Monthly Archives: February 2013

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28
Feb 13

Blogging: Thinking Recess

I would talk about civic issues all day if I could. Civic issues is critical to learn about and I think it is sadly something that is put on the back burner in a lot of the classes I take. And to be honest, I will take responsibility on the fact that I put it on my back burner. If I am swamped with homework, I forgo the newspaper.  So…having the opportunity to research, write and provoke discussion with my peers on  issues I am passionate about is refreshing and I want to make it a common practice instead of just an assignment. (I have attempted to do this with sporadic blog posts this semester i.e. my post on UN cartoons, but they have not cultivated many or–let’s be honest– any responses.  I will keep trying though!) On the other side, reading peers’ blogs especially on the topics out of my immediate interest have pushed my boundaries of thinking. The push in promoting blog comments has encouraged me to take the time to think deeper about the topics at hand and I am setting a goal for the rest of this semester to comment more.

Choosing to do women’s rights for civic issues  blogging was an easy pick.  It is an issues that is always on my mind but is definitely a challenge trying to envelop the complex dynamic of gender inequality in one post.  Facing and researching the enormous topic has made me recognize my limits on the subject and forced me to focus in on one aspect of the issue. This has been good practice because effectively focusing is something I definitely have a hard time doing.  However, reflecting of my struggles writing these posts  reminds me of the conversation we had in class on Tuesday about how people can be for sustainability while also contributing to the problem. In the same way, women themselves can say they are for gender equality while simultaneously contributing to the problem. In future blog posts, I want to include some of that tension and maybe address the paradoxes. I am nervous that I might have walked a fine line in previous posts  between attempting to focus and simplifying. Although there is some intense call for pathos in these topics, I want to work on sparking more thought than generally feeling sad and hopeless for these women.  Something more needs to be done and I do not think empathy alone will do it.  Having said that, I love the atmosphere of blogging; it gives me an open space to legitimately process the complex issues and formulate arguments without the same pressure of an assignment like a  research paper.  It lets me play around with styles and tones and think.

 

 

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18
Feb 13

Another thought on Women’s Rights

I already posted for this week but I just came across this article from the New York Times  and I thought it summed up a lot of what I was trying to say in my earlier posts (with perhaps better rhetoric). If you are interested and get a chance, please read it. Women’s rights is a prevailing issue around the world and people need to be aware of what is going on so that we can someday find solutions.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/24/opinion/24iht-edswami.html?_r=0

PLA / Uncategorized — 6 Comments
15
Feb 13

Educating Men to Empower Women

Last week I talked a lot about women’s rights in India (or lack their of), but I left with little suggestions on what can be done to move forward.  What can be uprooted from Indian society in order to spark a cultural change? And what is the most effective way of doing so? The recent tragic rape in India amazingly motivated generally silenced women to break out and protest in the streets, but how do we utilize their new empowerment? Where should these passions be focused? How are protests transformed into political or social action? How can we make sure that India does not contract cultural amnesia?

Although there are various initiatives to consider, all of them cannot be discussed in one blog post. So today, I would like to focus on a sometimes-overlooked potential solution and analyze how men, although a key role in this problem, have the potential to be transformed into a solution.

Currently there are various organizations trying to help out these battling women. Many in which promote women’s education, women empowerment, basic women’s rights. For example, in response to the latest statistic revealing that only 48% of all girls have access to education, the Nanhi Kali organization was founded to dedicate it efforts in promoting India women education. Clearly there is a necessity for these campaigns. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/28/nanhi-kali-organization-h_n_815191.html). However, although these organizations definitely need to continue and women need to be reminded that they should fight for and deserve equality, changing the male mindset is a key factor in making a sustainable impact on the lives of these women.

For example, I recently uncovered that even though women in India are starting to climb the steep career ladder, their gain in power has actually instigated a violent backlash from men against them. A CNN video Changing the Male Mindset in India captured these tensions and an Indian women activist explained encouragingly that more and more women are entering the work forces as equals however “the more empowered women get, the more insecure the men get” leading to irrational attacks. (http://www.cnn.com/video/iid=article_sidebar#/video/world/2013/01/10/pkg-kapur-india-male-mindset.cnn)   In this video and the organization as whole make a point to remind society that these men are not born innately evil or misogynistic and there is hope for change.

Generally when people think of change and helping women globally, there first instinct is not to open a therapy institution to educate men but as the results of the featured CNN clinic suggest, maybe more people should.  If women are trying to promote a transformation but the current men dominating the sphere remain unchanged, it seems progress will inevitably remain at the same slow rate.  There is a patriarchal culture that allows it to be acceptable among men to treat women below them. If men start to make a conscious effort on their actions, a gender balance could be met.  This video depicts a story of a man who admits his previous experiences in harassing women but his current dedication to become a new man. In order to spark change, they have simulations of women’s degradation in society and have open discussions and reflections. These interactions are the necessary steps towards change. Otherwise women’s education and empowerment will only grow until it hits the inevitable male wall.  (This idea can be paralleled in the United States’ glass ceiling for women)

Many people get worried when challenging a cultural status afraid they might offend or impose an unwanted perspective. People tend to be especially cautious and hesitant when challenging it from an “outsider perspective”, i.e. an American challenging Indian culture. However something to remember is that promoting these initiatives is not an invasion or an attack on Indian culture but it is a means of unmuting a screaming minority. Women in India are ready to promote cultural change without completely losing their tradition or heritage. In a recent TED by Kavita Ramdas, she depicts the transition women are going through and the misunderstood potential for culture change (http://www.ted.com/talks/kavita_ramdas_radical_women_embracing_tradition.html). Overall the road to women’s rights is not a simple one, but simple tactics like educating men to treat women as equals can lead to change within a complex problem.

Furthermore, although these initiatives would be particularly effective if further promoted in India, they should be a global tactic in promoting women’s rights. Instead of teaching women to be on the defense, an offense needs to be established by challenging the mindset of the men.

Passion / PLA / Uncategorized — 3 Comments
12
Feb 13

Penn State Citizen of the Week: Emily Bryer

Who wants to change the world? Most of us would respond with “I do!”. However are we as prepared  to answer the follow up question which is “How?” Are we consciously reflecting on what steps we can take to make this a better world? Do we ask ourselves what impact our actions will have today?

Transforming from wanting to help the world into actually participating in helping the world is arguably  the hardest part of  being “good” because it requires a lot of reflection and understanding of oneself before we can effectively taking action.  We must not only know who we want to help, but also know exactly in what way our skills and efforts can be utilized.   More and more as I talk with and interview “good citizens” I recognize what sets them apart is the fact that they are very reflective and conscious of the impact of their actions. In other words, they not only want to help but they know how to help and going forth they are constantly considerate. This conscientiousness is embodied in this week’s outstanding citizen, Emily Bryer, a Penn State senior who defines good citizen as one who “has a social responsibility to act with integrity and to make a conscious effort to improve his or her community”. Emily  not only seems to know exactly what she wants but has the medical skills and global knowledge to actively pursue what she believes in.

emily_bryer

Emily’s good citizenship is her dedication to the Global Medical Brigades, the largest student-led sustainable health and development initiative in the world. She is the President of the Penn State chapter which travels to Ghana, Honduras, Panama, and Nicaragua four time a year to set up medical clinics in are with limited health care access. The picture above is Emily in Panama after a day in the medical clinic. Her passion for helping others is exemplified when she accounts that if she could change one thing in this world, she “would ensure that every individual, regardless of race, religion, gender, nationality, sexual orientation, socio-economic-status, or location would have the right to healthcare.”  Emily has incredible goals and not only is she already making a global impact within the healthcare spectrum,  but Emily has a clear path to gain further access in  helping the world; she describes,

 “I will be attending medical school following graduation from Penn State. I hope to work as a bilingual physician and provide healthcare to underserved populations in urban environments. I hope to continue international mission work as a physician, maybe even traveling with the Penn State chapter of GMB as a physician.”

Emily is educated in global health issues, sees the possible solutions and is working towards reaching them in every was she can. Overall, she is a reminder that if you want to help the world, then start asking yourself questions like how? and then start taking action.

And I will say that if you are stuck on the “how”, don’t get discouraged. I know it is probably one of the hardest questions I face in life, and from most people I talk to it is something they struggle with every day as well.  My simple advice is to get involved in the great things around campus like GMB or talk to fellow Penn State citizens, but overall continue asking the question, How? because you won’t find answers if you never ask.  Looking for inspiration myself,  I always end these interviews by asking the “Citizen of the Week” who his or her role models is. Emily  responded eloquently saying she has so many but that MLK Jr. has a few powerful quotes that really speak to her, one being,

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort or convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy.”- Martin Luther King Jr.

Emily continues to describe that “as a student, friend, a volunteer, and a leader, I try to make decisions and act in ways that I am proud of that reflect positively upon myself, GMB and PSU as a whole.”  This statement just reaffirms the idea that good citizenship comes in tandem with constant conscientiousness especially in times of challenge and controversy.

So reflect and continue being kind.

 

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07
Feb 13

Teaching Philosophy from a Student Perspective

The line that resonated most with me is from the philosophy of Larry D. Spence, “To my surprise, I have found that learning begins with failure. If the student already knows, there will be no mistakes and no need for learning. Most learning is drudgery, frustration, and humiliation”. Although I am young, I have feel like I have failed many times; I have failed in ideas,  practices, processes and experiences.  In a classroom, I want to have some freedom to take chances, fail, and learn! I have come to realize that failing is when I cherish learning the most. And as Spence accounts for, a failure is not the end; it is where learning begins.  As a student, a failure is the beginning of a challenge worth taking. Something that comes natural is not learning.  I want to get pushed, knocked down, and then watch myself get back up again.  There is room for failure even after trying my hardest, because there is room for improvement. However I think what Spence is missing from this line is something about how when a student fails how a teacher must take some responsibility to guide. As a student when I fail, I sometimes need a person to remind me that in the middle of my humiliation and frustration that I should continue going.

In contrast the line that I disagreed with and that frustrated me the most is the one from Jackson Spielvogel, when he says, “It seemed to come naturally to me. I remember my first teaching experience at the age of five when I organized a class in the grape arbor behind my house”.  I might be biased because I just refuse that something comes absolutely naturally especially teaching. I refuse to believe that people just organized around his grape arbor without any effort or trial and error. He later explains in his passage that teaching is something he has experimented with, but I wish Spielvogel opened with his philosophy about his  experiments with teaching rather than his natural ability. I think a belief in a natural ability undermines the entire foundation of teaching and learning, and ultimately sets people apart from the beginning. I wish Spielvogel instead had wrote, “I remember my first teaching experiment at the age of five when I organized a class in the grape arbor behind my house. The desire to teach at that age was innate but the act of teaching was not natural. Understanding how to teach has only come after years of practice.”

CI / Passion / RCL — 4 Comments
06
Feb 13

Citizen of the Week: Matt Pihl

 

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This citizen of the week, Matt Pihl (top left), is a reminder that a positive attitude and an appreciation for the little things can take you far in life. Matt, a freshman in the Schreyer Honors College, recently broke his foot and now has to hobble the campus on  crutches. Although  I am sure this is frustrating, his nominators have accounted that Matt does not let it phase him and he continues to be as kind as he ever was. One peer explained, “He replaces complaining with laughter”. Another person shared that “even on crutches, Matt makes sure to hold the door open for people” (For those of you who do not know, that is a really hard to do).

All of these components shine light on Matt’s dedication to be kind in this world.  He believes a good citizen is “a good citizen would be a person who values others as highly as themselves.  They have integrity when no one else is watching, and have a sense of moral responsibility”.   In this response you can tell what  sets Matt a part from most–his dedication to maintaining his principle even when “no one else is watching”. I think  sadly often people forget their morals when they know they cannot be caught. Trying to find out where these morals come from, I asked Matt who his role models are. Matt responded,

My main role models are my parents, my grandparents, and my older brother Dan who is a junior at North Park University in Chicago.  Aside from family, my faith is an important part of my life, and Jesus is my number one role model.

I think having someone to look up to is a key component of becoming a good citizen. Noone is anything themselves– it is the people around us that help shape us, guide us, and push us to become better. In this case, I respect the way Matt explained that Jesus in his number one role model exemplifying that Matt sets high standards for kindness and love.  Like always, I asked Matt what he would change in this world, if he could. Matt continued to explain that in order to catalyze further change in the world, education is the first step.

I would increase education around the world, because I believe that educated individuals can offer insights that benefit both themselves and others.  I have seen how education has changed numerous people around me, and how it can play a transformational role in people’s development.

Matt, a student himself, realizes education will provide insights that will benefit himself and others. He is a remarkable citizen for his humility and also his natural kindness. A positive attitude should not be taken for granted in good citizenship because a recognition of the appreciation for life can lead to actions and a feeling of duty to make this life even better for everyone on earth.

Matt’s positive attitude is contagious and he constantly reminds people through his actions to strive to be better.

Continue being kind. 

CI — No Comments
03
Feb 13

Cartoons are a powerful medium

I came across these cartoons on Indian women and I thought they captured a lot of what I was trying to explain in my civic issues post a two weeks ago. I figured I would post them just in case anyone had any interest. They were created by cartoonists from the Indian UN. It made me question what the most effective medium for combatting these issues is. I feel like I could rant on in frustration about these violence and injustices against women for hours, but would that be effective? I doubt it. I could write a powerful speech about these women and present it but how many people would take the time to attend? I could write make a video, but are you going to take the time to watch it?

What is the best way to advocate?

A cartoon takes only seconds for its message to get across. It captures you with its color, and shapes and it makes complex issues and arguments look simple. You do not have to be highly educated to understand it, you simply have to glance at it.

These cartoons tie together  many different  elements into one image allowing it to send a powerful message on  various gender inequality dynamics.  If I tried to put everything the arguments of these cartoons into words, I think they would turn into 10 page essays. Cartoon-gender-budgeting Cartoon-Land-Women Cartoon-domestic-violenceThis last cartoon hit the strongest chord with me, because I think it fully reveals the lack of protection the women are facing. The laws put in place to protect women may be there but in a sense they are just empty words because they system does not uphold them. Police officials are telling women they are “top priority” but are taking no action to defend them against all of the men that lurk outside. The fact that most police officials are men exacerbates the problem because they can not relate, nor do many care enough to take strong stands on these issues. Women are in a tragic cycle because the police force often extends the gap of gender inequality and  women therefore often cannot overcome the power imbalance to attain a positions in the police force. Therefore, women’s right are further silenced and covered by a superficial  justice system.

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