with Short Term Orientation are respect for tradition, fulfilling social obligations, and protecting one's 'face'. Both the positively and the negatively rated values of this dimension are found in the teachings of Confucius, the most influential Chinese philosopher who lived around 500 B.C.; however, the dimension also applies to countries without a Confucian heritage" (Geert-Hofstede.com).

To explore how various countries differ with respect to these dimensions, visit Hofstede's website at www.geert-hofstede.com.

Global Citizenship

2009-12-28T12:33:00.050-05:00

Welcome to the winter term!

It is central to our institution's mission, values and goals to encourage students, faculty and associates to be responsible and constructive members of the global community. One of the first steps in becoming global citizens is learning the various ways in which we are interconnected and interdependent. Part of this learning process is examining the intersection of culture, economics, politics, technology, geography, history and the environment.

This term I will be teaching SOC 415 Global Social Change online. The students and I will explore the nature, extent, causes and potential solutions to selected social problems at the international level, including poverty, consumerism, population problems, human rights, violence and terrorism and threats to the environment.

Virtual Field Study

For this course, students will join me in a "virtual field study" project. Each student will create a multimedia presentation about one developing country (its unique history, geography, culture, language, etc.), one global social problem in that country and how it intersects with other problems, and how that problem is being solved (through a non-profit organization or social enterprise). At the end of the term, each student will guide classmates and professor on a "virtual field study" of their chosen country.

I wish everyone a very Happy New Year! Enjoy the following video of Archbishop Desmond Tutu speaking about global citizenship.

Find more videos like this on ProjectExplorer.org's Good Global Citizen

Exploring Identities

2009-12-12T16:23:00.036-05:00

"All paths lead to the same goal. To convey to others what we are." --Pablo Neruda

This is our last week of the fall quarter and my students in SOC 320 Online, Gender, Race & Class, have been presenting their final Identity Power Point Projects on the Week 11 discussion board. This is the culmination of our exploration of our cultural, religious, gender, class and other group identities. Students asked themselves "Who am I? What do I value? How did I learn my values, beliefs, etc.? What are the components that make up my identity, including the varied roles I play.

Berkeley College students are highly diverse and this multicultural mosaic is reflected in the student projects. Here are some observations:

* One student is from Sweden and identifies with two cultures -- Italian culture from his father and Swedish culture from his mother and from growing up in Swedish society.

* A student who came to the U.S. from Haiti in 1997 shared aspects of her Haitian identity including how to say some common English words and phrases in Creole.

* Another of my online students came to this country from St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. A mother of two daughters and living in Georgia, she shared her childrens' experiences with prejudice.

* A young man in our class explained that his ancestors were from a region known as Circassia before the Russian conquest of Caucasus. He educated all of us about the history of Circassia and included a map in his power point. He also shared photos and descriptions of traditional Circassian foods and values from this culture with which his family identifies.

Empirical studies have demonstrated the many benefits of a diverse student population. I agree with one researcher in diversity education who has written "instructors need to give a voice to every student, to point out differences, similarities, universal and not-so-universal ideas, all of which enrich everyone's store of knowledge" (Buckelew 1991).

Works cited: Buckelew, Mary (1991) "Group Discussion Strategies for a Diverse Student Population" Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Conference on College Composition and Communication (42nd, Boston, MA, March 21-23, 1991)

Identity Map Image from Brainstorm Communication (www.brainstorm-services.com)

Does A College Education Increase Life Expectancy?

2009-12-03T15:03:00.015-05:00

A college education can help increase one's income, but can it also increase one's life span?

While life expectancy in the U.S. has increased over the past several decades, not all demographic groups have benefited. According to a 2008 study conducted by Harvard Medical School and Harvard University, individuals with more than 12 years of education tend to live longer than those with only a high school education or less (Science Daily).

"comparing the 1980s to the 1990s, better educated individuals experienced nearly a year and a half of increased life expectancy, while the less educated experienced only half a year. For 1990-2000, life expectancy rose an additional 1.6 years for better educated, while remaining fixed for the less educated.

In addition, when the data was broken down by gender, the researchers found that women fared worse than men. Less educated women, regardless of race, experienced a slight decline in life expectancy at age 25.

Overall in the groups studied, as of 2000, better educated at age 25 could expect to live to age 82; for less educated, 75" (Science Daily).

Another study examined specific diseases linked to the disparity between life expectancy among both racial and educational groups. According to researchers at University of California-Los Angeles, "the top six contributors of mortality differences between education levels are all smoking-related diseases" (Science Blog).

"Deaths from diseases strongly linked to smoking -- lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder -- accounted for one-fifth of the life-expectancy gap between the groups with different levels of education. That fits with other research that shows people with less education are less likely to quit smoking" (White Coat Notes).

The UCLA study also shows that four diseases -- hypertension, HIV, homicide and diabetes -- are the greatest contributors to the life-expectancy gap between blacks and whites in the U.S.

Science Blog (http://scienceblog.com/cms/causes_of_life-expectancy_gap_between_races_education_levels_idd
Science Daily 12 March 2008 (http://www.sciencedaily.com)
White Coat Notes 11 March 2008 (http://www.boston.com/news/health/blog)

Where Do You Come From?

2009-11-29T18:38:00.021-05:00

A few years ago, I found the perfect birthday gift for my husband -- a DNA test kit from the National Geographic Genographic Project. Following simple instructions, he did a simple cheek swab (just like the T.V. show, CSI) to provide a DNA sample, put the swabs into the enclosed transport tubes, and mailed the tubes to the lab in the supplied envelope. Several weeks later, he received a report based on the analysis of his DNA and a map showing the migration of his ancestors -- from Africa through the Middle East and finally to Eastern Europe, the most recent location and birthplace of his grandparents.

According to the Genographic Project , the results "reveal your deep ancestry along a single line of direct descent (paternal or maternal) and show the migration paths they followed thousands of years ago. Your results will also place you on a particular branch of the human family tree. Some anthropological stories are more detailed than others, depending upon the lineage you belong to. For example, if you are of African descent, your results will show the initial movements of your ancestors on the African continent, but will not reflect most of the migrations that have occurred within the past 10,000 years. Your individual results may confirm your expectations of what you believe your deep ancestry to be, or you may be surprised to learn a new story about your genetic background. This is not a genealogy study. You will not learn about your great-grandparents or other recent relatives, and your DNA trail will not necessarily lead to your present-day location. Rather, your results will reveal the anthropological story of your direct maternal or paternal ancestors—where they lived and how they migrated around the world many thousands of years ago.

In this video, Dr. Spencer Wells of the Genographic Project explains the project in more detail. He takes you to Grand Central Station in New York City to meet with four strangers with different backgrounds who discover they are more similar and more connected than you might think.

For more information or to participate in the project, go to: https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/genographic/lan/en/index.html

More On Social Connections & Our Lives

2009-11-23T18:50:00.077-05:00

In a recent post, I summarized the Pew Research Center's findings about the larger, more diverse social networks of people who use social networking sites, such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.

As my students and I continue to discuss social groups and how they impact our lives, more scientific findings have emerged that confirm the powerful effect of "human connections" on the individual.

In their book Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives, scientists, Nicholas Christakis and James Fowler, present "compelling evidence for our profound influence on one another's tastes, health, wealth, happiness, beliefs, even weight, as they explain how social networks form and how they operate" (Connected: The Book).

Students of introductory sociology might be reminded of Emile Durkheim (1858-1917). See photo upper left. Durkheim was concerned with how societies function, more specifically, social solidarity, or what binds individuals together. A highly cohesive group can be described as one that feels united by shared beliefs, values and/or other social connections (Henslin, 2002:90).

One might wonder what Durkheim would say about these findings. Here is a video where scientists, Christakis and Fowler, talk about their book, Connections:

To read or hear an excerpt from the book and explore some interesting interactives, go to www.connectedthebook.com

Works Cited:
Connected: The Book (http://www.connectedthebook.com)
Henslin, James N. (2002) Essentials of Sociology: A Down-To-Earth Approach
Allyn & Bacon.

Unnatural Causes: Arriving Healthy

2009-11-22T01:27:00.013-05:00

During the past week, students in my online course, SOC 320 Gender, Race & Class, discussed the impact of inequality on physical and psychological health. To supplement the readings in the text, we viewed video clips from an excellent PBS documentary, Unnatural Causes.

One segment called "Becoming American", pointed out that "New immigrants arriving in the United States tend to be healthier than the average American, but as they remain in the country, their health declines." (Unnatural Causes).

Another interesting finding is the "Latino Paradox", "the fact that new Latino immigrants, despite having on average lower incomes and highly stressful lives, suffer lower rates of chronic and mental illness than the average native-born American." (Unnatural Causes) NOTE: See my posting on Nov. 23rd on the book Connections. Could it be that the "social connectedness" of Latino immigrant families gives them some "immunity" from mental illness?

According to Alameda County, California Public Health Director, Tony Iton, MD, "Immigrants bring to this country aspects of culture, of tradition, of tight family social networks and community social networks that essentially form a shield around them and allow them to withstand the deleterious, negative impacts of American culture" (Unnatural Causes).

To view the entire episode "Becoming American" (29 minutes), click HERE.

Social Networkers Have Larger, More Diverse Personal Networks

2009-11-11T12:06:00.047-05:00

A new study, the Pew Networks and Community Survey, conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, shows that the use of internet technology and mobile phones does not necessarily predict social isolation. In fact, people who use social networking websites, such as Facebook, tend to have larger and more diverse social networks.

Can Social Networking Make Us More Tolerant?

According to the study's author, Keith N. Hampton, Ph.D., "Those with more diverse personal networks have access to more and better information, they tend to be more trusting and more tolerant, and they tend to be physically and mentally healthier." (See Dr. Hampton's blog at http://www.mysocialnetwork.net/)

Below is a list of the study's findings, which are outlined in the executive summary of the report:

"Americans are not as isolated as has been previously reported. We find that the extent of social isolation has hardly changed since 1985, contrary to concerns that the prevalence of severe isolation has tripled since then.

.....ownership of a mobile phone and participation in a variety of internet activities are associated with larger and more diverse core discussion networks. (Discussion networks are a key measure of people’s most important social ties.)

Social media activities are associated with several beneficial social activities, including having discussion networks that are more likely to contain people from different backgrounds. For instance, frequent internet users, and those who maintain a blog are much more likely to confide in someone who is of another race. Those who share photos online are more likely to report that they discuss important matters with someone who is a member of another political party.

When we examine people’s full personal network – their strong ties and weak ties – internet use in general and use of social networking services such as Facebook in particular are associated with having a more diverse social network. Again, this flies against the notion that technology pulls people away from social engagement.

..internet users are as likely as anyone else to visit with their neighbors in person. Cell phone users, those who use the internet frequently at work, and bloggers are more likely to belong to a local voluntary association, such as a youth group or a charitable organization. However, we find some evidence that use of social networking services (e.g., Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn) substitutes for some neighborhood involvement.

Internet use does not pull people away from public places. Rather, it is associated with engagement in places such as parks, cafes, and restaurants, the kinds of locales where research shows that people are likely to encounter a wider array of people and diverse points of view.

People’s mobile phone use outpaces their use of landline phones as a primary method of staying in touch with their closest family and friends, but face-to-face contact still trumps all other methods.

Challenging the assumption that internet use encourages social contact across vast distances, we find that many internet technologies are used as much for local contact as they are for distant communication. (Pew Internet Personal Networks and Community Survey)

Source: Social Isolation and New Technology Keith Hampton, Lauren Sessions, Eun Ja Her, Lee Raine 4 November 2009 (http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2009/18--Social-Isolation-and-New-Technology.aspx)

Diversity Consciousness: Do You Have It?

2009-11-05T15:04:00.054-05:00

You probably know your IQ. And, you may be familiar with EQ (emotional intelligence), but have you heard of CQ "cultural intelligence"? According to David Livermore, author of Leading with Cultural Intelligence: The New Secret to Success (AMACOM; September 2009):

"Cultural intelligence is defined as the capability to function effectively across national, ethnic, and organizational cultures. And research demonstrates a leader’s CQ may easily be the single greatest difference between thriving in the 21st century world and becoming obsolete.” (www.davidlivermore.com)

Dr. Livermore explains Cultural Intelligence in the following video, located at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMi7yhHjASQ

Would you like to know your CQ?

Your CQ can be tested using Dr. Livermore's first academically validated assessment of cultural intelligence, an instrument which has been used in more than 30 countries. Just go to the following link: http://cq-portal.com/

Another term for CQ is diversity consciousness. Sociologist, Richard D. Bucher, explains:

"Diversity consciousness is characterized by understanding, openness, and sensitivity toward people who are "different." (Bucher & Bucher). Bucher identifies nine (9) megaskills that we need to develop in order to achieve "diversity consciousness":

1) Understanding my cultural identity - looking inward and understanding our own thoughts, biases, behaviors and cultural identity.

2) Checking cultural lenses - recognizing the ways in which cultural backgrounds differ and how they influence thinking, behavior and assumptions.

3) Global consciousness - moving across boundaries and seeing the world from multiple perspectives.

4) Shifting perspectives - putting ourselves in someone else's shoes and someone else's culture.

5) Intercultural communication - exchanging ideas and feelings and creating meanings with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.

6) Managing cross-cultural conflict – the ability to deal with conflict among people from differing cultural backgrounds in an effective and constructive manner.

7) Multicultural teaming – working with others from diverse cultural backgrounds to accomplish certain tasks

8) Dealing with bias – recognizing bias in ourselves and others and dealing with it effectively

9) Understanding the dynamics of power – grasping how power and culture interrelate and the effect of power on how we see the world and relate to others.

Source: Building Cultural Intelligence: Nine Megaskills (CQ) by Richard D. Bucher and Patricia L. Bucher

Try to assess your diversity consciousness with the following sample test,

click here: Where Am I Now?

SOURCE: www.BuildingCQ.com/sampleassessment.htm

Gender & The Media

2009-11-01T14:35:00.061-05:00

Last week, students in my online course, Gender, Race & Class, discussed gender stereotypes and how the media construct the "ideal" man and woman. While we may be born "male" or "female", we learn to be a "man" or a "woman". Social institutions such as the family, the school and religion, shape our gender identity, roles and behavior. However, the mass media also play a significant role in constructing gender.

The Social Construction of Femininity and Masculinity

The Media Education Foundation examines the relationship between pop-cultural imagery and the social construction of feminine and masculine identities in the U.S. (Media Education Foundation). Here is an interesting video clip about this topic.

Many studies have shown the powerful effect of the media on the body image and gender identity of girls and boys. The National Insitute on Media & The Family has summarized some of this research:

"The popular media (television, movies, magazines, etc.) have, since World War II, increasingly held up a thinner and thinner body (and now ever more physically fit) image as the ideal for women. The ideal man is also presented as trim, but muscular.

Research studies have found that the schematic association of attractiveness and thinness with goodness was present in over 100 female characters appearing in 23 Walt Disney animated films produced over a 60-year period.
Studies show that thin female characters in television situation comedies were more likely than heavier female characters to be praised by male characters, and less likely to be insulted by male characters in ways deliberately tied to evocation of “canned” and supportive audience laughter.
One study found that the majority of nearly 550 working class adolescent girls were dissatisfied with their weight and shape. Almost 70% of the sample stated that pictures in magazines influence their conception of the “perfect” body shape, and over 45% indicated that those images motivated them to lose weight. Further, adolescent girls who were more frequent readers of women’s magazines were more likely to report being influenced to think about the perfect body, to be dissatisfied with their own body, to want to lose weight, and to diet.
Teen-age girls who viewed commercials depicting women who modeled the unrealistically thin-ideal type of beauty caused adolescent girls to feel less confident, more angry and more dissatisfied with their weight and appearance.
In a study on fifth graders, 10 year old girls and boys told researchers they were dissatisfied with their own bodies after watching a music video by Britney Spears or a clip from the TV show "Friends".

The following video clip from the documentary, Slim Hopes, looks at how female bodies are depicted in advertising and the impact on women's health.

Click HERE to view the sources of the above studies.

OUCH! Why We Love Shoes That Hurt Us

2009-10-29T14:00:00.044-04:00

In "Why We Love Shoes That Hurt Us", fashion historians, professors of economics and gender studies and podiatrists debate why women wear high heels and other extreme shoes.

"Are high heels all about sexual advantage, since they elongate and exaggerate the female form?", they ask. "Or is there another explanation? What liberates women and what shackles them, when it comes to shoes?" (Room for Debate - Blog, The New York Times)

According to Nancy Rexford, author of Women's Shoes In America: 1795-1930, it's all about expressing power and control, "control over one’s own body, and the power to use one’s body to draw the gaze of others."

Most of us are familiar with the saying "You can't be too rich or too thin." And, social scientists agree that language reflects a society's values. Rexford echoes this idea when she argues that "thin is a mark of status, and high heels emphasize the advantage by lengthening the leg. Add platform soles, and you rise superior to a wasteland of waddling sweatshirts and dumpy athletic shoes."

Robert H. Frank, professor of economics at Cornell University and author of “The Economic Naturalist’s Field Guide: Common Sense Principles for Troubled Times" adds that you also cannot be "too tall". He explains "Height isn’t always advantageous, of course, but it usually helps. Taller people earn more, for example, and command greater attention in social settings. And hence the attraction of high heels."

In the context of the fashion business, he adds "heels have grown taller as fashion markets have become more competitive. On Paris runways this week, models had to wear five-inch heels atop two-inch platform soles to get an edge."

Marlene Reid, podiatrist and spokesperson for the American Podiatric Medicine Association, offers a medical perspective. "When it comes to shoes, women should not have to choose between fashion and foot health. However, most women do need to make healthier shoe choices. According to a recent survey from the American Podiatric Medical Association, far more women (87%) than men (68%) have suffered foot pain due to footwear. Most foot conditions stem from the type of foot we inherit, yet the footwear we select can negatively contribute to the condition’s development. For example, flat feet are the main cause of bunions, but footwear, such as pointed shoes, can contribute to their progression and pain."

One important theoretical perspective that was not discussed in this debate is a biosocial explanation.

Dr. Helen Fisher, an anthropology professor at Rutgers University in New Jersey, is in the camp of those who think that sky-high heels are just too sexy for most workplaces. “High heels thrust out the buttocks and arch the back into a natural mammalian courting — actually, copulatory — pose called ‘lordosis,’ ” Fisher said. “Rats do it, sheep do it ... lions do it, dogs do it. ... It is a naturally sexy posture that men immediately see as sexual readiness. [Heels] are a ‘come hither’ signal. ... “When women wear high heels at work, they send sexual signals that should be avoided if they want to be taken seriously.” (Do high heels empower or oppress women?)

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Do high heels empower or oppress women? 23 September 2009 TODAYShow.com
Why we love shoes that hurt us. 8 October 2009 Room for Debate - The New York Times www.roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes

The Women's Conference

2009-10-27T11:51:00.008-04:00

There is a live webcast today, Tuesday, October 27th from 8 am until 7 pm PDT, of the Women's Conference. Click here to view the webcast and see the website.

What is The Women’s Conference?

The Women’s Conference is the largest and most dynamic gathering of women in the nation. The annual Conference unites more than 80 internationally-acclaimed leaders, visionaries and authors with 14,000 women in one arena, plus thousands more online, to share enriching stories of transformation and success, self-empowerment and life lessons (The Women's Conference).

One section of the website is the XX Effect: Generation to Generation, WHAT DO WOMEN WANT? Women from diverse backgrounds and generations answer this question. You can actually join this conversation and share your opinion about what women want. Here is the link to the webpage.

According to WE Education: My

THE FACTS: A young woman who graduates from college will earn about 76% more over her lifetime than a woman with only a high school diploma. This education provides her with a head start in her effort to become financially independent today—and in the future.

This week, my online students will be discussing these and other issues related to gender. More later.....

Do Your Choices Reveal Your Class?

2009-10-23T21:35:00.009-04:00

Balsamic vinegar, tofu, white bread or 9-nine grain bread, tartufo bianco vinegar? Does your consumption reveal your social class? What do you surround yourself with? Satirist, Joe Queenan, talks about baby-boomer consumption patterns.

Marketing and the social sciences are intertwined. According to the PBS "People Like Us" website "Marketers know that birds of a feather flock together."

Yes, you are where you live!

Go to this website: PRIZM
"Type in your zip code and get a printout of the kind of people who live there, as well as the kinds of cars they drive, the food they eat, and the magazines they read. Maybe you're more like your neighbors than you think!" (People Like Us)

Thinking About Social Class

2009-10-19T18:16:00.035-04:00

Last week we explored human diversity and the social construction of race. This week my online students are discussing social class, addressing the following questions:

What is the meaning of class?

Is it about:

social or economic position?
income?
education?
prestige?
power and control?
one's culture?
taste and lifestyle, regardless of income?
one's ethnicity, religion or race?
one's job?
one's self-image or attitude about the world?

The PBS documentary People Like Us: Social Class in America reveals the many ways Americans think about and define social class. The following is an introduction to the film.

How do you define social class? With which class do you most identify?

Human Diversity: Skin Color Adaptation

2009-10-17T00:16:00.042-04:00

One of my students correctly pointed out that many physical traits, for example, skin color, represent human adaptations to different environments. A biological adaptation is a trait that has evolved over time because it increases the likelihood that a person will survive long enough to reproduce, thus allowing the survival of a population. A cline is a gradual change in a trait over a geographic area. The above map shows a cline for skin color.

Our skin must:

1. Absorb enough ultraviolet radiation from the sun to manufacture Vitamin D, which our bodies need to keep our bones strong and healthy.

2. Protect us from the damages of too much ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Too much UV radiation destroys folate, a B vitamin. Folate deficiency is linked to neural tube birth defects during pregnancy.

Melanin is the pigment in our skin that determines how much UV radiation will be absorbed by our bodies. Melanin also gives skin its color. The darker the skin, the more melanin it contains. Note the regions where skin tone is the darkest. These areas are closer to the equator where ultraviolet radiation from the sun is most intense. Melanin acts as a filter to protect the body from absorbing excessive amounts of UV radiation. If your skin tone is darker, your ancestors most likely lived closer to the equator. In regions with low UV radiation, such as Scandinavian countries, the skin contains low levels of melanin, making skin lighter. Light skin allows the absorption of enough UV radiation to make Vitamin D.

If a person with dark skin moves to Sweden, he/she should take Vitamin D supplements to prevent conditions such as rickets. This is why milk is usually fortified with Vitamine D. If a light-skinned Scandinavian woman were to move to a country in central Africa, she would likely need to take higher doses of the B vitamin, folic acid, particularly during pregnancy.

Hence, visible traits are biological adaptations to environmental conditions and not determinants of a person's identity.

In the following video clip, Nina Jablonski, author of Skin: A Natural History, discusses human adaptation to different climates and levels of ultraviolet radiation.

Race & Human Variation: Student Observations

2009-10-16T23:17:00.041-04:00

During this past week, students in SOC 320 Gender, Race & Class engaged in a lively discussion forum after reading about race in our textbook, completing the sorting exercise and viewing the video clips at the PBS website. Here are just a few student comments from our discussion.

"Wow!!! First off let me say, I really enjoy topics like this. I found the video quite interesting when it explain how truly close we are, genetically alike, versus any other species in the world. It amazes me how much people react to race and the misconception that comes with race. Is race real? Race is real only to the minds of confused people. Society has created this separation amongst the many different cultures and ethnic backgrounds. Over the years, it has been embedded within us that we are a specific race, when ultimately we are just one race, the Human Race. Race is not real. Being a racist or having racism is real." Student in Soc 320 Online

Thank you for your comments! Yes, while there is genetic variation (scientists call this genotype) among human beings, classifying people into discrete biological or "racial" groups by their visible traits (scientists call this phenotype) is not possible. The sorting exercise demonstrated this. Dr. Kulik

"This section is absolutely interesting and I am soaking up every last bit of it. I've never really paid a whole lot of attention to the meaning of race and its origin. Unfortunately I only guessed 7 out of the 20 for the sorting exercise. I was very confident and actually took upwards of 20 minutes trying to get my answers correct because I was adamant I could figure out a person's race just by looking at their physical features. Race is not real and here it is 2009 with all the integration that we do as a country, well as a world, that we still attempt to put people in a "race" box just by their appearance. It was very interesting to see that we are more genetically linked then we think we are. The video was very enlightening and I will let my children watch it so they can learn this as I am. "You can't judge a book by its cover" truer words were never spoken!" Student in Soc 320 Online

Good points. Thank you! While human populations show some genetic variation, it is correct that we are far more alike than different. Dr. Kulik

"I did not do too well on the sorting exercise. I think I got seven out of the twenty right and the rest I guessed. It was not easy, I will tell you that though, I learned you cannot categorize people based on the way they look, their physical features. The reason why I did not do too well on the sorting exercise, for example, is that a person who is considered black in one society might be nonblack in another. Race should not be based on the physical features of people. I think race should be considered more a social and/or a mental construct rather than an objective biological fact." Student in Soc 320 Online

There are historical and cross-cultural data to support your argument that racial groups have been socially constructed. Historically, Brazil has classified people in as many as 30 or more categories. Also, in U.S. history, the Irish and Italians were once classified as "non-white". If race were purely biological, why would these categories shift over time and across cultures?
Good observation! Thank you! Dr. Kulik

"There is only one race, and that is the human race. I could go on for half an hour and talk about evolution, but anyone should be familiar with the works of Charles Darwin! I took a class in evolutionary psychology and we studied Darwin, I learned so much! Read about evolution! Scientists have concluded that we are one human race; Homo Sapiens! The external differences we see and wrongly perceive as races are just biologically developed traits that make us more suitable for the natural environment we initially grew up in. Natural selection has shaped our skin colors, noses etc. differently in order to better deal with the natural environment we live in." Student in Soc 320 Online

I'm glad you raised the concept of adaptation. I have posted some information on biological adaptation and skin color. Thank you! Dr. Kulik

Thanks to all students for your excellent work this week!

Is Race Real?

2009-10-10T21:58:00.016-04:00

What is race? What makes a person "Latino" or "black" or "Native American"? Skin color, hair texture, facial features? Can you be "white" and "Hispanic" at the same time? Is someone from Spain of the same "race" as a person from Brazil? Is "race" defined by physical characteristics or are customs and beliefs better determinants of the category or categories to which we belong? If our culture and sociohistorical background more accurately describe who we are, perhaps, ethnicity (ethnic background) is a more meaningful category.

Answers to these questions vary, even among scholars, however, social anthropologists tend to prefer "ethnicity" over "race". The website from the PBS series Race: The Power of Illusion has an interesting interactive feature that allows you to try sorting people into races based on their physical characteristics. If you'd like to give it a try, click HERE. Go on, try it! It is fun and instructive.

View Part I of this PBS series "The Difference Between Us" below:

Marriage of John Rolfe & Pocahontas in Early America

2009-10-10T20:53:00.015-04:00

John Rolfe and Pocahontas being married at Jamestown April 1, 1614

"When the English first arrive in America, neither the colonists nor Indians think of themselves or each other in racial terms. On the contrary, Protestant England's hated rival is Catholic Spain, while Native Americans see themselves as many nations divided by language, custom and power. When the Powhatan princess Pocahontas marries colonist John Rolfe, the union causes a scandal in the British court, not because Rolfe has married an Indian, but because Pocahontas, a princess, has married a commoner. In 17th-century England, social station is more important than physical differences." (Race: The Power of An Illusion)

Race: The Power of An Illusion, 10 October 2009 (www.pbs.org/race)

When Italian-Americans were "Enemy Aliens"

2009-10-07T21:57:00.005-04:00

After the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, at least 600,000 Italian-Americans were labeled "enemy aliens" Many were forced to carry identification cards, report job changes, follow a strict 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew and could not travel more than five miles from home. Some who did not comply with one or more of these restrictions were arrested and imprisoned

Some Americans of Italian ancestry were forced to leave their homes and jobs and relocate to other areas or internment camps.

Even the fisherman father of baseball great Joe DiMaggio who had a 56-game hitting streak in 1941, was told he could not fish San Francisco Bay or visit the city.

In Pittsburgh, California, 2,000 Italians were told to leave. Many were fishermen, and their boats were confiscated.

"Some of them lost their homes. They had no way of making a living, and so a lot of the things they had, they lost," says Pat Firpo of the Pittsburgh Historical Society (Dornin)

Government-issued propaganda posters (see above) encouraged the suppression of the Italian language and culture. Many Italian-American parents stopped teaching Italian to their children.

"A bill in Congress, Wartime Violations of Italian American Civil Liberties Act (HR 2442) which has passed the House of Representatives, would require the U.S. Department of Justice to compile a report detailing injustices suffered by Italian Americans and would request a formal acknowledgement of these injustices by the President (Italian.about.com).

Dornin, Rusty "'Secret' of WWII: Italian Americans Forced To Move" 21 September 1997 CNN (http://www.cnn.com)

"When Speaking Italian Was A Crime: Don't Speak The Enemy's Language!" Italian.About.com (http://italian.about.com)

October Is Italian American Heritage Month

2009-10-04T19:39:00.012-04:00

Roseto Valfortore, Italy - my grandfather's birthplace

Every year the president of the United States signs an executive order designating the month of October as National Italian American Heritage Month, in recognition of the achievements and contributions made to American culture by Italian-Americans.

On June 23, 2009 the New Jersey Senate approved a measure to permanently designate October as Italian-American Heritage month. The legislative response was driven by a grassroots effort by UNICO National through its Anti-Bias Committee. UNICO is the largest Italian-American service organization, founded in 1922 in Waterbury, Connecticut. Unico is the Italian word for unique, one of a kind. Over the years, UNICO became an acronym that stood for Unity, Neighborliness, Integrity, Charity, and Opportunity (UNICO National). UNICO's national headquarters is right around the corner on Rt. 46 in Fairfield, NJ.

To learn more about the history of Italian-Americans, explore the exhibit Milestones of the Italian American Experience, created by the National Italian American Foundation.

Ellis Island & Italian Immigration

Between 1880 and 1920, nearly four million Italians immigrated to the United States. Between 1890 and 1910, approximately 85% were from southern Italy (Nelli 1973). Among those Italian immigrants were my great-grandfather Leonardo Romano, his wife Maria Romano and their two sons, Pasquale (age 3) and Matteo Luciano Romano (11 months), my grandfather. The passenger record and ship manifest (pasted below) show that my family arrived at Ellis Island, NYC on April 29, 1901 on a ship called Patria that originated from Naples, Italy. Their last place of residence was Roseto (Foggia), Italy. See the photo above.

Passenger Record

First Name: Leonardo
Last Name: Romano
Ethnicity: Italian
Last Place of residence: Roseto
Date of Arrival: April 29, 1901
Age at arrival: 31 y Gender: M Marital Status: M
Ship of travel: Patria (1882)
Port of departure: Naples
Manifest line number: 0027

0027.	Romano, Leonardo	M	31y	M	Italian	Roseto
0028.	Romano, Maria	F	22y	M	Italian	Roseto
0029.	Romano, Pasquale	M	3y	S	Italian	Roseto
0030.	Romano, Mattea	M	11m	S	Italian	Roseto

If your immigrant ancestors (Italian or otherwise) arrived at Ellis Island, you can search the records of Ellis Island for free at this link.

Humbert S. Nelli, “Italians,” in The Harvard Encyclopedia of American Ethnic Groups, Stephen Thernstrom, ed. (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1973), 545.

Reverse Culture Shock!

2009-09-30T19:44:00.145-04:00

I must confess. Since returning from Mexico this past weekend, I have been experiencing a moderate case of reverse culture shock, or as my son Maxwell calls it, "counter-culture shock".

Culture shock is the psychological disorientation one experiences when living or working in another culture. Reverse culture shock happens when you come home.

"Reverse culture shock results from being re-exposed to a familiar environment after being away from it for a period of time. For some, the experience is more intense than initial culture shock. Frequently, many experience feelings of frustration at re-adapting to the home environment (Peace Corps Worldwide)."

Max had a particularly stubborn case of reverse culture shock when he returned from a summer study program in Spain several years ago. He was irritable, moody and quite critical of American culture. He told me, "Spanish restaurants charge for bread, but give you a free bottle of wine with dinner! American restaurants should do the same!" (Not a bad idea, I thought--at least for us, but maybe not for the restaurant owner.)

I know. Wasn't I prepared for reverse culture shock? After all, I am an anthropologist. Yes, intellectually, I understand culture shock and reverse culture shock. And, I recall experiencing both when I spent a college summer study program in Ecuador. No one is immune and few are really prepared for what I call "re-entry shock".

According to the Center for Global Education, the stages of reverse culture shock are:

1. Disengagement - This happens before you even leave the foreign country, maybe a week or two before departure. You begin to realize that you must separate and say good-bye to the friends you've made abroad and to the place you briefly called home. It is not uncommon for people to feel intense feelings of sadness. This happened to me a week or two before I left Mexico. As my friend and I were watching a beautiful sunset from a rooftop terrace, my eyes suddenly and quite unexpectedly filled with tears. He understood what was happening to me, but the waiter was confused. Another close friend told me she sobbed for an hour and a half, the entire time it takes to ride from San Miguel to the Leon airport. The van driver was trying to comfort her.

2. Initial Euphoria - This is a feeling of elation and excitement at the idea of going home. I experienced this as a feeling of homesickness for my sons and colleagues and great anticipation for the return to the U.S. The length of this stage varies, but it was brief for me.

3. Irritability and Hostility - This is a difficult phase of reverse culture shock and I started feeling it when people were pushing each other to get off of the plane and talking on their cell phones. How rude, how impersonal they are. Hey, slow down, I'm on Mexican time, I thought. Then, while waiting for a connecting flight in Houston, which was delayed, I became annoyed at the Homeland Security announcement about the terrorist threat level of orange. I recall thinking, Do they really have to announce it every three minutes?! Why not every hour? This stage can also include the feeling of being a stranger at home and longing to return abroad. Yes, I've had both of those symptoms!

4. Re-adjustment and Adaptation-Gradually, one readjusts to being home. Getting back to a familiar routine and spending time with supportive family, friends and colleagues helps tremendously. I haven't fully entered this phase yet, but I am working on it!

Feet in Two Cultures

2009-09-29T23:21:00.065-04:00

"Tolerance, intercultural dialogue and respect for diversity are more essential than ever in a world where peoples are becoming more and more closely interconnected."
-- Kofi Annan, Former Secretary General of the United Nations

Saying adios to Mexico, to mis amigos was bittersweet. Reuniting with my colleagues, with my Berkeley "family" today was joyous. However, adjusting to life in New Jersey will take some time. I still feel as if I have one foot in each culture. My body and mind are still on "Mexican time" and the silence here keeps me awake at night. I miss the church bells and the mariachis.

I agree with Kofi Annan that respect for diversity is essential for our survival and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico is a model for tolerance and intercultural dialogue. Of a population of around 80,000 people, at least 10,000 are Americans. It is not an easy task, but Mexicans and gringos (Americans) have had to work together side by side to preserve the city for future generations.
We can learn a great dea1 from the diverse community of San Miguel de Allende and apply it to our own communities right here in the U.S.

Dr. Martin Luther King once said that "Men hate each other because they fear each other, and they fear each other because they don't know each other, and they don't know each other because they are often separated from each other."

Atahualpa Caldera Sosa - Biologist & Watershed Expert

2009-09-17T00:09:00.044-04:00

Atahualpa Caldera Sosa .

Atahualpa Caldera Sosa, biologist and watershed management expert, delivered a fascinating lecture to the Rotary Mid-day Club of San Miguel de Allende yesterday. I must admit that Ata has really inspired me to learn more about living sustainably. His family lives around 15 minutes outside of San Miguel de Allende on a property that is a model of sustainable living -- adobe house, solar panels, dry (compost) toilets, a windmill, solar oven, and a water collection system with filtration and a 90,000-liter cistern. Through his non-profit organization, Grupo de Acción Ambiental Interdisciplinaria A.C., Ata offers tours and workshops on how to construct and maintain some of these alternative energy systems.

Ata received his degree in Biology from the Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Morelos (UAEM) and recently completed his Masters Degree in Watershed Management at the Universidad Autonoma de Queretaro (UAQ). Ata has participated in various workshops and seminars in Mexico and abroad in Germany and Canada. He was Coordinator of Projects concerning Natural Protected Areas, Ecotourism and Compost for Organizacion Accion y Desarrollo Ecologico A.C. He also worked for the Ecology Department in Cuernavaca and the Environmental Management Program at the University of Morelos. In San Miguel he was Coordinator of Environmental Education for Save the Laja.

Ata is also a co-producer of an award-winning documentary directed by Francesco Taboada Tabone called 13 Pueblos: en defensa del agua, el aire y la tierra (defending water, air and land), Winner of Premio Rigoberta Menchu at the Montreal 2008 People's Festival.

"In the future, wars will be fought over water, but in Mexico the war has already begun. This documentary contemplates Mexico’s destiny, telling the story of the struggle of its indigenous people to preserve their natural resources and their cultural identity (Cine Las Americas)."

Click to go to a blog for the film.

13 Pueblos - defending water, air and land

2009-09-17T00:07:00.006-04:00

Mexican Cinema Series

2009-09-15T23:48:00.045-04:00

As part of the Mexican Independence celebration, Teatro Santa Ana at the Biblioteca Publica presents three great films this week, two movies representative of the Golden Age and one of the New Age.

"The outburst of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema took place in 1943. The 70 movies filmed that year proved cinema had become a true industry in Mexico. Europe and the US were busy in the war, which had freed Mexican cinema from the European influence and greatly diminished the American one. Mexican directors made their greatest effort that year; (Atencion San Miguel)".

Mexican Film Series

María Candelaria (1943) - Directed by Emilio “Indio” Fernández
Starring Dolores del Río (of Hollywood fame) and Pedro Armendáriz
"The story of a young flower seller of Xochimilco, who is harassed by the villagers of her community for being the daughter of a prostitute. The film examines both racism against Indians in Mexico and social ostracism in the forties (Atencion San Miguel)."

Thu, Sep 17, 2pm
Fri, Sep 18, 7pm
Spanish with English subtitles

Nosotros los Pobres
(We, the Poor) Directed in 1947 by Ismael Rodríguez
"It depicts the sorrows and difficulties of humble carpenter Pepe el Toro (Infante) and a vision of the people in the poor neighborhoods of Mexico City during the forties. Two glories of the Mexican stage and screen, Carmen Montejo and Katy Jurado (Oscar nominee for Best Supporting Actress in 1954 for The Broken Lance) accompany Infante in this unforgettable film, seen by generations of Mexicans (Atencion San Miguel)."

Fri, Sep 18, 4pm
Spanish with English subtitles

Voces Inocentes - Directed in 2004 by Luis Mandoki
(Innocent Voices)

Jesus Ibarra of Atencion San Miguel describes this film as a "touching story of Chava, an 11-year-old boy who lives in a small village in the middle of the civil war in El Salvador. During the eighties, the government army in El Salvador recruited 12-year-old boys, taking them out of schools. Chava has only one year left of innocence, one year before he is also enrolled by the army to fight against rebels. The issue of child recruitment is a central subject in the movie. Director Mandoki said, “Nowadays, more than 300,000 kids are recruited by armies all around the world. This is one of the reasons I had for telling this story (Atencion San Miguel).”

Thu, Sep 17, 7pm
Fri, Sep 18, 1pm
Spanish with English subtitles

Father Miguel Hidalgo - Padre de la Patria

2009-09-13T00:18:00.051-04:00

The answer to last week's poll is: Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, Father of Mexican Independence.

Father Hidalgo was born into a middle class family in the city of Guanajuato in 1753. "He attended the Jesuit College of San Francisco Javier, received a bachelor's degree from the University of Mexico in 1774, and was ordained into the priesthood in 1778. He soon earned the enmity of the authorities, however, by openly challenging both church doctrine and aspects of Spanish rule by developing Mexican agriculture and industry" (Library of Congress: American Memory).

In 1803, Hidalgo became the priest of a small parish of Dolores in the state of Guanajuato. Between 1803 and 1810, he focused all of his attention on improving the socioeconomic conditions of the Indian and mestizo population by developing local craft industries. He also joined the Academia Literaria, a literary and political group that organized a plot to free the colony of Mexico from Spanish rule.

In the early hours of September 16, 1810, Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla gathered the congregation --mostly Mestizo and Indian --of his parish church in the pueblo of Dolores and urged them to take up arms and fight for Mexico's independence from Spain. That impassioned speech, known as El Grito de Dolores, or Cry of Dolores, is celebrated and "re-enacted" in Mexico every year on September 16 as Mexican Independence Day (The Library of Congress: American Memory).

In that cry for freedom, he is believed to have said:

My Children, a new dispensation comes to us today…Will you free yourselves? Will you recover the lands stolen three hundred years ago from your forefathers by the hated Spaniards? We must act at once.
El Grito de Dolores (Cry of Dolores), attributed to Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, September 16, 1810.
Father Hidalgo was captured and executed in 1811 and Mexico would not win the war for independence until 1821.

The following video made for the 2010 Bicentenario Mexico (Mexican Bicentennial) tells the story of the 11-year war for Mexican independence.

Library of Congress - American Memory (http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html)

Que Pasa Calendario - This Week in San Miguel!

2009-09-12T18:26:00.074-04:00

I have a Friday morning ritual. I walk 3 blocks to the jardin, buy a copy of the bi-lingual weekly newspaper, Atencion San Miguel and sit down at my favorite cafe on the corner of the jardin and El Correo. In my opinion, they serve the best coffee in town, Illy coffee. I order two cups of coffee -- first a cafe con leche (latte), bien caliente (very hot), then an Americano (American coffee), served with a tiny pitcher of warm milk.

Then, I peruse Que Pasa, the newspaper's calendar of arts, lectures, etc. for the coming week and circle the lectures and events that I might like to attend. Since I'm on a budget, I look for free events first. There are several free arts and cultural events and social groups each week and some that cost 60 pesos ($4.60) or less, for example play readings for only 20 pesos, less than $2.

This week's Que Pasa lists all of the events for the Fiestas Patrias, the celebration of Mexican Independence!

On Sunday there is a race to commemorate the Conspiracy for Independence.

Monday, the Conspirators Horse Ride through the streets to the jardin.

Tuesday is a really big day! "El Grito" (the cry for independence) night in the jardin with the Ballet Folklorico at 8 pm.

10:45 pm: The carrying of the Mexican flag to Ignacio Allende's house.

10:55 pm, the arrival of the athletes with a symbolic Liberty Fire at the Plaza Principal

11 pm the mayor leads a ceremony of El Grito! This year the newly elected mayor, Lucy Nunez, the first woman presidenta municipal (mayor) may be the first to shout "El Grito" from the balcony of the Museo Casa de Allende followed by a spectacular display of fireworks.The grito usually acknowledges the heroes of the independence by shouting their names -- Viva Hidalgo! Viva Allende! Viva Aldama! etc. Then, shouting the name of the town, for example, Viva San Miguel de Allende! followed by Viva Mexico! Viva Mexico! Viva Mexico!

My friend wondered why everyone carries a collapsed cardboard box or an umbrella to El Grito. Apparently, people hold them over their heads so they don't get burned by the falling sparks of the fireworks -- now that is a lot of fireworks!

Here's a slide show from last year's celebration. You can see the beautiful Parroquia, the fireworks and all of the umbrellas!

Midnight on: Fiesta!!

Wednesday- Military Parade, Mexican Independence Horse Riding and more fireworks!

Friday - Parade and Fair

Que Pasa also lists religious and spiritual meetings for the week -- Catholic masses, of course, but also Episcopal, Baptist, Jewish - Shalom SMA, Unitarian (of which I've attended here), and even Quaker, Mormon, Baha'i and Sufi! On Friday 9/18, for example, there is a Rosh Hashana dinner at 6 pm at a local restaurant followed by a service at 7:30 pm. This diversity reflects the thousands of American retirees who call San Miguel de Allende home.

Bridge classes, rubber bridge, backgammon, writers' & readers' forum, guitar workshop, bird walks, yoga, pilates, astrology lecture, art openings & receptions, films, concerts, plays -- something for everyone -- even daily meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous, Al-Anon, other 12-step meetings and a bereavement support group.

Click here to see the Que Pasa calendar for the coming week!

Fiesta Mexicana Kicks Off La Independencia!

2009-09-12T18:07:00.004-04:00

On Monday evening, September 14th, the Biblioteca Publica (public library) will host their annual Fiesta Mexicana to start the week-long celebration of Mexican Independence!

This is how Atencion San Miguel, the local newspaper, describes the fiesta:

"Teatro Santa Ana (Santa Ana Theater) director José Luis Mendoza will MC the event with his natural predisposition for drama and his irreverent but entertaining persona. The fiesta begins with a welcome shot of mescal which will get guests in the mood to join in the fun of one of Mexico’s most loved games—Lotería (Bingo)! The cryptic calls for the bingo cards are a great way to hone your colloquial Spanish skills, and if you are quick on the draw you might earn a prize (Atencion San Miguel)."

The festivities also include the Ballet Folklórico, who will perform indigenous and Mexican dances, the musical group, Estudiantina, and the folklore harp performance of Sergio Basurto.

Traditional Mexican food and drinks include typical botanas (snacks) and national drinks. "All of this can be enjoyed on the cool stone patio of the lovely Biblioteca courtyard as the sun begins to set and the moon begins to rise (Atencion San Miguel)." Of course, you know where I will be on Monday evening!

Galeria Atotonilco - Mexican Folk Art

2009-09-11T16:31:00.039-04:00

Serape from San Luis Potosi circa 1920

I recently spent a good part of the afternoon touring Mayer Shacter's spectacular Mexican folk art gallery, Galeria Atotonilco, and home, Casa Renacimiento (Renaissance House), situated about 5 miles north of San Miguel de Allende. In 2001, Mayer and his wife, writer Susan Page, purchased an abandoned rattan furniture factory on eight acres along the Rio Laja. They engaged landscape architect Tim Wachter and celebrated architects Steven and Cathi House, "who transformed the property and buildings into a spectacular home and gallery, which have now been featured in two books and a magazine. The unusual architecture has been variously dubbed "contemporary organic" or "modern baroque." (Galeria Atotonilco) You can take a virtual tour of the gallery by clicking here.

Originally from Berkeley, California, Mayer Shacter had a flourishing career as a ceramic artist for 27 years and also dealt in fine antiques. Since moving to Mexico, he travels throughout the country to find the best artists working today, and then purchases their finest work. He often commissionins pieces, so many of the items in the gallery are unique. His vintage serapes, 19th century retablos, ex-votos, and antique trunks are impressive. And, his collections of papel mache, carved and painted wood figures, ceramics and Huichol yarn paintings are quite beautiful.

Visits to Galeria Atotonilco are by appointment only. Contact information is on their website www.folkartsanmiguel.com

Diego and I -- In Guanajuato!

2009-09-09T16:25:00.029-04:00

Greetings from the beautiful colonial city of Guanajuato, birthplace of artist, Diego Rivera!

Move over, Frida Kahlo! I just had to have my photo taken with this statue of Diego Rivera (everyone does!), which is located just around the bend from the Museo Casa Diego Rivera, the home in which Rivera was born on December 8, 1886.

I recommend visiting The Virtual Diego Rivera Web Museum, especially the gallery of his paintings. Click here for the gallery.

Another interesting section contains video clips about his travels in the United States and the controversy about the content of his murals. There is also a home movie of Diego with his wife, artist Frida Kahlo. Click here to view the video clips.

One of my favorite murals is "Sunday Afternoon Dream in Alameda Park", which is on the wall in the Museo Casa Diego Rivera. It is also the first mural presented in the section with Rivera's murals, click here

I love this colorful city! It feels so European and there are far fewer Americans, so it was a welcome change for me. Just about all shopkeepers in San Miguel de Allende speak English, but in Guanajuato, this is not the case. Better for practicing my Spanish!

In addition to the Museo Casa Diego Rivera, I have also visited two other outstanding museums --click on the link to El Museo Iconografico del Quijote (yes, Don Quijote de la Mancha!) and the Museo del Pueblo de Guanajuato (The Museum of the People of Guanajuato). I will be adding a slide show for each museum, but in the meantime here are a few street scenes from this charming city. Hasta luego.

Below is a slide show from the Museo del Pueblo (Museum of the People) with its beautiful murals depicting scenes from Mexican history and 19th century religious art.

My Casita Decorated for Mexican Independence Day!

2009-09-08T17:00:00.030-04:00

"Fiestas are our sole luxury. They are a substitute for, and perhaps have the advantage over theatre and vacations, Anglo Saxon 'weekends' and cocktail parties, bourgeois receptions and the Mediterranean café ...What is important is to go out, open up a way, get drunk on noise, people, colours. Mexico is in fiesta. And this fiesta, shot through with lightning and delirium, is the brilliant opposite of our silence and apathy, our reticence and gloom..''

Octavio Paz, The Labyrinth of Solitude

My casita is already decorated for Mexican Independence Day, which will be celebrated next week on the 15th and 16th. I live behind this joyeria, a fabulous jewelry store, Casa Katalina, and this is my second story window -- adorned with the colors of the Mexican flag and an emblem that says "Estados Unidos Mexicanos", United States of Mexico. Last week, the stores started selling decorations, Mexican flags, and red, green and white clothing.

I think the festivities have already started. This morning I woke up around 4:30 a.m. to the sound of firecrackers outside my window, a common occurrence in San Miguel. But, I'm used to all kinds of sounds. I live just a few blocks from the Parroquia and other churches with lovely bells that chime every quarter hour around the clock. I've grown to love those sounds.

Here is a youtube video of the Parroquia bells just around the corner from my casita. Enjoy!!

The Day of the Dead - El Dia de Los Muertos

2009-09-04T18:06:00.007-04:00

"Our relations with death are intimate, more intimate perhaps than those of any other people. The word death is not pronounced in New York, in Paris, in London, because it burns the lips. The Mexican, in contrast, is familiar with death; jokes about it, caresses it, sleeps with it, celebrates it; it is one of his favorite toys and his most steadfast love."
Octavio Paz - The Labyrinth of Solitude

From around October 31st until November 2nd, people throughout Mexico celebrate El Dia de Los Muertos - The Day of the Dead. Someday I would love to be in Mexico at this time of year, so I could participate in this festival. With images of skeletons and skulls in homes, cemeteries and parading through the streets, outsiders might find this festival ghoulish or morbid.

Not so! The Day of the Dead is really about both Life and Death. Once a year, families celebrate the memories of dearly departed relatives and friends by welcoming their spirits to join the living for just 24 hours --to share memories, feasting, music, dancing and all the things they loved in life. By honoring the dead, they celebrate life!

La Ofrenda: The Offering for Day of the Dead

2009-09-04T17:01:00.031-04:00

The ofrenda, or offering, is a central component of the ritual of El Dia de Los Muertos. Each family prepares an altar or a kind of tableau to honor someone who has passed away.

My maid Elvira told me that last year she prepared two ofrendas, one to honor her deceased mother and another in memory of her nephew, who at age 11, was killed in an accident.

While there is some regional variation in how ofrendas are presented, in general, they contain photographs of the loved one, their favorite foods and drinks, candles, religious statues, cempasuchiles (yellow marigolds), copal, a type of incense that is used in rituals for purification or sanctification, and papel picado, colored paper hand-cut with symbols unique to the Day of the Dead.

Yellow or orange cempasuchiles, marigolds, are called the "flowers of the dead" because they are believed to attract the souls of the deceased to join the living during the celebration. Sometimes the family will scatter marigold petals to form a path between the house and the cemetery. This flower path is believed to guide souls to the feast and then back to the cemetery.

(Incidentally, during any other time of year, it would be a cultural faux pas to bring marigolds as a gift for the hostess of a dinner party here. So, if you are doing business in Mexico or another country, research the symbolism of gifts, or you may sabotage the business deal!)

Preparation begins months before the festival. Families start early to acquire goods to place on the ofrendas, and a few weeks before early November markets start selling the traditional Day of the Dead goods. This includes sugar candies made in the shape of skulls (sugar skulls), paper mache puppets and other figures of skeletons, such as El Catrin and La Catrina (male and female skeletons) and pan de muerto ("bread of the dead"), a special type of bread traditionally baked by men, but now usually purchased at the bakery.

Another part of the ritual involves cleaning the graves or tombs in the cemetery. Many families bring food to the graves of loved ones and do their feasting and dancing there. One of my friends in San Miguel de Allende told me that some people "camp out" overnight in the cemetery where they can be with the souls of their deceased relatives. While most people do not report "seeing" spirits, they do sense the presence of the souls of their loved ones.

Finally, the ritual has a community-wide component, which reaffirms social relationships. Usually this takes the form of a parade. Here in San Miguel de Allende they even have a contest for the best La Catrina costume. You see, during this one day per year, La Catrina comes to life!
Here is a video of the Day of the Dead celebration in Oaxaca, Mexico.

La Catrina: Icon of The Day of the Dead

2009-09-01T16:53:00.066-04:00

The answer to last week's poll, "Who Is She?" is: La Catrina! Take another look. Haven't you seen her before?

La Calavera de La Catrina (The Skull of La Catrina), with her wide-brimmed, plumed hat is one of the most recognized visual representations of El Dia De Los Muertos or The Day of The Dead, one of the many festivals celebrated throughout Mexico.

La Catrina, a female dandy, was one of many calaveras created by illustrator, engraver and political cartoonist, Jose Guadalupe Posada (1852-1913). While the image of La Catrina did not become the icon of The Day of the Dead until after Posada's death, this and other calaveras appeared in many newspapers and broadsides during the late 19th century. Known as the "the 'penny press', the prensa de un centavo, became, by the middle of the nineteenth century, one of the most important vehicles for social and political satire (Carmichal and Sayer, 1991:58).

The political caricature of La Catrina was meant to lampoon the life of the upper classes during the era of political corruption and social inequality under the regime of Porfirio Diaz (1876-1880 and 1884-1911). The message is this: No matter how rich you are, you cannot escape death.

Or, in Posada's words:

"La muerte es democrática, ya que a fin de cuentas, güera, morena,
rica o pobre, toda la gente acaba siendo calavera".
J.G.Posada

A rough translation: "Death is democratic. When you come right down to it, fair or dark, rich or poor, everyone becomes a calavera (skull)."

Carmichael, Elizabeth and Sayer Chloe (1991) The Skeleton At the Feast: The Day of the Dead in Mexico. University of Texas Press: Austin, TX