Grades and your exams

June 1, 2017

Hi everyone,

As I’m sure you know, or will find out shortly, final grades were posted a short while ago. I wanted to tell you again how much I enjoyed our class and your final papers. I attached a few comments directly to your exams in Blackboard, but about midway through this process I began to jot my notes down in a Word document instead because the application in Blackboard became too cumbersome. Or it could be that my computer is too old, I’m not sure. But I’m going to go with Blackboard. In any case, if you are interested in reading my remarks, just let me know. I realize at the end of the semester some of you are ready to move on and that’s fine too.

Best of luck with whatever is next for you and thank you again for a great class.

Elizabeth

assignment 11

May 2, 2017

In her article, “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving? Anthropological Reflections on Cultural Relativism and Its Others”, Lila Abu-Lughod explores the different interpretations in which western civilizations have often misconstrued the Muslim women by. Western views have numerously portrayed Muslim women as oppressed due to their political agenda in regions such as the middle east and Afghanistan. Lila even quotes important female figures such as Laura Bush Cherie Blair to show how they’ve contributed to the misunderstanding of Muslim women by associating terrorism with their oppression. Lila also makes a very good point when she questions how the Taliban, an organization originally funded by the CIA to fight Soviet Union forces, has suddenly become a face of terrorism in the region. I think this point leads us on to her next one when she begins to talk about the real oppressive factors such as poverty, education, and malnutrition that hurt the people the most, yet are still overlooked by the west. moreover, Lila points to how the west construct and see problems within Muslim cultures that are not of significance. For example, many westerns often misconstrue the hijab and burqa as a symbol of oppression rather than a cultural tradition that women accept and allow in their lives. Even after being “liberated” many women still choose to wear the burqa as a representation of their modesty. Reflecting on my own experiences here in the US, I find this point to be very true. People in the US often see other cultures as “wrong” or “oppressive” due to the misinterpretation and lack of knowledge that they possess when it comes to other Cultures or religions. From this problem stems other problems and wrong views that people hold regarding muslim women “needing help” as Abu-Lughod describes in her article. In the end of her piece, Lila describes Laura Bush’s remarks about American troops “saving” and “liberating” afghan women as ineffective because it is just like trying to fix a “problem” that we don’t even understand. Instead, Abu-Lughod proposes that we should make the world a better place by showing coalition and alliance with people who face unjust living conditions instead of salvation.

Andrew Brock assignment 10 make up

May 6, 2017

Amelia Cabezas in her text “Between Love and Money: Sex, Tourism, and Citizenship in Cuba and the Dominican Republic defines sexual citizenship as a way to explain the motives behind one coming to a country looking for a sexual experience and the ones providing that experience. The concept of sexual citizenship was introduced in 1993 by David T. Evans. He wanted to amend social-constructionist theories of sexuality to underline the material foundation of sexualities from a neo-Marxist perspective. Nowadays, the concept, which has been developed mostly in Great Britain, is primarily used to draw attention to the political aspects of erotics and the sexual component of politics. Cabezas puts forth the idea that one going to another country for a sexual excursion is not specifically a bad thing. She puts forth that the sex worker is viewed highly negatively by society. The common view is that these people are sexual deviants always looking for sex and ways to make profit from it. Others also believe these people are obligated to offer up their bodies to whoever request them as long as money is involved and sometimes even without. Even the gender and sexual orientation if these people add to this stigma as many blacks and gays are put into the same light as always wanting sex or to make a profit from it. While this may be true for some sex workers many engage in this practice as a form of enjoyment and are very much in control of who they allow access to their bodies. Cabezas states for women in this profession in positions outside of heteronormativity  it can be very beneficial for them. Married women or those that have kids can benefit from this line of work   because having relations with someone who purchases their services can be very altruistic and some customers go out of their  way to help the families of these women with financial troubles.

Assignment 11

May 1, 2017

I think Lughod’s critique on constructions of veiled women is that even though they achieved freedom from independence of the terrorist group they don’t take off their veiling. That is because of the way that their society is portrayed along with the cultural status and religion which may be different compared to how the others (west vs east) view it. I think the constructions of the veiled for women was meant to protect women allowing them to go outside. Lughod’s mentions how the veiling allows the women to do so while hiding/fulfilling something that feels right in their society, but compared to other society they look at it differently. Also by wearing these veiling it seems that the women has more freedom than if they don’t wear it because Lughod’s article mentions how women were able to go outside when they wear the veiling, whereas before when they didn’t it was impossible to do so. Maybe this is just the norm for society as the women who wears the veiling also means being a good respectable women.

The “vocations of saving others” is a the voice and opinion of people that think the muslim are being restricted when in reality they aren’t. The media portrays this differently and only goes after stories that will make them money, but they won’t show the unimportant things. For example when France had a terror attack the news were immediately covering that, but when another place that was also attacked by the terrorist there was no media coverage on it. This is because that other place was not as powerful as France and less important to the news. I think the “vocations of saving others” is just another way for the media to try to get people to show the Middle East which has a different culture, religion, lifestyle, practice, etc… compared to the place the media is comes/belongs to. In reality we don’t really know what the women in the Middle East wants like whether or not they want to wear the veiling or what happens if they don’t have to. The habit that their society has are completely different from ours and you can’t really change someones habit so that might have something to do with it.

Assignment 02

May 9, 2017

In Londa Schiebinger’s, “Skeletons in the Closet,” she discusses the analyses of anatomy in Europe back then. White women and white men were analyzed and conclusions were drawn from this to justify their thoughts and actions in society. Due to the white female body having smaller skulls and a larger pelvis, scientists concluded that their intelligence was inferior and their role in society should be to give birth to children. Several scientists continued to observe and compare the two anatomies but what was the real motive behind it? Were they genuinely interested in the two anatomies and wanting to compare them or was it solely in order to find inferior aspects of the female anatomy, which would then lead to a reason to further oppress women.

Due to how much faith society placed in physical and scientific evidence back then, these scientific ‘discoveries’ led many to believe the comparisons. Women were further kept out of power, being believed to be inferior because of the comparisons the scientists had made. One important thing to note is that all of the scientists were male, which means a female point of view was missing regarding this situation. As a result, the foundation for a society where women were oppressed was set and there was no way to argue it since science was so important. People weren’t able to argue with what scientists claimed and so the majority of Europe followed.

Assignment 11

May 2, 2017

White Christian nuns are accepted as practicing their freedom of religion when they wear conserative clothing and head scarves, but when a Muslim women does the same, she is considered to be dangerous or to be under the control of something oppressive. According to Lila Abu-Lughod, there was an invasive questioning of all Muslim women after the September 11th attacks in 2001. Many white Americans were questioning the beliefs and intents of women of Muslim faith. As Abu-Lughod pointed out, this would be considered unacceptable if the question was posed to a Christian or Jewish woman. Referring back to the title, these White Americans believe that Muslim women are under an oppressive grip. They believe that they have no choices or freedom in their faith, and that Muslim women who wear burqas and hijabs are being controlled by men, when in reality, it is the women’s choice. White Americans have continuously blamed Muslims for the September 11th attacks, and to this day that blaming has not stopped. Women who shame Muslim women for practicing their faith and wearing hijabs and burqas do not truly understand what the religion of Islam represents; these women are not being oppressed or controlled by anyone, they are practicing their religious freedom just like Christian or Jewish women. Relating back to the title of the article, “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving?”, these white women feel as if they need to liberate Muslim women from their own religion, when in fact, they are already free to decide to practice whatever faith they wish. White Americans refuse to understand the true teachings of the religion of Islam, because of racist ideologies. They believe that their religion is superior because they are supposedly more free, when in fact women in both Christian and Islam religions have the ability to decide how they wish to express their religious freedom.

Assignment 11

May 1, 2017

Lila Abu-Lughod focuses on the veiled women of Afghanistan and argues on the United States’ negative “vocations of saving others.” This essay comes after the U.S. war in Afghanistan and criticizes how Westerners analyze Muslim women. One aspect that Lila Abu-Lughod says many criticize are the head-dresses, especially the burqa, that many Muslim women wear. Abu-Lughod argues that many of us see these garments of clothing as a sign of submission when it may in fact be a way of empowerment and uprising. Besides being a symbol of class status, head-dresses allow women to leave the house in a just manner without any harassment from men. The burqa, and other forms of head-dresses, have a deeper meaning tied to their culture. Muslim women voluntarily choose to wear these garments because it represents strong ties to their families as well as possessing respectable morals.
Lila Abu-Lughod urges us to be wary of our “vocations of saving others.” She argues that we are used to imposing our opinions and what we consider to be politically correct onto other nations. Therefore, we fail to make a connection with other cultures with a different history than ours. Instead of always fighting for a specific gender or race, when we deal with other nations, we must consider culture as a very important factor as well. Lila Abu-Lughod’s solution to this issue is to be more culturally aware. Instead of using military forces to solve problems, we should come up with ways to make the world a more just place for all. We can go about this by holding debates and conferences between all groups of people and learn from one another. To make this successful, Westerners need to be accepting of differences because other nations might have different definitions of what is just or unjust.

“Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving”

May 1, 2017

In her essay“Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving,” Lila Abu-Lughod argues that the feminist movement from Western countries trying to save Muslim women from cultural oppression , orthodox religious views and the violence of the Taliban, are imposing a Westernized view of the world in the lives of Muslim women. Feminists see themselves in a superior standpoint in which they can decide what would be a positive change in the lives of Afghan women.  But by changing their cultural way of dressing and taking away the veils from their hair will not change the life situation for many women that need social justice, the end of war, peace, economic resources, education, safe environments to raise their children, social recognition, health care, and universal human rights.

Abu-Lughod states the issues that affect Afghan women are not only those that the Taliban imposed upon them, but we should take a look to the large picture and recognize that the social issues were present before the war on terror. The violence and destruction we see on T.V. and discussed in interviews is rooted in political issues, conflicts to access territory, extraction of oil and natural resources. In order to change the lives of Afghan women and disadvantaged people in the world,  there should be a re distribution  of wealth and the work of  organizations and that want to bring rights and justice for people.

Also, Abu-Lughod informs that we must identify what are the interests of the groups and organizations involved in the search for a better world. If  feminists and  human rights advocates want to bring justice and emancipation for women and people that are suffering the aftermath of the terrorist attacts of September 11th, they should do it by discussing the history of interventions of the U.S. in Afghanistan, the relationship of the Taliban with the U.S and how neo-colonialism influences religious groups to react against foreign powers that want to dominate their lives and take their resources.

Assignment 4

May 8, 2017

In The Caliban and the Witch, Frederici explained that the degradation of women began with the change in economy, from a feudal system to a capitalism. With this shift in economy, the value of work changed as well, leaving women at the bottom in regards with their economic, social and political status. Women were seen as inferior to men in regards to labor, and as such, women were expected to work from home, doing domestic work and taking care of the family. For the women that tried to venture for work outside of the home, they were met with disadvantages such as lower wages than men, unsafe working conditions, and misogynistic treatment by men. This made women dependent on their husbands for income, creating a system where the husbands were the only providers of the household. Instead of being seen as productive members of society, they were viewed as only useful for their reproductive abilities.
The degradation of women contributed to the accumulation of wealth in the capitalist economy as society tried to control women’s reproductive systems. The capitalist system relied on workers for labor, and the women were seen as the means of creating more workers. Society considered this to be the “responsibility” of women, leaving them with few options for autonomy. The government passed several laws that considered using a contraceptive, having an abortion, or any other means of not having a child as a criminal act for women, forcing them to have a child even if they did not want to. Witch hunts also began as a means to further oppress women, intimidating women from seeking independence outside of the household in fear of their lives. Through these methods, society had created a new economic system that relied on a foundation based on women’s oppression and degradation.

Abu-lughod Assignment

May 1, 2017

In her piece “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving? Anthropological Reflections on Cultural Relativism and Its Others”, Lila Abu-Lughod poses the issue of using the state of Muslim women in the Middle East in order to justify America’s war on terror. Abu-Lughod questions the ethics of the war on terrorism, claiming that the actions of the U.S. military, which often leads to shocking and appalling results, cannot be reasonably justified by the plight of women in nations where the US military is active. In order to support her claim, Abu-Lughod looks to Anthropology rather than politics, and offers a theory on how American sentiment and misunderstanding shapes our view on how to approach our relationship with muslim majority states. She posits that American’s, particularly the American Government, views toward Islamic culture are largely parochial and narrow. Abu-Lughod says that the supposed “oppression” of muslim women is not a mandatory coercion to live a certain way but rather a willing method for women to express their own culture, an ancient and proud culture with deep roots in history.

The author compares the American Government’s facade to “save” muslim women harkens to an earlier period in history, the Colonial Era, in which international powers pillaged and oppressed many different populations around the world under the guise of helping them with “education and civilization”. Abu-Lughod offers an alternative for the U.S. Government, saying that rather than focus on trying to “save” muslim women, they should not only recognize that cultures develop with widely different histories and social dynamics, since their actions are in essence an imposition of their own culture. On top of this, The Government should focus its resources toward actual humanitarian crises on the planet, like the prevalence of starvation or the massive wealth gap between western and eastern nations, or even the accommodation of millions of displaced refugees from war-torn countries.

Assignment 11

May 2, 2017

Lila Abu-Lughod’s essay, “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving?”, she talks about the discussion on human rights and humanitarianism in the 21st century and how it is somehow based on the constructing of Muslim women. The author further criticizes the constructions of veiled women and the mission of saving others. Lila Abu-Lughod explicitly questions the intentions and discussions portrayed by the media, by asking a Muslim about their culture, their religious beliefs, and treatment of women to explain such a historical tragedy like 9/11. But they should have been looking at the role the United States played in this, and the history of repression in such areas and regimes. The media outlets would focus on religious and cultural explanations, instead of the ones that would answer their questions, the political and historical explanations. Such answers and issues indeed can lead to an artificial divide in the world, like us versus Muslims, when we should be reaching for global interconnections. The part that bugged Lila Abu-Lughod the most was the role Muslim women, and Afghan women, in particular, played in these explanations. Many have said that the “War on Terrorism” is almost like an intervention to help save the women under the Taliban regime, using the symbol of females as a justification for declaring war. But historically, such tries and efforts ended in results that were not anticipated at all, results that were the opposite of what they were going for (784). The author pays attention to the Afghan women that the “War on Terrorism” apparently saved. It was believed that these women wore their burqas because they were forced to by the Taliban, and it confused many when these women still continued to wear their veils after being saved. Media and other figures should be able to understand that the Taliban were not the ones to create the veils, the burqas, and hijabs.  For women in the Muslim and Southwest Asia regime, their covering is a sign of their modesty and respect (785). The veil does not symbolize a woman’s unfreedom, in contrast to contemporary beliefs. Lila Abu-Lughod suggests to her readers that instead of focusing on a woman’s veil, we should instead put our attention on important issues regarding feminists and others (786).

Keerim Kim completed Assignment 11

May 1, 2017

In “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving,” Lila Abu-Lughod introduces constructions that Muslim women were going through. She argues about contemporary discourses on equality and freedom. War on terrorism brought dangers of reifying cultures. By such thoughts, serious appreciations among differences in cultures were disregarded. Abu-Lughod brings the issue of Muslim women, who were also often called as “women of cover,” and discomfort and plight those women were suffering. History of colonialism brought global injustice, and created limits of “cultural relativism.” Instead of analyzing the situations by political explanations, people focused on cultural framing of regions. Colonial feminism created signs of oppression, such as veils that women were forced to wear. Abu-Lughod cites words of Laura Bush, who said that the fight against terrorism could also be a fight for dignity of women. This form of veil called burqa, was originally derived from a region in Afghanistan. It was a convention for symbolizing women’s modesty, and separation of men and women’s spheres. However, feminists describe burqa as a portable seclusion. It became a symbol of oppression among Muslim women that now it means good respectable women for the family. Therefore, Abu-Lughod argues that we should develop awareness and concerns the Muslim women are facing. There should be no superiority over cultural “others.” She relates this idea to the title of the article, “Does Muslim Women Really Need Saving.” It is problematic to put them as someone in need of saving. Such ideas were results of superiority by people from other cultures. The concept of feminism campaigns could be shown in different forms according to regions. As Abu-Lughod states, political and economic views should not affect one’s cultural difference. Accepting the possibility of difference and respectfulness to other cultures would be the starting point for reform of thoughts and be helpful for those suffering from structural violence.

Assignment 11: Constructing Human Rights

May 1, 2017

Lila Abu-Lughod’s article, “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving”, is an examination into the politics and reaction to the movement to “liberate” Muslim women in the Middle East in countries such as Afghanistan. Abu-Lughod begins by explaining the generalization that resulted from the 9/11 terrorist attacks as well as the United States’ response to the attacks. She states that the media had taken a special interest in the Muslim women of these Middle Eastern countries that had fallen to the hands of the Taliban and other terrorist groups, and that they had come to view the covering of women as a form of oppression. The media, including the network CBS, which she was interviewed several times for, equate the covering of Muslim women to be a sign of the oppression they face, something that robs them of freedom and expression. Yet the media lacks an awareness on the cultural background or history of the hijab and burqa, as well as the political and colonial situations that engulfed the Middle East and changed the political climates.

According to Abu-Lughod, the media and feminists and activists in general have used the burqa as a manifestation of the oppression of the women in this region, without understanding its cultural relevance or the many other factors that oppress women. Their desire to “save” these women demonstrates their ignorance to the complexity of the lives and systems in the Middle East, as well as the many factors that contributed to the current state of affairs, such as U.S intervention. Abu-Lughod warns that the notion of saving these women is disrespectful to the difference in cultures between women around the world, as well as a victimization of a group that is not in need of Western women to be their saviors. Rather than take up arms to “liberate” these women, activists should instead look internally at how their cultures and traditions differ from those of the women they aim to save. Not only should activists reflect, but they should investigate into the systems and events that lead to the violence and terrorism in the Middle East.

assignment 11

May 2, 2017

In the essay, “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving,” Abu-Lughod challenges the common stigmas attached to Muslim women. She says that despite being a cultural relativist society, westerns have been more gravitated to being ethnocentric. Westerners have this superiority complex according to Lughood. She furthers her explanation saying, for us to think that Muslim women need saving, it implies that they are victims of oppression and we must intervene to “save” them. The burqa worn by females is often viewed, by us, to be a symbol a oppression. Lughood says we ignorantly see the burqa and believe that the woman wearing it is being deprived of her human rights. Women that are seen wearing a burqa are misjudged and viewed as victims rather than humans for wearing a representation of their culture. We are reducing their culture by the standards of our own, and Lughood says this is injust of us. The burqa is a choice, not a symbol for oppression. Lughood claims that those from the west and middle east have clashing definitions of feminism. She emphasizes that westerns are pushing their ideas of what it means to be a feminist upon them and this also is wrongful of us. We continue to oppose our own beliefs, because we think they are the only accurate ones. We are consumed with the idea that we must save Muslim women of their oppression, before even realizing they might not want our saving. Lughood says we have to be more educated in their history to understand their culture today. In the end, the only oppressing thing really is the westerns misconception to believe that Muslim women are oppressed. The misrepresentation, in the western society, of their culture is  what is conflicting them. It is difficult for them to identify themselves if we are constantly pushing our perceptions upon them.

Assignment 11: Constructing human rights

May 1, 2017

In “Do Muslim women Really Need Saving?” Lila Abu-Lughod introduces how the construction of Muslim women is connected to the human rights and culture background in 21^st century. There is stereotype about Muslim women’s culture, dress code and behavior. The cultural explanations are the piece of critical value. Laura Bush’s radio question prove that most people who do not familiar the kinds of culture, religious and society status. But, they use judge views to critical others. I think the society give too much oppression to people whom looks or dresses different, or have different social behavior.

The politics of the veil limited all of women to have their own rights. The veiling is the natural way women to dress code in traditional. Compared to the other societies, it may feel a little differently. They should get the same respect as other women. There are many people have negative impact on Middle East countries. They are linked to the talibian, tetorrism and muslim. By the politics event and world status, the Muslism women became a sensitive word in the discussion. The “ Burqa” is a dress way limited women’s rights and status. The lack of the education and economic condition cause many women controlled by the talibian power. I think the government and society push some women into a negative environment. It is also a sign of inequality of gender.

The culture relativism is representing by the difference social value, the economic status and education skills. Based on that, people or women used to be the way they alive. They may not like the political conditions and inequality of gender and some traditional behavior. I think they need more peace and freedom than saving. People who live in a insecurity country, they have to need more confidence or a better environment to live.

Assignment 8

April 2, 2017

Thanks to the previous ways of racial domesticity, many african american women have had poignant ways of looking at white life and household realities. Working extremely closely, and sometimes living with white families while still not being part of the family was cause for an understanding that could have only come from black women of the time. Many black women were responsible for their employer’s domestic duties around the home such as cooking and cleaning, and were often considered second mothers to the white children they had such significant parts in raising. However, regardless of their hard work and importance in these households, black women were often disrespected, ignored and discriminated against, and therefore left to feel a harsh distinction between themselves and their employers. This dichotomy of physically being a firsthand witness into the daily home lives of these families, while still not being accepted and held to the same regard as white society gave black women very important and unique sociological insight on this insider/outsider way of life. It was this very up-close and personal position that made it clear to black women that blacks and whites were not separated due to intellect, intelligence, class, or anything having to do with merit. The separation was solidified as pure racism, discrimination and oppression. This not only gave african american women grounds to reject the status quo, but granted many a much stronger sense of inner strength and self-value.

This particular insight is incredibly important to the way scholars and contemporaries of modern times look back on this time period of racism because of the time period’s strong favoring of white, male ideals and interests. Both women and black people of the time were so often silenced, oppressed and denied of their voices. Therefore, this exclusive insight was crucial in the further liberation of black women.

Assignment 11

May 1, 2017

In Lila Abu- Lughod’s essay, “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving?”, she talks about how muslim women are seen as needing to be saved by the western culture and how what they see as feminism or being saved is different from what we think they need. One point she makes is how we see the burqas as something that muslim women are forced to wear by Islam and it is somehow constricting them of what they are allowed to do and wear. However, she points out that the burqas is something many muslim women choose to wear and it can separate what they consider their private or public lives. The burqa is also representative of their culture and religion, which also shows what part of society muslim women belong to and relate themselves to. She makes a further point where she says that seeing the burqa as old fashioned or oppressive instead of seeing it as a important representation of who the muslim women are and what they choose to be, is putting ourselves, the western people, above them in society when truly this sort of hierarchy shouldn’t exist. The sole act of thinking muslim women need saving is making us seem like we think we don’t need saving and that something about their society, culture, or religion is wrong. We shouldn’t be enforcing our western ideas of what is ideal on them. As for the “vocation of saving others”, she says that it shouldn’t be seen as saving them. Instead, it should be seen as bettering people around the world in general, men or women, and being aware that there are many different cultures. While trying to “save” these women we should be able to see what is truly good for women from their point of view and not solely a western point of view.

Assignment #11

May 1, 2017

From the essay, “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving,” Lila Abu-Lughod consists about the a moral of kindness, benevolence, and sympathy extended to all human beings and the human right in the 21^st century, and she focused on the stereotype that people have on Muslim women. Lila Abu-Lughod wrote about whether Muslim women need saving or not. The reason why she wrote about this essay is because she wants other people who are idiotic or have no knowledge about confusing condition that presents in the burka. Lila Abu-Lughod pointed out the problems from the facts that some ignorant Americans think the meaning of the veiling, which is the covering of the face, is that women lost their right to speak at the society. American people think Afghan women still under the strong oppression because they didn’t rip off the burqas in the country of liberation, and they believe themselves as that they need to understand and acknowledge how oppressed they are. Against this belief, Lila Abu-Lughod state that liberation in this country give rights for them to cover themselves with burka or not, but most of the Afghan women determined to wear burqas. Burqas contains various meanings such as individualistic, societal, cultural and mostly the religious one. Lila Abu-Lughod think people in United States have an stubborn ideas on the veiling and she added that there are many other pressing issues to take care with worry about themselves with Muslim women.

Since American people think they are on the superior condition than the other, it drives them a desire to save people, and it looks like condescending. People think learning about other countries cultures is troublesome and try not to learn about them, and people are trying to westernize people, which is the action of removing their own agency and ignoring their culture.

Constructing Human Rights

April 30, 2017

This conversation about Muslim women is as relevant now as it was 15 years ago, specifically because as a culture we still have no more understanding about Muslim women and the terror of their presence. Terror may seem excessive, but burqas on the beach seem to be an issue in the current French presidential elections which makes it seem like maybe it is us and not them that are we should be afraid of. Additionally, it has become common for some women to joke about the seclusion a burqa would provide, as if they would finally know what it feels like to walk down the street without being harassed.

The veiled woman has variations and although looking at it as a uniform, worker versus housewife, may seem oppressive, most women follow some sort uniform whether business casual or high fashion. To encourage or require a Muslim woman to unveil for her ‘comfort’ also known as our comfort seems equally reductive because issues of equality are more deeply rooted than clothing and remaining focused on clothes is like expecting a band aid to heal a broken bone. Abu-Lughod presents an excellent question when discussing liberating Afghan women, what do we do if liberation means something different to them, and when our need to fix things out weighs our understanding.

Our superiority driven desires to ‘save’ people is patronizing, but more than that it often seems like a short cut. If you can’t be bothered to do the work of learning about a culture and/or what your role in it is, but you can open a door to Westernize someone you are removing that person’s agency. It is only another role of expectations that the person had nothing to do with assuming, but is now left with the responsibility of maintaining. I agree in it being more valuable to shift the focus to demilitarizing and peacekeeping, but there is so much money to be made in a perpetual war state that I can’t imagine how it will change.

assignment 11

May 8, 2017

There are many controversies about the meaning of the veil, and whether is it oppressive to women or not.  Many people, depending on where they live, may think a women being covered up is empowering, whereas others may see it as the other way, women being free to wear what they want is empowering.  The culture of certain regions plays a huge role on the status of women and their clothes.

Lila Abu-Lughod’s point was for the audience to acknowledge and be aware of the differences of other lives.  People have different traditions in different places and we should all be respectful of them.  There seems to be a difference in the political demands made on those who work on or are trying to understand Muslims and Islamists and those who work on secular-humanist projects.

In my opinion, as a Muslim woman myself, I feel as if even though women do have the right to wear whatever they please, there are many factors and social pressures preventing them from doing so.  For example, a girl raised in a conservative muslim family in NYC still probably does not have the freedom to wear a summer dress even if she wants to because of the social pressure within her community, that probably is taught within their culture.  If the mother wears a veil, she might expect her daughter to wear one in the future.  Her father probably assumes she will wear one.  Once it becomes the norm in the family, it is hard to break out of it without causing your parents to throw a fit.  They were taught from the generation before them their customs and values and teach it to their children and when their children to do reciprocate, the parents might feel as if they have not done a good job being a parent.

Assignment 12 – Makeup Assignment #9

May 9, 2017

In Roderick Ferguson’s, Aberrations in Black, there is a focus on relationships between property, capital, and prostitution. Each of these words have their own definition but Ferguson is able to mend them together so that they relate and connect with each other. Property can be a commodity, such as land, or, in harsher terms, having a person as property, such as a slave. Ferguson explains that, by working, individuals become property to the companies or institutions they work for. They also become property to capital, which is the outcome of working. In order to earn capital, individuals become property. Evidently, an example of this is prostitution, which is what happens when people sell themselves in exchange for capital. It is a survival tactic that individuals have been practicing for years. Within this piece, Ferguson discusses the “queer of color” analysis, which relates to this idea of property, capital, and prostitution. This queer of color idea relates to individuals who are judged in society for having different identities, such as drag queens and prostitutes. This concept is important as it shows the various ways in which queers and prostitution go up against this accepted idea of heteronormativity. It threatens the system that everybody is so accustomed to. Homosexuality is seen as an evil that has the potential to tear down society, as well as the heterosexual man. The benefits of capital and the means of obtaining it are most easily attainable for heterosexual males than anyone else. The individuals with the different identities due to sexuality are pushed to the side and are not given the same opportunities. It is a system that is so set in its ways. It functions properly and benefits who it is meant to benefit, which is why it is a threat if queers gain wealth through their own methods, such as prostitution. It takes away from the patriarchal society and does not allow it to remain as it is.

Lutfur Nahar-assignment 01

February 7, 2017

Angela Davis introduces the topic of “Class and Race in the Early Women’s Rights Campaign” in chapter through the words from two women activist Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who are the representative of the educated middle class women. As the title mentions, Angela Davis discusses the connections of class and race during the early women’s rights campaign. Her central argument was towards the struggles of Black Liberation and battle for women’s rights. Angela Davis was trying to convince the reader that it was not only about fighting for the abolition of slavery or the rights of women, but it was about everyone fighting for equality whether one was a man, woman, black or white. Moreover, Angela Davis talked about the Seneca Falls Convention, the first women’s rights convention where the idea of the right for women to vote was introduced. The other main concerns of the convention were marriage, and women’s exclusion from the professional workplace. Here Angela Davis is trying to highlight the negative effects of racism and classism upon women.

Furthermore, along with many white women, black women also took part in the Convention. One of those black women was Sojourner Truth, whose powerful “Ain’t I a Woman” speech played a major role in the women’s right movement. Her race, class and economic status did not prevent her from fighting for the women’s rights along with white women. Angela Davis also introduces Charlotte Woodward, who also attended Seneca Falls Convention to seek help in improving her wage. The motive for her being there was to rebel against male supremacy.  Throughout the chapter Angela Davis introduces different women to demonstrate that these are the very women that fought to make sure that women of the future will be treated fairly in the male dominated society.

Even though Angela Davis was mentioned inspiring women who participated in the Convention, many were not allowed to share their perspective. In the process some of them forgot about their fellow colored women and who they were fighting for. In addition, in the chapter Angela Davis conveys the idea that with unity one can accomplish more, rather than doing it by his/her self.

Assignment 05

March 6, 2017

Gayle Rubin, in her essay “Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of the Politics of Sexuality,” highlights the critical assumptions about sex that have hindered the growth of a radicalized theory of sex.

According to Figure 9.1, “good” and “normal” sexuality “should ideally be heterosexual, marital, monogamous, reproductive, and non-commercial” (10)  Any sexuality outside of those criterions are deemed to be “bad” and “unnatural,” supported by false assumptions that homosexuality and prostitution symbolize a dangerous, immoral society.

Homosexuals have been one of the main scapegoats regarding “unnatural” sex.  The homosexual was deemed a ‘menace’ around World War II, and soon after, state and federal legislatures passed laws that authorized employers to discriminate against their employees based on their sexual orientation.  This job discrimination, based on the assumption that homosexuals were a threat to the community, discouraged countless homosexuals to pursue their field of work, and limited them to low-status, low-income occupations.

Sex-workers too, were portrayed as a threat to “health and safety, women and children, national security, or civilization itself” (21).  The sexual behavior of prostitutes was recognized as a mental disorder by the American Psychiatric Association, which implied they were not as emotionally and mentally capable due to their sexual behaviors and orientation.  Sex-workers were therefore vulnerable to irrational persecution by law-enforcement, especially during times of intense moral panic.

Even if it lacked harm, acts including masturbation, prostitution, homosexuality, and pornography were taboo and therefore deemed a threat to society in the United States.  These assumptions were ultimately counterproductive and limited political discourse on sexuality by promoting standards which ostracized and penalized those who did not identify with the heterosexual or monogamous agenda.  The oppression and condemnation of sexual diversity thus hindered the possibility to learn about and respect “abnormal” sexual preferences, and discouraged the possibility for growth of those deemed the “sexual deviants” of society.

May 1, 2017

In her essay, “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving,” Lila Abu-Lughod points out that have been many arguments about to rescue oppressed Muslim women for their culture and religion. Even now in the 21st century discourses on humanitarianism and human rights establish the image of an Afghan woman who needs to be rescued. Muslims women have been exposed as victims of the veil (or burqa), violent abuse, forced to marry, and deprived of their rights. Also, the burqa is commonly seen as a sign of their oppression and we seem surprise when many women continue wearing their burqas after been “liberated”. Lughod also explains that the burqa is a form of “cover” that represents the separation of men’s and women’s spheres. According to the anthropologist Hanna Papanek many women saw the veil as a liberating invention because it allows them to move out of segregated spaces and still being protected of unrelated men. Lughod makes a point of equally when she explains that poverty and political instability affect not only the attendance of girls to school, but also of boys.

I think that the “vocation of saving others” is because we have a different culture and a different lifestyle than the Muslim women’s. We expect a better world for all women. We have a different point of view about how should be the world, how women should dress or what role should they play in society. That is why we see Muslim women as victims. Lughod explains that we focus more in see other’s problems and we forget our own situation and ignore our own oppressions. Trying to “save others” is just a distraction to forget that our own policies and actions are responsible for making the conditions in which others live at a distance. A better option is to ask ourselves what can we do to create better condition for better place for everyone to live.

Issues Uploading Final??

May 23, 2017

Hey everyone – just an FYI – I tried to upload my final while using Chrome and it wouldn’t let me/kept bringing me to an empty page. I ended up needing to download Mozilla Firefox in order to use the program.

If this is happening to you, it’s just a glitch in their system and try using a different browser!!

Christin Rosado WGS 100 Assignment 11: Constructing Humans Right

May 1, 2017

Lila Abu-Lughod is the author of Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving. In her essay, Lila discusses the Western world’s obsession with viewing Muslim women as people that need to be saved based on their cultural practices. One practice that many westerners believe “restricts” the basic human rights of Muslim women is the veil, also known as the burqa (Abu-Lughod, 2002). I believe that Abu-Lughod feels that a major problem with the Western world is that they fail to acknowledge the differences in cultures. The burqa is a big part of the Muslim culture as it pertains to women. What many westerners see as oppression for these women is not oppression to them. Many Muslim women wear the burqa to show what group they are a part of, distance themselves from men they choose not to reveal themselves too, and as a way to maintain a relationship with their god (Abu-Lughod, 2002). Lila tries to reinforce that just because women in the western world do not wear a burqa does not mean that women who do wear it in other parts of the world are being oppressed (Abu-Lughod, 2002).

I deeply enjoyed Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving because Lila really brings awareness to the different motivations behind various campaigns. First, by claiming that Muslim women need saving because they wear a burqa is insinuating that the western way in which women do not wear burqas is the right practice. This insinuation in a way condemns the practice of wearing burqas as not being “normal” and that it is an agent used to oppress women. Second, she states that the world has a tendency of using women as victims like Muslim women as a way to persuade the public into agreeing to things like war (Abu-Lughod, 2002). I believe that as it pertains to the burqa, Muslim women do not need saving. The burqa is a part of their culture and it is a part of their identity. Just because they choose to cover themselves for various reasons does not mean that their freedom is restricted. I also believe that the world, in particular the western world needs to embrace the differences of cultures and stop trying to impose their beliefs on others similar to what they are trying to do to the Muslim women and their burqa.

Abu-Lughod, L. (2002). Do Muslim Really Need Saving? Anthropological
(Abu-Lughod, 2002)Reflections on Cultural Relativism and Its Others. Harvard University Press.

Cathy Cohen

April 7, 2017

What I took from Cohen’s description of queer politics, is that they enable the existence of a dichotomy between heterosexuals and queers. Queer politics rely heavily on their identities as homosexuals, to drive political reform. This behavior further enables the dichotomies set out between homosexual and heterosexual individuals. By shaping political reform with one sense of identity, the action to dismantle the systems of oppression and domination are discouraged. Cohen recognizes that heterosexuality is granted privilege as a result of being the normal or natural state of being. In order for queer activism to effect change, they have to completely shatter perceptions of identities. Perceptions of identities can often force individuals into broader categories. For example, if I tell a Catholic women I am a homosexual, she would likely heighten herself up on a social scale. All based on her personal beliefs in relation to an idea of normality. If we separated idea of identities, what it is to be normal or natural, and class or a space of being subjugated to marginalization, true political change can occur.

Assignment #7

May 8, 2017

In the article, “Are women human? It’s not an academic question”, Peterson and Parisi argue that we should interrogate the connection of “human rights” in connection to heterosexism rather than focusing on the androcentrism of human rights discourse. The author states that in the heterosexual society, heterosexuality was the only “nature” and “normal” relationship between men and women for people. He mentions the sexual inequality between men and women. The hierarchies happened including gender, sex, political. social-economic,and in family. Men have power to control women. Women were suffered from the sadistic heterosexuality. Under this condition, institutionalization of heterosexuality happens through the economy, women were gets lower paid compared with men. The inequality between men and women force women to rely on men since they didn’t have enough incomes to support themselves. In addition, if possible, women will get sexual harassment from men to get the job.

Compare with oppression that women get from the society, they also gets the oppression in their family. Even when females are single, they have been tied with the reproductive role. They force to play in the role, and it have been consider as the value of women. If women did not want to having a child, they will be consider devalue for society,.

final project essay question #3 – ellie

May 20, 2017 1 b

Can you expand on what you mean by the “conflict” between power/domination as a cultural thing rather than something institutionalized? Power can be institutionalized (i.e. systematic racism or women living under Taliban rule being prevented from going to school), but are we arguing the ways in which forms of oppressive power can also be cultural? Is it acceptable to describe the “conflict” by explaining how culture can enhance these forms of oppressive power? I’m using Abu-Lughod’s piece and “are women human” to discuss the West’s ideas about what is right for women in terms of identity and the ways in which women do/don’t have power (kind of comparing the West to the Middle East). Does it make sense to discuss the conflict relatively to the West/East and how conditions differ for women.

Melanie Arias and Fleta Selimaj Cohen Assignment

April 7, 2017

1. In the piece Punks, Bulldaggers, and Welfare Queens by Cathy J. Cohens, she goes on to explain how the development of queer activism is hindered by heterosexual normality in society. The exclusion of homosexual sexual orientation in society incapacitates the movement for awareness of the control over the state by heterosexuality. It is evident that the more these identities are oppressed the more likely these activists will feel inclined to push for political change. In order for that change to happen, there has to be a togetherness of people who can relate to that discrimination so that they can put an end to the battle between heterosexual and homosexual individuals. The focus for queer activists is to stop these forms of discrimination and oppression, but this may not be enough, as it is important to also work on changing how the state takes control over the individuals. Another issue is this that some groups may be favored, or generally less oppressed, than others. Based on race, class, or gender, they may have more advantages than others. Unfortunately, this allows oppression to continue and does not give those oppressed groups a chance to be fully accepted in society. In order to make these changes, activists should aim for more than just acceptance. It is important to create change that pushes boundaries and surpasses mindsets so that the laws and politics of society can adjust as well. Once these laws are in place, oppressed groups will be able to have a true voice and place in society. . In today’s society it’s actually a realistic for change to occur in queer activism but it has to start with the government leaders, celebrities, and social activist to spark an interest in the public about queer politics; overall Cohen believes that change can be achieved through enacting new laws that directly approach problems in the queer community.

Assignment 11

April 28, 2017

In her essay, “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving,” Lughod argues that discussions on human rights in the 21st century count on molds of Muslim women in a way.  The importance of the political, economic, and social conditions of Afghanistan women is often not supported although it is significant. One of the authors concerns in this article is focused on  how people always immediately target the cultural aspect, and religion of Muslim women instead of other details that define these women and their rights. She believes the government has closed them out from many things including citizenship rights and denies them the most basic rights that they should be entitled to. The aftermath 911 is responsible for the closed eyed view on these individuals, and not respecting their cultural differences.

She wants to explore the issues of Muslim women, Palestinian women, Israeli women, women under the Taliban and terrorists who are oppressed indefinitely and she defends their honor. For example being forced to wear the veil or the burqa which is a full body covering including the face which symbolized a women’s respectability and marked her appropriateness. The burqa has separated men and women with family and home, not with strangers. Wearing this burqa/veil symbolizes being a part of a specific community, and living in this ethical way under specific standards. Muslim men are actually repressing Muslim women as well, they are in no way liberated or saved as they should be. They have a right to global equality like anybody else, and the human right to be able to have enough to eat, shelter, jobs, and be free to do what they want in their own communities. These women need support and if they cant have a voice Lughod will try and be that voice for all them as a whole.

Assignment 9

May 8, 2017

In Ferguson’s book, Aberrations in Black: Toward a Queer of Color Critique, he talks about how minorities do not always feel comfortable within their own social minority groups. It is harder for someone to be considered “other” in any sense, but many people fit into multiple minority groups ostracizing them from all those who have any difference. For example a white woman fits into the minority group of being a woman. A black woman fits into the minority groups of “black” and “woman.” A black, lesbian woman fits into the minority group of “woman,” “queer,” and “black.” Rather than using their similarities to be a rallying point; however, many people use their differences to show their superiority of the “others” within their own groups.
Ferguson also talks about the “prostitution” that is behind capitalism. When we are working we are renting out our bodies for the sake of making money much in the way of a prostitute. Ferguson looks at Marx’s ideas and compares them with the mill girls who were seen as deviant for working for a wage to buy themselves nice things. Ferguson wants the reader to look more deeply at where we get these ideas, and I also believe he is attempting to show the reader that we are all the same regardless of class, race, or gender and that we need to stop ostracizing and judging one another based off of these traits.