POLS 3065, Winter 2012 Instructor: Maita Sayo otherlab.

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Second Paper: Theory and Practice

Deadline: April 5, 2012 Format: 7-8 pages (maximum), double-spaced, font size 12 Objectives: To write an analytical and reflective paper that is: (a) anchored by the reading materials, course lectures, and tutorial discussions; (b) influenced by a cultural process, object, or phenomenon. The objective is to talk about present-day processes of racialisation in culture and/or the production of racial categories or racial tensions in society. You must use at least three sources from the course materials and at least two outside sources.

TOOLBOX
Here is a toolbox and road map for your paper.

Step 1: combine theory with practice

Combine one topic from Theory with another from Practice. Both columns represent lecture weeks and their corresponding readings, all of which are in the course kit. The combination you choose is the starting point of your paper. You can discuss it in the first introductory paragraphs.

THEORY
origins of racial thinking open up a few corpses it's all in the blood invention of the other the fact of blackness

PRACTICE
on being blue all about the Benjamins' to be young, gifted, and black of monsters and aliens race and technology freedom dreams in a small place

For example: If you combine it's all in the blood with on being blue you can write: My paper will study how scientific technologies of classifying the other inform modern film and lighting techniques. You can then elaborate on this statement. Use the articles from those weeks. This will lead you to Step 2.

Step 2: analyse and link two themes to culture

The themes that follow come from the combination generated by step 1. They are the core themes discussed in the course lectures. Pick at least two themes that will comprise the core arguments of your paper. And then choose one cultural process, object, or phenomenon that manifests or activates these themes.

THEME
colonial histories of racialisation porno-tropics and desire racial taxonomy and the family of man essentialist approach to human beings the limits of racial stereotypes the limits of representing otherness strategic essentialism the idea of Africa and race as myth mythical norms heteronormativity intersectionality whiteness and white privilege visible and invisible subjects racial passing and hybridity race in the circuit of culture race and cultural struggle the social construction of race identity politics model minorities and docile patriots white supremacy and genocide appropriation of cultural forms tourism and consuming otherness politics and poetics of resistance

CULTURAL PROCESS / OBJECT / PHENOMENON

cultural process: the Arab Spring; the War on Terror, Occupy Wall Street, G8 protests, etc. cultural object: a novel (Jamaica Kincaid's A Small Place); a movie (Four Lions, BladeRunner); a TV show (Fresh Prince of Bel-Air); a work of art (the lithograph of Amerigo Vespucci reaching America, a painting by Rembrandt or Gauguin), old maps; music (a genre, like hip-hop or Detroit Techno; an album; Kanye West album covers); etc. cultural phenomenon: Jeremy Lin and the NBA; Venus and Serena Williams and women's tennis; Urban Outfitters and protest clothing; Obama and declarations of a post-racial state; racial passing in Facebook etc.

The themes, cultural processes, objects, and phenomena outlined above are suggestions. You can create your own themes, as long as they are influenced by the course materials and lectures. You are encouraged to find your own cultural process, object, or phenomenon. Draw from the things that already pique your interest. This will require research. Your task is to SHOW HOW the cultural process, object, or phenomenon RELATES to the themes.

Based on my previous example: Scientific technologies of classifying the other and modern film and lighting techniques relate to colonial histories of racialisation and to whiteness. You can then choose a film, like Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing, and talk about how Lee innovates and undoes film conventions, and in doing so, disrupts whiteness and provides a counter-memory to histories of domination. Then show how the film does this by giving concrete examples scenes from the film, cultural criticism or newspaper reviews of the film, accounts of the history of the production of the film, or Lee's own statements on his film, etc. These ideas will come from your two outside sources (minimum). This brings us to the final step.

Step 3: analyse, argue and conclude

The momentum generated by steps 1 and 2 will lead to the creation of arguments. By going through these steps and by doing the reading, you will be prepared to articulate at least one core argument. For example, if I am studying Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing: I will argue that Spike Lee disrupts film conventions by his use of: (a) technicolour and (b) multi-racial subjects that are in constant conflict. In doing so he brings race to the screen, creating a productive discomfort in the viewer that can lead to insight on racial tensions in America. From here you can unpack your argument/s one by one, becoming more specific, giving concrete examples, asking challenging questions, providing points of contention. This is the analytical component and constitutes the bulk of your paper. Your concluding paragraph will summarise your core arguments, making clear to your reader what has been accomplished in this exercise.

Once done give yourself a pat on the back and enjoy the sunshine. The papers are due by April 5, 2012. Drop them off at the Department of Political Science drop boxes: South Ross, 6 th floor. You can consult myself or your TAs for guidance and instruction. Visit us during our consultation hours or email us to set a meeting: Maita: msayo@yorku.ca Kamilla: kamilla@yorku.ca Juliane: jedler@yorku.ca Melanie: mellimo@yorku.ca