Acts of Resistance: Activists, Interlopers and Pranksters: Breaking Social Bias (GunControl)

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Breaking Social Bias (GunControl)

The Instagram and twitter page @enoughtalkinact is a page that breaks the barrier between News bias. We all get our information about current invents through media such as social media and the News. The problem with this is that we believe what each platform informs us. This is a problem because everything online or on television is bias. Whatever accounts you follow on Instagram and twitter or whatever news channels you watch, all influence the way you think and stand on particular issues. This is where my page comes in. I want to create a platform where there is no bias; there is no liberal or conservative division.

Instagram

Twitter

Enoughtalkinact is place where everyday people like all of us get to practice our right to free speech and talk about our personal feelings about today issues, for example, gun violence. It is important that the page focuses on the average person and not celebrities because celebrities play a big role in influencing our thoughts. These celebrities influence the world, most of the times in a good way. The problem with this is that these celebrities live differently compared us. Most of them don’t experience the issues we face in our day to day lives and they take a side. Just like the news, their stance may also be bias; whatever stance they take is influence by protecting their reputation. As a celebrity reputation is everything.

For the purpose of this project the issue that my page currently focuses on is about gun violence. CNN and Fox News are the two channels I examined and both sides report this issue differently. Since most of us watch the news just to be informed about current events, here are examples of a conservative news channel.

For me, these videos were hard to watch because I get most of my news from CNN, which is a more liberal news platform. This when I came to realize that I am for gun control, because of the source I am getting my information from.

Celebrities also influence a person’s stance on gun control. Their followers look up to them and intergrade who they are to reflect their idol. Many influencers were part of the March for our lives event last March.

Miley Cyrus @March for Our Lives

Jennifer Hudson @March for Our Lives

Paul McCartney @ March for Our Lives

Ariana Grande @ March for Our Lives

My belief is that the only way we can actually see change is when we come together. We need to break this political segregation and actually collaborate for a solution. The one thing both sides have in common is to feel safe. The question now is how can we make that happen while catering both sides.

https://www.usatoday.com/picture-gallery/life/people/2018/03/24/celebrities-supporting-march-for-our-lives/33259633/

I don't support everything that Kanye tweets. But here are a couple of tweets that I feel correlates with my project. Kanye talks about free thinkers. My interpretation to that is when in a social party, Democratic or Republican, our thoughts are influenced by what those parties represent. Just as times are changing, our thoughts should to. We cant continue to be separated like this because change won't happen. As we can see, the progression in our country is very slow because of this political segregation. Lets take the Obama presidency for example. People complained that nothing has change while Barrack Obama was president. Frankly, it is because during his first term he was "cleaning up the mess" during Bush's presidency and his second term was dedicated to creating a foundation for the next president to work with. Our current president doesn't agree with anything Obama has done and is eliminating it all. If our country continues like this there wouldn't be any progression.

Summary:

My project was designed to break the division News channels have because networks only cater to their position and informs viewer to gains support. We never hear the opposing sides opinions and when they are it villainies them. (CNN and Fox News)
Open the idea of collaborative thinking to create policies and allow people to practice their freedom of speech (Keeping in mind that Hate speech isn't free speech and remaining ethical).
It is not about sides anymore. We need to stop being segregated and work together to make America safe and come up with a solution to end gun violence.

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FINAL GRADES ARE POSTED!

Have a great summer! Continue to explore art and activism as avenues for your own political and cultural awareness and identity development. Use art methods for activism when appropriate. Keep me posted on your adventures!

Due Wednesday 5/2

POST 3 (*due 5/2)
Activism and Art Writing Assignment - connecting to your final project
Using the 'Interventionists' and 'Seeing Power' text books as resources focus some research on the socio-political issue that you are addressing in your final project. Then choose 3-5 projects that intersect/address/critique this issue. This should be an easy list to make since you should have projects that have inspired your project thus far. Present the ideas of this issue and the various projects (you can include your project in this description) that in different ways address the issue. You may use artists covered in the texts or feel free to use artists that you may find in your own research. How do the artists address the issue? What medium/media do they use? How do they engage an audience? Why are these challenges/critiques to these issues important? How is activism in art different from political activism outside of the art world? Is it? Use the readings extensively to help describe these projects, their critique of power and capitalist patriarchy and their place in a cultural and political landscape. You must include at least 3 quotes from (any of) the readings you have done for the class.

~800 words, at least 3 artist examples, 3 images and 3 quotes from the readings and 3 links to outside sources (portfolio sites, gallery exhibitions, videos etc)

THIS ASSIGNMENT IS SEPARATE FROM YOUR FINAL PROJECT POST. See below for all of the requirements for your final project. Please read through carefully to be sure you are completing all of the requirements.

FINAL SEMESTER PROJECT
*due on the blog by 11:00pm on 5/1

Mapping Social/Cultural Hot Topics and Interventions: Art, Movements and Civic Action

The goal of this assignment is to get you to take a stand on a significant issue related to the course material and then to highlight and support a past or current act of resistance. In order to be a conscientious participant in community and society, one must attend the current events and important social/political struggles of current times. Race relations, gender equality, social justice, health care, reproductive rights, privacy, corporate regulation, marriage equality, religious tolerance, LGBT rights, etc. are all examples of issues citizens have engaged in acts of opposition and resistance, using any number of creative strategies.

From the database of current events and social issues that we have been discussing during the course, choose an issue, artist, movement or citizen action that exemplifies an act of resistance as we have outlined throughout the semester. Using one (or more) of the readings and resources we have used as a way to make a critical argument, create a writing project that encourages or supports the artist or movement and presents their work to a larger audience. Make a case for why this act of resistance is important, timely and worth engaging in and promoting. Be sure to research extensively and thoughtfully in choosing and supporting your artist or movement. Be sure that your project coincides with your own political motivations, ideas and your professional ambitions.

Consider and research extensively and thoughtfully the history and development of the issue you have chosen. The themes and topics of the course have had a recurring history of friction within America’s culture and institutions.You will need to describe and explain the strategies that have been used and are now being used to engage this issue currently and explain how the example you have chosen to highlight fits into the larger issue. The writing project can take the form of an online article, an essay, a blog, a website, tumblr, or even a podcast. Students can present ideas outside of this list if they would like to propose other ways of presenting their writing for this assignment. All students will propose their final projects at midterm and must have their project topic approved by the professor.

In addition to the writing project, each student will do an oral presentation, with visual support materials that summarizes your project. Be prepared to facilitate a discussion with your peers by preparing questions that will be topics of discussion.

INSTRUCTIONS: Be prepared to present your projects to the class in approximately 7 minute presentations. Visuals are a must. Feel free to bring physical props and handouts if appropriate. Remember you are ”pitching” the project to the class. Prepare a succinct and exciting summary of the project that is clear and makes the class want to look further at your project and potentially share the project, promote it and even get involved!

You must create a POST for your final project on the class blog. These must be completed and posted before 5/1 11:00pm. The post must include a link to your project, a clear and well written summary, images and/or videos. You will present from your post. Your project must live in the world (online or not) but all components of your project and presentation must link from the blog post somehow. Your resource list/bibliography must be included in your post or handed in to the professor.

********************************

Checklist for posting your project to class blog:
-clear and well written summary of your project on the class blog along with images and any videos
-link to your project which lives elsewhere in the world must be clearly included in your post
-presentations (7 minutes) will be from your blog post and must be linked directly from the post PLEASE CHECK YOUR POST and be sure LINKS and images are working BEFORE ARRIVING IN CLASS.
-research must be included in the blog post as resource list/bibliography

__________________

Due Wednesday 4/25

READINGS: Chapter 3 Ready to Wear pgs 97-108

WORK ON YOUR FINAL PROJECTS!! post an update (or update your previous update post) especially if you did not post an update last week!

two tweets #actsofresistanceAIP

______________________

Due Wednesday 4/18

WORK ON YOUR FINAL PROJECTS!! Put a brief update of your project with documentation and work in progress on the blog. Does not have to be extensive but give us some idea of where you are and exactly the direction you are taking with your project and how things are going. Include some screen shots or images and sketches. Especially share things you might want get feedback on and new directions and decisions you have made. In class next week we can allow some time to share updates and get some feedback,

READINGS: Chapter 3 Infrastructures of Resonance pg 55-82, Seeing Power

Post 2

Art, Power and Change

Please visit the exhibition ‘WW11: eye of the storm’ in the Lemmerman Gallery at NJCU (in Hepburn Hall). Please use all materials available in the gallery to gather information on the artists, curatorial mission and each of the pieces in the gallery. Please note that the exhibition is the outcome of an artist residency project that has unfolded over the last two months.

Please write a short description of each of 3-4 of the works in the exhibition. What are the subjects, messages and media of the works? How do the artists address socio-political subjects in the exhibited pieces? Please describe how the work addresses these issues and how the work exists inside of a political and capitalist structure while critiquing it? Please review your readings from class. How does the exhibition touch upon issues of art, power and activism? How can you connect the exhibition of these works to issues of social and cultural capital and the dialogue of environmental crisis. Please use the readings to highlight at least two major themes in the exhibition and connect several quotes from your class readings to the work in the gallery.

Next connect the works you have chosen from ‘WW11’ to the work of Joyce Yu-Jean Lee in her exhibition ‘State of Dysunion’ that we visited in VA Gallery**. How did she describe her own work and her role as artist and activist? Please describe the work in her exhibition and connect these to the activist work in WW11. How can art challenge notions of power, capitalism and other structures? Do the works in the exhibition challenge big ideas about the environment, consumption and human responsibility? **If you did not visit this exhibition for the artist talk on 3/28 please use two examples from our Interventionists text to create your comparison and analysis.

~1200 words. You must include at least 5 citations from the readings and 6 images (with captions) and 2 links to external resources.

two tweets #actsofresistanceAIP

__________________

Due Wednesday 4/4

READINGS: Chapter 7 Occupying Space 147-164, Seeing Power

Due Wednesday 3/28 (Midterm presentations continued on 4/4)

MIDTERM

You must present the goals for your semester project in class in a short 3 minute presentation.

This proposal (finalized by 3/21 on the class blog) and your in-class presentation will be graded as your midterm grade.

**You will use your proposal post to present in class. Be sure to include images and links as appropriate. If you would like to make a short slide (powerpoint) presentation please be sure that you upload the presentation to the web or make it using a web application like Prezi and link this from your post. You can bring a USB drive only as a backup solution. You will not be able to plug in a USB drive for presentations unless it is a last resort.

EDIT YOUR PROPOSAL ON THE BLOG

A project topic proposal (~800 words) and a bibliography and/or research sources list must be posted on to the blog with images. Please clearly present what you plan to make for your project. What is the main topic of your project? Why you have chosen this topic? What is your message for the audience? How will you reach an audience (ie "publish" the project)? How can an audience engage with the project? How does this project fit into your professional aspirations and your portfolio? Your project should be informed by research. Please dive into the subject of your work and also other projects that may be inspirational and in dialogue with your project. Please list all resources that will inform your project so far in a resource list at the end of your proposal.

Good luck!

***SNOW DAY 3/21 no classes

Due Wednesday 3/14

READINGS:

Chapters 5 and 6 Seeing Power in Spaces pg 107-146

Seeing Power

Chapter 1 Nomads pgs. 25-60

Interventionists

2 quotes from each chapter

Group 4 presents

PROJECT PROPOSAL drafts due on the blog!

A project topic proposal (~800 words) and a bibliography and research sources list must be posted on to the blog with images. Please clearly present what you plan to make for your project. What is the main topic of your project? Why you have chosen this topic? What is your message for the audience? How will you reach an audience (ie "publish" the project)? How can an audience engage with the project? How does this project fit into your professional aspirations and your portfolio? Your project should be informed by research. Please dive into the subject of your work and also other projects that may be inspirational and in dialogue with your project. Please list all resources that will inform your project so far in a resource list at the end of your proposal.

*You will be presenting the goals for your project in class in short 2-3 minute presentations on 3/21.

This proposal (finalized by 3/21) and your in-class presentation will be graded as your midterm grade. Your completed project is due at the end of the semester and will be presented in class as your final semester project. Please email me if you have questions.

Good luck!

two tweets #actsofresistanceAIP

ENJOY YOUR SPRING BREAK No class 3/7

__________________

Due Wednesday 2/28

READINGS: Chapter 4 Seeing Through the Haze of Social and Cultural Capital pg 83-106, Seeing Power

2 quotes from the chapter

Quotes from the readings due 2/14, 2/21 and 2/28 will be collected in class. Please have these available to be collected.

Group 3 presents

two tweets #actsofresistanceAIP

_____________________

Due Wednesday 2/21

READINGS: Confessions of the Guerrilla Girls pgs 7-95 (the whole book) if you did not obtain the book look through the Guerrilla Girls website extensively and complete the quotes from the site.

2 quotes from the book and note two of the Guerrilla Girls' projects and describe them in a short paragraph.

Semester Project Topic due

Think about your semester project. Read the project description on our syllabus and note any questions you may have about the assignment. Please write 1 or more ideas you are considering for your project topic. We will be discussing the project assignment in class. You must hand in your proposed topic or short list of project ideas with short descriptions of why and how you would like to make this project. You can just write these out on a piece of paper or, more preferably, type them and bring them to class. Please remember to include the ways that you plan to share this with an audience. Remember that these projects must exist in the world OUTSIDE of our class. How can you share these and engage an audience to impact their awareness of your topic?

**A longer project topic proposal (~2 pages) and bibliography/research sources list will be due for MIDTERM on 3/21 printed and handed in to me and posted on to the blog. You will be presenting the goals for your project in class in short 2-3 minute presentations on 3/21. This proposal and presentation will be graded as your midterm. Your completed project is due at the end of the semester and will be presented in class as your final semester project.

two tweets #actsofresistanceAIP

__________________

Due Wednesday 2/14

READINGS:

Chapter 1 and 2 pg 3-54

Seeing Power

Chapter 4 The Experimental University pg 111-132

Interventionists

GROUP 2 presents

__________________

Due Wednesday 2/7

READINGS:

bell hooks Understanding Patriarchy on Blackboard

(see below for short assignment in response to this reading from last week)

Seeing Power, Introduction
and
Interventionists, Anarchy in the Ruins pg 143-146 and Encyclopedia Entries pg 147-154

two quotes from each of the readings

GROUP 1 presents

two tweets #actsofresistanceAIP

___________________

Due Wednesday 1/31

GET THE BOOKS!! Next week you will have readings due from both books.

Post 1 - Introduction must be posted on the blog (see below)

READINGS:

ON BLACKBOARD:

bell hooks, Understanding Patriarchy (+2 quotes (or more) from the reading)

REVIEW: the readings from last week - see below (bring your quotes back to class)

Additional response to the bell hooks reading: Define Patriarchy as per the bell hooks reading. Then through online or other research find an artist/art project who addresses and challenges the status quo, patriarchy, and its systemic power and dominance. Write a short description of the art project and bring it to class in addition to your quotes. You can share this project on twitter or on the blog if you wish.

two tweets #actsofresistanceAIP

______________________

Due Wednesday 1/24

READINGS:

John Berger Ways of Seeing Ch3 on BLACKBOARD

Susan Sontag excerpt from On Photography

http://www.susansontag.com/SusanSontag/books/onPhotographyExerpt.shtml

Please select two quotes or passages from each of the readings above. You will do this each week. Please note the reading and the page for the quote and write them or type them on a sheet that you can have available to read from in class. I will periodically collect these in class.

POST 1 - Introduction on the blog

Who do you think you are?

What is your role in media consumption, critique and/or media making. How much of who you are is measured against media examples and images? How much of our common experience involves shared mass media images, events and stories? Use several media examples to illustrate your description of your relationship to media.

Can you think of ways that the media covers activists, acts of resistance and protest? How do you feel about this relationship? Use examples to illustrate your answers.

Your blog post must be at least 4 paragraphs and you must include at least one link and ONE IMAGE.

GET THE BOOKS!!

Seeing Power: Art and Activism in the 21st Centuryby Nato Thomson, Melville House Publishing, Brooklyn 2015

The Interventionists: Users’ Manual for the Creative Disruption of Everyday Lives edited by Nato Thomson and Gregory Sholette, MIT Press, Cambridge 2004

Confessions of the Guerrilla Girls by the Guerrilla Girls, HarperCollins, New York 1995

two tweets #actsofresistanceAIP

______________________

Link to the Syllabus

Link to Class screenings

Link to our twitter hashtag: #actsofresistanceAIP

Discussion guidelines

The course material and discussions can often be provocative and challenging. We must therefore be careful to be respectful of each other and of our viewpoints.

We must come to class prepared and ready to discuss the readings. Please keep discussions focused on the readings and class materials and keep examples relevant and appropriate. If you have not done the readings you are not to participate in the discussion.