Category Archives: ASTU Blogs

CAP Conference & Beyond

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My experience at the CAP Conference has been rewarding, – it was really interesting to see how the presentations from the different stream intersected, but also offered a perspective that is unique to their stream.

A persistent theme that I found in all the presentations is the issue of power. In the last panel, Ji Hyun Lee’s presentation on “Readers and Time: The Change in Worth and Value of Obasan by Joy Kogawa” illustrates the power of minority narratives, but also the agency individuals who take up the narratives. The way in which Obasan was received by its audience had a profound affect on Canadian society. The popularity of the book amongst its readers led to a growing interest and awareness of Japanese-Canadian experiences in the 20th century, which in turn led to a growing demand for redress.

I think that this presentation furthers the focus of our studies in ASTU this year. While we’ve studied life narratives in relation to representation, identity, memory, and resistance, Ji’s presentation prompted me to think more about our roles as consumers of life narratives, and the influence we can have on the public sphere. While the consumption of life narratives can be detrimental to minority groups, individuals who take up these narratives also have the power to shape society, for the better. But thinking beyond ASTU, I think it’s important to reflect upon the impact we can have in society. Our daily actions, such as the language we use, the newspapers we read, or the ideas that we (re)produce can have an impact on both a local and global scale.

So what does it mean as we wrap up our year in CAP? One major skill that I will be taking away from this year is to continually to question, and be critical about the world that we perceive. THANK YOU(!) CAP for enlightening me this year. I (sort of) can’t believe that we’re (sort of) done.

Representation of disability memoirs in mainstream media

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In our ASTU class today, we analyzed the different rhetorics in disability memoirs that have been outlined by Couser, and highlighted Cockeyed’s agency through its usage of gothic and emancipatory rhetoric. After I did a bit of research online, I found an article that talked about the potential of Cockeyed becoming a screenplay. What caught my eye was the title of the article, entitled, “A Hollywood Moment: Blind Author Ryan Knighton.”

That got me thinking: what kind of rhetoric is used when disability memoirs are represented/marketed by mainstream institutions? To me, the title of this article is reminiscent of the rhetoric of triumph, whereby disability is seen as a problem that needs to be solved or overcome. The word, “Hollywood,” often has connotations of fame and wealth, and defining Knighton not just as any author, but as a blind author, suggests that perhaps Knighton had overcome some sort of adversity (e.g., his blindness?) by possibly achieving a greater degree of success (the Hollywood “Moment”). Furthermore, look at the article description, which says:

“Ryan Knighton never intended his memoir “Cockeyed” to become a screenplay. But chance, and Jodie Foster, may yet give him his Hollywood ending.”

In the second sentence, we see that Knighton is framed in a way where he is reliant on others in order to triumph, or achieve Hollywood success. This reduces the agency of Cockeyed, because it is not Knighton’s rejection of conventional attitudes regarding disability that will lead him to mainstream success, but rather, it is fortune, and the help from privileged individuals that will allow Knighton to expand his book.

While the article I analyzed is one out of the many media representations of Cockeyed, it illustrates the problems that could arise when minority narratives are taken up by social institutions. The language that is used to portray such narratives can overshadow the agency they possess, especially if they use some of the rhetorics that have been discussed by Couser. Knighton also describes how his adapted script of Cockeyed was ruthlessly edited by Jodie Foster, “who was like…an architect…kept 20, 25 percent of the original stuff.” Evidently, the processes of film making came into play: material was kept if it served a purpose (i.e., if it was marketable), and discarded if it didn’t. Ultimately, the mass media can impose constraints on marginalized narratives, which could potentially alter their meaning and agency that they possess.

The public’s role in reinforcing hegemonic attitudes relating to marginality

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After watching Through a Blue Lens (and with Jiwani and Young’s article about frames and counter frames in mind), I found myself feeling quite critical about the documentary’s approach to the issue of drug addiction in the DTES. In my post on Connect, I talked about how the framing in Blue Lens differentiates the “good” from the “bad”, thus reinforcing common stereotypes and perpetuating the marginalization of the DTES community. Melissa’s response to my post reminded me that it is important to consider the goals and targeted audience when analyzing narratives, so I now turn my attention to the the website of the producers of Blue Lens, oddsquad.com.

Upon entering the site, my attention is immediately drawn to the mission statement, which is formatted in big font and says:

We empower youth to make positive life choices about drug use and criminal behaviour through documentaries and education.

From this mandate, we can gather that Odd Squad’s focus is on prevention and empowerment. Young people are the targeted audience, but this organization also addresses the broader public as exemplified by Blue Lens. As I explored the website a bit further, I came across a testimonial section on the site, which featured responses from viewers of Blue Lens. 

The public can play a major role in reinforcing the legitimacy of dominant narratives relating to marginality. Through short testimonies, audience members repeatedly asserted the credibility and positive impact of Odd Squad’s work, as they believed that it was an eye-opening, educational tool. See here:

“.. My kids and I watched [Blue Lens] about once a year. It really touched my heart…I feel so bad for all the people that fall victim to the drug dealers and these horrible drugs that take over our young peoples minds and body and make it next to impossible to stop and live a healthy normal life. It is so sad. Thanks so much to the Odd Squad for teaching me and my children so much about this scary world of drug use…”

J.B. – Michigan, U.S.A.

While Odd Squad may have good intentions, the narrative style of their film, Blue Lens, inadvertently condemns and further marginalizes the DTES (in my opinion at least). The approval and generally positive responses from the viewers ultimately functions to reinstate the hegemonic ideals relating to marginality, which in this case is that drugs are the sole reason for degeneracy in the DTES. In doing so, both the distributers and consumers of dominant narratives can fail to reflect upon other factors that have led to the state of the DTES. What is important to recognize here is that while producers of minority narratives can perpetuate hegemonic ideals, the public can also play an equally substantial role in marginalizing those on the periphery by supporting and reproducing dominant beliefs through personal perspectives, “testimonials” to the discourse, or everyday interactions. Thus, it is extremely valuable to exercise critical thought when consuming such narratives.

 

The problem with language barriers in accessing testimony

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The Indian Residential School exhibit in the Museum Of Anthropology can be thought of as a collection of testimonies for more intimate purposes; those who visit this exhibition will find themselves taking part in a very personal interaction with the survivors and descendants of the residential schools. As I was flipping through the memory book, which is used to provide observers of the exhibits a place to share their thoughts and feelings, I noticed that one person mentioned how translations in other languages would have been beneficial. This prompted me to think: what kinds of audience are invited to partake in testimonial processes?

Naomi Angel reminds us that testimonies are a reciprocal process; in order for testimonies to be made, there must be someone at the other end, ready to listen and hear what the person has to say. Mutual exchanges are necessary in order to be able to express and understand. However, language barriers can often get in the way of this process. From what I have observed, IRS redress has mainly taken place in the English language. Of course, Indigenous groups can share their language through songs and prayers, but English is the dominant language in testimonial processes. The Canadian TRC website prompts visitors to pick a language before entering the site, the options being either French or English. It makes sense to communicate by using the “official” languages of Canada, as a broader audience can be reached, but unfortunately, it means that certain groups will be excluded.

I think of my parents as I write this. With a very limited understanding of English, how well would they be able to comprehend the content of testimonies and participate in the collective process of redress? A limited capacity for French or English should not prevent people from fully understanding and experiencing the testimonies that are being made. Given the diverse ethnic makeup of Canada, I think that the exhibits such as the one at MOA, or the operations of the TRC, should strive to be more accommodating so that more people will be able to participate. Providing translations can be a step towards inclusion. Clearly, lots of people are interested in the history of the IRS, as the memory book was filled with comments written in different languages. While institutions and organizations may not have intended to exclude certain groups of people, language barriers can reinforce the dynamics of colonial power, and ultimately be counterproductive to goals of understanding, reconciliation and empowerment.

The marginalization of minorities in society

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Quite some time has passed since the posting of the video, Asians in the Library, but the racist and insensitive nature of the UCLA student’s rant still resonates with parts of Western history and society today. In short, the video was posted by a white, female student who was using racial slurs to complain about the disruptive phone calls of Asian students in a UCLA library.  Not only were her derogatory statements demoralizing for Asians, I would argue that they were discriminative against minority groups in general. What interests me the most is the clear distinction made between Americans and Asian-Americans, (the “us” and the “other”), and the implicit suggestion for minorities to conform Western culture.

To me, this video further illustrates some of issues presented in Fred Wah’s Diamond Grill, such as the fact that minority cultures and groups have been, and are still being seen by some as foreigners who do not fully belong in Western society. The UCLA rant is paralleled with some of the major ideas in Diamond Grill, such as the pressure from society to dissociate oneself from their racial origins in order to “belong”, or the inferior status that is forced upon/accepted by minority cultures in Western society.

Although Diamond Grill serves as an objection to racism and prejudice, there are people who are cracking under the pressures of conformity. For example, when Julie Chen was told her Asian features were undesirable for the media industry, she underwent plastic surgery in order to make herself look less Asian, and to advance her career.

When one assumes racial superiority, and deems another race to be inferior or less desirable, minorities run into serious problems, such as being forgotten or neglected when it comes to history. Looking back, I realize how silent minorities were in my elementary and high school education. Issues pertaining to minorities, such as major discriminatory acts and policies in Canada, earned just enough page space in textbooks and time in class to cover the main points, but its long-lasting impacts on minorities today were largely downplayed. While Carter presents archival silences as a method of resistance and empowerment, I worry about those at a young age who may not be able to recognize the “gaps” or silences in their education about minority history. An elementary or secondary student may infer that a brief focus on minority issues in school equates to minority issues being of lesser importance. For the kids who are a part of minority groups, silences in education could implicitly reinforce racial hierarchies and conformity, and ultimately contribute to the increasing loss of culture in our Western, “multicultural” society.

Voices from the “majority”

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In ASTU class, our studies have primarily focused on minority narratives, such as the Iraq war blogs written by Pax and Riverbend, Persepolis and What is the What. However, for there to be minority narratives, there must be the existence of dominant voices, and I will look at some of the voices from the majority.

At the beginning of this year, YouTube was caught up in the “Draw My Life” video tag. Basically, YouTubers are encouraged to draw and narrate their lives, compile it into a video, and post it for others to see. These videos establish a common ground for YouTube community members to interact and relate better with one another. Since then, many YouTube celebrities have created their own videos, which have been received quite positively by their audience. See below:

The popularity of these “Draw My Life” videos illustrates a couple of things:

  • YouTubers love knowing more about YouTube celebrities
  • Story telling, especially personal story telling, “sells well” aka has great appeal

Taking a step back, we see that what happened on YouTube has also been happening in the “Western” world for a while now. Various celebrities have produced autobiographical films that have hit the big screens. One Direction’s This is Us, Justin Bieber’s Never Say Never and Katy Perry’s Part of Me are just some examples of films, regardless of if they are actually good or not, who can count on having a fairly large viewership.

Both the “Draw My Life” videos and celebrity autobiographical films function similarly in that their fans are able to learn more about their celebrity idols. In terms of “community building”, I think that YouTube is more successful in achieving this, as YouTube celebrities and users have a place to communicate, while viewing celebrity autobiographical films in theatres doesn’t really allow for much interaction. Furthermore, while these videos and films tell the stories of celebrities, I don’t think that they act as mechanisms for “bearing witness”, at least, not in the way we have been studying in class.

The narrative work we have looked at in ASTU class centre around the idea collectively bearing witness to trauma. Although the celebrities may have overcome personal struggles, their autobiographical work is still largely driven by other motives. Asides for building closer connections with their fans, I think that celebrities who choose to share a part of their already privileged lives through the media are driven by the promise of money, and an increase in fame. Quite different from certain minority narratives that try to offer alternative views to the dominant voices.

Of course, it would be a shame to not mention the autobiographical films that do try to bear witness. For example, the film, Gandhi, dramatized the life of Gandhi and depicted the struggles during India’s non-violent independence movement. One of the most memorable moments during the film was the re-enactment of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, which served to bear witness to the violence and trauma experienced by civilians during the actual massacre.

Although it is a bit upsetting to know  minority narratives are struggling to get noticed wile that dominant voices in life narratives consist of pop stars on tour, there is also work out, such as the film Gandhi, that are substantial and meaningful.

The Rob Ford scandal as Whitlock’s “soft weapon”

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To say that Rob Ford has made a bit of a spectacle of himself would be an understatement.

Ever since Toronto’s Mayor Rob Ford admitted to using crack cocaine, an outpour of stories and reports have been dominating the political limelight. Here, we see Miller and Shepherd’s instance of intersecting public and private spheres. While Rob Ford’s drug usage is a private matter, it has become amalgamated with his public reputation as the mayor. Although our studies in ASTU class have primarily focused on the benefits of an intersecting public and private, (such as in PostSecret, Six-Word Memoir, and the blogs of Pax and Riverbend), it is obvious that the blurring of the public and private boundaries is becoming problematic for Rob Ford.

The scandal that has surfaced would not have become so prominent if it weren’t for the various media releases, that take part in the collective act of telling Rob Ford’s story. Notably, a variety of talk show hosts have, in the word’s of Whitlock, “co-opted” and retold Rob Ford’s story to the point where he has become the laughing stock of our nation. Although many media outlets have taken a more serious approach to the Rob Ford scandal, the results are the same: Rob Ford’s public identity and reputation have been ruined.

Of course, all this wouldn’t have happened if Rob Ford hadn’t smoked crack cocaine, made a fool out of himself in front of reporters, etc., etc., but the media does play a substantial role in shaping Rob Ford’s public image. While I’m not trying to take away from the seriousness of Rob Ford’s actions, such an event illustrates the power of storytelling. Before the scandal, I, personally did not even know of Rob Ford. However, when the rumours, news reports and comedic impersonations began to surface, it seemed as though he was only known for his political scandal. Although such a scandal does indicate what kind of personality Rob Ford has, the stories out there do not entirely represent himself as a human being.

Confusing, yes, but it is important to remember that the scandal we are seeing unfold before our eyes is only a small part of Rob Ford’s life. Though it is an extremely prominent and turbulent time in his life, the stories we hear has the potential to limit our perspectives of Rob Ford. For all we know, he could have been a football star, right? (Although this video indicates most likely not.) Furthermore, we can become so focused on his actions that we may forget about some more important questions. What was Rob Ford like as a mayor before the scandal broke out? How were/are the municipal affairs doing? Shouldn’t there be more discussion about corruption in Canadian politics?

While I must admit that the Rob Ford scandal is somewhat entertaining, the way in which media outlets and talk show hosts retell such a story can become what Whitlock refers to as “soft weapons.” That is, these stories can be manipulated in a way that can distract its viewership from raising questions about more important and systemic issues, or even alter their opinion of Rob Ford into something more positive, as attempted here.

Persepolis 1 & 2: A Comparison

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Marjane Satrapi’s book, Persepolis 2: A Story of Return, brilliantly illustrates a coming-of-age story, where young Marji struggles with her Iranian identity and history, all the while dealing with her frustration and loneliness in Vienna. Having escaped the war in Iran, Marji settles in Vienna while trying to assimilate into “Western” culture, leaving her feeling insecure about her identity. While Satrapi’s first instalment of the Persepolis series focused on the trauma she experienced as a child in Iran, the second book of the series shifted its focus to her identity crisis.

In Persepolis 1, Marji’s relatively young age allowed for her to remain somewhat idealistic about her identity, as illustrated in the picture below. Here, Marji is certain about her ambition of becoming a prophet, and displays conviction in her beliefs. While the trauma Marji experienced during her childhood was scarring, she was not at war with her identity, as portrayed in Persepolis 2. In Vienna, Marji attempts to distance herself from her Iranian past, yet simultaneously finds herself feeling conflicted and ashamed of her abandonment. The harsh illustrations of Marji’s stay in Vienna is reflective of her internal conflict, as many of her facial and body expressions depict emotions such as anger, loneliness and depression. In the illustration below, Marji lashes out at her classmates who were making fun of Marji’s appearance and her denial of her Iranian identity. Marji’s furious face is drawn to be larger than the other girls in order to echo the degree of anger and resentment she feels. The illustrations that follow reflect upon Marji’s yearning for the comfort and security she had as a child.

The inner turmoil that Marji experiences as she transitions from the final stages of her childhood to adolescence, allows for Satrapi’s readership to further connect with her character and story. The childish innocence in Persepolis 1 helped the audience understand the difficulty in comprehending and portraying trauma. Marji’s struggles through some of the lowest moments of her life Persepolis 2 is relatable, and allows for the audience to better understand the identities of those who are displaced by war.

Interestingly, Persepolis 2 reuses the chapter title, “The Veil”, which appeared at the very beginning of Persepolis 1. The psychological effect of the veil, which was imposed on the young Marji, produces the feeling of incompleteness in her identity. Although Marji escapes from Iranian fundamentalism in Persepolis 2 and acquires a greater degree of freedom, her feelings of fragmentation still exist. Marji is unable to escape her traumatic past, thus suggesting that psychological dissociation is a inescapable byproduct of trauma and conflict.

Satrapi’s first instalment of the Persepolis series establishes the difficulty and futility in attempting to accurately portray trauma. By sharing her struggles as a young adult in Persepolis 2, Satrapi’s audience have a greater understanding of the effects of trauma on one’s identity. While we may not be able to fully comprehend the extent of Satrapi’s suffering, we, as the audience, can take part in her act of witnessing through her perspective.

Are “minority” narratives best-sellers?

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As I was flipping through my ASTU notebook, I stumbled upon a couple of questions that I jotted down about a month ago during our discussion about autobiographical narratives. At the time, we were talking about how some life stories receive attention from the global community, while others remain silent. The question that I would now like to return to is this: “What kinds of life narratives become best-sellers and how can they affect others?”

While I was researching online, I came across a set of data posted by The Guardian that plotted the best-selling (auto)biographies since 2001. Although autobiographical work only made up a small percentage of book sales in 2012, it interesting how life narratives were at their peak of sales in 2001 and 2005. This set of data indicates several things. First, the genre, Arts, consistently remains at the top of all autobiographical book sales. Second, autobiographical book sales were at its highest during the years of 2001 and 2005. Lastly, after 2005, there has been a dramatic drop in the sales of autobiography. See below:

How can we can make further sense of this data? In the article, Conjunctions: Life Narratives in the Field of Human Rights, Schaffer and Smith note how Post-WWII global transformations have led to an increased interest in the production of autobiography and concern over human rights. The first half of the new millennium were full of global conflicts and transformations; the early 2000’s also saw various wars begin and end, coup d’états, and other crises that should have resulted in a greater proliferation of life narratives about such global events. If there is a greater production and interest in autobiographical work (especially in the genre of Arts) during times of conflict, then it should explain why book sales in the early 2000’s were significantly higher, right?

Apparently not. I was quite surprised when I came across this next set of data detailing the  50 best-selling autobiographies since 2001. Here are the top 5:

Looking through this list, I notice that only one of the top 5 best-sellers is explicitly about trauma, specifically, child abuse. Somehow, our studies in ASTU class led me to believe that books explicitly about trauma and bearing witness, such as Persepolis and What is the What, would widely popular, and possibly best-sellers. However, as I scroll through the list of the top 50 best-selling autobiographies, I realize that a majority of these books are written by and catered to a predominantly  “Western” audience. Judging from the book sales, minority narratives, particularly from the East, do not not have as great of a sale reception compared to narratives written by the West. Therefore, life narratives from the periphery may not be as widely distributed and consumed as we may think. This raises the issue of how consumers of life narratives may be neglecting the voices that are demanding to be heard and silencing accounts that speak about personal experiences such as trauma, oppression, and human rights abuse.

So now I end with even more questions: Are our priorities being shifted by those who control the book markets? How can consumers realize that their purchasing decisions they may be neglecting the voices that desperately need to be heard? Why has there been a decrease in the sales of autobiographies in the last few years, considering the tumultuous events that have occurred? What can we do about all this? Let me know what you think!

Online Control

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Our discussion in ASTU class today got me thinking a lot more about the Internet and how the online platform is practically in a world of its own. It is shaped by the stakeholders that control it (such as Google, Facebook, Firefox, etc.), and it’s users, who are the ones responsible for bringing it to life.

Consumers are prompted (and to some extent, feel obligated) to share a wide range of personal information on the networking sites they are in. For example, take a look at the “Timeline” on Facebook.  I think when I first discovered it, I thought of something along the lines of, “wow, this is going to make creeping a whole lot easier.” Now whether we like to admit this or not, the fact is that this is the purpose of social networking sites. They were built with the intention of creating common grounds in the online world for people to connect, and learn more about the people they are connected to. It’s funny, because despite all this, I still find myself wanting to maintain a degree of privacy on Facebook, and I’ve opted to leave a majority of my “about” and “life events” section on my profile relatively blank.

It wasn’t until our discussion in class today, was I reminded of a small, yet profound incident. At the beginning of the year, I noticed something that builds upon Eli Pariser’s Ted talk, Beware online “filter bubbles.” There, he talks about how major stakeholders have an increasing amount of control in personalizing the internet for its users. Have a look:

On the very first day of the new year, Facebook automatically published and highlighted a “life event” on my profile, because apparently, I graduated from high school six months early. I found myself confused by how Facebook could even publish something on my behalf, especially since it wasn’t true. I looked on my friends and classmates’ timelines, and they also had the exact same post as I did. A bit weird, and definitely perplexing, but I forgot about it shortly after.

Similar to how advertisements and search results are filtered based on what a hosting site thinks you want to see, Facebook was posting on my behalf, because they thought that my “graduation” was something that needed to be shared, even if it was incorrect. Not only have I realized that the internet is being filtered and personalized, but I am aware of how social media is pushing its users to share more and more personal information so that we can contribute to our online identities (and as a result have that information sold to third-parties.) Not only do we have to be conscious of the type of information we receive online, but also the information we choose to share. That way, internet users are also able to exert control in the online world that we have become so integrated in.