#very much in a eurocentric colonial way

[andyevej]

There can only be one Ra // WIP

still on my grind of never finishing anything

[ifishouldvanish]

The idea of Olrox being from Cholula specifically makes me so insane. Like would he have identified more as Mexica? Or as Tlaxcaltec? Would he have been loyal to the Tlaxcaltec and allied with the Spanish only to get screwed over like his Mohican lover did in the colonies? Would he have done so thinking he could get the upper hand in the end just like Mizrak/Emmanuel thought the Order could with Erzsebet?

"He thinks the devils he manufactures will be enough to destroy her when the time comes. What do you think? Do you think he's right?" - S1E4

Even after the fall of Tenochtitlan, nobility from all over the region would have been sent to Cholula to get the blessing of Cholulan priests for their legitimacy. How might this have fueled his disdain for nobility?

Olrox: "I prefer my blood blue."

Drolta: "Maybe you do things differently in the new world, but over here we don't feed off the wealthy. The locals will start to grumble." - S1E5

As a Mexica citizen, this disdain could come from resentment toward sumptuary laws, the increasing lack of socioeconomic mobility during Moctezuma's rule, and frustration with how he handled the Spanish... But as a Cholulan sympathetic to Tlaxcala, there's so much more???

It could come from frustration with leadership that defected from the very people who helped them elude Mexica rule in the years before the Spanish conquest. Anger at a decision that economically obliterated the Tlaxcaltec, who became completely surrounded by Mexica member-states? Regret at how much it cost them to 'overthrow' the Mexica? Grief at how this kind of political/military opportunism helped lead the wider indigenous population to its demise?? Like the latter is so much more thematically ripe for a show tackling colonialism and imperialism imo???

"This one? He was just an opportunist, following the Messiah because she's powerful." - S1E4

I mean!!?? Think about how the implications of all of this... *gestures wildly* stuff would lead him to adopt such a cynical, morally ambiguous worldview? This sense that it's all doomed, that he's not strong enough to fight it? Resist and fall to your enemies, or work with them only to lose parts of your identity in the process? Think about how the brutality of the Cholula massacre recontextualizes eurocentric perceptions of the brutality of flower wars and ritual sacrifice??? How it would leave you with anger and pain and an unyielding need for justice?

"Little boy Belmont. I know that feeling. That pain, that hate, that burning, unendurable need for retribution." - S1E1

Think about how the Mexica Empire had adopted Huitzilopochtli (war, sacrifice) as their primary patron deity, and the Tlaxcaltec Mixcoatl/Camaxtli (the hunt, fire)... Yet Olrox's form seems to be based on Quetzalcoatl (wind, knowledge, rebirth, among other things)–the deity the great temple at Cholula was dedicated to.

A handful of mesoamerican deities are associated with serpents/have names ending in '-coatl', but Olrox's serpent form clearly has a feathered crest—the 'quetzal-' in Quetzalcoatl.

But Olrox's abilities also seem to include lightning/thunder, which are associated with Tlaloc, who the Cholulans seemed to have adopted as their central deity some time before the Spanish conquest.

Quetzalcoatl is only associated with storms sort of tangentially, through his aspect as the wind god, Ehecatl. The Florentine Codex refers to Quetzalcoatl-Ehecatl as sweeping the roads to make way for the rain and the thunder.

Think about how in Tlaxcaltec accounts, Cholula–being a sacred city–had no real military to speak of and depended on their gods to protect them???

Mizrak: "There's only one God. Just one. That's the only thing I'm sure of. And I've spent my whole life serving him, fighting for him. That hasn't changed, and it never will." Olrox: "One god... And you think he can protect you?" - S1E4

Like... What does it all mean???? 🫠🫠🫠

Agshsjdkdkfll *screams into a pillow* I am so excited for season 2 but whatever happens Cholulan Olrox is canon in my heart y'all

[wrotelovelytears]

Pluto might be in Aquarius

But that's only half the story.

Now I'm not one to believe only the planets inspire change in people but the environment they live in, their disposition and their current state of being impacts them just as much. Astrology without the consideration of culture and context is just astronomy. It has the body but not the soul.

I start with that because of all the current global happenings. I understand the importance of spiritual and religious practices, and they don't exist in a bubble of their own. It is highly related to the cultural movements and ethnic practices of a region. If we are going to be honest religions/spirituality would not exist with out those cultural foundations. Literally there would be nothing if ethnic and cultural differences didn't play a role.

Hoodoo wouldn't exist if African Americans didn't. The Greek Pantheon wouldn't be a thing if the ancient Greeks didn't interact with the Egyptians, Nubians and Macedonians. And it should be very well known the Romans stole their whole flow and rebranded. The same Romans who took Christianity and set the foundation for the many versions we see today.

I say all that because I've noticed a lack of connecting between the social/political climate, traditions and belief systems. We can't pretend that Vedic astrology isn't an actual part of Hinduism because it wouldn't exist if Hinduism wasn't here. And Hinduism is the result of two very different populations interacting with one getting colonized and pushed south and the other needing a system/ belief to justify it. We can't pretend that tropical astrology isn't a more Eurocentric method because the signs, planets and their meanings are not the same outside of Western/Eurocentric ideology. In fact it's heavily based off of Roman and Greek interpretations, the base of Western Society as a whole.

I'm not going to pretend that Pluto moving into Aquarius is the only reason why we suddenly "see" more social changes, more standoffish behavior, more coldness to our fellow human. All Aquarius is doing is putting it on the internet. It sent a tweet out and we all saw it. These issues aren't a magical happening, they are the result of centuries of bs pilling up. Of cultures merging in ways that weren't possible before modern technology. Of colonization. Imperialism. Chattel Slavery. The Arab Slave trade. Ethnic cleansings.

People weren't passive before the shift into Aquarius, people were ignoring it. It's really easy to do when you have no personal reason to care, in fact it's probably something all humans can relate to on one topic or another. Trust me I was heavily into activism spaces a decade ago, everything being talked about in media now was talking about then. It was talkes about when my parents were growing up in the 60s. My grandparents in the 20s/30s and so on. Aquarius just put it in our faces (again, and will continue to do so) and said "now what? ".

I want people to not just lean in to spiritual/religious practices because they are popular but to look into the actual meanings they have. I want people to understand that yes you can be spiritual/religious and your ethnic background does impact how you practice. I want people to understand these changes we see in France (they lost their standing in Africa, literally all their former colonies told it to cope, and that's leading to their collapse), South Korea (this is not the first, and sadly won't be the last time, power has been abused under the name of "anti communism", in fact ask South East Asians how they treated there and you'll see this was going to happen), the United States (a country founded on genocide and racism isn't going to magically be less of those because a Black woman got to run for office) etc aren't solely a shift in the Star positions.

I see people point out the French Revolution happened the last time Pluto was in Aquarius (but they also had lost all the land in the US and Haiti told them to fuck off, so it wasn't just not eating cake, it was the lack of slave labor to fund their empire). Or America getting it's freedom (Britain was getting close to abolishing chattel slavery (again free labor, people hate to lose their free labor), the Irish and Scottish were also giving the English a hard time, they had to pick between the people next door or the ones over the Ocean). At that time it was the lack of free labor that pushed those movements, yeah everyone didn't have slaves but they all benefited from that system.

So many astrologers say don't let the stars determine your life but literally turn around and do that. Astrology is a tool at the end of the day. That's it, because if someone doesn't believe in it that doesn't change what happens. Conformation bias would have us believe differently but that's just part of our nature to lean towards that which supports us, not questions us. It's a practice that spans the globe and millennia because we can all look up and see the same stars at night. Maybe not as bright because light pollution, not the same positions because stars go supernova and the solar system moves, but it's still up for everyone on the planet. It's something that regardless of where you go, there's some meaning to it, maybe not always spiritual but a reason nonetheless. And it's never the same, obviously or else this would be a very boring plane of existence, and there's overlap because humans gonna human no matter where we are.

I implore you to think on your upbringing. Think on your ethnic group(s). Think on your current country of residence. Think on what you were taught in school. Think on your family. Because that's what's impacting you. That's what makes you make the decisions you do. Not just Mars moving through your third house (this is just an example, if that's happening for you good for you or I hope it gets better idk) .

Pluto in Aquarius isn't bring change. It's humans and our individual motives that are and always have.

Aquarius is a sign that puts the spot light on things already in motion. It makes you think because if you don't you can't understand. It makes you detached because if you feel it too much you might get hurt. It makes you remember because this isn't the first, nor the last time it will happen. Aquarius is the personal motive made public part of human nature. The selfish desires that push for survival. The seeking of like mindedness. The drive for community, but only if it's the same as you. Aquarius is the when of the story.

[pokegyns]

Transmedicalism: The Sexism, Racism, and Classism of Transmeds

the theory of transmedicalism is undeniably intertwined with eurocentrism, white supremacy, colonial values, classism, and sexism.

1.) SEXISM

transmedicalists often propose the idea of “being born in the wrong body”– which has become the most widely accepted definition of transness. this is pseudoscience; no one can be “born in the wrong body”. this idea supports the neurosexist myth of the sex brain, “womb hormone imbalance”, “brain-body incongruence”, and general misinformed scientific misogyny. transmedicalism suggests medical intervention as the only solution to dysphoria & incongruence, which can be deeply harmful due to the unresearched nature of gender/sex dysphoria. the calls for the medicalizing of gender also fail to recognize the inherent intersexism this very idea is built on– unnecessary medical intervention on intersex infants is completely built on the medicalization of gender. of course, transness is medical & neurological– but it also undoubtedly is sociological, and transmeds fail to consider this fact. they fail to consider gender socialization, patriarchal values & environmental influence. their belief of having to involve medical intervention in every case of dysphoria fails to encompass the very fact that dysphoria can heal, and this uniquely disempowers & harms detrans people. with their assimilationist views, transmeds tend to revert back to cisnormative praxis. presenting medical transition & assimilation as the only path to trans happiness, they actively ignore the corrupt nature of the affirmative-only model, as well as the overly sexist practices presented to dysphoric individuals. the affirming-model, following transmedicalist thought, often attacks dysphoric people for not wanting to completely assimilate in the cispatriarchal society. assimilation is a direct attack on liberation. assimilation kills, assimilation is erasure, assimilation is the violence of invisibility. attacks on individuality & informed consent, as well as promising happiness to dysphoric people & claiming that medical transition is the only path available for them (& the fearmongering of, “if you don’t transition, you will die”) is the corrupt nature of transmedicalism. medical transition can be harmful, as much as it can be helpful. it is not the only cure to dysphoria, and sometimes it isn’t a cure, at all. the goal of trans liberation isn’t to assimilate into the strict gender binary, it is to destroy the gender binary.

2.) RACISM

attempts at purposing the “immediate need” for medical intervention in cases of dysphoria are also intertwined with colonization & white supremacy. strict attempts of white trans people to “pass” uniquely harm trans people of color. trans people of color are disproportionately subjected to extreme rates of poverty & discrimination, and are therefore bared from the resources they might need for the furthering of their desired transition. the emphasis that transmedicalist ideals place on the importance of passing as cis, as well as the ways in which racist stereotypes have bred toxic masculinity in communities of color, has led to a disproportionate level of violence being targeted towards trans people of color. pressuring dysphoric people to take unhealthy measures at “passing” & “assimilating” otherwise “they aren’t truly dysphoric”, undoubtedly is rooted in the westernized & eurocentric view of trans healthcare.

3.) CLASSISM

transmedicalism is largely classist, through & through. grooming young dysphoric people, who oftentimes come from non-wealthy families, that the only way they can reach happiness is by medically transitioning, is a very well-known tactic of transmedicalism. transmedicalism fails to consider diverse economic situations, and by presenting medical transition as the only path to happiness of dysphoric people, transmeds breed a unique form of insecurity, self-doubt, and depression in the brains of dysphoric youth. they claim medical transition is the only way dysphoric people will ever be able to be happy, and as they make this claim, they simultaneously subject lower-class trans people to lifelong suffering. this is one of the many ways classism manifests as one big hole in transmedicalist thought. not everyone can afford to pass, and it is unfair to declare everyone who cannot pass as a “faker”. branding transition as the only “cure” to dysphoria, and then barring certain individuals from the said “cure”, tells us just how flawed transmedicalism is. capitalists love to profit from vulnerable people’s pain, and dysphoria is a neurological condition that, by branding such a commodifying solution as “the only cure”, can get capitalists thriving at the expense of deeply ill & vulnerable people. transmeds imply that dysphoric people immediately need fixing, otherwise they’re doomed to lifelong suffering & inevitable death. this is the fastest way of manipulating a marginalized group & thus providing & promising profit to consumerist industries & those on the top of the capitalist pyramid.

4.) CONCLUSION

transmedicalism is the most socially accepted idea of transness. it is one that supports assimilation, the patriarchy, racism & colonialism. it is one that is the most likeable to large corporations, conservatives, and the power thirsty capitalists. as such, we shouldn’t see it as a feminist idea of transness. i have seen far too many self-proclaimed radical feminists claim transmeds are “the best trans people” & “ones we should accept the most”. this is a blatantly incorrect & dangerous belief to hold. transmedicalism harms dysphoric people on a wide scale; it punishes deviation from the gender hierarchy, affirms medical transition as the only way to trans happiness, profits from dysphoric pain– and as such, is inherently anti-feminist. it is one thing to acknowledge that dysphoria can be neurological, and that dysphoria is a mental condition– but it is a completely distinct thing to pressure trans people to medically transition, to imply dysphoric people need “fixing”, and to push & betray our trans siblings to the large messy pit the capitalist industry of medical transition is. undoubtedly, medical transition can save lives– but it can also destroy them, and the industry needs immediate reform. a lot of transmedicalists declare themselves “pro-radfem”, which is probably why they’ve gained such sympathy from self-proclaimed radfems– but the two groups couldn’t be more separate from each other. radfems generally have more in common with the crowd that parades neopronouns & xenogenders– and although more than few radfems will find this nonsensical– we still have to admit that these people have no power in the gender hierarchy whatsoever, unlike transmedicalism– an idea that built its’ praxis & is turning into a huge corporation. dysphoric people are not an experiment, nor are we a public good & guinea pigs. our pain is not something that capitalist pigs should have access to commodifying. transmedicalism hurt me as an individual, as well– the effects kalvin garrah & the “truscum” community (i had quite a few toxic transmed exes) had on me as a vulnerable dysphoric teen were numerous. i hated myself, and i hate myself a little less ever since i distanced myself from the huge mess the “truscum” community is. feminism is helping me heal, and i get enraged every time i see transmedicalism be accepted as a radfem ideal. it is not, and it never will be.

– mod zoroark

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"In the hands of some of its most able practitioners, postcolonial scholarship is a potent means of exploring the reworking ("provincializing") of European thought at and for the margins of empire (Chakrabarty 2000, 16). However, most postcolonial scholarship is written out of British or American universities and emanates from the heart of a recently superceded empire or of a recently ascendant one that hesitates to acknowledge its own imperial background. American postcolonial scholarship is not preoccupied with America (Hulme 1995; Thomas 1994172-73). In the background of such scholarship are European theorists, particularly Foucault, Derrida, and Gramsci; in the foreground, European colonial thought and culture. In these circumstances, as many have pointed out, it tends to be Eurocentric - or as the Australian anthropologist Patrick Wolfe puts it, occidocentric (1999,1). So positioned, it is well placed to comment on the imperial mind in its large diversity, and even - especially in the hands of scholars like Homi Bhabha and Dipesh Chakrabarty who grew up in former colonies - on the ways in which European thought has been inflected and hybridized by its colonial encounters, but not on the diverse, on-the-ground workings of colonialism in colonized spaces around the world. A central claim of the distinguished Indian subaltern historian, Ranajit Guha, is that if British historical writing on the subcontinent reveals something of Britain and the Raj, it reveals nothing of India (1997). Somewhat similar criticisms have been made of much of the postcolonial literature: that it (or parts of it) anticipates a radically restructured European historiography, that it allows for nothing outside the (European) discourse of colonialism, that it is yet another exercise in metatheory and in European universalism (e.g., Slemon 1994; McClintock 1994). As the literary theorist Benita Parry puts it, the postcolonial emphasis on language and texts tends to offer "the World according to the Word" (1997, 12)-and the word tends to be European. But unless it can be shown that colonialism is entirely constituted by European colonial culture (a proposition for which it is hard to imagine any convincing evidence unless the concept of culture is understood so broadly that it loses any analytical value), then studies of colonial discourse, written from the center, must be a very partial window on the workings of colonialism.

...

But if the aim is to understand colonialism rather than the workings of the imperial mind, then it would seem essential to investigate the sites where colonialism was actually practiced. Its effects were displayed there. The strategies and tactics on which it relied were actualized there. There, in the detail of colonial dispossessions and repossessions, the relative weight of different agents of colonial power may begin to be assessed. If colonialism is the object of investigation, then the sparse Canadian Shield is promising terrain. It was not detached from London, of course, and may have been profoundly influenced by elements of imperial thought and culture, but the extent of this influence cannot be ascertained in London. Rather, I think, one needs to study the colonial site itself, assess the displacements that took place there, and seek to account for them. To do so is to position studies of colonialism in the actuality and materiality of colonial experience. As that experience comes into focus, its principal causes are to be assessed, among which may well be something like the culture of imperialism. To proceed the other way around is to impose a form of intellectual imperialism on the study of colonialism, a tendency to which the postcolonial literature inclines.

The experienced materiality of colonialism is grounded, as many have noted, in dispossessions and repossessions of land. Even Edward Said (for all his emphasis on literary texts) described the essence of colonialism this way:

Underlying social space are territories, land, geographical domains, the actual geographical underpinnings of the imperial, and also the cultural contest. To think about distant places, to colonize them, to populate or depopulate them: all of this occurs on, about, or because of land. The actual geographical possession of land is what empire in the final analysis is all about (1994, 78).

Frantz Fanon held that colonialism created a world "divided into compartments," a "narrow world strewn with prohibitions," a "world without spaciousness." He maintained that a close examination of "this system of compartments" would "reveal the lines of force it implies." Moreover, "this approach to the colonial world, its ordering and its geographical layout will allow us to mark out the lines on which a decolonized society will be reorganized" (1963, 37-40).

Along the edge of empire that was early-modern British Columbia, colonialism's "geographical layout" was primarily expressed in a reserve (reservation) system that allocated a small portion of the land to native people and opened the rest for development. Native people were in the way, their land was coveted, and settlers took it. The line between the reserves and the rest-between the land set aside for the people who had lived there from time immemorial and land made available in.various tenures to immigrants became the primary line on the map of British Columbia. Eventually, there were approximately 1,500 small reserves, slightly more than a third of 1 percent of the land of the province. Native people had been placed in compartments by an aggressive settler society that, like others of its kind, was far more interested in native land than in the surplus value of native labor (Wolfe 1999, 1-3)."

- Cole Harris, "How Did Colonialism Dispossess? Comments from an Edge of Empire," Annals of the Association of American Geographers, Vol. 94, No. 1 (Mar., 2004), p. 166-167.

[alpaca-clouds]

What if Colonialism had not happened?

(Completely honest here: I did not plan that this blog fell onto this week. I mean, while I had suspicions for a while that Nocturne was gonna feature colonialism this heavily, I did not know. I just planned out the times for my posts and this happened...)

Let me talk a bit about history and once more about the fact that, no, history is not inevitable.

A lot of alternate history tends to be more right leaning. And it tends to be very eurocentric. Even if we talk about "what if Columbus did not come to America" it ends up being about how it would have changed European history. Not about what it would have meant for literally everyone else.

Now, we could talk a lot about "how could it not have happened?", but the thing is that there are so many little things that could have done different. For once, of course, if the crusades had happened differently, colonialism probably would not have happened the way it did. (Because boy howdy, those things were connected.)

If the Reconquista movement of Spain had failed, there is a good chance that Columbus never would have gotten the funds to do his expedition to find India the long way around - and hence would never have gotten to America. Which might not have guaranteed that Africa, Asia and Pacifica would not have been colonized, but if that had happened it would have changed the way it happened considerably.

The reason I pose the question however is, to make clear another thing. See, one of the reasons that a lot of alternate history tends to be so completely desinterested in what happened outside of Europe and MAYBE (East) Asia, is the racist believe that outside of Europe and (East) Asia there was basically no civilization going on. The idea that basically outside of Europe and Asia people were some hunter/gatherer normads without... anything. Sure, people tend to be somewhat aware of the the Maya and the Mexico (Aztec) people, but not much outside of it. But there were. There were cities and there was agriculture. There were so many different cultures in the Ameircas alone.

And of course it was not just the Americas. It was Afrika, too. It was the parts Asia that folks tend to act as if they were not civilized.

And yes, that is the reason that I pose the question. It is not that I have an answer. Because it is hard to say what would have happened in that way. There is a good chance that the pre-colonial empires still might have fallen one way or another. There is a good chance that some of the cultures that were eradicated through genocide might have died off in some other way, too.

But we also know is that millions, who died through the volence colonialism would have lived. Not all of them would have had full lives, of course not. But many more than had in the real world, in the real history.

We often look at history and accept it as inevitable in one way or another. But it wasn't. There were people that made the active decisions to do all those horrible things. Not only those in power, but also those following orders.

Just to make it clear: There is a good chance that something between 80 and 100 million people lived in the Americas alone before contact with Columbus. And now just look at the figures above and realize... how many people were just... killed in one way or another.

[vajrapoet]

ruminating on the leftism that guides much of my thinking. i'm avoiding the very common pitfall of simply applying theory (written by people benefiting from colonialism a few hundred years ago) to living conditions here in the neocolony of america and looking for ways to actually apply historical dialectic into here--it takes a lot of self awareness because as with all things the majority left position in the philippines is based off of joma sison's MLM-ness and the struggle for a national democracy, which has now kind of devolved into a ultranationalist jerk off between colonial intelligentsia and constant protesting and rallying. whenever they are challenged by the state, the main response is that "everything they've been doing is completely legal" and that nothing they've done is wrong. of course, paradoxically, as Mark Fisher writes in capitalist realism, much of this ends up just reifying capitalist reals and borders, and neatly squares away activism into yet another portion of capitalist life. activism (now also commonly romanticized by so many of those in the middle class to the petty bourgeois) is now subsumed into capitalism.

of course, from my point of view, doing something is better than doing nothing. i've participated in the movements of the national democratic mass organizations of the PH (anakbayan, etc.) (and still do, though my capacity has become limited and i'm focusing on supporting the communities closest to me for the time being) but they're increasingly becoming a sort of ideological stepping stone and for the most part i believe they have been completely subsumed into capitalist ideology.

i think the philippines is largely mostly just capitalist now, even with some modes of tenancy in the countryside seeming feudal, it operates entirely within a capitalist mode of view and application.

i don't subscribe to the sort of unilinear evolution of societies espoused by some soviet theorists (the classless -> slave -> feudal -> capitalist -> communist thing)--a lot of classical leftist and marxist theories can be pretty easily seen as sort of eurocentric. that's no bash, that's just the work of limited perspective. future marxists like fanon expand the marxist perspective greatly, though they seem to be largely ignored by the white bourgeois in my experience

i think ph leftism should be a lot more aware of local ideas on society, and use that to sort of influence and shape their leftism. a lot of leftists sort of scoff at "precolonial studies" as sort of cute at best and absolutely ethnocentric backwardism at worst (many ph leftists know jack shit about precolonial ph and/or seasia in general due to the education system of the philippines and the america-centric culture of the metropoles)

if we apply historical materialist dialectic all the way back to pre-hispanic times we get a treasure trove of societies to contrast and synthesize upon. a shared culture and binding connections with the rest of asia. the ideal state is of course international consciousnesses and solidarity--one that doesn't fall into the trap of capitalist reification through nationalism and the enforcement of the cacophony of signifiers that only serves to reinforce capitalist structures (jingles, voting, art that just regurgitates old socialist aesthetic, revolutionary art that doesn't really say anything because these artists lack proper class consciousness and/or perspective [many ph left artists come from the metropoles after all and/or have been subsumed into nationalist agenda through education systems and the need to belong in communities, art ph being one particularly egregious example that reinforces nationalist signifiers while becoming ignorant of the signified).

all in all the philippine left is completely defeated, as a movement. many leftists adopt anarchist tendencies, joyful militancies, try to live outside of the confines of communism through communes or living in the mountains. if we are to have any chance of challenging capitalism the ph left must interrogate its own biases, interrogate nationalism, review its literature, and then look inward, look to fellow tribes and societies, avoid the interventionist failures of soviet societies, and actually fight for a world that won't just degrade into more wage-labor slavery

"that's idealistic!" if you're shooting for the moon you land on the stars. the direction of the movement is more important than the speed. i fully believe ideological recourse is needed in the ph left--some might even say if there is a ph left still. i wouldn't mind abolishing the idea altogether--the left is still a eurocentric categorization after all. perhaps its time for a new revolution that interrogates current structures, even within so-called progressive organizations, with violent indignation, and finds a way to upend capitalism through a firm grasp in pre-capitalist structures and international ties

[lesbian-disaster-academic]

hi!! I really love your blog🥹🥹if it’s okay with you, can you give me some advices how to wire a good essay? I am really struggling maybe due to adhd or is it just because of me it just seems really hard and I would REALLY appreciate your advice (no pressure ❤️) thank you, have a nice day!!❤️

Hi! Thank you so much! This is such a good question, and I'd be happy to help you out as best I can! First of all, I completely empathize with you! Essays can be really tricky, and it takes some practice to get a hang of it. I know how frustrating it can be (cut-scene to me lying on the floor, curled up in a ball and on the verge of tears because I can't get the words to go), but try to be kind to yourself! Take breaks and ask for help when you need it! And remember to eat and stay hydrated! Very important!

Secondly, I'm situating this within the framework of the dominant education system within the West (as that's what I'm most familiar with). I don't necessarily agree with all of these points (e.g., what is considered "credible" according to dominant settler-colonial educational institutions is grounded in eurocentric, classist, racist, sexist, etc. ideologies, which exclude very valuable and important forms of knowledge and learning). Regardless, this advice should hopefully help you write within that general framework! Good luck, anon!

STEP ONE: GETTING STARTED

If you have trouble focusing (as I do!), there are a couple of tricks you can try! These won't work for everyone, and they might not work all the time, but I like to give them a shot when I feel like I'm at a dead-end. BODY-DOUBLING: Get someone to sit with you while you're doing your work. Alternatively, I've heard that joining a "study with me" livestream can help make your brain get into that "writing" mode.

FAKE IT 'TIL YOU MAKE IT: Pretend you're someone else. I know it sounds silly, but bear with me for a moment. When I can't focus, I pretend I'm a world-class scholar who's working on her great manuscript (even though, in reality, I'm some sleep-deprived dumbass scrawling an essay at three in the morning). This can help to shift your perception and give you motivation to keep going

CHANGE IT UP: ADHD brains thrive on novelty. Try switching up your environment a little bit. Sometimes, it helps me to work on the opposite end of my desk. Occasionally, I'll even grab my laptop and sit UNDER my desk, just to add some variety and try to kick my brain into gear.

STEP TWO: BRAINSTORMING

Okay, so you're ready to go! Great! We want to come up with some ideas for the essay! I usually like to do this by making a mind map. I'm very tired, so here's a rough sketch of what it might look like!

And a quick example (again, I'm very tired, so this is just the skeleton, sorry)!

STEP THREE: RESEARCHING

Depending on how you like to structure your brainstorming, this can either come before or after step two! Either way, when you're doing research, you want to look for a few key things in your sources. I'll list some of them here

How recent is this information? If it's something like a historical or literary essay, of course primary sources are best, so it's okay to use very old documents! However, if we're writing a scientific research paper, we want to use more up-to-date info.

Is the author an expert in what they're discussing? Look at their credentials.

What is the purpose of the information? Is the source trying to teach us something, or is it trying to sell us something?

Try using Google Scholar! The "Advanced Search" settings can be particularly helpful!

STEP FOUR: OUTLINING

Now we have all our information, and we have an idea of what we'd like to say! Try placing it in an outline, such as the one I created below (Sorry, this is a very incomplete outline. Again. Very very tired. On the verge of falling asleep as I'm writing this lol). Please note that this outline is more for generating a basic idea of what you want to say. Post-secondary education (at least where I live) doesn't rely on this format as much, so take my advice with a grain of salt.

STEP FIVE: DRAFTING

Time for your first draft! Try putting everything together into one document! Remember: it doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to get written. I'll add some pointers below!

Remember to use transitional terms/phrases. For instance, "however", "then", "first", "therefore", "in conclusion"! These help your writing flow smoothly!

Spellcheck. I'm a professional author, and even I mess up my spelling from time to time, so I treat spellcheck as a dear friend lol.

Always remember to format your proof as a sandwich. The intro to your proof is like the bread, the quote/proof/statistic is the filling, and the explanation and elaboration is the other piece of bread. This will help to structure your writing!

STEP SIX: EDITING

Yay, you made it! Time to edit! You can get someone to read over your work! You can also use a checklist, such as the one I've included below!

(full checklist)

Okay, that's about it! On a final note, REMEMBER TO CITE YOUR SOURCES! Google Docs has a built-in citation tool, if that helps! Software like Zotero can also be great, but my go-to is always Purdue OWL.

If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask!

[thevisibilityarchives]

Dune: Part Two (2024), Denis Villeneuve

BIPOC

Dune: Part Two and the Discussion of MENA Representation

Review Link: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/profiles/ratings/WYdFQDHR9tGJf9wiWXh8ZFR8iGGCaLHwBhawIZ0ubbCexiapiJVTWOFeeCzdIpjhmXFp4u11CYNTl4fOPSWQfkWC6bIb6SyBFVXfO4TZzc4m/movie

Following its much-anticipated release, the long-awaited second installation of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune adaptation has proven itself a sci-fi spectacle that must be experienced to be believed. 

It’s an outrageous combination of awe-inspiring cinematography, adept writing, and the talents of an all-star cast topped off by a score by veteran composer Hans Zimmer. The result: a feast for the senses that presents the stark realization that films on a scale this epic only come around once or twice a generation.

For those unfamiliar with the source material, the full extent of how truly epic this is may be lost. Part of the beauty of Dune is that Villeneuve simplified the story in such a way that it can be understood by moviegoers with no connection whatsoever to author Frank Herbert’s novel, or ever-having-seen the adaptations by David Lynch or SyFy (f/k/a Sci Fi). Within this simplification, the story of Dune doesn’t become reductive, nor are essential plot points lost. Like all adaptations, there are components lost, however even compared to Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings it can be argued that fewer creative liberties have been taken, and the ones that have been are worthy of discussion. 

Some of these changes are adaptations inherent to the modernization of source material written by a white man in the 1960s. While science fiction has arguably been a haven for progressive ideas, it still faces the limitations of the author's society and the popular sentiments of their time. 

Environmentalism, non-traditional relationships, the loss of innocence, and the power of femininity are all topics brought to life by Frank Herbert in his original novel–adeptly at times, sloppily in others. Decades later, Villeneuve irons out some of the flaws: the white savior narrative, the depiction of women, and the dreadful attempts to depict witch children.

These changes along with the skillful dedication to a remarkable piece of science fiction create what will undoubtedly be looked upon as a classic in due time, yet has been met with some degree of controversy for its depiction–or lack thereof of one group. 

Created in their image, the Fremen were shaped after those of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), with the Islamic faith making up aspects of their religion and the Middle East serving as the very essence of Arrakis. Yet in casting, MENA actors were notably absent from these roles, and the focus on much of the Fremen culture was notably absent, leaving many to question why.

Dune’s Roots in the Middle East

Written in 1965, Dune is considered one of the most remarkable science-fiction books of all time. Part of this significance is because, in 1965, it was a book that attained popularity while being so fervently against the cliches present in normal bestsellers: moral absolutes, Eurocentrism, and Western imperialism. 

For over a decade, we have now come to cherish and normalize media that centers around morally gray and ambiguous characters. We actively seek out things that de-center white, straight, and cisgender narratives. Yet in 1965, a world wherein the United States had barely de-segregated, homosexuality was outlawed across most of the world, and Christian colonialism efforts still ran rampant across many nations? A book challenging the status quo was impactful. 

The representation of MENA culture is intrinsic to everything that Dune is, from its language to its scenery to the music present in Villeneuve’s adaptations. Set primarily on the desert world of Arrakis, Herbert based the topography of the planet on regions of the Pacific Northwestern United States, yet its allegorical implications are clear. 

Arrakis is home to melange or “spice”, a heavily-coveted resource that grants extended longevity, bestows metaphysical abilities, and fuels interstellar travel. The latter is perhaps the most commercially beneficial of the three, and drives colonization of Arrakis, as well as the oppression and subsequent eradication of its Indigenous peoples.  

Within his writing, Herbert created a clear mirror of our own world: a desert region, plagued by war, aggression, and despoilment of the environment all for the sake of natural resources. In our own world, that resource is oil, and our Arrakis is the Middle East. 

Arriving just as environmental advocacy began to take off in the 1970s, The History Channel states “Many environmentalists interpreted Dune as a critique of the oil industry, with Herbert’s friend Willis E. McNelly writing that the empire’s reliance on spice can “be construed as a thinly veiled allegory of our world’s insatiable appetite for oil and other petroleum products” (Greenspan 2024). Perhaps more salient are the linguistics of Dune, which are directly composed of Arabic words. Throughout the book, both the Fremen, the Indigenous peoples of Arrakis as well as other factions of the world are described using Arabic language. Manvar Singh writes:

“The language with the greatest influence in “Dune” is Arabic. In the novel, the Fremen use at least eighty terms with clear Arabic origins, many of them tied to Islam. The Fremen follow istislah (“natural law”) and ilm (“theology”). They respect karama (“miracle”) and ijaz (“prophecy”), and are attentive to ayat (“signs”) and burhan (“proof”) of life. They quote the Kitab al-Ibar, or “Book of Lessons,” an allusion to the encyclopedia of world history penned by the fourteenth-century Arab historian Ibn Khaldun. Central characters are dignified with Arabic names. The colossal sandworms are called shai-hulud (“thing of eternity”). Paul Atreides’s sister is Alia (“exalted”). Paul himself is known as Muad’Dib, an epithet that resembles the Arabic word for teacher (mu’addib), and he is fabled to be the Lisan al-Gaib, translated in the book as “Voice of the Outer World” but which, in modern Arabic, means something closer to “Tongue of the Unseen.”

Then of course comes the music, composed by industry titan Hans Zimmer who broke his longstanding alliance with director Christopher Nolan to focus on Dune and Dune: Part Two. In creating his score, Zimmer explored a full range of instruments in a way he claimed he had not since scoring The Lion King. Utilizing vocalists, an array of culturally diverse instruments, and spending ample time listening to the sounds of the desert, he synthesized the music together to intentionally create a soundtrack intended to mimic the experience of a spice-induced trip in a desert sandstorm, embraced by the energy of the divine feminine. 

An Absence of MENA

With the depth of these roots in Middle Eastern culture, it would stand to reason that Dune would feature a sizeable cast. In addition to the Arabic language, Fremen religion heavily mirrors Islam, and while there are certainly Caucasian converts–we are focusing on a war for Arrakis and its Indigenous peoples.

Upon first glance at the Fremen in the first installation of Dune, we see a spattering of brown and black faces. Most notable are actress Zendaya who is biracial, and Javier Bardem, who is Spanish. Further introduction to the rest of the Fremen reveals similar casting choices among billed actors. 

It’s straightforward: “Despite the film's obvious inspirations, there are no leading actors of Middle Eastern or North African heritage.” (Shah, 2024) 

And why does this matter? When we beg the question of the difference between appropriation and appreciation, the deliberation includes questions about participation. Without the participation of the cultures involved, representation warps into fetishization at best, and appropriation at worst. 

Dune is a tale that warns us about the harms of colonialism, environmental despoilment, and religious extremism. Villeneuve’s version takes care to approach the topic of colonialism with extra caution, approaching painting the Fremen not as a singular unit that can easily be converted by the right white savior, but as a multitude of people with different beliefs. Some fundamentalists believe deeply in their faith and follow the direction of Paul and the prophecy instilled (falsely) by the Bene Gessirit. Then there are the detractors like Chani who have seen attempts at colonialism before, and who shy away from religion for that exact region. They reject Paul’s so-called place as the Chosen One–and any outsider who should lead them. 

To make these changes shows consideration on Villeneuve’s part. To fail to recognize the importance of casting actors of Middle Eastern and North African descent in a story directly inspired by a culture based on the Middle East and North Africa shows a distinct lack of it. 

A New Decade of MENA Representation

So, why such a prolific absence of MENA representation when it would truly make an impact? We need to examine two factors 1.) the overall distancing from Islamic culture within Villeneuve’s adaptation, and 2.) how filmmaking in a post 9/11 world has changed the representation of Islamic characters. 

As an adaptation of Herbert’s novel, Villeneuve takes the traditional liberties with the source material that a director is known for in bringing a book to the big screen. The core tenants remain, and many of the most important phrases and elements are retained. Yet to make the adaptation accessible to audiences unfamiliar with previous adaptations or the book it has been simplified. 

This simplification allows Villeneuve to pour energy into enhancing other aspects of the film. He drastically expands upon the female characters within the film, giving them purpose outside of appeasing Paul, bewitching men, or narrating his life.

With adaptation comes a loss of the “finer details”. In addition to the distinct lack of MENA actors, there is a drastic reduction in the language, and of course, scenes depicting Fremen's way of life and culture. These include rites of inheritance, polygyny (not to be confused with polyamory), and the decidedly not-Islamic-inspired ritual orgy that occurs following Jessica’s confirmation as the new Mother Superior of the tribe. 

These departures (the orgy notwithstanding, undoubtedly shed without a thought to maintain the film's PG-13 rating) are but a few of the cultural aspects sanitized from a story showcasing Arabic inspiration. Though it’s impossible to diminish it completely. Looking back through Villeneuve’s background, we can speculate on his reasons for this and perhaps consider whether it was done with intent. 

Following the September 11th attacks, Hollywood faced years of missteps in the representation of MENA characters onscreen, who were then stereotyped in the roles of jihadists, an imminent threat to the West for years to come. It didn’t matter whether the film took place in the past or present, the ideals were functionally the same. 

A notable example is Zack Snyder’s 300, adapted from Frank Miller’s graphic novel of the same name. Published in 1998, Snyder brought the film to life in 2006, where it received mixed critical reviews, and uproar internationally for its depiction of Iranians in the Spartan and Persian Battle at Thermopylae.

Brazilian actor Rodrigo Santoro portrays the antagonist King Xerxes as an effeminate gold-painted and pompous self-proclaimed God-king who seeks to drive forward a kingdom of sexual slavery. Leonidus, portrayed by Gerard Butler and his 300 men stand fierce to beat back Xerxes' soldiers and defend the good people of Sparta from slavery, the injustice of war, and the bleakness of what Xerxes promises. 

Yet the historical inaccuracy is ripe, and rewritten to appeal to Western notions of glory and sentiment. Historian Gary Leupp of Tufts challenged the film, explaining” In short: 300's depiction of the battle of Thermopylae is not merely inaccurate, as any film adaptation of a graphic novel has the perfect right to be. It's what the Iranians say it is: racist and insulting. It pits the glorious Greeks with whom the audience must sympathize against a "mystical" and "tyrannical" culture posing an imminent existential threat. It is, de facto, an anti-Persian/anti-Iranian propaganda film” (2007). In his statement, he explicitly breaks down the inaccuracies regarding the history of Xerxes and Persia versus the representation seen onscreen, which can be found in the citations link below. 

300 was but one example on the big screen. The late ‘00s/early ‘10s was the period of high-stakes television and as well. Shows like Homeland brought A-list performers like Claire Danes onscreen and normalized Islamophobia. Numerous forms of media following the attacks have depicted Muslims as “extremists, barbaric, insidious, and untrustworthy”. 

What many of us forget about is the very simple passage of time and the birth of new generations. Within a few short years, Gen Z has arisen, all but forgetting the pain and anxiety born of the September 11th attacks and seemingly everything that came with it–after all, none of them can even remember the day. 

In addition to that they are a generation born amidst an era of rapid information cycling and trend generation, and place an importance on publicly presenting their morality on their sleeve. All of this combined means the lessons, hardships, and mistakes of the past–can be forgotten quicker than we can imagine, and expectations to adhere to newly defined ideals of what is politically correct are defined seemingly overnight. 

It can be hard to keep up with. Especially if one is still concerned with the trials that seemed so important–and still are–ten years ago. Given the thought Villeneuve put into expanding upon aspects of Dune, it is difficult to imagine he didn’t put thought into how issues of problematic representation of MENA could arise. 

Ali-Karjoo Ravary writing for Al Jazeera pointed out during the release of the first installation of the film that the brand marketing changed up some of the wording of the film, stating “a crusade is coming” which marked an intentional difference from the book’s statement of “a jihad is coming”. Wording matters, as “Herbert’s nuanced understanding of jihad shows in his narrative. He did not aim to present jihad as simply a “bad” or “good” thing. Instead, he uses it to show how the messianic impulse, together with the apocalyptic violence that sometimes accompanies it, changes the world in uncontrollable and unpredictable ways.” (2020)

Of course, Herbert’s interpretation is an empathetic view and not one shared by many people with biases against those who pray to any god without white skin. While he tries, Paul ultimately succumbs to his will and manipulates the Fremen into following his aims to declare war on the galaxy. As the Fremen are proven to be some of the most formidable fighters we have seen and Paul’s manipulations are aided thanks to religious seeds planted by his mother’s order, this becomes a jihad in every way. He is the prophet. They are his holy avengers.

To cast MENA actors in these roles would once again fill slots of extreme religious fundamentalists, and this time, ones following a white man–no matter how nuanced the film has been made. Granted, as actors, they have a choice. Choosing representation is better than having none, however, if they had the conversation would likely then become “Dune: Part Two is a stereotype of MENA actors”. 

Is there a middle ground? There is of course, and this is where we notice the overt failure of casting directors in Hollywood. Following the criticism of the first film, Part Two touted its hiring of Swiss actress Souheila Yacoub who is of Tunisian descent. She played the role of one of the Northern Fremen, who stand against Paul’s attempts to co-opt their culture. Yet from the beginning, why not more featured characters? Why not Stilgar, Chani, Jamis, or even a surprise role similar to the one Anya-Taylor Joy played? 

While post-9/11 Islamophobia may have ebbed before the War on Gaza, we’ve entered a time where even the Hollywood excuse for “star power” fails when we remember the global world we now live in. Whether they are stars in their land or Americans with parents or religious heritage, there’s little to no excuse for the continued erasure and diminishment of culture onscreen–and in time Hollywood will come to know it. 

Citations: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/profiles/ratings/WYdFQDHR9tGJf9wiWXh8ZFR8iGGCaLHwBhawIZ0ubbCexiapiJVTWOFeeCzdIpjhmXFp4u11CYNTl4fOPSWQfkWC6bIb6SyBFVXfO4TZzc4m/movie

1. Maxwell D. Post-colonial Christianity in Africa. In: McLeod H, ed. The Cambridge History of Christianity. Cambridge History of Christianity. Cambridge University Press; 2006:401-421.

[inclusiveuniversity]

University Managed Minds: The Colonial Reproduction of Students as Mental Health Problems

This paper, informed by disability studies and de-colonial theory, examines the appearance of the counselling paradigm in the University of Toronto administrative archive. We begin from the assumption that an administrative treatment of the general student body as potentially disordered is a disabling orientation which makes student difficulties into individual problems to be managed through a mental health orientation. We show how this form of human resource management through the mental health regime is essentially tied to the “coloniality of power” as theorized by Mignolo. Such an analysis allows us to uncover the colonial machine from which the Modern University sprung as it remains hidden in place. We theorize how these mental health programs developed through the coloniality of our past are very much part of our present making the student body always potentially disabled and thus an administrative task to be governed while perpetuating Eurocentric ways of knowing, governing, and being.

Keywords: Critical/cultural disability studies; de-colonial theory; mental health; university archive; administration; management

[samchristian23]

Analytical Application 6

Orientalism

Orientalism is, simply put, the idea of seeing the Asian world through a European lens or point of view. It involves the commodification and simplification of Asian culture, and often leads to racist depictions of Asian people or culture in media. It’s closely related to Eurocentrism. It was developed by Edward Said in his book of the same name1.

Disney films are no stranger to racist depictions of the cultures of people of color. One obvious example is Song of the South, which, even when it was first released, was recognized for its racist depictions of Black people. But some Disney films, especially their animated affairs, can slip under the radar of many people’s prejudice detectors. One such film that does this is Lady and the Tramp. In this film, there is a scene where two siamese cats sing a song. This song shows the cats performing with vaguely Asian accents. The cats are also drawn in the way an east Asian person may be stereotypically drawn, with small slanted eyes and buck-teeth. Their singing is also accompanied by the sounds of gongs, bells, and other instruments that are stereotypically associated with east Asian culture. A key concept of Orientalism is the idea of a European fixation with Asian culture. According to Said, “The Orient is not only adjacent to Europe; it is also the place of Europe’s greatest and richest and oldest colonies, the source of its civilizations and languages, its cultural contestant, and one of its deepest and most recurring images of the other”2. This effect can be seen near the beginning of the song, when the siamese cats walk by Lady, which prompts a look of satisfaction and interest from her. Another key tenet of Orientalism is that “In addition, the Orient has helped to define Europe (or the West) as its contrasting image, idea, personality, experience”2. Meaning that the Orient is seen as Europe’s opposite. This can be seen in the latter part of the song, when the siamese cats begin to wreak havoc on the house they are in, while Lady, an American dog, saves the house in their wake, firmly establishing the siamese cats as her opposite, much like the Orient to the Occident.

Popular Culture

Popular culture is a concept very familiar to anyone who spends their time amongst visual media. According to Stuart Hall in his essay “What is this ‘black’ in black popular culture?”3, he states that popular culture is “mass-cultural, image-mediated, technological”4 . He goes on to say that black popular culture is a space where questions of blackness are able to be discussed, so it can be said that popular culture is a space where many topics are discussed. This is how the culture is created.

Peter Pan is a benchmark in American popular culture. There have been countless spin-offs, remakes, and re-imaginings of the story of Peter Pan, Wendy, and her siblings. As with lady of the tramp, while much of this story is how we look upon it - classic, family fun - there is one part that is often overlooked when considering the film Peter Pan. The scene in question is when the kids encounter a group of Native Americans, who, in the film, impart their wisdom and culture upon the children. This depiction of Native Americans is incredibly racist. Every man is portrayed with deep red skin, as are the older women, while younger women are portrayed with brown skin, and have more realistic facial and bodily dimensions. This in of itself is a great place to start with popular culture. It’s important to note the intersectional prejudice at work here: Native American men and older women are unnatural people, while young Native American women are beautiful, and are meant to be seen performing and hit on. The film grossed $87.4 million upon its release, a large sum for 1953, and was seen by many. The fact that this song existed in American popular culture is representative of how Native Americans were treated, and are to this day. In addition, it’s interesting that we, as a culture, have decided to ignore this terrible depiction of a culture, and others like it. Peter Pan is still fondly remembered as a family classic, and, if we look at the film through Hall’s framework, which says that popular culture allows for discussion and culture creation, this means that a culture of complicity and ignorance has been created.

Stereotype

As defined by Oxford English Dictionary, stereotype is a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing. Many famous examples of stereotypes include Asian people being of higher intelligence or of Black people being criminals. All the theorists we focused upon interact with stereotype in some way: Hall with how stereotype is created and deconstructed in popular culture, Said with his idea of Orientalism, of which stereotype plays a huge role, and Shohat and Stam in how stereotypes affect the way people are represented on screen5.

The Aristocats has the honor of being one of the only films I will be analyzing that deals with multiple stereotypes. First, stepping on the heels of what they had made fifteen years prior, Disney decided to include another siamese cat character in one of their films. This cat is viewed by the characters in the film in a much kinder light than those in Lady and the Tramp, which means it only occupies that first tenant of Orientalism, which says that the Orient is a European fascination (it should be noted that The Aristocats takes place in France). This siamese cat is shown playing the piano with chopsticks, as a young Aristocat looks on in admiration. The rest of the band is made of of cats portrayed as what can only be described as African American stereotypes. These cats perform jazz music, while wearing clothes reminiscent of Jazz performers in the 1920s, as well as one character wearing accessories straight from the soul movement of the 1960s. The instruments they play are telling as well: trumpet and upright bass the most so. We also see stereotypes (perhaps not stereotype but whatever it is it enhances the stereotype of the others) of European culture. The white Aristocat plays the harp with a French accent, calmly and gently, whereas the other players perform with fervor. The last part of this song sees the tempo pick back up, initiated by the trumpet player, and as the cats (also perhaps a stereotypical choice of animal) perform atop it, it comes crashing through the house, a signal of stereotypes that permeate all non-dominant cultures: they are dangerous, and destruction will come in their wake.

Cultural Hegemony

Cultural hegemony is a concept that sounds quite complicated, but it can be easily summarized as this: cultural hegemony is the dominant culture in a society, which then defines the culture that the rest of society ascribes to. Simply put, it is the culture as defined by those in power.

“An ape like me can learn to be human too.” This is the final line of a chorus sung by an ape in the film The Jungle Book. This analysis works best if we view Mowgli, the human character in this story, as an audience surrogate. Films in the 1960s, when this film was released, were presented for White people. So it can be said that Mowgli is meant to represent the eyes and voice of White people. With that said, let’s take a look at the song. The song begins with jazzy instrumentals, and someone begins to scat over them. We see that the scatting person is an ape. Now let’s pause here, because this is already setting off some big red lights. It seems too on the nose to have your ape character performing a jazz piece, no? The lyrics of the song express the ape’s lament for not being able to walk around the world like Mowgli does. As I said in the beginning, the final line of the chorus goes “An ape like me can learn to be human too.” This, as I see it, is where this idea of cultural hegemony comes into play. As I said earlier, films were made for white people in these days. But not only were films made for them, they were made by them. Using our knowledge of stereotypes, we can see that the ape is meant to represent Black Americans, and their need to become more like white people in order to be presentable in public. This incredibly popular film, has been seen by millions, is enforcing this idea of cultural hegemony, positioning white people at the top of society, while Black people lay below them. 

Realism

Realism is a concept heavily focused upon in the work of Shohat and Stam. Simply put, realism is an artistic attempt to portray individuals as realistically as possible. Shohat and Stam argue that realism is not a worthwhile endeavor, as realism will always be tinged with viewpoints that cannot be separated from the cultural contexts they exist within.

In a children’s film with talking animals, you would think that there wouldn’t need to be an attempt at realism made, for realism loses all form when confronted with something so unrealistic as talking animals and, in the case of Dumbo, flying elephants. As will all the songs seen previously, “When I See an Elephant Fly” deals heavily with stereotypes. The mouse character, which is the least of the stereotypical characters, has a thick New York Italian accent. The birds who sing the song are portrayed as Disney’s favorite punching bag: Black people. They wear clothes reminiscent of those that would have been worn during the  reconstruction-era. If this isn’t enough, the birds are also performed by Black singers, as well as being portrayed as crows, a black bird. This is the antithesis of realism. Or rather, it speaks to the pitfalls of realism that Shohat and Stam express. Let’s just say, for a moment, that this song really was an attempt at an accurate portrayal of African Americans. According to Shohat and Stam, “The issue, then, is less one of fidelity to a preexisting truth or reality than one of a specific orchestration of ideological discourses and communitarian perspectives”6. Meaning that an attempt at realism is tarnished by the unrealistic opinions of mass-culture when it comes to groups of color. We can see that plainly here in Dumbo. This portrayal of Black Americans is not realistic to their true experience, even if they are portrayed as birds.

Works Cited

1Said, Edward. “Introduction.” Essay. In Orientalism. London, United Kingdom: Routledge, 1978.

2Said. “Introduction”. Orientalism, 9-10

3Hall, Stuart. “What Is This ‘Black’ in Black Popular Culture?” Essay. In Critical Dialogues in Cultural Studies. London, United Kingdom: Routledge, 1996. 

4Hall. “What Is This ‘Black’ in Black Popular Culture?”. Critical Dialogues in Cultural Studies, 469

5Shohat, Ella, and Robert Stam. “Stereotype, Realism, and the Struggle Over Representation.” Essay. In Unthinking Eurocentrism. London, United Kingdom: Routledge, 1994. 

6Shohat and Stam. “Stereotype, Realism, and the Struggle Over Representation”. Unthinking Eurocentrism, 180

[aboutanancientenquiry]

Herodotus and the destruction of the Acropolis of Athens by the Persians

I reproduce below a video on Herodotus and the destruction of the Acropolis of Athens by the invading Persian army of Xerxes in 480 BCE, posted by Dutch scholar Janric van Rookhuijzen on the youtube channel of Herodotus Helpline. I will explain immediately afterwards why I find the video and the revisionist theories of van Rookhuijzen problematic. I will reproduce also in this post a text by an important American Classical archaeologist (John McKesson Camp), which summarizes the current consensus among scholars on the reality of the destruction of the Acropolis by Xerxes.

Now, my remarks on van Rookhuijzen's video:

In this video van Rookhuijzen essentially dismisses gratuitously all the ancient Greek sources about the destruction of the Acropolis of Athens by Xerxes.

He also essentially and equally gratuitously dismisses the academic consensus which prevails today among historians and archaeologists about the reality of the destruction of the Acropolis by the Persians, with as main argument that this consensus would be just a product of the influence of Herodotus, of Eurocentric ideology and of Orientalism, an argument which is very weak and in fact itself very ideological.

The truth is that van Rookhuijzen has more generally his own idiosyncratic revisionist theories on the Acropolis that almost none other scholar shares, for instance that what we know as the Parthenon and the Erechtheion ....are not the real Parthenon and Erechtheion!

Moreover, obviously he does not have much sympathy for the struggles of the Greeks for independence and liberation of their land from the foreign yoke (that he sees in outrageous way as "Greek conquests of Turkish and Bulgarian territories"!) or for philhellenism.

(Btw a person posted some days ago on this site the same video, with the comment that they would have learned from it "how german racist nationalism in archaeology influenced greek racist nationalism using Herodotus"! This is a very stupid comment and shows serious deficiency of historical knowledge from the part of the person who made it- moreover, it exaggerates grossly what even van Rookhuijzen claims. Really, since when "Greek racist nationalism" would be something comparable to the very real German racist nationalism, which caused two world wars, genocides, and immense suffering in humanity? I would add for the sake of the historical education of the person that made this comment that the Greeks paid a very heavy price for their resistance to German racist nationalism in its most extreme form -nazism- in WW II).

To clarify my position, I don't deny that the destruction of the Acropolis by Xerxes, an event with a very serious impact on the collective memory and identity of the Athenians and more generally of the ancient Greeks, has been used ideologially in modern times to justify theories about the inherent barbaric character of the East and the unescapable character of the conflict of the West with it, in a historical period of domination of the world by Western colonialism. But historical events are open to different evaluations of their significance in the more general historical process and, if we disagree with a given evaluation or exploitation of an event, it would be totally erroneous to deny the very reality of this event, if there are good reasons to accept it as real, as it is the case with the dectruction of the Acropolis by Xerxes. To put it differently, if we want to reject the exploitation in the past of the destruction of the Acropolis by Xerxes' Persians in the service of theories about the inevitable eternal conflict between East and West and about the inherently despotic and barbaric character of the East, it would be totally unnecessary and wrong to try to deny against the academic consensus and practically with no solid argument the very reality of this destruction. We cannot accept or refuse the historicity of events according to our more general ideological and philosophical positions, even if our positions and intentions are the best, although of course we can refute particular evaluations and interpretations of the same events. On the other hand, it is obvious to me that the replacement of Eurocentric views of the past with views idealizing the empires of the East like the Achaemenid Persian Empire and denying the historical importance of the fight of the Greek city-states to maintain their freedom face to the Achaemenid imperial expansionism, as it is fashionable today to see things in some quarters, would not be a progress.

I add that, if it is true that the argument of the struggle against Oriental despotism has been used often by Greeks and philellenes to gather support for the Greek War of Independence and the other wars of liberation fought by the Greeks, it is equally true that the Ottoman empire was really despotic and oppressive and often even barbaric towards the peoples conquered by it, especially when the latter revolted. Therefore, one should not confuse the use of this argument by Greeks and philellenes in the context of the Greek struggles for national liberation with the use of similar arguments about Oriental despotism in the service of the justification of the Western colonial expansion, as the contexts of these uses were very different.

And now I will reproduce the first paragraphs of a text by John McKesson Camp,  Director of the Athenian Agora Excavations at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Professor of Classics at Randolph-Macon College, to show what is the current scholarly consensus about the reliability of the ancient Greek sources concerning the destruction of the Acropolis of Athens by Xerxes (John McKesson Camp "The Persian Destruction of Athens. Sources and Archaeology", in the collective volume of S. Fachard-E.M. Harris (editors) The Destruction of Cities in the Ancient Greek World. Integrating the Archaeological and Literary Evidence, Cambridge University Press 2021, pp 70-84, text available in its entirety on https://newdiscoveries.sites.uu.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/712/2022/04/The-Persian-Destruction-of-Athens.pdf ):

"DESTRUCTION

The Sources The Persian sack of Athens in 480/479 B.C. is one of the landmarks both for Greek archaeology and the history of Athens. Thucydides and Herodotos are concise but absolutely unequivocal as to the damage done. Herodotos gives the more detailed account of the actual events, telling us that Xerxes, when he took the citadel: “plundered the temple and burned the entire acropolis” (8.53) and when, ten months after the battle of Salamis, and having wintered in Thessaly, the Persian general Mardonios returned and occupied Athens and then withdrew to Plataia, he “first burnt Athens, and utterly overthrew and demolished whatever wall or house or temple was left standing” (9.13). Thucydides, setting the stage for his description of the Themistoklean wall writes: “For of the encircling wall only small portions were left standing and most of the houses were in ruins, only a few remaining in which the chief men of the Persians had themselves taken quarters” (1.89). Diodoros Siculus gives the longest account of all, drawing on sources other than Herodotos or Thucydides. For the first attack, “Xerxes entered Attika and ravaged the countryside, and then he razed Athens to the ground and sent up in flames the temples of the gods. And while the king was concerned with these affairs, his fleet sailed from Euboia to Attika, having sacked on the way both Euboia and the coast of Attika” (11.14). And for the second assault and occupation: “Mardonios was so angry with them that he ravaged the entire countryside, razed the city to the ground, and utterly destroyed the temples that were still standing” (11.28.6). So, there we have it. Athens was wiped off the map. The literary sources are clear and largely unanimous as to the extent of the destruction: total. The primary question we are asked to consider is: “How reliable are the sources?” Our best way of checking is to turn to the archaeology.1

THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE: ATHENS AND ATTIKA

When we consider the archaeology of Athens in the early fifth century B.C., we find ample evidence of Persian destruction. On the acropolis, the Old Temple of Athena – made of limestone, with marble trim and pedimental figures of a gigantomachy – was destroyed. So was the Older Parthenon, with its superstructure of marble, unfinished and under construction at the time. The Older Propylon which gave access to the sanctuary, and the Archaic version of the Athena Nike temple were also destroyed. That is, all three Archaic temples dedicated to Athena and the gateway into the sanctuary were all destroyed in the first half of the fifth century B.C. Also ruined were several small limestone Doric buildings, decorated with pedimental sculpture, all recently restudied by N. Klein, and often referred to as “treasuries” because of their similarity to buildings at Olympia, Delphi, Delos, and perhaps Nemea.2 In addition to buildings, broken votive sculptures of korai and animals, marble perirrhanteria, inscribed bases, and shattered votive pottery were found in great numbers. Dozens of scholars of different disciplines – architecture, pottery, sculpture, stratigraphy, and epigraphy – have been over the evidence with a fine-toothed comb, and there are few if any dissenting voices expressing doubt that the acropolis fared as recorded in our sources. The evidence shows that the buildings and sculptural monuments of the principal sanctuary of Athena were reduced to rubble, burned or broken, or both."

[electric-english]

Critical Racial Literacy: concepts and practices

Hello there, electric teacher!

We've gotten to the last post where I talk about BNCC! It was such a pleasure to share my experiences and learn so much by writing these blogs.

In this last post, I'll talk about critical racial literacy in the English classroom. I would like to start by bringing back memories from my middle and high school years. I had an amazing history teacher who taught us so much about African countries and cultures and enlightened us on what Eurocentrism and racism were.

She would address topics like antiracism and the need to bring African culture into EVERY school subject, in a very serious manner. Even though she was a very fun person, and her classes were super engaging, she still made sure that every one of her students understood the necessity of being an antiracist in all circumstances.

In one of my classes at university, we were presented with a great text and received an amazing speech from a person who knows a lot about teaching the African culture, and this quote really stood out to me:

"É importante tomar conhecimento da complexidade que envolve o processo de construção da identidade negra em nosso país. Processo esse, marcado por uma sociedade que, para discriminar os negros, utiliza-se tanto da desvalorização da cultura de matriz africana como dos aspectos físicos herdados pelos descendentes de africanos."

Unfortunately, I don't think this is being practiced in most schools in Brazil and in the world. People are still very unaware when it comes to African culture. Many students are still making racist jokes and thinking they will not have any consequences for that.

As English teachers, there are many ways we could use language to help students learn about antiracism and African culture. Using extracts of African literature in the classroom, such as Chinua Achebe's "Things Fall Apart", where Nigerian culture and colonialism are truthfully portrayed by a Nigerian author.

Thank you all for reading my posts! It was a pleasure to learn and share my experience with you!

Don't forget: stay electric, teacher ⚡

[fea395-alejandroruiz]

Journal #5

This week we viewed the film Happy Together (1997) directed by Wong Kar-wai. The film follows Lai Yiu-fai and Ho Po-wing and their messy and complicated relationship that has brought them to Buenos Aires and unable to get home to Hong Kong. So far this semester, this has to be my favorite film we have viewed. It’s such a grounded and realistic depiction of a toxic relationship and the things we do for the people we love, whether for better or worse. At first it seemed that our protagonist, Lai, just had to deal with the horrible boyfriend that was Ho. Ho Po-wing was manipulative, needy, selfish, and sometimes predatory. But the film gives us a multi-dimensional protagonist in Lai because he also isn’t perfect. He’s possessive and jealous, taking Ho’s passport so he can’t leave him. I loved this because it showcases queer characters that aren’t just only defined by queerness. Queer people are deeply layered, they have their faults, and struggles just like any other person. It was refreshing to see that our protagonist isn’t perfect, and isn’t just an arm candy boyfriend, he is well developed throughout the whole film. One more small detail I really enjoyed about the film was the relationship between Lai and Chang. Their dialogue was filled with so much queer subtext that genuinely I thought they would kiss by the end of the film. Specifically when they have a discussion on women’s voices and Chang says he likes deep voices and Lai says he doesn’t really care about women’s voices. Chang even asks Lai to record his voice so that he can listen to it when he wants to remember him. They have a lot of lingering physical contact and their goodbye hug was really intimate.

In addition to the film, we read the article “Reflecting on Decolonial Queer” by Pedro Paulo Gomes Pereira. This article was a little tough for me to understand, but this is what I took away from it. Modern queer theory is through the lens of European/white culture and identity and fails to look at queer theory through other racial/cultural lenses. Pereira calls this decolonization, “an operation that consists of detaching ourselves from Eurocentrism and, in the same movement with which we extricate ourselves from its logic and its apparatus, opening ourselves to other experiences, stories, and theories (pg.407).” In relation to Happy Together, the film looks at an interesting perspective of queer characters. Our two main characters are queer Chinese men, stuck in Argentina. I admire this narrative choice because it’s an intersection of race, culture, and sexuality that is very unique and makes for an intimate and personal story that differs from the stereotypical white gay American queer film. Pereira says that “colonial logic is masculine, hetero, and white (pg.421).” And unfortunately that is how a lot of American and European societies view the world, which minimizes and makes inferior the voices of anyone who falls outside these parameters. I love that Lai expresses his love for Hong Kong and that he dreams of nothing more than to go back. It’s important that Lai expressed how angry he was that Ho is the reason they are stuck in Argentina, because it reemphasizes the love that Lai has for his home and culture that he has been taken away from. Lai is stuck in a foreign world that is so different from the one he is used to. 

[summoningblackness]

Zombification and The “Other”

This week we will be discussing the early ways in which zombies manifested themselves within the horror genre, where this representation of the zombie comes from, and how that has evolved into the zombie we know today.

Zombies, as a concept, are inherently racial. The origin of the zombie stems from Haiti, something we can see in both I Walked With a Zombie and White Zombie, though White Zombie perhaps more so.

While other classic monsters such as Dracula, Frankenstein, or even ghosts stem from European thought, zombies are the only monster that come from non-White beliefs. As Elizabeth McAlister of “Slaves, Cannibals, and Infected Hyper-Whites: The Race and Religion of Zombies” states, “The word zonbi appears in writing as far back as colonial Saint-Domingue...as the slaves’ belief in a returned soul, a revenant.” (459) Zombies are creatures who stem from both religious as well as political backgrounds. As mentioned in McAlister’s quote, zombies stem from the belief of a returned soul, a soul not completely dead. This is a belief that comes from the Haitian religion of Vodun, whom believe the living and spirutual worlds are interconnected.

In addition to being religious, the creation of zombies were also affected by the political happenings of the time, specifically the Haitian Revolution. As author Kieran Murphy says in “White Zombie”, recollections of the zombies prior to the Haitian Revolution are few and far in between. (48) Much of the zombie’s background stems from this era, in which fears of infinite subjugation to torture through slavery began.

To quote McAlister once again, “Under slavery, Afro-Caribbeans were rendered nonhuman by being legally  transposed  into  commodities. Now, the enslaved dead hold a respected place within the religion.” (465)

With that out of the way, we can see how these backgrounds are presented within earlier representations of horror. While the zombies we know today are very different from the Haitian zombie, due to 1968′s Night of the Living Dead, we can still see Haitian backgrounds creep out of early horror films, including I Walked With a Zombie and White Zombie. Both films feature a protagonist who comes in contact with zombies after a trip abroad, though arguably White Zombie is the film that most directly confronts Haitian backgrounds, as it is set there.

As “Slaves, Cannibals, and Infected Hyper-Whites: The Race and Religion of Zombies” states, “...these Caribbean zombie representations might be described as a profound example of what Toni Morrison calls “American Africanism,” that is,“the denotative and connotative blackness that African peoples have come to signify, as well as the entire range of views, assumptions, readings, and misreadings that accompany Eurocentric learning about these people” (McAlister, 461). At best, these films represent Haitians as “the other”. In the respective locations each film takes place in, zombies are seen rarely, though are more common than the in the Western countries of origin the protagonists come from. Zombies are at first a mythic tale of folklore, one that is associated with Haitian religion and spiritual practice, though no one truly believes in them. It is only once the protagonists see the “zombified” bodies, especially in White Zombie, where these bodies are used for slave labor, that they see the truth in zombies.

Though these films do treat Haitians and the zombies that stem from Haitian belief as the other, there are ways in which the films unite a shared fear within its audiences. Both films came out around the Great Depression era, a time when the horrors of American society had to do with the fears of losing oneself to capitalism and labor concerns. 

Kieran Murphy of “White Zombie” states this best, saying “The appropriation of the Haitian zombie by American mass media did contribute to the accentuation of Haiti’s ‘‘Otherness,’’ but it also signaled a modern and shared experience of loss and meaninglessness that reached beyond cultural differences.” (53)

Thank you for reading my analysis of zombies and Haitian belief, come back soon for my newest investigation into the horrific monster and racial relations!

[oo111111]

Two excerpts regarding visual objectivity, epistemology and (western) natural history

(above) Excerpt from Lorraine Daston and Peter Galison's Objectivity, 2007

(below) Robert D. Montoya's Power of Position, 2022

The more we direct our attention towards it, the more it becomes clear how much of our current visualization of history comes to be defined and stems from colonial or oppressive practices. It's not simply about the discipline of natural history or XIX and XX war practices and technological developments, it's about the conditions that have long stipulated what is allowed to be visible and what remains invisible. Mirzoeff examines this at lenght in The Right to Look and very astutely understands that above all visuality constitutes a visualization of history, more than any totality of images. The emergence of the concept of objectivity through scientific atlases, the legacy of natural history, anthropology and the origin of the internet, willingly or not, contribute to the maintenance of a very specific (western and colonial) visuality. A very concrete optical vision comes to influence epistemes, that in turn shape the material conditions of the world, something we can trace back to the birth of perspective in the XV century (Patrícia Castello Branco) and further. Understanding the concept of visuality as one visualization of history shifts the focus from singular images, even if multiple, to a continuous process of rendering something visible. Understood this way, a regime of visuality conditions what one is able to apprehend visually. It is useful to question if we're able to discern more than just one visualization of history. Countervisualities (Mirzoeff) and counter-speculations (Aris Komporozos-Athanasiou) seem to allow for other forms of apprehension, other agents participating in the construction of visual frameworks, that expand beyond the traditional anthropo- and eurocentric systems of representation. It is possible to argue that we are able to conceive of a posthumanist (countervisualization) visualization of history grounded in the intra- and interactions of biotic and non-biotic agents. Works like Benjamin Bratton's The Stack and Laura Tripaldi's Parallel Minds propose strong arguments for what this collaboration looks, and might look like, in the future. While the legacy of DARPA and imperial epistemes persist and prevail, there is space between them to generate more respectful systems of representations and ways of weaving histories together. It feels important, nonetheless, to not forgo this legacy that Lorraine Daston, Peter Galison and Robert D. Montoya highlight, concerning the gradual construction of a very specific sight that is anything but neutral or unbiased.