fAlfie has 14 post(s)

Alfie Corteza

Professor Bullock

Assignment #13

In Sara Ahmed’s article, “Affective Economies,” she explains that the people who have a hatred aren’t necessarily hating others due to a specific cause, preferably they have a significant love for something and do not want that thing to be affected and decline in quality. Also, her referral to the individual’s feelings in regards to a person, place or thing is not necessarily a start or end point, but instead it is a flow in a demographic of some social economy.
For anxiety, there could be a large body of people or things to make one fear for a specific group. An example would be in regards to the refugee crisis, and a politician’s use of words on the matter. The methods of particular terms, and words that convey a specific mindset when it comes to displaying an image. An example would be the former leader of the British Conservative club who used particularly anxious and worrying terms when it came to accepting asylum refugees into the country. Also, Sara also points out specific terms are supposedly used to differ between bogus, and genuine asylum seekers, however, how can one differentiate the two? She also compares the refugee example to an individual who I in prison for killing a 16-year-old burglar trying to burgle his home. Here they made the individual who is defending himself the criminal, and the burglar a victim rather than the other way around. Ahmed compares the asylum seekers to the burglar, and the murderer to the body of people, and the house as the countries’ values, and that the asylum seekers are trying to take it away from the rightful owners. Thus the wording can change the image of an individual of that is rightfully guilty as a victim, and the innocent as the criminal, such as the improper imprisonment of the one who was defending his home.

Alfie Corteza

Professor Bullock

Assignment #12

In “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving,” by Lila Abu-Lughod she explains the dilemmas that Islamic woman face in the eyes of Western countries. An example would be Western missionaries making attempts to rescue Muslim sisters, in the early 20th century by correcting their incorrect religion of being a Muslim to Christianity. As if they were in the wrong for practicing such religion that is different from their own, in the eyes of the West the missionaries had thought they were enhancing the lives of women and the society, but in truth, they were only creating problems. It is in a similar case with the Americans once the Taliban were removed from the region, they had expected that the freedom would cause the women to throw off their burqas and rejoice in the freedom that they had not felt before. However, it was revealed that they did not throw away their burqas but remained in use as it was used to maintain the image of respectability and modesty. Also, it was a way for the woman to roam around the city without a male companion because it covered them with separating and protecting them from unrelated men. Thus questioning whether or not if the Muslim woman does not need any rescuing of any kind. Besides, the fact that Westerners are “rescuing” these women in the Middle-East implies that they cannot take care of themselves and are inferior, while the West displays themselves as superior as they have the power to rescue them. Lughod questions the priorities of these non-profit and government initiatives as they focus on a small detail, for example, the liberation of the woman’s veil, instead of the importance of making the world itself a better place to live. Lughod mentions that the only reason why the United States and the West involve themselves is to benefit their military and economic goals.

Alfie Corteza

Professor Bullock

Assignment #11

In Amalia L. Cabezas’ piece “Between Love and Money: Sex, Tourism, and Citizenship in Cuba and the Dominican
Republic” She explains that there are men and women in Cuba and the Dominican Republic that participate in the sex industry not to just earn a meager income, but the possibility of having a life outside of the countries that they reside. These two countries rely on the tourist economy, and as a result, the nation’s economy is not as high compared to developed countries. Most of the tourists arriving in these countries are form the United States, or from Western Europe both of which are considerably better than the Caribbean islands.

Cabeza’s research complicates the views about citizenship and nationality as the police, and the society within these countries judge the people’s skin color in specific tourist-filled areas. For example, a lighter skinned national in the tourist district would be considered normal or nothing out of the ordinary, however, if a darker woman comes out of a discotheque she is regarded as a sex-worker by those that see her as well as the police. What is interesting is the fact that males are celebrated when they have sex however once a female takes part in any sexual favors or acts she is deemed indecent. It complicates the nationality of these people as they judge each other within their society based off of the skin color that they are. It is especially unfortunate for those that are arrested and then sent to prisons with those that committed murder and sold drugs. Afterwards, they would then be sent to a rehabilitation center possibly for a couple of years.

As a result, the sex tourism industry in these countries is a benefit and yet an issue. One may have the possibility to escape the impoverished country that they can live in to escape to the United States or Western Europe, or be jailed by the police and being publicly labeled as a sex worker by those that witnessed the event that occurred.

Alfie Corteza

Professor Bullock

Assignment #10

In “Global Care Crisis: A Problem of Capital, Care Chains, or Commons?” by Arlie Hochschild, Lise Widding Isaksen, and Sambasivan Uma Devi, a commons is a practice originating from the 15th century that allowed villagers to acquire resources from the shared land, a somewhat give and take principle. However, the 21st-century version of the commons is the migration of third world countries making tertiary sector jobs of being nannies, nurses, and other servitude different kind of occupations. Women from third world countries from the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Kerala, and Ukraine are deprived of mothers as they migrate to Western European countries and The United States as the pay there are substantially better compared to the educated occupations within their own country. As much as this sounds beneficial on all fronts, the demand is fulfilled, and the supplies being paid well an issue arises with the family left behind. The problem is that the mothers working abroad are there for many months even years to send back money as remittances, at the cost of not seeing their children and family. As a result, the children and also infants in the hands of other family members or even neighbors grow a detachment and resentment to their absent mothers as the children consider them selfish and unkindly.There was evidence shown that the father left behind would not take proper care of the child, and would result with other female relatives to take care of them. If the father were to go, and the mother to stay behind the mother would have to take both parental roles as mother and father. It also affects the child’s education as it was revealed that the children missing one or both of their children performed worse than their counterparts whose parents are consistently present in their lives. These children also hold a resentment as they question the absent parent’s love for them. Hothschild, Isaksen, and Devi piece “Global Care Crisis” points out the issues of expatriate workers on their own lives, and those that they leave behind in their mother country.

Alfie Corteza

Professor Bullock

Assignment #9

An event or period in my life where I have like an outsider would be in my previous educational institutions from elementary to high school. I felt like an outsider as being a Filipino at the time and still is a minority amongst other Asian nationalities. Even though I am technically Asian, there are still discrepancies when it comes to the social hierarchy of who is the “superior” Asian nationality. When I listen to other individuals, many states that South-East Asian’s consisting of Philippines, Indonesia, or Malaysia is the “Mexico” of Asia, as if we are inferior and less developed in our continental region. It is similar to when Patricia Hill-Cobbs mentions that a black woman as mules, and white women as dogs that a white male would never treat them as people. It is similar to how I feel as an outsider within as my race as the South-Eastern Asians are considered the mules and the more prosperous 1st world Asian countries treat them like the dogs to the white European counterpart.
It is all too familiar to find that many East Asian countries consider those in the South-East to be inferior. East Asians find us as proletariat countries as we work in the primary and secondary markets of digging up raw materials, and manufactured commodities to be sold elsewhere in the world in impoverished and underpaid conditions. While first world Asian countries are “closer” to the West by their ideal economies, the rest fall under a less prioritized fashion. As a result we the South-Asians are considered to be second class and have difficulty to achieve the same equal status that mainland Asia countries have. The burden of feeling “inferior” carries over to those who share these nationalities in other developed nations. I can recall numerous times being treated as a lower working class by my slightly darker complexity, and look somewhat Latino. There is nothing wrong about being Latino, or a person of color, but those individuals who were white were in the wrong for assuming that any person of color is all of a sudden a worker performing manual labor jobs. It is especially frustrating as it is the 21st century and equality is expected, however, there is still prejudices, and stereotypes still preserved and enacted.

Alfie Corteza

Professor Bullock

Assignment #8

In part four, chapter four of Foucault’s “History of Sexuality,” he explains that there is a “technology of sex” (1978:123) and reproductive technology applies to numerous applications in society in the nineteenth century. An example of this would be when the people of the community had thought perversions was carried down generations and would spread throughout the classes and as a result, it had caused fear and pandemonium. The concern had then prompted people to create the technologies to solve such perversion, and eugenics was even involved to weed out the unfavorable. An example would be the young men and the poor classes being under utmost scrutiny. However, those that would not be affected or be the least affected would be the bourgeoisie. The bourgeoisie would want to contain their status by promoting their own well being and have their superior class beings. Foucault states, “with creating its own sexuality and forming a specific body based on it, a “class” body with its health, hygiene, descent, and race…” [1978,124]. The quote states that the elitists of society would preserve their class by creating the best possible selves they can produce. As a result, they can continue their generations of their elite status with their wealth, physical presence, and sexuality shown to those beneath them. Foucault also states that the bourgeoisie maintains this image as a way to preserve their lineage in bloodline and create an image of health and vitality. When compared to the proletariat of the same society, the bourgeoisie is considerably more desirable considering they place harsh restrictions upon themselves to display an air of responsibility and self-restraint. Thus the application of sexuality Foucault explains are the restrictions regarding sexuality the elitists put upon themselves to demonstrate superiority in regards to their sexual mental-states compared to their proletariate counterparts. In conclusion, I believe Foucault explains that the application of sexuality is a social construct the elitists placed upon themselves, that they created to demonstrate eminence over the proletariats.

Alfie Corteza

Professor Bullock

Assignment #7

In Michel Foucault’s “The History of Sexuality,” he explains that throughout time there has been constant discourse within the subject of sex. He gives examples ranging from the discussion of how intercourse had developed over time for instance before the 17th century. The differentiating of the label of “homosexuals” from being based on acts to one’s identity. In addition to to the discussion of homosexual actions, rather than stopping it all together, Foucault says that they would be talked about instead. In chapters one to three talks about how over the course of time the discussion of sex differentiates.

In chapter one, Foucault explains that sex merely is between husband and wife and that it is a highly privatized matter and intercourse with others is frowned upon and heavily repressed. Foucault also asks why we talk about how we can’t speak about sex.

In section two an example of sex-related ideas, dreams, and desires was confessed in churches and was a highly private and sensitive matter. But then at the turn of the 18th-century states were asking for the births of women, if it was successful or not. Even children themselves talked about sex in a civil, and mature manner while even some of the adults acted more childlike than the children themselves. Then there was an incident with a rural farm-worker caught paying for sexual favors. It is significant because authorities in the 17th century would have overlooked at the situation, whereas it investigations in the 18th century is much more in depth.

In section three, Foucault explains that sex was considered dangerous, but then describes that sex is a source of knowledge and truth. Also, he states that the understanding of sex in Western Europe is not new, as there are countries in the Middle-East, and Asia that have already studied it. But there is a differentiating between the two, als erotica focuses on the knowledge of sexual pleasure and how to increase and maximize it, and Scientia sexualis focuses on confessions from learning about it.

Questions:

#1: What caused the change in the discourse of sex from the 17th century to the 18th century?

#2: Why did Western Europe acknowledge sex intercourse earlier if it was present in other countries?

Alfie Corteza

Professor Bullock

Assignment #6

In Bell Hook’s chapter “Eating the Other: Desire and Resistance,” the other is the non-white people, such as Asians, African-Americans, Hispanics, and people of color. In addition to that, when she mentions “Eating the Other” is a way of absorbing the culture, and values of other people of color. A large example used within Hook’s work would be related to sex. Such as the white jocks whose goals were to “fuck” as many girls from other ethnicities other than white. Another example would be the example of the film “Heart Condition” a white mans receives a heart from a black man named Stone, and shortly afterward Mooney finds a replica of a black penis between his legs, and that his personality is now sensitive and loving. All after he ate the other, by having his heart transplanted into him. By Mooney having the transplant into him, it is a literal transplant from the black male who was more seductive, and enlightened and as a result, he was able to acquire the girl that the black man was able to seduce.

Hook’s characterizes relationship to otherness as productive as it explains that there are white people who also acknowledge the struggles that black people go through. Bell includes two white rappers MC Search, and Prime Minister Pete NIce who want to bring a positive message to the black people of understanding, and that humanity as a whole has to get past the hatred. Another way that otherness is productivity is the way Sandra Berhnardt reveals the issues of white appropriation of black culture, and how there is no acknowledgment of whom they got it from, and not giving credit where it is due. By having otherness and addressing the issues of one race being dominant over a specific area, and overcoming it by solidarity or by bringing up the appropriation there can be an improvement of each society to be respected.

Alfie Corteza

Professor Bullock

Assignment #5

In C.J Pascoe’s book, she focuses on the sexual phase of teenhood of high school students by observing the students, teachers, and faculty at River High School. In the book, Pascoe explains that on top of the student’s actions and regards towards sexuality, the teachers and faculty also play a role in supporting heteronormativity without realizing it. An example would be in the male-dominated classes of weightlifting and auto-shop classes. For instance on page 49, Mr. Ford and Mr. Kellogg joked at Huey’s success in regards to his heterosexual achievements. When the two teachers talked with each other Mr. Ford explained that Huey raised his middle finger to him to say “f*** you.” Mr. Ford then joked with Mr. Kellog at Huey’s success by saying that he doubts Huey had any sex with a girl. By the two teachers judging Huey’s success with females, it reveals that the male teachers reinforce heteronormativity as they automatically relate a male to a female in regards to courtship.

Another instance where the teachers strengthen the gender status would be the club making event. At this time an organization named the “Safer Sex Party” (Pasce, 46) started handing out condoms to the students to promote safe sex. However, as the teacher realized what was being handed out, she automatically went to all of the male students assuming they were the only ones acquiring the condoms, and that they were the only ones concerned about safe sex. In addition to that, the teachers and faculty feared that the students were engaging or practicing in sexual behaviors deemed irresponsible for letting it happen. But on the contrary, it revealed that the student body was responsible for taking precautionary measures to avoid teen pregnancies and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

The students also played a part of the basis of masculinity of the males by expressing weakness, high-pitched voices, and lack of protection in their plays. My demonstrating weakness in a man, it reinforces what is considered masculine by making what is seen as a beta male to have female tendencies. Also, it also portrays the man as the protector of the woman, and displays the woman as the damsel in distress and needs help to get out of their situation. An example of this would be the play in the beginning when the two nerds couldn’t protect their girlfriends, and the “gangstas” took them away to their hideout.

As a result, everybody within the high school society plays a role in the idea of masculinity, and gender roles as the students are in peak sexual influences, and the teachers are policing the sexual thoughts and actions.

Alfie Corteza

Professor Bullock

Assignment #4

A concept that Morgan’s work and Federici’s work share is motherhood. However, there is a disjunction regarding the quality of childcare when there is a comparison between the indigenous African motherhood and the parenting of Europe women. The comparison in Morgan’s literary includes Peter Kolb’s reference in his 1731 narrative that these savages have no feminity and their actions, and customs stray far away from the social norms of women in Europe, and as a result, it is inferior. With the way the literary piece states the considered barbaric parenting, it can be easily perceived that European maternal care to be held in high praise and superior to African motherhood. But, when you read Federici’s piece, it is stated that women in France and Germany were constantly monitored by everyone surrounding them to make sure that the mother is taking proper care of the child. By having no trust with the mothers with their children, it reveals that a significant factor as to why European women take the utmost care for their child is due to public scrutiny if she was deemed unfit. By being under constant judgment, Federici shows a flaw in the ruling of adequacy. Morgan article states that European women take proper care of their children compared to the “savages,” but Federici’s reports reveal that European women are not putting the effort required to raise a child properly.

By having two different ideas regarding the effectiveness of the European women’s childrearing, it sends confusing messages as to whether or not women, in general, are capable raising a child. Also, it sends a difficult comparison as it does not make a clear separation of how proficient African and Indigenous women raise their children compared to European women. It is confusing as it states that women of color cannot take care of children to the same level as European women, and yet they harshly criticize European women. By denouncing European mothers of their effectiveness as parents, it begs the question who raises the children the best then? Furthermore, these two articles do not complement each other as they contradict their argument as to which race has superior maternal care.