18. Last post: due July 8

 Take a look at the following sites and comment/reply:

Italian American Slang (Broccolinese)

The Mob's Ten Commandments

A Lombroso-Style Experiment

17. Due July 8

First, search on the U.S. Census website  the number of Americans of Italian descent (self reported, thus approximate, but those are the best data available.)

Second: search on the FBI website the estimate on the number of active members of Italian American organized crime (Mafia, the mob, Cosa Nostra, however you want to call it.)

Now, find out the percentage of Italian Americans that are considered to be active members of the mob.

DO NOT DISCLOSE THE DATA (you will answer a question in the final) but you are welcome to comment/reply here --- are you surprised at what you found out?


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YOUR STORIES (no deadline)

BONUS for class:

tell a story that fits with the theme of our texts.

BONUS: Everything you always wanted to know about Italian Americans, Italians and the meaning of life.......

.. but you were afraid to ask.

Post your questions in COMMENT: anybody is welcome to provide an answers (I will do my part) and to engage in a discussion with REPLIES

16. DUE JULY 1st

The document "SOCIAL JUSTICE" ends with a number of questions about political activities by immigrants.

BRIEF COMMENTS, please and lots of REPLIES.

Make an effort to relate your COMMENT to the various texts we examined, from the cartoons to the songs.

It's not necessary to quote texts in the REPLIES,

COPY your COMMENT and all REPLIES in a document that you will send as your assignment.

15. Due June 28

One BRIEF (I mean it: BRIEF) comment on an aspect of Christ -- after the death of Geremio-- that has grabbed your attention. It doesn't need to be a major point, it can be a detail, a scene, or a quote.

NO DUPLICATIONS, PLEASE.

USE "REPLIES" to engage in a discussion in all the other topics or subtopics you could not address in your comment.

14. Due JUNE 24

Pick a very small detail (a voice, a sentence, a description, whatever you want) from the assigned reading portion of Christ and connect it to a theme that struck a chord in you.

No duplications: each of you must choose a different item to discuss.

REPLY: at least one reply to a comment.

13. Low participation in the polls

I thought your generation loved to answer polls.

I am a bit surprised about the low rate or responses to my polls.

Are my questions off the wall? 

Please, submit your suggestions for new polls.

Comments and replies will count toward your total blog tally.

12. "The Way They Lived"..........great discussion (Deadline June 24)

The quality of your comment was simply amazing.

But, to steal a quote: "I am impressed, but I am not surprised."

Let's say that you spoiled me with your smarts. I only wish this was a regular course, meeting once a week, where we could argue and discuss things until we got sick or each other (hyperbole, of course.)

While on the surface you argued back and forth about which text should come first, in reality you engaged on a theoretical discussion on what "discourse" means.  Simply put: the order in which you approach a sequence of texts, changes your experience of the texts.

The issue of "ordering" has enormous consequences for all of us. For instance, when you subject yourself to a political poll, the sequence in which the questions are posed, will itself determine your answers. And your collective answers will be used to manipulate you.

EX:

A monk asked his abbot: "Is it OK if I smoke while I pray?'

The abbot said NO, of course.,

But later the monk asked the abbot: "Is it OK if I pray while I smoke?"

What do you think the abbot said?

All your comments and reply will count for credit, but don't discuss monks and abbots: discuss the notion of "discourse."

11. Good question.....(deadline June 24)

Anna Chakryan wrote me a message asking:

"I wanted to find out why [Pascal] didn't mentions the Statue of Liberty? What was the real reason if any."

Some of you had interesting hypotheses about it.

Of course, if you contribute, it will count in your blog participation.

REPLIES will count too.

10. DUE JUNE 22: L'EMIGRANTE

In TWO SEPARATE paragraphs, BRIEFLY address the following points:
1) Choose one detail in the film that is emblematic of what you consider the most important theme in the film. Don't discuss simply the message, SPECIFY THE SCENE OR DETAIL that to you is most significant (it doesn't need to be a major point, it can be just a tiny detail.)

EX: character development, how Peppino goes from nice guy to a gangster;
the gap between the American dream and the American reality;
the true individualistic personality (the philosophical anarchist) vs. the "land of the free";
Mafia as an inescapable trap for immigrants;

Or, of course, choose the message that resonated the most with you.



2) What did you like OR dislike in this film?


REPLY ONLY TO n. 2, and engage in civilized disagreement. Yes, you must disagree with someone.

9. Due JUNE 20 - NEAPOLITAN SONGS

Naples is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Sure, recently it has had lots of socio-economic problems but that is a different issue. In particular Naples is known for the near perfect climate, for the clear blue sky and the gorgeous gulf. But the single most striking things are the light (as in brightness) and the lightness (as in levity) of the air.

Neapolitans have a say: "Vedi Napoli e poi muori," literally "See Naples then die," but better rendered as "After one sees Naples one can die happy."

Neapolitans also have a reputation for being cheerful and philosophical about life, but also melancholic and very, very nostalgic.

You can see these traits in the two songs.

In a brief paragraph write your comment about the songs. Also: how do you think the people in your tribe would react BOTH TO THE MUSICAL QUALITY and THE MESSAGE of these songs?

8. Due June 20 - The Way They Lived

This slideshow, the Neapolitan songs and the pseudo-sciences close the first chapter (for us) of Italian immigration.

If I  had introduced the slideshow before The Italian and Son of Italy how different your perspective would have been?

Make sure you answer the question.

IN A SEPARATE PARAGRAPH:  do you recommend that in the future I introduce the slideshow at the same point in the course or earlier?

Please, make an effort to be brief.

REPLY to at least one comment (and keep track of your work in the spreadsheet.)

About writing

You are not writing for your professor (me). You are writing for yourself, to clarify your own ideas.

Here is the process:

1. Take notes while you read.
2. Read the assignment. Your mind will go to the topic to discuss. You will formulate a thought, almost instinctively.
3. Hold on to that thought/idea.  Think about it for 5 minutes. The more you think about it, the more complex and interesting your ARGUMENTS to support that idea become.
4. This is when your initial reactions (emotional response) become thoughts you can express.
5. Start writing down those thoughts.
6. Review for SPELLING, GRAMMAR, SENTENCE STRUCTURE.

The reason why I ask that you write starting from yourself has to do with the nature of the texts we examine. My personal and professional tenet (more than an opinion) is that "critical thinking" can only be applied to a body of knowledge. It takes time to acquire enough knowledge about any topic to start exercising "critical thinking." The body of knowledge that every one possesses is about him.herself. Thus, when you are facing any text, the only thing you can be sure of is your reaction to the text. You don't necessarily know what the text "means" or what message it wants to convey. Yet, you always know your emotional response to it. And this is where you can and should begin.


Yes, I know. In academia you are told you should avoid references to your "self." But it is a delusion and a deception. We always write about ourselves. Some of us are good at hiding it and putting on the mask of the expert or the critic., however, in reality we are describing our personal mental processes. Always. The order of items you analyze, the amount of space or attention you give to one aspect versus another, the tone and the voice are all conscious choices we make to reveal our "self."

I am suggesting that you make this process transparent. That does not mean that you have to "describe" your emotional reactions and how these are converted into thoughts and finally into expression. You don't need to use "I." You can use very aseptic, impersonal, clinical language. If you are a good writer you can pretend you are far removed from what you write. But, if you find it hard to write, if you "don't know what you say," then start from your emotional responses to the text and follow them as they evolve and mutate into thoughts.

And keep in mind that (drum roll, please) all good writing is about the meaning of life.

Feel free to comment but it's not required.

7. Due JUNE 17: OPEN FORUM on SON OF ITALY

COMMENT:

Your opinions, observations, reflections on  Son of Italy.

Include in your comment references to my notes  (links both on homepage, Bb and HERE)



REPLY: wait for 10 comments before you reply.

6. Due June 17: Mention a little detail in SON OF ITALY that captured your attention.

PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS BRIEF AND TO THE POINT.

I commend those of you who want to use this platform for extensive analyses, but I want to make sure you don't end up being overwhelmed by lengthy arguments, particularly because I expect people to reply to each other and engage in a debate.

For this discussion, focus on one small episode, a tiny detail that got stuck in your mind (the price of bananas?) and why it is particularly illuminating to you.


As usual, REPLY to one or more comments by your classmates that revealed something important that you missed.

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YOU WILL ALSO USE YOUR COMMENT AS THE STARTING POINT FOR AN ASSIGNMENT (so don't forget what you wrote about.) See  <Assignments> on Bb.

5. Due JUNE 16: report in your words a comment I wrote on any of your assignments

Read through your assignments and report (in your words, don't quote me) a comment that you either consider valid or way off.

Let me know if you agree or not, and to what extent: THERE IS NO PENALTY FOR DISAGREEING


REPLY: WAIT FOR 10 COMMENTS TO BE POSTED, then REPLY to any of your classmates' comment and indicate if it was helpful.

4. DUE JUNE 14 -- Dominant vs subordinate classes: Representation and Self-Representation:

Click HERE for a summary of the issue

Since the course is about ItAms, you are more than welcome to direct your attention to this tribe, but if your knowledge about them is limited, you can choose any tribe/class/minority (except your own) for your examples:

 Give two examples:

1) how the dominant class represents a subordinate class -- REMEMBER, we are not talking about individuals, the object is large groups of people in society (classes, tribes, minorities of any kind.)

2) using the same subordinate class/tribe, give an example of  self-representation.


REPLY to at least one comment that you found particularly insightful.

3. Nancy Pelosi on Women

I extracted this soundfile from an interview Nancy Pelosi gave to National Public Radio (NPR) on the topic of equality.

She was referring to the Fifties, around the time some of your parents were born.

http://youtu.be/KkhxvCS5Me8

This is a clear case of a representation imposed upon women that had become the default assumption of an entire society.

What examples can you come up with in contemporary society (concrete, tangible, micro-example) show that women are still not in control of their own representation. Or, to the contrary, do you have examples that show that to some extent they are acquired some power of self-representation.

Use COMMENTS for your entry and REPLY to a classmate's comment.

YOU MUST BOTH COMMENT AND REPLY.

CALL FOR HELP

I need your help to help students who are less tech savvy.

Who is willing to answer questions from fellow students about things like, how to create an RTF document, a spreadsheet, how to post a comment, or a reply, how to register for the blog etc.

If you are willing to help, please add your comment below and leave name and email address so people can contact you. If you want, you can also leave your phone number or skype contact.

FOR EVERYBODY: Iwill assign the first reading (Son of Italy) for the end of next week. In case you don't have the book yet, see if you can borrow it from a classmate. AND LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU EXPECT TO RECEIVE THE BOOK.

2. FOR THU JUNE 6

EDITED POST: if you have commented already, don't change your comment.

USE COMMENT to write what it the single 'thing' that you remember most vividly from Monday's lecture?

Don't dwell on major topics. Rather, focus on ONE LITTLE DETAIL that was particularly meaningful to you, that probably only you noticed but that made a distinct impression.


In a separate paragraph try to explain WHY it stuck in your mind.

MAKE AN EFFORT TO BE CONCISE AND TO THE POINT.   Maximum two paragraphs.

Also, if you see that a topic has been mentioned several times already, choose a different one.


WAIT until at least 10 people have left their comments.

At this point you are free to USE REPLY to "like" a comment left by a classmate, and explain why you chose that particular one

Sounds clumsy and complicated? It won't be for very long. I will always ask to you write your own comment AND to reply to someone else's.

1. What is an "Intellectual Autobiography?"

Nothing to be intimidated about. You should always try to write to clarify your own thoughts, not to please your imaginary audience, be it a professor or your classmates.
What has contributed to your maturity, your growth as a person, and opened up a sudden, unexpected perspective? It could be a single book or it could be a passion for reading; same for music; or for practicing a sport; or for a hobby that you brought you to a higher level of understanding.
You don't need to be complicated to be deep, nor do you need big words to express high concepts.
Take a few minutes to think, develop an argument, then start writing.
And, at the end, review for errors and edit for clarity.
Oh, one more thing: BE BRIEF.

Click "Comment" below and start clicking away.