Tuesday, 24 September 2013

Week 9: People Networks

I've been amazed by the content on these blogs over the past six weeks. You've created some amazing narratives. And, hopefully you've had some interesting adventures along the way. Remember to put the skills you've learned (i.e. academic blogging) on your resumes :-)

The portfolio feedback will probably centre around technical stuff  - referencing, grammar, structuring evidence & arguments, etc. Things that will hopefully help when it comes to editing for your case studies.

Speaking of case studies  ...

You will be assigned & sent details of your group for the final assignment this week. The groups need to be based on your case study theme (people, food, nature, stuff).  

You also need to email me a dot point plan of your essay by midnight on Friday 27th sept. For a further 5% of your case study grade.  

Also, ...
Do the Ma Mung (2005) reading and answer the tute quiz questions (located in the week 9 folder on learnJCU).

There are 3 short answer questions that you need to complete. You have two weeks to get it done (it closes at midnight on Oct. 5th and has been opened a week early to accommodate the shift around in the lecture order). 

Quiz Hint: Make sure you look at definitions and types of diaspora when you do the reading.
Finally, ...
  
Watch the lecture and share your thoughts on people networks,  and diasporas (their similarities and differences); use the questions in the tute guide as, well .. a guide .. and let us know what you think. 


p.s. Next week is lecture recess,
so remember to take at least little bit of guilt -free time out from studying.
Posted by at

3 comments:

  1. Unknown27 September 2013 at 11:16

    Ok I hope I've got the right idea here! Apologise if I'm off and this actually has nothing to do with what we were meant to do!

    I really enjoyed Dr Petray's lecture this week regarding Rastafari religion. To be honest, I was very ignorant of it! tots more respect for dreadies now;) in terms of the Italian diaspora in NQ I think their are a lot similarities and differences with the Rasta movement. In particular, the retaining of connection with their original place via economic networks. I live and work on a cattle station but a neighbouring property has a watermelon farm and the owners are of Italian descent. As the Ma Mung (2005, p35) reading suggests, people of a diaspora form an identity and relationship with others whom they share a common origin with. When our tractor broke down our neighbours were quick to put us onto a 'mate of their's from Ayr, of Italian descent also of course! This looking after each other seems to stem from this notion of 'us' or connectedness resulting from a common origin, almost like family. I hope these examples illustrate the econmic netwrok link.

    Moreover, another Italian friend told me how her grandparents who migrated to Australia kept sending money back to family in Italy to help support them and eventually bring them to Australia also. This is similar to the Rasta movement where by, as Dr Petray described, individulas sent money to Sheshame, like Brother Freeman to improve the area. This idea of the 'Homeland' as a paradise or place of signifigance, as Dr Petray showed, varies amongst individuals and each movement respectively. In the case of Australia, perhaps it is viewed as a type of paradise that offered Italian migrants a fresh start or greater chance of making money, not this idea of NQ as a 'Zyion' in the strict sense of the Rasta movement. Dunno, just my thoughts:)

    This a random question..but Rhian, as you have dreadlocks are you Rastafari follower? Sorry if that's too personal!!! Just curious:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rhian27 September 2013 at 12:55

      haha :D not too personal & the answer's no. My dreadies are a result of travelling at age 17 without a hairbrush :D 13 yrs later and I'm much more aware of the issues of cultural appropriation surrounding dreads than I was back then, but I do sympathise with aspects of rastafarian philosophy - letting go of egoistic notions of self-image, strength, learning & "the journey" that most natural (as in non-synthetic) dreadies adhere to in some form. And just in the interest of myth-busting it's imperative to wash dreads regularly & the vast majority of people do (it's just brushes & scissors that are taboo for me).

      In regards to the notion of diaspora & economic links, you've definitely picked up on some of the major similarities & differences between the two diaporas. The Italian diaspora was primarily driven by economic migration, whereas the rastafarian diaspora was driven by the creation of a common identity in resistance to dis-empowerment driven originally by slavery & then religious ideology. Yet, both tend to maintain economic links between centres and peripheries.

      Delete
    2. Unknown12 October 2013 at 08:13

      haha oh righto then! Glad you weren't offended;) wow those are some beautiful points to live your life by. Especially in such a self centred, image driven and destination orientated society most of us find ourselves in.
      I found it interesting how some rastas are not even born/from/linked by family to Ethiopia but they have such a strong connection with it. I loved watching the Bob Marley clips. haha all my friends from PNG would have been proud!

      Delete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)