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Regarding Your Final Assignment

Hi all,

I have assigned you groups and articles for your final assignment: Student Groups.

On April 10, I have reserved a computer lab for us to practice using the required technology together. We will be in the lab for our entire class session that evening. Here’s the relevant information for you to jot down:

Lab 405 (55 Windows student computers & 1 instructor computer)
Room:  TH405
Course: PSYCH 170 Section 05
Time: 8:25-9:40PM
Date: Wednesday April 10

Finally, here’s a reminder of what the assignment consists of:

 Assignment: Annotate Popular Media         
(Annotated Comments + visuals) In this assignment you will use the Hypothesis plugin in WordPress (the platform that hosts our course site) to annotate one of eight opinion editorials from popular media.[1] You will coordinate your annotations with your classmates who are working on the same article. However, please note that though group collaboration is necessary for this assignment, each student will receive an individual grade based on their annotations. Annotations should critically engage with direct citations from the articles: do you agree or disagree with the original author’s statement? Why or why not? How do the concepts we have learned in class thus far support or negate what the author is saying? Please note your annotations should apply at least one course concept to analyze the article. You can also use annotations to fact-check statements made in the article, i.e. introduce and link out to other research that supports or negates what the author is saying. You should also use annotations to provide definitions of any terms you had to look up to understand/ historical background of events the articles reference. Please do not be intimidated the technological aspect of this assignment. We will practice together in class before you do this on your own.

Here is an online resource to help you with annotation: https://web.hypothes.is/student-resource-guide/

Here is an example of a collaboratively annotated New York Times article: https://via.hypothes.is/https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/06/magazine/06Riff-t.html

Make sure you do each of the following:

  1. State and explain why you agree or disagree with the author’s argument. (Bonus points if you also respond to your classmates in these annotations.)
  2. Apply at least one course concept to analyze the author’s arguments.
  3. Fact-check what the author is saying by linking out to peer-reviewed research on the topic.
  4. Relate the author’s argument(s) to historical and/ or current events.

Due: May 16 @ midnight.

[1] These are the eight articles:

Please let me know if you have questions!

~ Claire

Sexual Harassment!

Are you obligated to report sexual harassment at work?

But if supervisors were aware, what should have been done? What obligation do employees have to report sexual harassment in the workplace? There is no federal law that requires victims, confidants or witnesses to report instances of harassment on the job. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t, of course. Supervisors are another matter.

I wanted to share this article because there are so many powerful men in the industry who have gotten away with sexual misconduct in their workplace. It is not only disgusting, but sad. I also wasnted to share this because on the news reporters talk about the companies rehiring the ladies who were harassed. I know I would feel digusted and would personally not want to go back. So my question for the class is would you go back to a place where you experienced harassment? What if it happens again? Would you feel guilty.

All these men are suspended or fired; however, it keeps happening. The article is titled “Are you obligated to report sexual harassment at work?” My answer is yes you are. But I wonder how many people do? Does it make you a coward if you hear or witness someone else experiencing the harassment, yet you keep quiet? These were just questions that ran through my mind while researching and constantly hearing in media about these big names who are being called out on their behaviors. Feel Free to comment 🙂

 

Small Acts of Living: Everyday Resistance to Violence and Other Form of Oppression

In this article, we learn the different approaches a therapist utilizes to treat his patients who are victims of abuse, oppression, violence and or sexual assault. Throughout the article, we have seen many of the cases where the abuser is a close family member or very close friends.

According to the article, we learn that there is a thing called “healthy resistance” meaning “resistance to violence and oppression is a symptom of health and health-inducing” A very important approach the therapist used was to provide the victims with a safe environment where they can express resistance. Which will help them to understand that they did everything they could, and, in the event of an assault they suffered was not their fault! Resistance is a form of defense that can happen in many ways, it is not always physical fighting, it can be as simple as refusing to submit.

The article shares the story of Joanne who was raised in an abusive home, where her mother was constantly being assaulted and physically abused by her father on a regular basis.  She shared stories where she would cling to her mother’s leg so her dad won’t push her down the stairs and her siblings made a hiding place to protect their mother. Witnessing these kinds of behaviors at home at such an early age would affect these children mentally and will make it hard for them to be able to trust a partner in the future, considering the type of example they had growing up. As Joanne gets older she became very rebellious however, she started to understand that she did not want to be in a surrounding that resembles home. It was important to her that others were being treated with the utmost respect because that was not common in her home as a child. Through it all, she still had compassion for her father. One can say she became an activist for humanity, she was a “devout anti-racist” she “exposed frauds” and was committed to having a different life than she did at her childhood home.

This is one of the examples provided by the author to show that resistance does not always come from the victims directly but it can come from loved ones. Joanne the daughter along with her brothers resisted for their mother, by making a safe hiding place, to prevent their father from abusing their mom.

Small acts of living

Joanne’s story stood out to me for so many reasons. One I felt like her story was relatable not so much in the whole alcoholic dad sense, but more so in how resistant she became to the situation and her obliviousness to how strong she really was in her situation. Her acts of resistance ended up saving herself and her mother from danger. Her story was amazing. I have heard of similar stories before and not so many people would be as strong as Joanne was in her situation and I commend her.

I even thought about the many times when I hear people say they don’t want to be anything like their parents. I remember even saying it a few times when thinking about the negative characteristics that we may think our parents have. I’m not sure if it is in fact the same. But I thought the fact that Joanne strived so hard to be the complete opposite of her dad like being an anti-racist was a similar situation. To get a little personal, my mom was kicked out of her home when she was a really young age by my grandmother. My mom made a promise to herself to never treat her children in such a way. She tries so hard to not be like my grandmother because of the pain she endured growing up. Amazing read!

SMALL ACTS OF LIVING: EVERYDAY RESISTANCE TO VIOLENCE AND OTHER FORMS OF OPPRESSION

SMALL ACTS OF LIVING: EVERYDAY RESISTANCE TO VIOLENCE AND OTHER FORMS OF OPPRESSION

 

Either physically, mentally or verbally it is our civil responsibility to protect ourselves from violent acts. I felt the pain of Joanne, Katie and all women who shared their wonderful stories. We all deserve to be treated with respect, love and care.

The reading emphasizes on the various kind of therapy for individuals who go through or in their lifetime experiences act of violence.

Also inline with Liz Kelly(1998), a researcher who also explored how 60 women survived, coped with, and resisted rape, incest , sexual abuse and domestic violence.

I strongly agree with Allan wade view on how victims or individuals should approach violent abuse. Speaking out will not bring any shame but rather raise an awareness.

It heals oneself and provide hope for others.

We also need to push for personal resistance, which I do agree. Resisting is not only physically but verbally and mentally.

I felt sad for Joanne but was inspired with her strength, resistance and coping energy.

Mostly, violent in homes always have great impact on the children. Why should a young girl be the one to settle violent among parents and protect siblings!

Absolutely wrong. Even though what she went through made her strong, I think offering people the opportunity to share their story and voice out without been judgmental on them helps a lot . Protecting her mum from fallen got me thinking how strong she was.

Also, Katie’s marriage. Also had a terrible hunting past with his Dad and uncles. Even though she went through abuse but also created self resistance to stay away from her abusers. I was happy when she started listening, accepting defeating thoughts and the willingness to rise out of the pain.  

       Katie , Joanne and the 60 women that were all interviewed really has inspired me and also widely expose me to understanding that Violent Abuse is really out there.

Everyone could be abuse . we all need to rise and fight these resistance. Is unacceptable.

Very interesting but eye opening reading. Did learn alot from it.  

 

Course Evaluation

Hi Class ~

This is a post to encourage you to fill out a course evaluation for this class. These are anonymous but I always read the feedback students give very carefully and use it to improve my teaching/ the course in future semesters. Thank you in advance!

Instructions for completing  course evals:

Students can complete evaluations now in 3 simple steps:
  1. Visit www.hunter.cuny.edu/te OR www.hunter.cuny.edu/mobilete (for smartphones)
  2. Sign in with their Hunter netID and password.
  3. Complete the evaluation(s).
  • Responses are completely anonymous, and instructors can only see results after grades are released.
  • Teacher evaluations serve a number of important functions such as: improving classes by providing instructors an assessment of their teaching; and, serving as supporting documentation in a faculty’s reappointment, tenure and promotion.
  • Teacher evaluations also help the student make decisions about what courses and instructors are right for them.  Teacher evaluation results are readily accessible to you at www.hunter.cuny.edu/myprof.

Small Acts of Living

Wade explaining small acts of living as ways of resisting subtly in order for someone to have a small grasp on their own lives. We shouldn’t consider them just small acts because even if the acts themselves don’t accomplish much it’s still a way to try to heal. Wade also mentions how a person that is already attending therapy has the ability to respond to the difficulties they are facing. I would have to agree with that. When I first began seeing my therapist I really didn’t think I could handle anything I was facing at the time. He reassured me that I could and when he pointed out the ways that I was or could I felt like I could get to where I wanted to be. Wade also mentions in the article that he likes to focus on how people respond to violence instead of how they were affected. I like the different approach he used but I do believe both points are important to focus on. My favorite part of the article was Joanne. I got emotional reading what she went through. I loved how she was striving to be the opposite of what her father was. Also by talking about her situation she realized that she could do everything because that situation made her stronger.

 

I am a terrible procrastinator, these assignments could have been done at the beginning of the semester but I have no self-control. 

You Are Resisting

Allan Wade explains her approach to therapy for individuals who experience acts of violence. It is not that they conflict violence on to others, but they fall victim to it, and they need to process the situation. I personal don’t recall much about the different techniques and approaches that a therapist would use, but I just can’t relate to the way Wade goes about it. I am not saying that I don’t agree, but I haven’t recognized it in pop culture’s depictions of therapy. This is probably why she is going about this route; it is not the norm. She approaches therapy by focusing on and redefining resistance. She explains that North American popular culture’s skews the ideas of resistance. There is a misconception that resistance, at most, is a physical action going against equal strengths. Wade goes further to include that aspects of male-to-male combat coincides with the patriarchal norms of the USA and become the model of what is acceptable. These ideologies of resistance hinders those who are victims of abuse; the minorities within the patriarchy. They don’t realize that any action that goes against is a form of resistance, physical or not. Then, therapists tend to make assumptions that clients know of, or recognize their methods they use to resist abuse. In the example of Joanne’s sessions, Wade’s therapy method aided in the client to progress in healthier habits once the acts or resistances were rediscovered and shown as motivational attributes in getting better.

Image result for new resist gif 

Small acts of Living

The article brings about some interesting talking points in regard to a person resisting their oppressor. People in a place of abuse often times refer to themselves as victims. They are unable to recognize their own micro behavioral patterns as subconscious forms of resistance. They are stuck perceiving the situation in a macro sense, thereby submitting control over to the oppressor. By asking the patient to describe their actions in response to said abuse, rather than describe how they felt in that moment, the therapist is creating a space for the patient to view the situation in a micro sense, to define points of resistance.

This acknowledgement of resistance allows the person to shift their perspective from victim to resister/fighter. A way for them to find the self-reliance and confidence needed to remove themselves from an abusive situation. This kind of dialog appears to be a discussion about confidence and self-reliance. If a person is unable to perceive the things they can do, they will only be able to contextualize the things they can’t.