Reflexivity

Tove wasted no time sending me a link to a newsletter with several articles about linguistic rights and a pdf with info about submersion – a subtractive educational methodology that has been studied extensively in regard to indigenous and minority students. Without doing more than a quick skim right now, the first thing that strikes me are questions about the definition and categorization of “indigenous” and “minority”.
Meanwhile, after reading about linguistic imperialism, Amanda sent a link to a blogpost on Sinhala Sign Language, used by the Deaf community in Sri Lanka. “Sinhala Sign Language (SSL) does not differentiate among “who?” “what?” and “how?” The sign for all three is simply shaking your fist.”* A lively discussion ensues after this concerning the ethics of introducing foreign signs to accomplish the functions these lexical items serve in English and American Sign Language (among others).
I suppose this is a smaller scale example of the Karnataka decision on English instruction in Kashmiri schools? Or perhaps it is an example of a different order – pidgenizing a language is a different change strategy than blatant replacement. The Karnataka decision is also opposed; obviously the question of mother tongue or English instruction is volatile. The debate has been going on for a while. A “map” of the language policy terrain was provided in 2002.
I’ll need to do more reading and thinking before I can wade further into this, but it is striking to me how politicized language is in this Indian state. I know that language is complicated throughout India (largest number of official languages of any country, right?) Why is the language contest so overt in this instance? What other factors have conspired to bring mother tongue, Kannada, and English into the academic and political limelight?
(FYI: A “fist” of one kind or another has shown up in three contexts within the last four days.)

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My new pal Stephen worked on Kimcoco Iamoto’s election to the Oahu Board of Education.
Post election radio and text interview (added 14 November 2006).

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I was an “honorary Eastern European” only for the 1 hour and 24 minutes it took Borat to run. Then I resumed my accustomed role as the earnest, pious, and self-righteous American who is mercilously mocked by Sacha Baron Cohen. This movie is funny, but only if you can step outside of the truly narrow frame in which most Americans live. Here we see ourselves – racist, sexist, homophobic, anti-semitic (Jewish and Muslim) – in all our high-faluting hypocrisy. This Review covers many of the highlights.
The humor is overly-crass in a few places, and falls flat in others, but when Cohen’s ‘straight man‘ draws out the extent of white supremacist and classist hubris one cringes behind the laughter. Or ought to. The situation that personally disturbed me the most was with the three college students and their degradation of women. Yes, the desire for slavery was/is sick but in the scene it came across (to me) as a mechanism to operationalize pathological violence against women. I enjoy the young men I teach and can only hope they aren’t living such double lives.
I saw the film with two Romanians and a Hungarian, seated in front of a Russian and an Australian. I know at least two Brazilians were in the soldout audience as well. How many of the rest of the crowd were internationals, celebrating the publicization of discriminations they might themselves often experience? I don’t know. There were many young people there, and frequent, loud laughter.
One of the sweetest scenes occurs with a group of young African-American men, who are among the very few able to accept a foreigner with apparently weak English language skills as a fellow human being. Underneath and behind Cohen’s humor are some sharp lessons about how we could all get along. (See how earnest I am?!!)

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Rethinking Marxism will hold it’s 6th annual conference at UMass next fall.

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NAACP wins on “nigger” in dictionary (email from La Wanza to the social justice listserv)
A Small Victory…A Giant Step (Thanks NAACP)
Kweisi Mfume made the announcement during a speech at Virgina Tech in the spring of 2001 “beginning with the next edition, the word nigger will no longer be synonymous with African-Americans. It shall be duly noted that it’s a racial slur and not what African-Americans themselves are. Along with this, all racial and religious slurs will finally be indicated for what they really are – cruel and evil slurs too often used to degrade people.”
history and etymology.

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Brokeback Mountain lives up to the hype.

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VSEI (Volunteers for Service to Education in India), Amherst Chapter, has organized “Sargam”, an evening of Indian Classical Music and Dance on 20th November 2005 at the UMass Amherst Campus Center Auditorium. Artists from the Western Massachusetts area, including students and faculty from the 5 Colleges, will showcase various Indian Classical performances.
The event is a fundraiser to help support education related projects in India. A part of the proceeds from this event will also be forwarded to support earthquake relief efforts in India and Pakistan. More info: the artists and logistics.

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The original crew of the Enterprise were my best friends and role models while I was growing up. Everyday during elementary school I would rush home to watch. I now have a hard time watching Kirk, but Spock remains an icon. I am still taken by the camraderie across supposed difference which all subsequent Star Trek series have continued to emulate.
Am I surprised by George Takei’s widening corridor”? No. It makes such sense, especially the way he explains it – tying his own life experiences (including internment as a child) with contemporary media and political life. An overlapping story highlights Takei On Politics, Being Different And Social Activism.
via Eric, socialjustice listserv

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Felice was one of my professors during my Master’s in social justice education. She rocks. I only met Chuck once, but he’s cool too. I think it’s great their book, Economic Apartheid in America has been published in a 2nd edition.

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Sent by Taryn to the social justice listserv:
“This guide by the New York Collective of Radical Educators has an excellent analysis and link to resources/examples on the social justice issues related to Hurricane Katrina. Margery is one of the trainers with the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond.”

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