Category: Academia

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Interviewed by Dr. Rudy Guevarra Jr. in his new book “Becoming Mexipino”

Just got my signed copy of Becoming Mexipino: Multiethnic Identities and Communities in San Diego written by Dr. Rudy P Guevarra Jr. (Arizona State University) and published by Rutgers University Press. I remember when Dr. Guevarra and I first met at a FANHS (Filipino American National Historical Society) conference in San Diego years ago. We compared notes about being Mexipino or Chicapina, as my family calls us, and, later at UCLA, I would share my stories with him officially for the honor and privilege of being included in his book.

Here’s an excerpt:

Rashaan and other Mexipinos in San Diego are the bridges between both cultures because they live a multicultural existence. Multiethnic and multiracial people have already experienced an alternative worldview, which has positive implications. She described it in terms of the future of racial and ethnic mixing: ‘I think it is inevitable…Time magazine put up all the races of together to see what it [hypothetical person of the future] would look like, and it looked Filipino. You know, it’s like we’re already there, we’ve been there. We’re just bringing it to the forefront (158)

Becoming Mexipino is a social-historical interpretation of two ethnic groups, one Mexican, the other Filipino whose paths led both to San Diego, California. Using archival sources, oral histories, newspapers and personal collections and photographs, Rudy P. Guevarra Jr. traces the earliest interactions of both groups with Spanish colonialism to illustrate how these historical ties and cultural bonds laid the foundation for what would become close interethnic relationships and communities in twentieth century San Diego as well as in other locales throughout California and the Pacific West Coast.

Educators, please consider using this text in your classroom. California history lovers, ethnic study researchers, and San Diego locals, why not pick up a copy for yourself? Please help spread the word to interested parties and consider having a go yourself!

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Hoping for plenty of a-ha moments this fall semester

Rereading America

Fall 2012 has landed with a whole new set of classes to teach and fresh students to guide this semester. In addition to leading a freshman cohort, I’m looking forward to reading the anthology Re-reading America, Jonathan Kozol’s Shame of the Nation, and David Shipler’s The Working Poor for L&CS 121: Culture and Civic Responsibility along with helping to steer seniors toward strong portfolios and presentations for L&CS 124: Senior Assessment & Portfolio. Should anyone have suggestions on exercises and documentaries to cover this year’s presidential election, by all means, please send them my way. November 4, 2012 will be a spotlighted in L&CS 121. Here’s hoping for a good head-smacking academic year with lots of a-ha moments for the students and myself.

Here’s the course descriptions to pique your interest:

F.Y.A.C. L &CS EDUC-070-36 (54159)

Welcome! This class is designed to help you, as a newly minted college professional, become effective agents by prompting how to ask good questions, how to practice life-long learning, and, finally, to increase the capacity to take charge of your own academic career. Consider this a strength-training course to strengthen your critical skills and support you in your transition to college life, combining class discussions with co-curricular activities, and a variety of workshops so you may achieve your highest potential. You will be provided with access to a faculty and academic advisor, who will serve as a resource and mentor to guide you through the many learning and living experiences at Saint Mary’s. Consider your faculty advisor as a physical therapist, here to ensure you are fit and toned for your college profession. I look forward to learning and training with each of you.

Liberal & Civic Studies 121: Culture & Civic Responsibility

Course Description

Welcome to L&CS 121, the first of five Liberal and Civic Studies courses that together comprise the core experience for students pursuing this program of studies. Within the broad framework of culture and civic responsibility, this course introduces you to the seven central emphases and themes of the Liberal and Civic Studies Program: 1) Service-Learning, 2) the Arts, 3) Diversity, 4) Ideas from the Great Conversation, 5) Critical Thinking, 6) Integrative Thinking and 7) Self-Assessment. (NOTE: These themes and emphases are explained in the introductory pages of your Guide to the Liberal and Civic Studies Program.) In addition, the course gives special emphasis to the theme of American society and culture—its roots, development, nature and impact. Throughout the course, we will explore possible answers to the question: Can we create here in America the kind of “Beloved Community” envisioned by Dr. Martin Luther King?

Liberal and Civic Studies 124/100 Fall 2012 – Senior Assessment & Portfolio

Course Description

Welcome to L&CS 124, and congratulations on entering your senior year! This course is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on what you have learned & experienced, and how you have grown over the course of your L&CS education.  As an interdisciplinary program that seeks to educate the whole person, and strives to develop self-awareness, ethical values, and habits of social responsibility, it is important for our students that they have time to assess their development.

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How it went down at this year’s ACTC 2012: “Preparing for and Living in the Real World through Core Texts”

This year’s 18th Annual Associated Core Texts & Courses Conference, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, sponsored by Carthage College, and focusing on the theme: “Liberal Arts Education and the World: Inquiring into, Preparing for, and Living in the Real World through Core Texts” took place 29 March through 1 April at The Hilton Milwaukee City Center Hotel, where I presented with the following panel

“Conrad, Ellison, and Narrative Structure:

Blending Critical Thought and Student Engagement”

Aaron P. Smith, Marian University of Fond du Lac, “Authentic Self-Existence for the Visibly Marginalized;” Lamiaa Youssef, Norfolk State University, “Narrative Lenses and the Journey toward Self-Knowledge;” Justin Ponder, Marian University, “A Walking Personification of the Negative: Listening to Stories in Invisible Man;” Rashaan Meneses, Saint Mary’s College of California, “We’re All ‘Others’ Now: Revisiting Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness in the Age of Post-post-colonialism.”

Chair: Jean-Marie Kauth, Benedictine University

Some of the speakers and panels that caught my attention were the following:

Robert Gurval, Department of Classics, University of California, Los Angeles: “Harmony and Homer on the Pearl River Delta: The Foundations of a New Liberal Arts in China”-

  • China is looking at Western liberal arts colleges to help shape their higher education though instead of calling their undergraduate core curriculum “general education” they’ve opted to use the term “gateway education” to indicate that students are beginning the path to learning
  • self in search of self
  • self as social institutions
  • Liberal Studies as training for life
  • introduce poetry first as foundation to politics, which is the gateway to political and economic theory

From the panel, “The Function of Core Texts and Their Programs,” Nicholas D. Leither, Saint Mary’s College of California, “Skepticism Destroyed Their Paradise: Generative Thinking and and ‘Believing’ in the Text”-

  • argues that students lose innocence in college when they’re taught to become the skeptic
  • more often than not in the classroom creative thinking isn’t valued, nor seeing several POV’s simultaneously
  • Rational thinking limits
  • “When we take a critical approach, we forget to believe.”
  • Critical versus generative, students need to take a leap of faith

From the panel, “Concepts of the Self in East and West,” Yaqun Zhang, Xiamen University “Confucius’ Gentleman Personality and Its Influence on Academic Education”

  • education as a cultural mission
  • educating students to let them know they are part of a a social and civic commitment
  • seeking harmony not sameness
  • having a sense of appropriate conduct

From my own panel on Conrad and Ellison, Aaron P. Smith Marian University of Fond du Lac, “Authentic Self-Existence for the Visibly Marginalized” (concerning Ellison’s Invisible Man)

  • one must have existence to become authentic, meta-alienation
  • alienation requires confrontation
  • those who create new values need an audience to receive

This year’s conference not only emphasized true and vigorous cultural exchange between the U.S. and China since ACTC has been collaborating with Chinese universities to help shape their curriculum, but another important theme emphasized again and again was inter-disciplinary exchange and pairing texts that weren’t so obvious on the surface, but in comparing say Machiavelli to Lao Tzu, professors made profound connections and demonstrated an exchange of ideas and values that spanned time and geography.

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Teaching two brand spanking new courses for L&CS this spring semester

Reading the likes of Azedah Moaveni’s Lipstick Jihad, Fareed Zakaria’s Post-American World, Jared Diamond’s Collapse, and revisiting Michael Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma for two new classes I’m teaching within Saint Mary’s College’s Liberal & Civic Studies Program. Students are coming to me in class proud about how conversant they’re getting concerning world politics, global matters, and environmental issues. I must confess, I have a hard time keeping my mouth shut during class discussions. Its hard to keep silent when the readings and subjects are so stimulating.

122 Environmental Responsibility in a Global Community 

Taken the semester immediately following L&CS 121 whenever possible, this courses focuses on the natural world in which we lie, and the complex interrelationship between human activities, the values which determine these activities and their consequences for the environment. Different societies’ belief systems along with their responsibilities and attitudes toward the environment are examined. Students are required to devote time each week to a service-learning project, write essays, intellectual integrations and a self-assessment. Class sessions are supplemented by a biweekly activity lab. Prerequisites: L&CS 121, English 5, Collegiate Seminar 20/110. 

123 Modern Global Issues

The purpose of this course is to gain broad-based exposure to some of the cultural, political and economic issues related to and arising from the processes of globalization. Students will study recent critical dialogues and philosophies of globalization, including issues of ethnicity/race, gender, identity, urban culture, post-nationalism, multiculturalism and post-colonial studies. Students are require to participate in class, lead discussion, write essays and news articles responses, give an oral presentation and complete a midterm exam.   Prerequisite:L&CS 121 or permission of instructor.

We’ve watched some of the following videos to supplement subjects and texts recently covered:

Slajov Zizek on “Cultural Capitalism:

Hans Rosling on “The Magic Washing Machine”

Saving the Bay Documentary

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Former student helps his community and shares his story in the magazine “Against the Current”

A former student of mine, Antonio Venegas, shares his story and lends inspiration with a recently published article in the magazine Against the Current. His piece, titled “Where to Occupy Next?” covers the Occupy Movement and his community engagement.
Here’s an excerpt:

Where to Occupy Next?
— Antonio Venegas

I TRULY DON’T want to be another sob story. But when the rare opportunity comes along to tell my story and affect many, like a stone cast into the water, it is necessary to at least attempt to grab the hearts of people who will listen.

As I constructed the presentation that I was going to show my social justice organizing class at St. Mary’s College about my experience with the organization Causa Justa (Just Cause), I ran across something that froze me. I searched for “foreclosure” on Wikipedia in hopes of finding a comprehensive definition, and like most articles on that site, its words were displayed accompanied by an image.

Read the entire article here.

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Now that we’ve woken from colonial dreams and post-colonial nightmares of imagined communities,what comes after post-colonial theory?

   Heart of Darkness.jpg

Excited and honored to be presenting at the 18th Annual Conference of ACTC: Association for Core Texts and Courses. This year’s theme is “Liberal Arts Education and the World: Inquiring into, Preparing for and Living in the Real World Through Core Texts,” taking place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Yours truly will be presenting the paper: “We’re All Others Now: Revisiting Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness in the Age of Post-post-colonialism.”

Abstract:

In 1977, Chinua Achebe, through his essay, “An Image of Africa” tried and sentenced Joseph Conrad for being a “bloody racist,” charging that his novel, Heart of Darkness, captured Western imagination at its worst. In light of post-colonial theory, every culture and nation affected by Empire, both colonized and colonizer, was then shackled to a shared and brutal past. Post-colonial theorists like Achebe sought retribution and used discourse as a means of justice. Now that we’ve woken from colonial dreams and post-colonial nightmares of imagined communities, how do we read and critique a text like Conrad’s Heart of Darkness? And, if “multiculturalism has failed,” or if we believe it is possible to “transcend race,” what comes after post-colonial theory?

For more info on post-post-colonialism, check out the following source:

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Guest Lecturing for Interpersonal Communication at Ohlone College

On Wednesday, 16 November 2011, I had the pleasure of guest lecturing for an evening session of Interpersonal Communication at Ohlone College. The students prepared for our class by reading the previously published post “Digital Citizenship: Cultivating an Online Presence, Part I.” After a quick introduction, they broke into small groups to review the text and come up with discussion questions where we dived into what it means to be a digital citizen, how and why we use social media sites. For reference to digital citizenry check out the NY Times recent article “Protestors Look for Ways to Feed the Web,” which is about social media’s role with the Occupy Movement where Jennifer Preston writes:

The movement counts more than 400 Facebook pages with 2.7 million fans around the world. On Tumblr.com, the “We Are the 99 Percent” blog continues to publish the personal stories of hundreds of people struggling with student debt, health care costs and foreclosure. There are also dozens of new wikis and Web pages, including OccupyWallSt.org and HowToOccupy.org.

Interpersonal Communication is the study of how we communicate with self and others. Relationships remain an essential component of human existence. We must ask ourselves: How well do we function in our relationships, and how might we improve our relational competencies? The class was wonderfully diverse, with students from all over the world sharing  insights about their experiences with social media. We discussed the following topics:

  • citizenship vs. consumerism
  • digital community vs. face-to-face community
  • what’s expected of citizens online
  • what’s expected of digital communities
  • how do different digital communities interact. For instance, Tumblr is for showcasing individual work and Facebook is for catching up with friends and family

The students then drafted group contracts between online users and online communities to determine what the community can do for digital citizens and what digital citizens can do for their community. Some of the policies they wished to implement included:

  • no kids ten-years or younger should be on Facebook because they don’t have much to contribute to the community
  • need to have expectations on what people can and should post
  • users need to understand that sites like Facebook are not games
  • time limits to ensure productivity at work and in school
  • cut unlawful browsing

We concluded the evening with two writing exercises to help students become more conscious of how they present themselves online and how they interact with others:

1. Self- Evaluation from the Point of View of a Friend or Family Member

(This proves highly relevant to course content as the class discussed ‘Significant Others’ and how the relationship(s) affects our perception of ourselves. ‘Perceived Self’  / ‘Presenting Self’, Ego Boosters and Ego Busters along with Perspective Taking.) 

For this freewrite you will want to assume the point of view of a friend or family member who knows you well. You will be writing from their perspective to give a critical evaluation of yourself. Imagine that they’ve been asked to give an honest and thoughtful assessment about your self. Your friend or family member must give a truthful evaluation about your character, your motivation, and your ability to follow through with action. In addition, they are required to support their opinion with concrete experiences, memories and events that illustrate their assessment.

To assist with this exercise you may want to answer some of these questions, again from the POV of a friend or family member who is evaluating you:

  1. How would you describe your personality?
  2. What motivates or inspires you?
  3. Who has influenced you and why?
  4. What past events demonstrate your strongest skills and traits?
  5. What are your weaknesses?
  6. How do you handle your weaknesses?
  7. If you could make changes to your life, your drive, your behavior, what kind of changes and why?
  8. When are you at your best? When are you at your worst?
  9. How well do you work with others?
  10. How well do you take direction?
  11. What kind of a leader are you?
  12. How do you inspire others?
  13. Other questions???

2. Personal Ad for Dating Agency

(This proves highly relevant to course content since the class addressed both mediated (digital) communication and the dynamics of ‘self-concept‘.)

 Where did you grow up?

Basics:

Appearance:

Background/Values:

Lifestyle:

Interests:

Get To Know Me:

About My Date (Describe who you’re ideal date is):

In My Own Words (give a paragraph description to entice potential dates):

===================================

If you could draw up a contract between digital citizens and digital communities what would be the roles each play for what purposes, and what policies would regulate the relationships?

For kicks, here’s a take on the internet from two favorite digital citizens:

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Quick Recap of SMC’s Parents & Family Weekend Session “Classroom as Kitchen Table” with a shout out by author Mitali Perkins

On Saturday, October 22, at SMC’s Parent & Family Weekend, “Classes Without Quizzes,” I got to meet 25 parents and family members who were eager “to see Saint Mary’s through their kids’ eyes.” In my session, titled “Classroom as Kitchen Table: Education Through Conversation and Feeding Hungry Minds,” we read aloud Sandra Cisneros’ deceptively simple short short “Eleven.” As always this bittersweet narrative got the packed classroom buzzing and was the perfect inspiration for us to dive into our own childhood memories for a little creative writing exercise of our own. Here’s a quick review from one of the parents I met at the session, author Mitali Perkins:

I’m back from parents’ weekend at Saint Mary’s College of California where we attended classes without quizzes. I, of course, signed up for a writing class taught by Rashaan Meneses, who led us through a brilliant workshop on enhancing voice with detail.

You can read the rest of her recap along with her creative exercise from our class session in her post “Writing the Empty Nest at Parents’ Weekend” at her blog Mitali’s Fire Escape.

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Schedule of Events for ACTC @ SMC, Friday, October 21, 4-9pm

ACTC@SMC is the presentation/discussion in our community of the contributions of SMC faculty at last spring's national conference of the Association for Core Texts and Courses. Each of 8 SMC attendees gave a 15 minute presentation, focused on a core text, at a panel. The authors considered ranged from Sappho to Rousseau to Kafka.

Reprising these presentations at the College has resulted in an engaging, stimulating exchange, with lively discussions ensuing – the sort of fun that attracted us in the first place to this business of professoring . The schedule, subject to minor revision of times, is as follows

date: Friday, October 21

place: Br. Gary York classroom


4:00 first session

6:00 dinner

7:00 second session

9:00 adjournment

Presenters include:
Bob Gardner / Deanne Kruse
Rashaan Meneses on "Engaging First Generation Students with Jean Jacques Rousseau's Discourse on Inequality"
Patrick Downey
Grete Stenersen
Chad Arnold
Br. Ken Cardwell
Ken Parker
Charles Hamaker

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ACTC @ SMC and Parent & Family Weekend’s “Classes Without Quizzes”

Two exciting upcoming events for this week include:

Presenting my paper “Engaging First Generation Students with Jean Jacques Rousseau’s ‘Discourse on Inequality’ for ACTC @ SMC, Friday, October 21, 4-9pm, Brother York Arcade at Saint Mary’s College. Paper was originally presented at the 17th Annual ACTC Conference in New Haven, CT, sponsored by Yale University.

Participating in Saturday, October 22, SMC’s  Parent & Family Weekend’s “Classes Without Quizzes” where I’ll engage parents of students with some creative reading & writing that includes an oldie but goodie text, Sandra Cisneros’ “Eleven,” which always makes for great conversation and engaged analysis. Que divertido! I still need a title for my class tho…Oye.