International and Intercultural Communication

The Words of Terror

2007-04-17T09:56:00.000-06:00

This is what I posted on my personal blog this morning. I thought it might be appropriate to add here as well.

Since the shooting rampage at Virginia Tech yesterday, I've been doing a lot of thinking that's led my mind all over the place. I'm an emotional person, and my first reactions were very emotional: shock, sadness, horror - not only for the situation itself but for all the consequences a repurcussions. I felt profoundly humbled as I thought about the relatively unimportant emotional personal issues I've been completely consumed by of late. They don't matter in the bigger picture.

This morning, my academic side broke loose as I was listening to the news. I started noting the vocabulary used around this story, and since this was all they talked about, I got a hefty sample of it. The following were many of the words and phrases that were used:

tragedy
mass shooting
state of emergency
the shooter
criminal act
massacre
support
emergency management
sadness
horror
motive
took his own life
shooting rampage
bloodbath
loner
no motive

None of those words are very surprising. They all fit with the event. But then, I started thinking about putting that into perspective of a suicide bombing in the Middle East. What is the discourse surrounding those stories? What are the words used then?

blew themselves up
conspiracy
scene of the attack
recent blasts
shattered calm
Islamic extremists
potential targets
suicide bombers
Iraq terror group
claim
insurgents
wounded only one

Now, these are very different situations. The Middle East has been in a state of conflict time out of mind. Certain areas are genuine war and battle zones in the Middle East. Certain tactics characterize those battles because they are tactics that work. It is a different context and does require a unique language at many times. However, the language that we use to describe a suicide bombing in the Middle East that kills eight innocent people and a suicide shooting in the United States that kills 32 innocent people is apparently very different. But are they really that different?

The big question on my mind is: Why is an apparently cold-blooded, planned shooting of this magnitude not recognized as an act of terror? It's recognized as a tragedy. But even the death of this Virginia shooter is hardly recognized as a suicide (technically a crime as well) in the media; it is softened to "he took his own life." We live in a time where the dominant rhetoric surrounding mass violence has taken on a militaristic tone centered on terrorism. Yet, it seems that we have to soften that rhetoric when it comes to events generated within our own culture.

To me, it seems that this small difference in language is a way that we separate ourselves from the rest of the world. It's a way that we perpetuate an Us/Them dichotomy. They have terrorism. We have tragedy. Discourse creates difference. It can also help to break down those barriers by just applying the same language to similar events.

Apparently, the United Kingdom is beginning to change its discourse about terrorism. I think it's a start and perhaps something that should be examined. How can we change the divisions we create with language? Not only internationally, but at home. Obviously, we create alienation in young people in this country, evidenced by the increasing rapidity and violence of these attacks. Are we creating terrorists at home with a polarizing language and culture? Why is it so hard to recognize these troubled people as terrorists? I have a feeling that if you compared psychological profiles of a school shooter in this country and a suicide bomber (or kamikaze pilot or paid assassin and so on) that you probably would not find too much of a difference in their pysches or motivations.

Oddly enough perhaps, I feel most sad for Cho Seung-Hui's parents. Although not much is known about him or them yet, it's likely that his parents came here to create a better life for their family. They've now lost their son, will have to endure intense media scrutiny and shame, and will probably face a great deal of hate for being immigrants and non-citizens - perhaps for the rest of their lives. For some reason, that was the untold part of the story that has really struck a chord in my mind. I hope that people show them some mercy.

Nappy Hair

2007-04-13T11:41:00.000-06:00

This article made me think of Naomi *smiles*:

The Rutgers University women's basketball coach said today her players have accepted radio host Don Imus' apology for racist and sexist comments toward the team and they are "in the process of forgiving." Imus met with the Rutgers athletes Thursday night hours after CBS fired him for calling the players "nappy-headed hos."

Here's what Carolivia Herron, a former English professor and the author of the children's book "Nappy Hair," thinks about being "Nappy Haired." The book tells the story of an African-American family extolling the strength and wonder of young Brenda's natural hair while affirming her beauty and culture. Uncle Mordecai is the principal character who praises Brenda, and Herron has written the following article from the perspective of what Uncle Mordecai would say about the sullying of the word "nappy."

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/13/herron.nappycommentary/index.html

Eritrea Bans Female Genital Mutilation - Effective March 31

2007-04-05T12:42:00.000-06:00

All I have to say is "Hooray" for a country, that has always been in the news for violence, for stepping up and making a difference in the lives of its women and children. While I am sometimes biased to what CNN reports, this AT LEAST got front page in the world section.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/africa/04/05/eritrea.circumcision.reut/index.html

Up to 140million women have experienced FGM worldwide and estimate another 3million/year will experience it going forward. The ban won't completely get rid of these instances, but will surely play a major role in getting the word out and lessening the number of occurences.

Wanted to share this with you all because I remember seeing a video or two while at DU.

-KB

Earthbound - Enviro Docs Film Series

2007-03-13T14:36:00.000-06:00

Calling All Occupants of Planet Earth: Earthbound - Enviro Docs Film Series

Denver Public Library's Fresh City Life partners with Denver Open Media for a film series that celebrates the environment and explores sustainability issues.

In a partnership with Denver's new public access channel, Denver Open Media and The Denver Public Library, the Denver Public Library continues their Fresh City Life cultural programming with their latest installment: GREEN, including workshops, cooking demos, guest speakers and their popular film series. Earthbound – Enviro Docs focuses on some today's hottest environmental topics – including the Oscar-winning An Inconvenient Truth. This film was produced by Global Warming Activist Laurie David, who will also be the keynote speaker for the finale of this series of events.

Films presented Tuesdays, March 27, April 3, 10, 17, 24, 6:30-9p at the Denver Open Media Studios, 700 Kalamath Street . Roster of films includes Fed Up!, Blue Vinyl, An Inconvenient Truth, Who Killed the Electric Car?, and Baraka. Specialists on the subject of each film will host after-film discussion. All films are free to the public.

Full Event Schedule:

Tuesday, March 27 - Fed Up!, (2002)
Directed by Angelo Sacerdote. About 70% of the food we eat contains genetically engineered ingredients and the biotech industry is spending $50 million a year to convince us that this technology is our only hope. Using hilarious and disturbing archival footage and featuring interviews with farmers, scientists, government officials and activists, FED UP! presents an entertaining and compelling overview of our current food production system from the Green Revolution to the Biotech Revolution and what we can do about it. It also introduces us to local Bay Area organic farmers from Purisima Greens Farm and the Live Power Community Farm, presenting community supported agriculture (CSA) and small- scale organic farming as real alternatives to agribusiness and industrial food. 57 minutes. Unrated.

Tuesday, April 3– Blue Vinyl (2002)
Directed by Daniel B. Gold and Judith Helfand. Starring Judith Helfand. You' ll never sit comfortably again on those ubiquitous white plastic lawn chairs after seeing this film; Blue Vinyl, by turns hilarious and heartbreaking, reveals the chemical toxicity, environmental damage and corporate malfeasance in the production of PVC (polyvinyl chloride). This funny film offers serious advice about how to get out from under our reliance on chemical materials that we have always assumed were safe. 98 minutes. Unrated.

Tuesday, April 10- An Inconvenient Truth (2006)
Directed by Davis Guggenheim. Starring Al Gore. The controversial documentary that prompted film critic Roger Ebert to write, "In 39 years, I have never written these words in a movie review, but here they are: You owe it to yourself to see this film. If you do not, and you have grandchildren, you should explain to them why you decided not to." A strong recommendation for a film that tells it like it is: Global warming is real. It is caused by human activity. Mankind and its governments must begin immediate action to halt and reverse it. This film is a primer on climate change and a good starting place for anyone who wants to be involved in making the world and their community more sustainable. After-film discussion hosted by Chuck Kutscher of NREL (National Renewable Energy Lab). 100 minutes. Rated PG.

Tuesday, April 17-Who Killed the Electric Car? (2006)
Directed by Chris Paine. Told like an episode of CSI: Detroit, this documentary is a loving post mortem on the almost unnoticed rise and suspicious disappearance of the electric car. With all the usual suspects (the government, the U.S. car manufacturers, and big oil) lined up next to some unusual suspects (for instance, YOU, dear viewer), we all get to partake in some accusatory finger-pointing. But when the dust in this humorous documentary has finally settled, you 'll be left with the feeling that something very wrong and very underhanded has happened and you stood by and watched. Redemption and some where-do-we-go-from-here advice in the final minutes offers hope for the future of alternative personal transportation. Don't miss this educational film. 92 minutes.
Rated PG.

Tuesday, April 24-Baraka (1992)
Directed by Ron Fricke. Offering a sense of empowerment in a world that often feels out of control, Baraka is full of intense and exquisite images of life on this small planet. Emphasizing the interconnectedness of all things, this nonverbal, purely visual film explores our place in the environment a place that is powerful and insignificant all at the same time. "Baraka" is a Sufi word which means variously "essence" or "breath", or most commonly "blessing". The film underscores this title by wordlessly showing the unimaginable beauty of our planet and reminding us what a blessing it is to be here to experience it. A good starting place for anyone who would like to be a good steward of the environment. 96 minutes. Unrated.

Fresh City Life events and programs are free. For programming and event details, visit us on the Web at www.denverlibrary.org/fresh or call 720.865.1206.

execute

2007-01-05T09:48:00.000-07:00

when it comes to graphic images of war, terror, torture, or even execution, when does the individual's right to privacy end and the public's right to know begin? this line is a bit fuzzy for me, and still i struggle...

last year, i looked at those ghastly images of torture victims at abu ghraib. last week, i watched the entire video of saddam hussein's execution. my friend and i huddled around my mother's computer and watched in complete silence for two minutes as images of saddam's cold, business-like resignation to his fate gave way to a mix of jubilance and chaos once he stepped through the gallows.

i witnessed the execution of a tyrant in my mother's living room. and i'm not sure how i feel about it...

numbers

2006-09-25T09:02:00.000-06:00

as reported this morning on amy goodman's democracy now, the deaths of americans in iraq (2,700) and afghanistan (280) have officially surpassed the deaths (2,972) of americans in the united states following the september 11 attacks.

something to keep in mind as the bush administration continues to scrounge for justifications for their war on terror...

Deproduction Drive-In

2006-09-15T14:18:00.000-06:00

Looking for something really cool to do on Thursday nights? How about checking out Deproduction's community drive-in theatre? Deproduction sponsors an outdoor guerrilla drive-in movie held every Thursday starting at 9 PM. View a menagerie of independent, political, progressive and/or art films in a very unique atmosphere. Seating is available on a first-come first-served basis, otherwise feel free to bring your own lawn chair or simply view the films from your car. Location varies, so please visit denverevolution for more details. Also, feel free to email drivein@denverevolution.org if you have ANY suggestions for films. Word.

freefall

2006-03-24T14:49:00.000-07:00

i recently watched the documentary The Corporation, which takes a provocative look at the role of the corporate entity in society without becoming too much of a left-wing diatribe.

while the tales of corporate devils are nothing new these days - whether they address human rights violations or environmental havoc - there's still an element to them that can be quite chilling.

ray anderson, the CEO of one of the world's largest carpet manufacturers, has bravely undertaken a massive effort to make his business sustainable by the year 2020. in his corporate story, anderson spoke in the documentary of his remorse when he realized that his pursuit of profit ultimately equated to a reckless plundering of the planet. "the day will come when plundering is illegal, when people like me will go to jail," he remarked. and then he alluded to a phenomenon i've recently begun to think about - a phenomenon i find to be quite scary.

perhaps we're in the middle of a freefall, but we don't even know it because the ground is so far away. we've become nearsighted. we've come to think of growth and increase and betterment as infinite, and we want to turn a blind eye to the negative effects. after all, would it really be acceptable if a CFO shared with us, the stockholders, in the annual report, "well, i think we've grown all we can. we'll just stop here."

indeed, in trying to figure out a way to fly ever-higher, whether in business or foreign policy, we're eventually going to crash to the ground. and hard. rome fell, and that's an important lesson not to forget.

in trying to figure out a way to combat terrorism, bush and his team have enacted a domestic spy program. and by staying silent, we're giving him the license to watch us without permission. we don't feel any of the ill-effects just yet, so we tell ourselves that the possibility of being monitored doesn't feel like such a high price to pay for a little more safety or security. but in our complicity, we're adding one more block to the foundation of a police state. and even tho some may say we're far from a police state, it's important to remember that all big things start out small.

and because we don't feel the pinch of an energy crisis now, we place no limits on our use of many precious resources. we'll keep driving gas-guzzling vehicles and buying disposable everything. it's easy to do without feeling bad. after all, the freefall feels pretty good. and the ground is still pretty far away.

but how close will we have to get to the ground before we try to save ourselves? and what if our parachute doesn't open?

for more information on what all of us can do to slow down, visit http://thecorporation.com/index.php?page_id=19

All Things Wiki

2006-01-31T00:22:00.000-07:00

Many of us use the website Wikipedia.org on a weekly or even daily basis, but I am guessing that not many of us know its origins. I chose to research the past, present and possible future of this open source encyclopedia for a "web paper" that I created for the Website Fundamentals course that I took here at DU.
What I found was both surprising and interesting. Did you know that the funding for the site allegedly came from pornography? Or that there has been national scandal linked to the defacement of certain biographical articles? Well if not, you can see for yourself:

http://www.du.edu/~dlastowk/wikipedia/

Aside from its questionable past, I think that the Wikipedia site also raises some interesting questions regarding open access to the internet and the implications of such freedom. If anyone has any questions about either the site or the course, please let me know. Cheers.

Enough Wings to Fly

2006-01-20T10:29:00.000-07:00

This post is a shorter one, but I thought this was kinda neat.

Until recently, I was the GSFF representative for a few Grad programs here at DU, and one of my responsibilities was to forward DU announcements to my respective grad students lists. One such announcement that I forwarded was for a reception for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, and Ally community of DU.

One international graduate student replied to me and thanked me for sending the announcement, but regretted that they could not come because, in the student's words, "I'm afraid I have not grown enough wings to fly with them!"

The comment struck me, partially because of the student's choice of words. In teaching ESL, I'm always struck by the unique ways that non-native English speakers use the language. Also, I was impressed by the student's acknowledgement of their lack of understanding of the GLBTIA community.

I hope that the student does someday grow enough wings to fly.

Anyway, thought it was interesting.

Peace,
Naomi

think or blink

2005-12-31T10:33:00.000-07:00

in his book "blink," malcolm gladwell describes the processes of rapid cognition. as i've followed his entertaining descriptions from chapter to chapter, i've met some people who follow their gut instincts and win and others who stumble miserably into error when going on their intuition alone.

in any case, this book is about choices made in an instant - a blink of any eye. sometimes we should take our first impressions seriously, but other times we should recognize when they lead us astray. recently, psychologists have begun to look more closely at the role that unconscious associations play in our beliefs and behavior, and one group has developed a fascinating tool called the implicit association test (IAT). to try a computerized IAT yourself, go to www.implicit.harvard.edu. you just might feel squeamish when you're done. it can be a real wake-up call to burrow into the locked box of the unconscious and unearth prejudices or discrimination that you swore weren't a part of you.

like gladwell, i took the race IAT. it turns out, according to gladwell, that more than 80 percent of all those who have ever taken this test end up having pro-white associations. should those who have any degree of pro-white association be chastised as racists? probably not, since our attitudes about race, gender, sexuality, or anything else of the like operate on two levels. first, we have our conscious attitudes, our stated values, which we use to direct our behavior. these are the most telling and most likely to spur change. but lurking beneath the surface are our unconscious attitudes, those immediate associations that tumble out before we even have time to think.

we may speak our minds, but do we really know our minds? despite our stated commitments to tolerance and equality for all, will we behave slightly differently, even though unaware of these subtleties, in the company of a black person, a gay person, a muslim, or a high-power female executive?

maybe most importantly of all, if something is happening outside of our awareness, how can we possibly fix it? for example, how can a white person ensure she treats a black person as an equal in every way? ah, this requires more than just a simple commitment to tolerance and equality. instead, it requires an altering of our experiences and environments such that we gradually cultivate new unconscious associations, decreasing the likelihood that we are betrayed by any sense of hesitation or discomfort.

gladwell's acknowledgement of the power for better or for worse of rapid cognition certainly has many implications for communication in our daily lives. maybe we should think in new ways about meeting, hiring, dating, talking...

Poverty and superstition to blame?

2005-11-04T00:10:00.000-07:00

The New York Times yesterday published an article that outlines a number of issues regarding the spread of bird flu. Go to the online version to read it: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/03/international/asia/03bird.html.

Essentially, the article blames poverty and cultures, namely superstitions, for the spread of bird flu, which is more than likely unstoppable. It also creates a number of polarizations between the Global North and South, as well as between developed and industrialized countries. It actually lists a number of "poor" countries, calling Cambodia the "poorest."

Read it and draw your own conclusions.

"can i quit now?"

2005-11-03T10:42:00.000-07:00

yesterday rep. charlie melancon of louisiana posted on his web site a sampling of over 1000 e-mails written by former FEMA chief michael brown just days before and after hurricane katrina made landfall. (a house committee is now using these to assess katrina responses.) after reading these, it may not seem quite as difficult to discern just exactly who was "the weakest link" in coordinating responses following the storm.

here's a couple of particularly staggering direct quotes taken straight from michael brown's e-mails...

after hearing from a FEMA employee in new orleans just days after the storm that "the situation is past critical," brown responded flippantly, "thanks for the update. anything specific i need to do or tweak?"

the morning of the hurricane, brown wrote to FEMA's director of public affairs, cindy taylor, "can i quit now? can i come home?"

after taylor complemented his attire that same morning, he wrote back, "i got it at nordstroms...are you proud of me?" and "if you'll look at my lovely FEMA attire, you'll really vomit. i am a fashion god."

a few days later, he wrote to a friend, "i'm trapped now, please rescue me."

perhaps he seemed so blasé about this whole mess that his press secretary, sharon worthy, deemed it necessary to advise brown, "please roll up the sleeves of your shirt, all shirts. even the president rolled his sleeves to just below the elbow. in this [crisis] and on TV you just need to look more hard-working."

(for more discussion and links to PDFs of michael brown's e-mails, click here.)

decriminalizing doritos (well, sort of...)

2005-11-02T13:59:00.000-07:00

the nation has paid attention to colorado's latest round of elections. and with all the precincts reporting, the results are in.

colorado voters have agreed to suspend the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR), the nation's strictest government spending limit, forfeiting their own tax returns to help the state bounce back from a recession. meanwhile, fiscal conservatives across the nation are disappointed as states such as california, kansas, ohio, maine, nevada, oklahoma, and arizona are also considering caps on government spending.

and in other news, denver has become the first city in the nation to make private use of marijuana legal for adults 21 and older. ah, this brings a whole new meaning to the term "mile high city".

the shy guy with the bow tie

2005-11-01T18:19:00.000-07:00

on october 10, 2005, the royal swedish academy of sciences awarded the bank of sweden prize in economic sciences (also known as the nobel prize of economics) to robert a. aumann and thomas c. schelling "for having enhanced our understanding of conflict and cooperation through game-theory analysis".

schelling's most prominent work detailing this research is "the strategy of conflict" (1960), in which he details his game theories and introduces a rational choice model as a means for negotiating. sound dry so far? seem too abstract for your taste?

i thought so, too. but this afternoon, i managed (with the help of my professor and classmates) to find a heart in schelling's work. i may have even found a new way to amuse myself next time i'm at the pub with my people.

in essence, game theory studies how parties make decisions when the costs and benefits of each option are not fixed but rather depend upon the choices of the individuals involved. the game of chess is a perfect example.

by applying game theory to fields like politics, one can easily see how international negotiations are often just a more complex game of chess. or rather, international negotiations are just a game of chess with higher stakes. take for example a negotiation between agent A and agent B. If agent A does not act according to agent B's conventional assumptions about the rules of the "game," B will consider A's behavior irrational. during the "game," B will thus be uncertain about the trajectory of A's behavior. From B's point of view, A's behavior is ambiguous and unpredictable. Thus A's irrationality might result in A winning the "competition." If agent A is not really irrational but is using his unconventional behavior as part of conscious bargaining or competitive strategy, then his so-called irrationality is effectively rational in relation to the "game's" pay-offs.

pretty tricky if you ask me. according to schelling's model, one can communicate total credibility by showing he's not in control. one is pretty likely to win at the game of "chicken," schelling contends, if he manages to throw out his steering wheel first. furthermore, calm and cool sensibilities, a laying of everything out on the table, is not always the best way for one to get what he wants. schelling seemingly places value on deceit.

nobel prize-worthy, you ask? this may at first glance seem rather outdated, if not sort of despicable. but consider the fact that, during the cold war era, the united states and the soviet union largely deterred each other from launching nuclear attack based on schelling's model.

you've likely noticed by now how schelling values what is NOT said in negotiations almost as much as he values what IS said. (he certainly emphasizes the importance of tacit bargaining - bargaining without talking - as well as focal point solutions - focusing on what is easy and obvious given the context of the situation.)

now to the like-minded game you can play with your buddies at the bar. or with your family on a long car trip. it's not unlike that washed-up game show "family feud," actually. just one more example of how dazzling schelling's work can be.

the object of this game is basically to guess what the others in your group are thinking. in our class, for example, we pretended that we would meet as a group in washington, DC. if i had to predict without prior communication where the others would likely go to meet the class, and thus where i would go, where would i pick? (by the way, most of the americans in our class, including me, said they would meet at the washington monument, while most of the international students in the class thought it most sensical to meet at the white house.)

our professor gave us numerous other examples to try, too. what if, as an american spy abroad, you had to meet your spy counterpart to exchange information? what if you had only one chance to choose the proper code word to identify yourself to your counterpart and not blow your cover? would you choose a) canary, b) robin, c) eagle, d) woodchuck, or e) blue jay?

in case you're interested, our class was split on "eagle" and "woodchuck." and i chose "canary."

wide awake

2005-10-26T21:15:00.000-06:00

two months ago, i moved to denver, colorado from kentucky to begin my masters program in international and intercultural communication (IIC) at the university of denver. two months ago, i was bright-eyed and eager, ready for what was about to happen even though i had no idea what to expect.

two months later, i'm still eager. but maybe not quite as bright-eyed.

you see, i'm tired. i'm not sleeping well. they keep waking me up.

who, you ask? well, all those unsettling realities. those wily guys i should know about but am not necessarily comfortable knowing about. they've been the substance of my thoughts during the day and the stuff of my dreams at night. they comprise the actions of our world's governments and big businesses, and they often dodge our watchful eyes depending on what our favored media outlets decide to pay attention to.

after watching the documentary "control room," which traces the arabic news network al jazeera and its coverage of the conflict between the united states and iraq, i didn't sleep too well. imagining that your government may have deliberately fired on journalists to squelch the free-flow of information is not exactly the stuff of sweet dreams.

by the way, tariq ayoub, an al jazeera journalist, was killed on april 8. 2003 by US fire. and true to their mission, al jazeera has succeeded in "waking up the people." this much i know for sure.

in a session on international public relations, i learned more about monsanto's attempts to commodify the world's food supply. monsanto seems eager to solidify its place in the market of plant biotechnology, no matter what the cost. want to learn more? listen to the story of a canadian farmer who knows this all too well.

oh yeah. and i didn't sleep so well after seeing some footage on the US invasion of panama in december 1989, either. click here for more on noam chomsky's take on the injustice of Operation Just Cause. what a christmas present for innocent panamanians...

my perceptions of the above events may seem a bit skewed. perhaps they are. but the point is, these sides of the stories are usually the ones that go untold. or maybe more accurately, these are the sides of the stories that go uncovered. perhaps we are all more content with our lethargy. we like being comfortable. we like sleeping well.

it's been quite a contradictory trade-off for me. i'm tired. but i'm wide awake, too. and i'm convinced i'm better off knowing. no need for anger or fear.

i'll have a dose of awareness, please.