Hi Cultural Studies students, I wanted to welcome you back from your spring break. You know spring time is the season of new beginnings. This is why during spring you have flowers blooming and other elements coming to life. People are planning for weddings, proms and graduations.

It is also the time for new ideas and goals and you should be thinking now about your next task you need to complete. Spring forward into action to close out your school year on a positive note. For you seniors this means that you want to finish up strong and graduate on time. Your life is just beginning that's why we refer to graduation as "commencement" because it means the beginning. High school may be just about over, but the rest of your life is just beginning. I encourage you to make the best of it because this is no dress rehearsal and there are no second chances. Be encouraged and stay focus because spring is also the time when students can lose focus due to "senioritis." You know you are senior and you just don't feel like doing that last assignment or reading that last chapter. You need to finish up strong!!

Study Guide for Advocacy Types and Definitions: Source used is A New Weave of Power, People and Politics by eds. Lisa VeneKlasen and Valerie Miller etal.<o:p></o:p>

Spring 2012: Cultural Studies: Dr. Glasper<o:p></o:p>

1)      Public Interest Advocacy- this is typically the large scale campaign style advocacy often involving professional lobbyists, media experts, pollsters, and fundraisers. These actors mobilize resources and influence in pursuit of policy reforms on social and political issues with the goal of serving the broad public interest.<o:p></o:p>

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2)      Policy Advocacy-This type focuses on the policy agenda and a specific policy goal. These advocates usually assume that policy change will produce real change on the ground.<o:p></o:p>

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3)      Social Justice Advocacy- A number of organizations worldwide describe their advocacy this way that involves political and policy influence around issues that directly affect people’s lives, especially the lives of the poor and marginalized. These organized actions seek to highlight critical issues that have been ignored and submerged, to influence public attitudes and to enact and implement laws and public policies so that visions of what should be in a just, decent society become a reality.  They stress the need to embrace power relations and people’s participation.<o:p></o:p>

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4)      People-centered Advocacy-These strategies aim to empower poor people to advocate for their rights and interests themselves. This approach challenges the notion that policy is the terrain of experts. People-centered advocacy supports and enables people to better negotiate on their own behalf, for basic needs and basic rights.<o:p></o:p>

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5)      Participatory Advocacy-Participatory advocacy extends the boundaries of public decision-making by engaging civil society groups in policy debates. It is founded on the belief that democratic governance is the task of citizens as well as governments. This type of advocacy aims to expand public space and citizenship.<o:p></o:p>

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6)      Feminist Advocacy-Feminist advocacy refers to strategies, skills, and tools used to influence decisionmaking processes in the public and social arenas in order to eliminate inequalities between women and men. It often challenges other forms of oppression and exclusion. Feminist advocacy seeks to achieve respect for diversity and difference, and to contribute to cultural, social and political change for women’s full and active citizenship.<o:p></o:p>

 

Hey PDA students, faculty and staff, I just wanted to wish you a safe and enjoyable spring break. Do something fun, but safe, relax and reflect and then let's return back to be productive as we close out the school year.

Dr. Glasper

Hey PDA students, faculty and administration. I just wanted to encourage you to use social media in general and social networking tools like Facebook and Twitter for more than just socializing. We have another tragic story with the unfortunate killing of Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida. Everyone should know something about this case by now although it took almost a month to gain traction. It now has the attention of the nation.

We should all take a vested interest in this case because Trayvon could have been your brother, son, nephew or friend. I have two sons, so this hit me hard like any parent. We should be up in arms about this and we should Facebook, text, email and make sure that we stay up on this case. Also, we should also be equally up in arms when we have "black on black homicides." We cannot afford to be immune with black on black crime. Let's use our technology and education to mobilize and keep people informed about these issues. 

Cultural Studies Lecture on Women’s Liberation Movement and Black Feminism in the U.S. for March 14, 2012<o:p></o:p>

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I.                   Feminism is a concept that has been around for a long time, but took on new meaning during the Women’s Liberation Movement: it is defined as a theory of the political, economic, and the social equality of the female gender. In fact the feminist movement is another name for the Women’s liberation Movement.<o:p></o:p>

a.     Mary Wollstonecraft was one of the first feminist when published a work called A Vindication of the Rights of Women in 1792 in which she advocated for the social and moral equality of sexes.<o:p></o:p>

b.     Traditionally speaking women were limited to domestic activities in the home such as cooking, cleaning, the rearing of the children and being obedient to their husbands.<o:p></o:p>

c.      The first wave of feminism came in the 19^th Century and one of the biggest issues was giving women the right to vote. Susan B. Anthony fought for Women’s Suffrage. This came with the passage of the 19^th Amendment. <o:p></o:p>

d.     The second wave of feminism came during the early 1960s and ran through the late 1980s. During this era women fought for the right to equal pay and the right to be in control of their own bodies/protective rights over reproductive decisions i.e. the right to have an abortion etc. Roe v. Wade case in 1973, the court ruled that a woman along with her doctor could choose an abortion in the first trimester of her pregnancy without legal restriction, with some restrictions in the later months based on the right to privacy concept.<o:p></o:p>

II.                 Second Wave of Feminism<o:p></o:p>

a.     During the second wave, Betty Friedan and some others founded the organization known as the National Organization for Women (NOW) in 1966 and it became incorporated in 1967. In 2008, it was reported that NOW had 500,000 members.<o:p></o:p>

b.     NOW was successful in getting the Equal Rights Amendment passed in 1972<o:p></o:p>

III.              Black Feminism<o:p></o:p>

a.     Black Feminism-a theoretical concept that emphasizes the need for Black women to unite against the struggles of race, class, political and gender oppression.<o:p></o:p> Two important concepts/variables to keep in mind that is relevant to black feminism is race and gender. Black feminism is race and gender specific in terms of its conceptual emphasis.

b.     It became apparent that Black women had some major differences in terms of their struggles for progress that White women did not have to address: Such rights as voting, equal pay, better jobs, better housing, and better education were all of equal desire, but what separated Black women from White women were their race.<o:p></o:p>

c.      It was believed that Black women were disrespected by everyone including their black brethren.<o:p></o:p>

d.     The National Association of Colored Women was formed in 1896. <o:p></o:p>

e.     Black women such as Amy Jacques Garvey wrote about the plight of black women in the Negro World. Dr. Patricia Hill Collins a University of Maryland, College Park professor has written about the Black Feminist Anthology.<o:p></o:p>

We see touches and spices of Black Feminism in books and films like The Color Purple, For Colored Girls, The Women of Brewster’s Place, Ditch Digger’s Daughters, Their Eyes were Watching God and Eves Bayou.

Good morning class, since I will not be there this morning then please use your time to work on your outline/introduction and or collect research data for your paper. You are strongly encouraged to use your time wisely. I will see you on Wednesday, March 14th.

Thanks,

Dr. Glasper

·        The Flowering of Black Nationalism by Edwin S. Redkey<o:p></o:p>

·        Four levels of Black Impetuses  into the American Struggle for Black Inclusion and Power <o:p></o:p>

o   Race Avoiders/Accommodationists-Group of Blacks that tried to get along and did not want to agitate the system. Attempted to avoid controversy and direct action, but believed that in due time things would improve if Blacks demonstrated self-sufficiency and independence. i.e. Booker T. Washington, modern day entertainers and athletes<o:p></o:p>

o   Integrationists-Group of Blacks that protested to whites asking for fair and equal treatment i.e. civil rights and integration into the mainstream of American life i.e. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. NAACP, Urban League,<o:p></o:p>

o   Black Nationalists-Group of Blacks who were deemed to be militant by using radical means, but called for separation from the dominant U.S. culture  mainly concerned about Blacks in the U.S. i.e. Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm X, Louis Farrakhan, Muhammad Ili,  Nation of Islam, Deacons of Defense, Black Panthers etc. Universal Negro Improvement Association etc.<o:p></o:p>

o   Pan Africanists- Group of Blacks who believed that the plight of American Blacks could be tied and merged with the plight of Blacks and African people in Africa and everywhere. A greater degree of Black Nationalism i.e. Dr. W.E.B. DuBois, Dr. Ronald Walters<o:p></o:p>

 According to John H. Bracey, Jr. in Black Nationalism Since Garvey there are about 6 or 7 different types of Black Nationalism<o:p></o:p>

1)    Racial Solidarity –this is the most basic and simplest form of Black Nationalism. It involves the belief that black people are bound to each other by their common color and condition of oppression and should utilize their group strength to alleviate their oppression.<o:p></o:p>

2)    Cultural Nationalism- a more complex belief that Black people in the U.S. and elsewhere share a culture, style of life, aesthetic standard, and world view distinct from that of white Americans and Europeans. Celebration of Kwanzaa is an example.<o:p></o:p>

3)    Religious Nationalism- Another level of complexity regarding Black Nationalism that argues that Blacks should practice a distinct belief in a Black religion or church, or denomination i.e. Black Muslim’s Nation of Islam, African Methodist Episcopal Church etc.<o:p></o:p>

4)    Economic Nationalism-It embraces the full spectrum of economic thought from pre-industrial African communalism to Marxian socialism. Here Black bourgeois nationalists or black capitalists advocate either gaining control over the Black sector of the American market or establishing a completely Black capitalist economy parallel to American capitalism.  Usually these are people who want to establish pre-industrial and pre-capitalist African communal forms. Example Elijah Muhammad created some of this with their Muslim stores and communities. Semblances of it in 1960s prior to integration. <o:p></o:p>

5)    Political Nationalism- In its mildest form is known as a) Black ethnic politics based on liberal reformist assumptions. Advocates assume that politically the U.S. is pluralistic and liberal. They have demands for more Black representation for Black political and administrative control over the local areas where Blacks predominate are manifestations of this view. B) a more radical view is Revolutionary Nationalism- it advocates the overthrowing of existing political and economic institutions as a prerequisite for the liberation of Black Americans.<o:p></o:p>

6)    Territorial (separatism) Nationalism-Here the argument is made for Blacks to emigrate back to Africa. On the other hand, Blacks should establish a sovereign Black political and economic vibrant town, state or nation with the present territorial limits of the United States. A milder form is to just have Blacks control their own communities and neighborhoods economically, politically, socially, and culturally. <o:p></o:p>

7)    Pan-Africanism- This is the most comprehensive and sophisticated form of Black Nationalism. It is broad and asserts that people of African descent throughout the world share cultural characteristics and social conditions as a result of their African origins: their political oppression and economic exploitation by Europeans and Americans, and their stigmatization by the racial attitudes, theories, and behavior of Western civilization.<o:p></o:p>

 

Hi PDA students, faculty and administration. I just thought that I would remind you of the importance of celebrating Women's History during the month of March. Although I believe all strong and loving women should be celebrated, I am particularly interested in showcasing the contributions of African American women. Last week I took the liberty to share with my cultural studies class of how my 97 year old grandmother helped to shape and mold me into the man I am today. Both my mother and grandmother are very strong black women who influenced me. Some men don't like to admit that women have assisted them to get where they are. I have no problem admitting it and still feel very comfortable with my masculinity. My grandmother is of particular interests because she only had a 7th grade education; yet she inspired me to go on to get my education. You could say my grandmother and mom had a vision for me. Finally, if you noticed I have spent all this time discussing my grandmother and mother without mentioning someone famous. This is precisely my point. We all have women in our families that we should celebrate not only during the month of March, but throughout the year. I encourage you to take some time out to tell and show the women in your life how much you appreciate them.

Good morning class, just a brief update for you. On Monday, March 5th, our male scholars should be prepared to discuss their black history assignments and we will complete our part II discussion on Black Nationalism and Pan-Africanism. We will then proceed to discuss Women's History and Black Women challenges and successes and don't worry male scholars you will get something out of it.

Later on during the month or in early April, we will discuss the cultural impact of Black fraternaties and sororities on the Black community and in particular on Black college life.

Thanks and have a great weekend.

Dr. Glasper

As we close on Black History Month, I just wanted to remind you that every day is Black History month because we are living it. Although, I fully support the need for Black History Month because it is a sure way of passing down historical traditions and contributions from the old to the young. We need and should continue this. There are some that make the argument that we no longer need Black History because it should be embedded into American History.

The problem with that argument in my opinion is that although it is embedded in American History, it often times gets lost in the shuffle of American History and we only here about a few of our African American heroes such as Rosa Parks, Dr. King and Oprah or somebody. As we close out this month, I challenge you to continue to live Black History every day and decide right now what contributions you will make to make the next generation proud of you. We must and have to be in control of our own stories. In the words of Marcus Garvey, "Up you mighty race, you can accomplish what you will!"

Have a great day PDA students, faculty and administration!

Hi PDA students, I am reminded of when I was in school and how I would compete with my fellow classmates in sports and in class on trying to make the best grades on the exam. I often encourage my two sons to learn how to compete in the classroom as well as in sports. It is quite okay to engage in friendly competition in the classroom as well.

You should develop a pact among your closest friends. As you graduating seniors close out your senior year; you should develop a pact which is an agreement to do something and to request the sincerity and support of others to see you through it; while at the same time they are supposed to accomplish something as well. For example, one pact or agreement could be that you will do your very best during the last quarter at PDA or you will go to college and finish and then proceed to law or graduate school. I encourage you to motivate each other and read the book called The Pact by: Drs. Davis, Hunt, and Jenkins.

The Pact is about an incredible agreement that three young African American men from Newark, New Jersey made with the odds stacked against them coming from single parent homes. Nevertheless, they made it by hard work, determination, supporting each other and I am sure many prayers. I strongly encourage you to read their book and I am surprised that a movie has not come out about these fascinating young men. In closing you should pair up with someone who you know is going somewhere and you can support and encourage one another. Let's make a pact to strive for excellence shall we!

Dr. Glasper

Hi PDA Scholars, I thought I would post this to all the students at PDA. Most if not all of you are athletes, but you must also keep in mind that your athleticism and competitive edge can also be transferred to the classroom. For example, when you play on a team perhaps your coach may assign a captain and co-captain in order for you to display your leadership, loyalty and discipline to the coach and your fellow team members. Well, the same thing or something similar can happen in the classroom. Teachers are always looking for moments when we can call on those positive and shining examples of good students to show their intellectual leadership.

Second, I know most of you want to win on the court, but how many of you are planning to win in the classroom or better yet in the game of life. You must learn how to transfer your competitive edge from the court into the classroom and also in your personal life. By the way, it's not important if you are not the "most valuable player" all the time, but what is most important is that you show up and make a some type of contribution daily.

Have a fantastic and blessed day!

Dr. Glasper

Good morning class. Remember class, I will be out today. You should be preparing for your Black History Assignments on Friday. You should also provide a critical review of the film called Ditch Digger's Daughters. You should all be prepared to discuss it on Friday.

Good afternoon Cultural Studies Scholars, I wanted to let you know that due to the delay because of the inclement weather; we will have the quiz on Wednesday, January 25th. Please prepare yourself accordingly.

Thanks and I will see you on Wednesday.

Dr. Glasper

I just wanted to say that I am glad to have all of you young scholars back for this new year with many new promising possibilities and challenges for you. We will have fun, but also be challenged to think outside of our comfort zones as we close out this school year. I want to also remind you of your quiz this Friday. Lastly, I want to congratulate those scholars who have already been accepted to college. I can't wait to celebrate the rest of you. Dr. Glasper

Good mornning class, unfortunately there will be no class today. Please review your notes political culture and political socialization that we have covered in class. I will review the information that we covered this past Monday on Friday, December 9th since we did not have a full class. Also on Monday, December 12th you will have a quiz/test so it is in your best interest to study scholars!

Thanks and see you on Friday.

Dr. Glasper

 

 

Hey class, I wanted to wish each and everyone of you a Happy Thanksgiving! I also wish this to my colleagues at Princeton Day Academy and their families.

I also wanted to remind you about your homework assignment. I have posted the assignment that will provide you more details in the assignment section. You are supposed to research the comparisons and differences between the Tea Party Movement and the Occupy Wall Street Movement and return prepared to discuss it orally on Nov. 28th. There is a also a typewritten paper component as well.

Hi class, I just wanted to encourage you to stay focus and get engage in the course. Everyone in the course is expected to make a contribution. I strongly believe in integrative learning. This means that I can learn from you as well as you can learn from me. We can all make a contribution to the course.

We are off to a great start. Come prepared to share something with your mental checkups tomorrow and let's end this week on a high and powerful note!!!

Dr. G.

Hi class, I just wanted to let you know that I have been acclimated to the Thinkwave system. I think so far we are off to a great start! Please remain focused and determined to learn and to be challenged. I will still have to come up to speed with posting future assignments, a syllabus and grades. Thanks for your patience.

Dr. K. Glasper