So to begin, what’s wrong with the title of this course??? America’s Diverse Cultural Heritage

1. So to begin, what’s wrong with the title of this course??? America’s Diverse Cultural Heritage

2. MAP of 3 Americas We will only be able to skim the surface of United States American diversity in this survey overview!

3. What does Ethnocentric mean? • Ethnocentrism is the tendency to look at the world primarily from the perspective of one's own culture. Ethnocentrism often entails the belief that one's own race or ethnic group is the most important and/or that some or all aspects of its culture are superior to those of other groups. Within this ideology, individuals will judge other groups in relation to their own particular ethnic group or culture, especially with concern to language, behavior, customs, and religion. These ethnic distinctions and sub-divisions serve to define each ethnicity's unique cultural identity. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hxb-2Vs513s • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqFv1aM8vqU&feature=channel

4. What does Eurocentric mean? • Eurocentrism is the practice of viewing the world from a European perspective, with an implied belief, either consciously or subconsciously, in the preeminence of European (and, more generally, of Western) culture, concerns and values at the expense of non- Europeans. The term Eurocentrism implies criticism of this practice and is not used by those who consider it factually justified. • The Eurocentrism prevalent in international affairs in the 19th to 20th centuries has its historical roots in European colonialism and imperialism from the Early Modern period (16th to 18th centuries). Many international standards (such as the Prime Meridian, the Dionysian Era [Anno Domini system ] or the worldwide spread of the Latin alphabet) have their roots in this period. • In both Europe and North America, the heyday of Eurocentricism was in the 19th century, today it is much less prevalent due to developments in popular culture and teaching.

5. Contemporary inequalities are largely the consequence of historical dynamics of oppression and privilege, which continue to affect us all. One of the most powerful ways in which our history shapes our present identities is through our sense of belonging and acceptance in the nation.

6. Reform Madness: http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-august-11-2009/reform-madness---white-minority White in America: http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-may-7-2009/white-in-america---the-children

7. What is a canon? • The term canon is derived from the Greek kanon, which means “rule” or “standard,” evoking both social regulation & military organization. Originally, the canon had religious overtones, being the officially accepted list of writings that forms the “Scriptures.” • Canons may be understood as the retrospectively legitimating backbone of a cultural & political identity, a consolidated narrative of origin, conferring authority on the texts selected to naturalize this function. • With the rise of academies & universities, canons have become secular, referring to bodies of literature or the pantheon of art. The canon signifies what academic institutions establish the best, & most representative, & the most significant texts—or objects—in literature, art history, or music.

8. List the “canon” you have studied: • Name five significant books or plays you studied in high school. • Now think about their origins. • So from the above reflections, what cultural or political identity do you think was affirmed by the canon you studied?

9. “History is not the past. History is a story about the past, told in the present, & designed to be useful in constructing the future.” (Henry Glassie, 1999)

10. “History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.” ……….Maya Angelou Piper: Cornered http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUJ8MhXTwtI

11. “History” is the English word meaning “story” from the Romance languages:histoire (French),istoria (Italian),historia (Latin),etc. • Doing a history, including an art history or a cultural history, means telling or narrating a coherent story.  Stories can have various forms (comic or tragic, for example) and can be told from a variety of points of view.  The narrator gives shape to the deeds, facts, and events being related.  In some curious, important ways truth and falsehood reside entirely within the story!  What I mean is that any good history recounts who we think we are, where we think we’ve been,and where we hope to go.

12. The Stories That Shape Our World The best learning is, all by itself, an intellectual challenge, but when you add content (like race and racism) that can bring up deep emotion & confusion in the basic process of learning, the whole thing can become quite daunting. One thing that can really help our ability to learn is to put the learning into the context of the stories that shape our world. All societies have what we call "master narratives," the main stories through which our society interprets its history and its current reality. The stories of our own lives, & those of our families and communities, all fit into this master narrative. The master narrative, though, is not some fixed objective "truth." Rather, it is a telling, & an interpretation of this telling, about what is true.

13. One way of living out our lives is to be passive players in someone else's story, going along with their telling and their interpretation. But, this rarely leads to real learning and it is usually pretty disempowering to be bit part actors in someone else's story. To gain real insight or clarity (and power), we must become active tellers of our own stories, to try out our own voices, to see where our interpretation coincides with and also conflicts with the master narrative, and then to reevaluate and rebuild the whole picture so that it makes sense to us. If we can do this, not only do we begin to see how our stories fit into the bigger story of the whole society, we can use our story as a key to unlock the door to understanding and influencing the broader world. This kind of learning is what some people call "heart work."

14. We want to try to learn as many sides to a story as possible so when you come to a conclusion it will be a fair, thought-out, & educated opinion. This entails including the contributions of all groups - all racial & ethnic groups – the victors & the vanquished - all people who have contributed to US history & culture.

15. What is multiculturalism? • At its core, multiculturalism as an historical approach means that to understand the culture of the United States, it is not enough to understand only one of its components, no matter how important it may have been. It is crucial to study & understand as many contributing cultures & their interactions with one another as possible …as a simple matter or understanding the nature of American cultures & the processes by which it came, & continues to come into being. MJ: Black or white • http://www.metacafe.com/watch/sy-13406385/michael_jackson_black_or_white_official_music_video/

16. American Diversity • Helps student face the conceptual & cognitive challenges of a world that is diverse rather than monocultural • Becomes a vehicle to better understand the complexity of what happened in history • Advances your knowledge because you learn about the history of a racial group different from your own • Elevates the whole dialogue

17. CULTURAL PORTRAITS or YOUR STORIESTake turns conducting an interview with a colleague. You might begin by working from the following list of questions. Write the answers to these questions for presentation to the rest of the class. • 1. What is your name? Do you know the meaning of your name? • 2. Where are your parents from? • 3. Where are you from? • 4. Do you know or use any languages besides English? • 5. How long has your family lived in the United States? • 6. Why did you family originally come to the United States, voluntarily or not? • 7. What did they encounter once they arrived? ASSIGNMENT: • Use the information obtained from your interview to present in class. For additional information, you may have to continue your interview with your partner over email, so be sure to get their email address.

18. You have been asked to prepare an authentic American meal. Please describe your menu.

19. EMPATHY: What is it? It is an understanding so intimate that the feelings, thoughts, & motives of one are readily comprehended by another. How would you feel if…?

20. TOLERANCE: What is it? It is the capacity for or practice of recognizing & respecting the opinions, practices, or behavior of others.

21. Our focus: • Grand & tragic events in our histories through the lens of American cultural production • See history through a different mirror • Recognize the multicultural identity of the USA • Our goal is to strengthen our humanity to meet the challenges of global interdependence • Racial, ethnic, & religious reconciliation • Leadership development& Citizen service

22. “…to form a more perfect union” • Widen the circle of opportunity • Deepen the meaning of freedom • Strengthen the bonds of our community • Ensure justice for all

23. “The greatest distance between people is not space but culture.”(Jamake Highwater)

24. Art can turn things around Art can make us learn more about ourselves Art can teach us self-awareness Art can visualize problems Art can visualize solutions

25. Adrian Piper: Cornered http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUJ8MhXTwtI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIkvjGq7VgM

26. Walt Whitman- I Hear America Singing I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear;Those of mechanics--each one singing his, as it should be, blithe and strong;The carpenter singing his, as he measures his plank or beam,The mason singing his, as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work;The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat--the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck;The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench--the hatter singing as he stands;The wood-cutter's song--the ploughboy's, on his way in the morning,or at the noon intermission, or at sundown;The delicious singing of the mother--or of the young wife at work--or of the girl sewing or washing--Each singing what belongs to her, and to none else;The day what belongs to the day--At night, the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,Singing, with open mouths, their strong melodious songs.

27. AMERICA by Maya AngelouThe gold of her promisehas never been minedHer borders of justicenot clearly definedHer crops of abundancethe fruit and the grainHave not fed the hungrynor eased that deep painHer proud declarationsare leaves on the wind Her southern exposureblack death did befriend Discover this countrydead centuries cryErect noble tabletswhere none can decry"She kills her bright futureand rapes for a souThen entraps her childrenwith legends untrue."I beg youDiscover this country.

28. Thus she had lainsugar cane sweetdeserts her hairgolden her feetmountains her breaststwo Niles her tearsThus she had lainBlack through the years.Over the white seasrime white and coldbrigands ungentledicicle boldtook her young daughterssold her strong sonschurched her with Jesusbled her with guns.Thus she had lain. Now she is rising remember her pain remember her lossesher screams loud and vainremember her richesher history slainnow she is stridingalthough she had lain. AFRICA by Maya Angelou

29. The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame. "Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" http://www.sonnets.org/lazarus.htm

30. Either you willgo through this dooror you will not go through. If you go throughthere is always riskof remembering your name. Things look at you doublyand you must look backand let them happen. If you do not go throughit is possibleto live worthily to maintain your attitudesto hold your positionto die bravely but much will blind you,much will evade you,at what cost who knows? The door itselfmakes no promises.It is only a door. Prospective Immigrants Please Note Adrienne Rich

31. EMPOWERMENT Self-determination -having the right to make one's own choices and of having the ability to act on them.