Description
Culture and Anthropology in the News
Goal: to practice thinking about ‘culture’ and/or ‘power’ through a news article by applying a concept to analyze what, how and why people do what they do.
Important information:
Due: Friday, Sept 27 to cuLearn Assignment #1 submission
Value: 10% of your final mark
Length: ~600 words
Format: Standard margins (2.54 cm), double spaced, 12 pt font (New Times Roman)
Description:
Find an online article describing an event and/or topic related to the concepts of culture and/or power. For this assignment you will succinctly describe what the article is about (who, what, where, when). You should do this in one paragraph (around 200 words). The rest of the assignment, you will discuss and analyze the event and/or theme of the article through the concepts of power and/or culture as presented in class (readings and lecture).
In your analysis, you should describe how and why power and/or culture is useful and relevant to understanding the event/article you have chosen. Explain your argument and make connections to course material.
Note: because the assignment is short, do not include long quotes from the article or readings but do include reference from where your ideas are coming from.
Include a citation of your article:
Author’s last name, First name. Date of publication. “Title of article” from name of publishing company. Website: link. Accessed on: date.
For example:
Draper, Kevin and Ken Belson. Sept 3, 2018. “Colin Kaepernick’s Nike Campaign Keeps N.F.L. Anthem Kneeling in Spotlight” from The New York Times. Website: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/03/sports/kaepernick-nike.html. Accessed on Sept 17, 2018.
How you will be marked:
Your assignment will be marked out of 10.
Up to 3 marks will be awarded for your description of the article. You will be marked for being clear and succinct. Were you able to give the reader a good understanding of the topic?
Up to five marks will be awarded to your analysis. Were you able to draw upon a concept of culture/power from the course and successfully show how it relates to the article? A very good response will show both you understand the concept and are able to use it to creatively think about the article you are analyzing.
Two marks will be for your overall writing style: the spelling, grammar, and importantly how you structured your arguments.
Description: /3
Analysis: /5
Writing: /2
Assignment #1
Important information:
Slides
Due: September 27 at noon on cuLearn
Value: 10% of your final mark
Length: 2 complete pages, double spaced
Format: Standard margins (2.54 cm), double spaced, 12 pt font (New Times Roman)
Description:
Find an online article describing an event and/or topic related to the concepts of culture and power.
Describe what the article is about (who, what, where, when).
Discuss and analyze the event and/or theme of the article through the concepts of power and culture.
TA
Use a reputable news source
Find an article from the last few months that is LONG
Analyze the article with the concepts of culture or power or both
Understand how the concept is being expressed
Clear introduction, conclusion and thesis statement
Hardest part to engage with→ critical analysis
Think about what you read and engage the concept of culture/power
Article : https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/kaillie-humphries-bobsleigh-canada-lawsuit-court-injunction-decision-1.5286609
Concept : Power
Brainstorm ideas :
“Power is about to the ability to influence, control, and limit how people act into the world.” → professors slide on power
“Three-time Olympic medallist Kaillie Humphries has been denied release from Bobsleigh Canada by a Calgary judge who found the governing body has the discretion to decide whether to allow an athlete to compete for another country.” → first paragraph from https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/kaillie-humphries-bobsleigh-canada-lawsuit-court-injunction-decision-1.5286609
She is a three time Olympic medalist, she has symbolic power because of what she has accomplished
“Symbolic power focuses on how meaning is made, examining who benefits from socially influential ideas, how those ideas work within symbolic structures, and what world-views are made possible and/or denied” → professors slides
“Under international rules, Humphries required the release by Sept. 30 to be able to compete for the U.S. this season, though an appeal is possible.” → second article, cbc news
“Humphries has also made headlines for fighting for gender equality in her sport.” → cbc news
“She alleges that Bobsleigh Canada head coach Todd Hays verbally and mentally abused her during the 2017-18 season.” → cbc news
“Bobsleigh Canada lawyer Arif Chowdhury argued Humphries has received 15 years' worth of mostly publicly funded training designed "to create international and Olympic champions" and that the written release is required in order to to prevent athletes from taking advantage of one country's training program and competing for another.”
Today, look at five ways of thinking about “power”
Structures and institutions of power
Symbolic power
Cultural hegemony
Discipline and bio-power
Resistance (having a voice)
This article is about a lady named Kallie Humphries who is trying to
three time Olympic medalist, named Kallie
Three-time Olympic medallist Kaillie Humphries has been denied release from Bobsleigh Canada by a Calgary judge who found the governing body has the discretion to decide whether to allow an athlete to compete for another country
This article is about how a judge decided that Bobsleigh Canada has the authority to decide whether three time Olympic medalist, Kallie Humphries, can compete for the United States. The reason she wants to represent another country is because she claims that her old national team coach harassed her verbally.
Paragraph 3
"Symbolic power focuses on how meaning is made, examining who benefits from socially influential ideas, how those ideas work within symbolic structures, and what world-views are made possible and/or denied"
Title
The Role of Power in the Kallie Humphries controversy
Introduction
Drawing on an article published in CBC News on September 16, 2019 (‘No evidence”), this paper examines the issue of power in the controversy over Kaillie Humphries’ request to Bobsleigh Canada to withdraw from competition for Canada so that she can compete for the U.S. When Bobsleigh Canada refused Humphries’ request, the case was referred to a Calgary judge who decided in favour of Bobsleigh Canada. The reason she wants to represent another country is because she claims that her old national team coach harassed her. If power can be defined as “ the ability to influence, control, and limit how people act into the world” (professors slides CITE). The paper will illustrate two types of power that are demonstrated in the case of Kallie Humphries, institutional power and symbolic power.
Professor Hawkins defined institutional power as when
This is
Symbolic power focuses on how meaning is made, examining who benefits from socially influential ideas, how those ideas work within symbolic structures, and what world-views are made possible and/or denied.
Kallie Humphries is well known for winning two Olympic gold medals Not only has she won 2 gold medals, Humphries is also known for fighting against gender inequality in her sport.
Paragraph 2/3
Define power
Explain how the different types of power are demonstrated in this article→ use the bullet points in brainstorm
1 paragraph institutional power
judge , bob sleigh canada , her
1 paragraph symbolic power
Who she is, what she represents, her medals
Conclusion
Recap
Title : The Role of Power in the Kallie Humphries controversy
I
Introduction
Drawing on an article published in CBC News on September 17, 2019 (Judge denies Kaillie Humphries' release from Bobsleigh Canada to compete for U.S.) , this paper examines the issue of power in the controversy over Kaillie Humphries’ request to Bobsleigh Canada to withdraw from competition for Canada so that she can compete for the U.S. When Bobsleigh Canada refused Humphries’ request, the case was referred to a Calgary judge who decided in favour of Bobsleigh Canada.
Definitions and analysis
The paper illustrates two types of power operating in the Kaillie Humphries controversy: institutional power and symbolic power,
• Institutional power
- Definition
- Where you see institutional power in the controversy
o Two levels: judicial system personified in the judge; Bobseleigh Canada
• Symbolic power
- definition
- Where you see symbolic power operating in the controversy
o KH – gold media’s
Conclusion: in this case, the institutional power was greater than the symbolic power
List of references