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Monthly Archives: October 2014

Module Review

I’m not sure how successful a quick look of the module was as a test but it seems that it functions quite well – the instructions are simple and easy to follow. Considering some of the assignments, I would assume this is an entire course or month long activity and not to be done in one class. It might have been more helpful to also analyze one class’ worth of content directly as it’s hard to gauge the amount of work and time in this review of the entire module. As such, though we were instructed not to do the assignment portion, I thought it best to analyze the module by actually giving it a try. I found it helpful to take little notes on the content and use them to support an argument or point of view. I did this primarily with sections one and two, and did a short, mock response. I’m not sure how effective the merging together of these 2 parts is but here is an example of a rough blog entry on section one using the materials from one and two:

Unwanted pregnancy is a nightmare for any woman as we have to make a choice in either keeping the child and all that entails or going through the process of abortion – which can be just as complicated due to social stigma and personal beliefs. The media also plays into the stigma of abortion and the keeping of the child as seen in Juno and the clips viewed. Choice becomes a problematic word as these women are often influenced to one decision or the other. Politics and religion should have no place in controlling anyone’s body but the portrayal of the process, interactions and fear induced by abortion and the depicted effects on others.
I very much agree with doctor Morgentaler, I think every woman should have the right over her body, no one else. It is entirely possible that complications from a pregnancy would result in the death of the mother so ‘pro-life’ has always been problematic. It values one life over another, especially when we should be more concerned with the existing life of the mother than the developing one. Abortion should not be used as a form of birth control, but in the case off danger to the mother or problems with the child (including the mothers ability to raise the child in any way), she should have no guilt in terminating the pregnancy. It is her well-being that will be affected for the next 9 or more months and it is her (or the state) that will have to care for the child.

(Time spent on section one content: about 30 minutes; section two, excluding juno: about 40-50 minutes; plus writing the rough response)

Overall the content seems to go well together and opinions are easily merged with the videos and readings. It might be helpful to have specific links to some of the readings as they are not always as easily found at home as opposed to accessing them online on campus. The module overview is also quite helpful to keep the themes in mind; however, some of the points fit better with specific sections and should maybe be referenced back to in each section beyond a few short words or switched around altogether. The final assignment could also use more explanation and clarification. Otherwise the module seems quite successful and could be used as a template for a course/class.

Skin and Race

I’ve had to hold off further analysis of the Race chapter until I’d completed the book as issues of race are prevalent in the entire book. Paul Gilory (chapter 8) explains how race has to be socially and politically constructed to secure and maintain ‘racialization’ and diversity today, despite the ideology being born as a distinction of skin colour during the colonial period. One aspect that was not discussed in the book is First Nations cultures. I personally come across this issue often in my own artistic work as people in Canada question my right to various ideology, imagery and symbolism. I’m from Eastern Europe, where we have populations that have a similar belief system as that of the North American aboriginals. My own great-grandmother was a village healer or white witch; though I would not necessarily define myself as “aboriginal”, the issues between traditional beliefs and those imposed by Christianity, colonialism and mass media are of great interest to me. Aboriginal cultures (especially those of Europe) are even less evident in the race/culture debate than African or Asian populations due to the belief they simply no longer exist. There are also many aboriginal people that are now of mixed decent and are facing discrimination from both sides, here O-Mie makes a great point that racism – “It’s not races we fear or judge, it is cultures, and not understanding them”. As exemplified by O-Mie’s quote- there are plenty of cultures and aboriginal peoples of every skin colour, including white as seen in the Sami people of Finland and the Setos of Estonia and Russia. The focus on race as defined by color is faulty to begin with but is even more problematic when groups or individuals do not fall under their socially defined race or culture.

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