Reply to two discussion two post Student Responses” count as class participation and are taken into consideration when I calculate your final grade. If a student is between grades and has posted four student responses, s/he will receive the higher grade.
I encourage you to engage in debates with one another. I expect you to comment on the readings and your fellow students’ postings addressing the following issues:
A) What question(s), arguments, issue(s) does the author raise?
B) What answer(s), arguments, are suggested?
C) What evidence or argument is presented to support the answer(s)?
D) Do you agree with the author’s position? Why or why not?
1.
Today I am writing about Cornel West, he is someone who tried to run for president this year in 2024. The question asked was “Is Joe Biden a war criminal?” The reason that he is asking this question is in relation to what is going on in Gaza. We all know that since October 2023 Israel has been at war with Hamas, which in turn has killed thousands of innocent civilians in Gaza. Israel and America are allies so the question being asked in this video is at what point is America guilty of war crimes by being an Ally with Israel?
Cornel Wear calls Joe Biden a war criminal because he says that America is basically lying in bed with Israel and is equally guilty when it comes to doing these crimes. He says Joe Biden is “enabling the crime of genocide”. He also goes on to name everyone in Joe Biden political party to say that they are also involved in war crimes regarding Gaza. He goes on to say that this type of behavior is not new, that American human beings are a “wicked species” with “organized greed and institutionalized hatred” but says we are also a marvelous species and we can be in solidarity with people in Gaza.
He also goes on explaining how Joe Biden wants to use the US governments money to help Israel with arms, bombs and ammunition. He states that there is no morality or ethics when it comes with Joe Biden and his allyship with Israel. He goes on to say that Joe Biden and politicians like him basically pretend that they are trying to save a whole nation by what they are doing but in reality are just just supporting a genocide.
I personally feel like Democrats and Republicans alike will always have their Allys backs, Isreael being one of them. I don’t see a world where America is going to stop defending their allies, although I wish they would see that the killing of thousands of innocent men women and children is so wrong. I’m sure that in their hearts they know that was is going in Gaza is wrong but they can never publicly say that and could never act on it either. In recent months I have seen Kamala Harris call for a seize fire in Gaza while she was doing her political campaign, but have not seen them act on helping that happen.
With the election yesterday and seeing that Donald Trump will be the president for the next 4 years, I’m not sure where the state of the world is going to go, and the state of Gaza and Israel. I hope that everything will get better and all the scary things they say on the news about Donald Trump being president is wrong, I like to think there are good in people and we have elected officials that will help this country run in a democracy like it is suppose to, only time will tell.
(2024, February 4). US presidential candidate Cornel West: ‘Biden is a war criminal’ | The Bottom Line. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
2. Intellectual Exiles: Expatriates and Marginalsdiscusses the role and identity of intellectuals who live as exiles or outsiders in society. Whether it’s exile, literal, or metaphorical, it can foster critical perspectives that challenge conventional wisdom and authority. Intellectuals in exile often find themselves positioned on the margins of society, which allows them to observe and critique culture and politics from a unique vantage point. Edward explores how intellectuals navigate the tensions between feeling alienated and using that detachment as a source of creative energy and insight. Emphasizing that intellectuals in exile are compelled to resist being fully assimilated into any particular system. Instead, they act as independent critics, wary of groupthink and the conformist pressures that can come with national or institutional loyalties. Said believes that such detachment allows intellectuals to remain true to their ideals and function as voices of dissent and conscience, upholding truth and justice over popular opinion or power structures.
William Julius Wilson examines how economic shifts, such as globalization and technological advances, have altered the American labor market, leading to rising inequality that disproportionately affects low income and minority communities. Wilson argues that traditional approaches to race relations, which focuses primarily on discrimination and prejudice, are insufficient to address these economic challenges. He suggested that economic restructuring has increased job insecurity, especially for low skilled workers, and the issues aren’t solely race based but a broader spectrum of working class. Wilson advocates for coalition politics that address economic inequality as a common ground, transcending racial divides. By focusing on shared economic interests, he believes it’s possible to build cross racial alliances that can effectively tackle poverty, unemployment, and inequality, ultimately advancing both economic and social justice.
Sociologists Elijah Anderson explores spaces in American cities where people of different racial and socioeconomic background interact more peacefully and respectfully than in other areas. Calling these “cosmopolitan Canopies”- places like public markets, parks, or certain neighborhoods where people display a higher level of civility, mutual respect, and openness. Anderson argues these canopies offer temporary refuge from the tensions and stereotypes that dominate social interactions in racially and economically diverse urban areas. Under the canopies, people are more likely to engage in positive, cross-racial interactions that promote understanding and reduce prejudice. However, Anderson also notes that these spaces aren’t free from racial tensions, and outside the canopy, negative stereotypes and racial divides quickly resurface. Ultimately cosmopolitan canopies are valuable models for fostering interracial civility and suggests they have the potential to improve race relations in broader society.
Southern Theory: Gender and Violence by Raewyn Connell critiques dominant sociological theories that emerge from the Global North, arguing they’re often overlooking perspectives from the Global South. She examines how traditional gender theories fail to account for the unique experiences and structures of power in Southern contexts, where histories of colonialism, poverty, and conflict shape social dynamics differently. Connell emphasizes that gender and violence are deeply intertwined within social contexts, as economic and social inequalities contribute to different manifestations of violence, particularly gender based violence. She argues for a more inclusive sociology that incorporates Southern perspectives, addressing how colonial and post colonial relatives shape gender relations and power structures. Advocating for a Global understanding of gender and violence that respects diverse cultural and historical contexts, aiming to develop theories that are more relevant and applicable Worldwide.
Reference:
Lemet, Charles C. Social Theory: The Multicultural, Global, and Classic Readings. Routledge, 2021