POLI 328A (The Comparative Politics of Immigration):
Cool fact I learned this week: While the U.S.A. has judicially protected the right of illegal immigrants to certain benefits on the basis of equality of person, Germany has judicially protected it on the basis of personal freedom (Joppke, 2001). Fascinating twist!
I really felt I should take this class, after having travelled to Paris to talk about youth immigration.  I am not disappointed.  The professor is simply a classic, the political science journals are interesting and easy  reads, and the documentaries in class are poignant.  I couldn’t make the Meet & Greet for the Community Service Learning component (volunteering with an immigrant organization), so I couldn’t do it, but otherwise…good course.  Also, obvious pro-immigration slant.

PHIL 449A (Continental Philosophy—Foucault, Feminist, and Queer Theory):
Cool fact I learned this week: Hmmm, I’m not sure you could call it a fact, but the transcendent, rational subject of Enlightenment may of necessity of its being, imply the existence of the Other (Hartsock, 1990).
This course is both the bane and reason for my existence at this moment in time.  I am so, so glad I am reading continential philosophy after all of that analytic soul-draining.  To read a text open to various interpretations, can you believe it?—like a novel!  And I feel like I’m learning so much about Foucault and his perspective on power, truth, society, sexuality, ahhhhhghghghg so good, so very relevant, and with a fantastic professor. For those of you following me on Facebook, yes, this is the one strangely populated by, like, 15 men and 3 women.  Anyway, it’s also the bane of my existence because it requires thought, and work.  And I’ve been lazy recently.  And preoccupied.  OCCUPY MIRIAM! WITH THAT DISTRACTING THING CALLED LIFE.

POLI 308A (Topics in Canadian Politics—Public Opinion, Polling, and Survey Research):
Cool fact I learned this week:  Apparently, we have no empirical clue why Ontarian Catholics and non-European Canadians support(ed) the Liberals so much.
So what I’m noticing, and not liking, about my political science courses is that it’s just so…fact-based.  I mean that in the sense that it’s descriptive and we rarely think normatively about politics (it’s implied, of course, that genocide in Rwanda is horrible, but all we ever talk about are the functionings of international policy with sad faces, at most.)  I’m still not convinced that political science should be done as a science, (which is quite essential to this course…and my RA work position, moohahah), but I’m taking this course anyway so as to digest my understanding of polling better.  Professor is all about the application of theories–a treat.  Class discussion is in small groups,which I much prefer.  Overall, I’m happy with it and YOU CAN TOO.

BIOL 344 (Human Heredity and Evolution):
Cool fact I learned this week: Can’t think of anything cool…
This course is supposed to be the equivalent to BIOL 121.  But for upper students in the Faculty of Arts.  Yeah.  To be honest, I cannot give a fair review of this because, while I’m currently attending each and every class (those 4-5 hours could definitely be cut to 1.5), I have not at all being doing the homework or attentively following along.  No, it’s not because it’s hard, but because it’s so logically straightforward and easy that I intend to get it all done during reading break.  Anyway, we’re only covering heredity, so it’s all chromosome this, genetic pedigree that, please-don’t-try-to-start-a-class-discussion-on-the-genetics-of-intelligence-omg-seriously-no-why-is-this-happening, and also running from my POLI class in the University Centre next to the Rose Garden all the way to the BIOL tutorial in the Engineering building.  The professor is a really cool guy, though, and I won the course package for free from him.  I’d recommend him.

Speaking of mandatory science credits for Arts students, let’s get rid of them.  The reality is that they cost me $921.62 and I, personally, have not found the benefits to outweigh the costs; I have barely learned a thing (including in ASIC 200)—I learn much more cruising TED Talk videos; I have not gleaned new perspective on the world because I have access to scientific thought through other mediums; and I highly doubt the value of a B.A. is increased by taking two unsubstantial courses—if you want a well-rounded person, look at extra-curriculars, not courses that all Arts students been forced to take.

Although most candidates are very qualified this year, and quite frankly difficult to distinguish from one another, there are certain candidates I wish to show support (namely, and I do not know these people personally, Carven Li, Justin Yang and, my goodness, I cannot decide between Matt Parson and Alyssa Koehn) and certain candidates I do not want representing students (namely Erik MacKinnon; I cannot believe people have failed to give him shit for his sexist and revealingly immature blog, and go on endorsing him anyway, particularly when all of the other BoG candidates are wonderfully qualified.  So, there.  SHIT GIVEN. )   Also, there are really strange referendum questions.

So, read up:

Official Candidate Bios:
http://www.ams.ubc.ca/governance/ams-elections/candidates/

Ubyssey elections coverage:
http://ubyssey.ca/news/our-2012-ams-elections-special/

UBC Insiders elections coverage:
http://ubcinsiders.ca/category/elections/

AMS Confidential:
http://blogs.ubc.ca/amsconfidential/

And vote:

Polls close 5:00PM , Friday, January 27^th.  

https://ams.simplyvoting.com/

What is it?

This weekend I participated an anti-oppression workshop as part of the Sexual Assault Support Centre’s volunteer training.  I’ve actually taken part in two similar ones before, but each one is different.  I’m writing here with an after-the-fact, reflective, and detached edge. In other words, a reflective-judgemental one, a viewpoint that I wouldn’t dare bring into the safe space we created in the workshop.

These workshops help us understand particular acts of domination through the broader perspective of oppressive power systems.  For instance, it helps us  locate particular acts of domination like sexist remarks demeaning the rational capacity of women or ableist architecture designed without adequate support to get around comfortably, under general institutional and societal frameworks of oppression.  Not only that, but we often look at the intersectionality of oppressive systems (i.e. where the oppressive systems meet at their joints); how being both white and poor can mean living through different experiences than being white but not poor, or poor but not white.

Of course, in such a short timespan, you can’t exactly go Foucault on the power relations at play, or critique it up Marx-style (that’s what my theoretical philosophy courses are for!)  before you dive right into and engage with the manifest realities of dominating power structures.  We often participate in components like “Flower Power”: an exercise where you locate yourself in relation to the dominant power structures in areas such as ethnicity, culture, social class, sex, sexuality, etc.  You get to know what invisible unearned powers you have (otherwise known as privileges), and what unearned penalties you have.  We sometimes participate in components like “Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack”: an exercise where you step forwards or backwards depending on how much privilege you have.  Some examples are:

0“ If you ever attended a private school or summer camp take one step forward.” (Source).
0“If you generally think of the police as people that you can call on for help in times of emergency take one step forward.” (Source).
0″If you were ever embarrassed or ashamed of your clothes, your house or your family car when growing up take one step backward.” (Source).
0“ [If you]…can swear, or dress in second hand clothes, or not answer letters, without having people attribute these choices to the bad morals, the poverty or the illiteracy of [your] race [take one step forward].” (Source).
0“ [If you] can take a job with an affirmative action employer without having [your] co-workers on the job suspect that [you] got it because of [your] race [take one step forward]. “(Source).

Experience and Reflections

I find that in all of my experiences, I go through similar strains of thoughts–which means I need to get them out of my system so I can stop thinking about them and start thinking fresh ideas!

First and foremost, I find it truly eye-opening (and you can imagine the first time I did this!) how other people suffer the little thing in ways I’ve never even had to think about.  For example,  never would I have thought that constantly shut down elevators could be more than just a mere  ”inconvenience” but an actual roadblock for people who cannot go up stairs.  (I remember visiting Paris this summer and lamenting over how there are so few elevators in antique buildings!)  If you’re not in that position where you have to think about it, you simply don’t.  And that lack of awareness actually reinforces the problems for those who do.

I know a lot of people feel really guilty going through this portion of the experience.  I think this is where my optimistic side kicks in, and I start thinking about ways in which I can help make my community more safe, more accessible, less oppressive.

Second, I notice the ways in which I have felt the effects of oppressive systems.  I feel somehow…relieved.  I know, at least, that it’s okay to be frustrated about the “little things,” and that I shouldn’t blame myself for picking them out previously.

I also think of how awesome the people in the room are, and how safe a space this feels, and “why can’t there be more community spaces where we can feel like this?”  Our classrooms would be less tense, our social spaces less hurtful, UBC actually awesome.

Then kick in my detached thoughts.

What does “oppression” mean, then?  It’s typically used to describe the dominating force of power on a group’s “negative liberties”/”freedom from external constraints”.  Is it fair to apply the term oppression to (some of those experiences) better explained in terms of “positive liberties”/”freedom from internal constraints”? The language of oppression (and of liberty, for that matter) directs our thoughts in certain directions, and if this is “oppression,” then there could be a great deal of implications…

And how do I explain the second thoughts I have after the feeling of being relieved, second thoughts like, “deal with it, it’s not that bad”?  Do they have to do with my own internalization of “oppression”? Or are they legitimate critiques of a (and I would never judge others like this, but as master of my own experiences and as a self-critical, maybe even self-blaming, judge)…self-affirming, excuse?

Silly things like that in silly sentences like that, which no one can follow.

As you can tell, I find that anti-oppression workshops are really effective and fascinating exercises and I would recommend anyone who has a genuine interest in caring to check it out.

*By the way, if any Harry Potter fans can explain to me what the whole deal was with “love” saving Harry as a little boy (and how the hell he got a horcrux inside him as opposed to death), I will owe you one.  I think I may have figured this out at one point but every time I come up with a theory again, I end up refuting it.
Edit Jan 24th, 2012: Nevermind, I found out the answer.  So not satisfying. 

A few months ago, I wrote a blogpost on the “ups and downs” of life experiences like university.  Well, it turns out I’ve been in a down for a while.  This explains why I blogged only twice in the last two months.  I’ve felt self-doubting and insecure, anxious, and lacking in motivation.  I have faced many upsetting realizations about myself in this time that have forced me to rethink my very existence.  (I mean this all in a rather reflective/existentialist sense and I am safe, so don’t worry.)

In this time, I’ve learned that I need to spend just as much time and effort as I do in pursuing intellectual activities, in dealing with my pyschological weaknesses and immaturities.  Wisdom cannot be achieved with religion and philosophy alone, but a great deal of psychological work.  I’m not looking forward to it (it’s like cleaning my roomates’ bathroom on the chore list…), but I believe in the adage, “know thyself.”

To self-discovery.

So,  hopefully I can get back to regularly blogging.

Best,
Miriam

“Men, Women, Sex and Violence”
Dr. Jackson Katz
Monday, January 23rd, 2012 at 6:30 PM, Neville Scarf Building

“In this multimedia lecture internationally renowned author and educator Dr. Jackson Katz explores some of the ways that social norms in male culture contribute to sexual and domestic violence, and suggests strategies to enlist men in the fight against all forms of men’s violence toward women. Topics covered include male peer cultures in schools and colleges, violence by men against other men, men’s uses of pornography, prostitution and stripping, sexism in the sports culture and the military, the many intersections between racism and sexism, and the role of homophobia in all-male groups. Katz uses entertaining and disturbing clips from his award-winning videos, including Tough Guise, to accentuate the importance of understanding – and changing – the cultural environment that condones or promotes sexism and violence.”

Edit Jan. 24th, 2012: This was so awesome. I really appreciated the way in which Katz was willing to make compromises, working alongside traditionally patriarchal institutions (like the army and professional sports teams), to really make a difference.  When feminist communities asks themselves why their ideas don’t go mainstream, I’m afraid to say that at least a small part of it must be our own fault in terms of accessibility; there’s a whole new language to learn, vitriolic speech can turn people off  (unleashed a little bit last night when discussing the legal issues of prostitution), and so on in terms of insular characteristics ….

So there we were, in the most expensive building in campus with a decent palette of food (fair, for cheap entry), little tags around our necks, and a rather attractive Han Solo in the corner of the room.

Photo by Kimya.

Photo by Mimi.

There were 7 talks and some slam poetry this year, and it was quite fascinating to see how my friends reacted differently to the various talks.  One of my friends absolutely loved the slam poetry verbalizing Vancouver’s landscape by Francis Arevalo.  I don’t know what it is about slam poetry (maybe the urban-feel, or the rhythms, or the bullet-speed at which many perform it) but it’s always a lovely complement to conferences, in my view.

Without getting too critical of my peers (who I respect and admire so much for presenting their talks with us), here’s a quick overview of my reaction to the talks, as I remember them almost two months later:

Justin McElroy: “Media & Their Communities: An Evolution in the 21st Century”

Offensively-Short Recap: listening to audiences puts new demands on media, and the Ubyssey has duly responded.

I recall being very surprised to listen to a talk on audience-awareness and targeted news content without a single mention of money.  I realize the Ubyssey isn’t exactly in it for the money, but it was still interesting to hear a journalist’s point of view in these scenarios.  I’ve rejected some journalism from my future in part because of the market-driven structure, so it was interesting to see the market-style embraced, in a way.  Or at least, that was my interpretation of the talk.  Besides that fasincating insight, I was very familiar with the evolution of newsmedia already so I wouldn’t personally rank this as my favourite talk.

Photo by Kimya.

Laura Fukumoto: “Obesity in Light of the Zombie Apocalypse”

Offensively-Short Recap: People who are fat = zombies & disease, but why should they be? + insert very touching personal story here.

Thankfully for me, the zombie analogy was minimalized to make a very sincere point about how we view fat as disease in our culture (I’ve tried to ride the wave, but I’ll never enjoy this zombie apocalypse meme).  I’m always wary of submitting ourselves to biological pre-determination, but I definitely agreed with Laura’s overall point that we should not be devalued as human beings because of a few lipid molecules.  Plug for watching the film, Ms.Representation.

Paige Zhang: “HIV: The Story Behind the Stigma”

Offensively-Short Recap: HIV probably won’t kill you anymore, but stigma might; get education & checked.

Again, this was a great and relevant message from someone very involved in the HIV community, and kudos to Paige.  However, I can think of so many health issues where stigma is harmful, so I would have preferred a bigger-picture story on the issue of societal outcasting of disease and those who have it. Of course, I wouldn’t necessarily expect that of Paige, but I think it would have been wicked awesome.

Photo by Kimya.

Richard Kemick: “Appraising Canada’s Future: Creating Value from Our Past”

Offensively-Short Recap: “can’t buy me love” applied to academics &  a tongue-in-cheek, saucy talk that bashes Buchanan Tower.

This joke-riddled, potentially offensive sketch of a talk was a crowd favourite.  I laughed along too (how  could you not, when Buchanan  Tower is likened to Iranian socialist housing?)  and I believe the point was driven home quite nicely.  Naturally, being heavy on jokes came at the expense of detailed criticisms; yes, we know the Arts buildings are a lot cheaper than the Commerce buildings, but are there other, more important ways in which this disparity in monetary valuation manifests?  In any case, you wouldn’t see this talk at any other conference than a TEDx one, so it was cool.

Hussein Janmohamed “Choral Music: The Road to Harmony and Peace”

Offensively-Short Recap: musical harmony can create religious harmony, let’s sing a beautiful song and bring Miriam to tears!

Seriously, BEST TALK EVER.  Hearing about Hussein’s personal story of being a Muslim in Alberta, joining a Christian choir to express himself, and the beautiful musical and religious harmony that he has come to compose was magnificent.  Not only was it a really well put-together talk, but it was topped off with a live audience-rendition of the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard (I will link the video whenever it’s put up)—a harmony of Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim chants.   Maybe it’s my intense interest in religious pluralism and the state, but Hussein, you’re awesome!

Photo by Kimya.

Ratib Islam: “Alternative Medicine: Challenging the Language of Insulation”

Offensively-Short Recap: the language of alternative medicine unjustifiably legitimizes it, Orwell-style.

All through this talk, I was wary of how Ratib’s medical-scientific ideology might be dogmatically and unfairly dismissing alternatives—but I actually found that he did a good job of disposing of harmful alternative medicine practices without being too unfair.  Still, I always reserve a space of self-criticism so I hope he does too.  In any case, I found this talk surprisingly really captivating and maybe underrated.

Laura Bain: “Living with Bipolar Type II”

Offensively-Short Recap: living a series of analogies involving slippers and ice cream; what it’s like to live with Bipolar Type II.

There’s nothing like the strength of someone willing to share a personal story of their struggles to end a conference.   I think it was a talk UBC really needed, a talk that broke  typical conceptions of student life.  I liked the tactile and visual imagery she used and I can’t think of anything critical to say of it, and that coming from me,  means it was awesome.

Through out the day, there were also a few TED Talks videos featured on the screen (Wilkinson, Gladwell, Ramdas), and a grant process that could be expanded and bettered next year in my opinion.  See other reviews for more: Terry, and Tyler.

Next year, join me!

I don’t know who I’m supposed to be sending this to, as your broadcast e-mail website doesn’t have a contact, and I’m not about to go navigating the millions of departments at UBC to find the right office.  That’s probably your intent.

Stop sending me broadcast e-mails.  I didn’t sign up for weekly e-mails.  JUST STOP.  NO ONE READS THEM.  You want to get to know the Spam folder a bit better?  Because it’s about to happen.

When you send B.S. e-mails (and duplicates of them!), I’m not going to pay attention to the emergency ones.

It’s a trivial problem, yes, but lack of internet etiquette in this day and age is unacceptable from an organization like you. Take an e-mail etiquette workshop, sheesh!

Sincerely,

Miriam

I could leave you with countless instances of Socratic wisdom but this is what I’m working right now on my paper (and if you’ve read some of my old blogposts in Spirituality,  you’ll know I think it’s pretty cool):

“…Anyone who does not believe in them [Ancient Greek mythical creatures], who wants to explain them away and make them plausible by means of some sort of rough ingenuity, will need a great deal of time.  But I have no time for such things; and the reason, my friend, is this.  I am still unable, as the Delphic inscription orders, to know myself; and it really seems to me ridiculous to look into other things before I have understood that.  This is why I do not concern myself with them.  I accept what is generally believed, and, as I was just saying, I look not into them but into my own self…” (Plato; Phaedrus, 229e)

Also, video fun.

Click here to view the embedded video.

In other news,

–This week (and a bit)’s countdown:  3 final/term papers.  1 in-class presentation.  1 interview.  3 intern applications.  10 work study hours.
–I’m not a TV person, but I’ve started watching Community so if I  start talking about “Abed,” run.  Just run.
– I’m tired of blogging about me and what I do (not that I ever wrote much about what I do…).  I’m going to leave that to my diary and direct my blog more towards other things, like random odes to Socrates.
–This is my 101st post!

Note: I didn’t think of doing a live minute-by-minute account until later in the night, so you’ll first have to read these first few paragraphs that I’m writing after the fact.

It’s around 8:15pm.  By word count, you’d say I’m halfway done the paper.  By reality, I’m ¼ done.  I’m writing about a narrow topic in metaphysics–in fact, I’m writing a critical assessment of a subargument made by a philosopher in a longer work.  It bores me, I have a nagging suspicion that I don’t completely understand the material, and I can’t come up with anything particularly creative.

So far, my work has been interspersed with logging onto Facebook, Twitter, and Gmail.  I’m starting to lose concentration, so what’s the natural thing to do? Call up my sister and cook us up a batch of Bran Krispies.  This activity is beneficial for two reasons: one, I take my mind off the activity for a while, two, I create a cheaper and (somewhat) healthier version of late night snacks than I could get at Magda’s.

Through out the day, I notice I have been  repeating several phrases to myself aloud, whenever I open a new browser to watch a YouTube video, or reply to a message online: “I really need to do this,” “I really have got to get this done,” “I will,” “I think I will,” “Don’t worry, it’s OK.”

I return to my computer.  ”Look,” I tell myself, “I just need to close my internet browsers and I won’t get distracted.”  This means no YouTube songs on.  I’m stuck with the few songs I have on my computer; repeating Buble, Beatles, Mozart, Beethoven, and this random podcast that keeps on showing up on the Shuffle.

I can’t bring myself to disconnect from the internet completely so I open up an MSN conversation with a friend, who is also supposed to be writing an essay.

I pick up a cracker and it’s just so dry, it makes me sad.

At this point, I decide to make a pact with her; I will write, occasionally chat with her, then write more.

My productivity increases significantly.

The following are real, live, reports from the scene:

~11: 30 SOMEBODY EMAIL MEEEE.  I get instant desktop notifications for those.

~11:40 I’ve watched ½ of The Notebook and somehow have no real motivation to finish this up to watch the rest.

11:42 Progress on essay—OK, I have a thesis now.  I’m like, 1000 words in.  You know you’re doing this wrong when.

11:57 Just put together a tortilla-chicken sandwich.  I’m so proud of my chicken-cooking skill.  I’m eating it at the computer.

12:07 NEW EMAIL!! OH.  Boring newsletter.

12:09 It has suddenly dawned upon me that I probably won’t be completely finished until at least 2am.  Sad face.

12:10 MOZART JUST DOESNT CUT IT FOR ESSAY MUSIC.

12:16 i hate when i accidentally click on the internet button rather than the mword button.  I swear, it’s accidental.  This time i closed it before coming up with something to type into google.  So proud.

12:22 that moment where you come up from the depths of your essay, glance at the clock, and realize you forgot anything existed at all in the world except the essay’s content for 5 whole minutes.  Take a deep breath and dive below the surface, again.

I could get 80+.  I really could.  It doesn’t matter that there isn’t much content here.  Maybe there is.  No, I can’t afford 70s.  No no no no no.

12:26 WHY AM I STILL LISTENIGN TO MOZART?

12:28 this essay is as boring as the font, Times New Roman.

12:33 Productivity increases as time runs out.  Or maybe it’s not a perfect curve.  Note: Graph tonight’s performance.

1:19 ……..Why isn’t this over yet?  I think I may get a 67%. Or a 63% or something equally hideous.

Can I just say I’m super happy that nothing terrible is happening?  Like, what if my computer just died right now.  Sure I’ve been emailing things to myself but life would be so much harder.

1:35 one last push over tough paragraphs

NEW EMAIL!!!  Too short, no respite.  Ts;nr.

This is my current music:

Click here to view the embedded video.

1:38 UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. JUST FINISH IT.

I have never written anything so poor.

1:56 im seriously contemplating watching the remaining hour of The Notebook, just as a breather.  And because I’m worried I won’t get to it.  I have several tough paragraphs to go.

2:05 I’m lying down on my side (on bed).

2:10 I’m watching The Notebook until 3.  I will then wake up at 7:30, proceed to finish writing, take a nap, and then run out the door to class.  Good night!

[Original meme: http://feministryangosling.tumblr.com/]

8:13   OK now it’s a 70%….

8:47 I can see this get an 80%….I may be delusional at this point, but who knows?

9:14 DONE.  time for nap before class!

Media Democracy Days Vancouver
featuring David Beers, Elizabeth May, Judy Rebick, and more.
http://mediademocracyday.org/

“Why Don’t More Good People Enter Politics?”
featuring Paul Martin, Mike Harcourt,Ian Hanomansing, and more.
http://www.democracy.arts.ubc.ca/2011/10/31/goodpeoplepolitics/

Terry Global Speaker Series: Bill McKibben
http://www.terry.ubc.ca/2011/10/25/the-terry-global-speakers-series-presents-bill-mckibben/