Tennis et distinction sociale en France
I have a deeply-rooted passion for tennis. The game, the physicality, the mental aspect and the players. It is in this latter group that this paper finds its genesis. In the immediate aftermath of my placement in the ‘Paris Country Club’ in France a thought niggled my mind, one that questioned the very thing I love. And this thought sought answers and explanations, perhaps hoping that with enlightenment and clarity, a sense of ease may also spring forth. In the most plain of terms, this paper is a detailed examination of tennis in France and throughout the world. Through the case study of the Paris Country Club itself my own thoughts and questions were brought into the light. It is the depressing truth that both social and racial injustice and segregation have the propensity to be exacerbated by the very existence of an elite sport such as tennis. Yet my argument does not stop with a mere unveiling of a universally acknowledged truth. Conversely, this paper aims to bring the role of the state and of the French Tennis Federation and the citizens within the tennis community and beyond to the forefront of the conversation, finding eventual solace in the thought (and one upon which I refuse to loosen my grip) that change can start with tennis, and that despite failings, it has already begun.
by Jack Hodges
Bare Life, Bare Architecture: Deconstructing the Violence of Architecture in Al-Khalil, Palestine
The political philosopher Giorgio Agamben’s concept of the state of exception has been
used heavily to elaborate on the juridical, geographical, and sociological understandings of
Palestinian life, whether in relation to refugee camps (Ramadan, 2013), the occupied West Bank
(Boano & Leclair-Paquet, 2014), or Palestinian martyrdom (Whitehead & Abufarha, 2008).
More recently, there has been much discussion surrounding the consideration of space (Hanafi,
2009) and the role of infrastructural warfare in the necropolitical power of the Israeli occupation
(Mbembe, 2003, p. 29). However, in analyzing movement, arrangement, and tracking of
Palestinian bodies controlled by the Israeli state, it is necessary to look on the level of the built
environment, or the architecture on the geography.
by Yuka Sugino
Read: Bare Life, Bare Architecture: Deconstructing the Violence of Architecture in Al-Khalil, Palestine
“Quaring” the Scene: Negotiating Black Queer Identity in the Punk Community
At this stage in black queer discourse, the fact that black LGBTQ people are excluded
and rendered invisible in society at large is almost taken for granted. But how are they portrayed
and treated in communities that supposedly aim to subvert mainstream values and norms? Punk
communities traditionally have aligned themselves with radical, progressive politics and
sensibilities; however, borne primarily out of working class white male strife, punk activism
often marginalizes and alienates groups – particularly women, non-white people, and queer/trans
folks – in its very efforts to overthrow mainstream narratives of power.
by Quinci Adams
Read: “Quaring” the Scene: Negotiating Black Queer Identity in the Punk Community
“It Goes Both Ways”: Negotiating Passing, Identities of Liminality, and Everything In-Between
Structures of power and governance hold significant sway over the process and outcome of
decision-making in local governments. An assessment of the processes involved in
environmental decision-making (Dietz and Stern, 2008) and structures of governance (United
States Census Bureau, 2016; National League of Cities, 2016) can aid an understanding of how
public administration decisions are made, and help to dismantle structural power imbalances. To
the same end, the presence and impact of procedural justice must also be considered (Holifield,
2001). Holifield defines procedural justice as “referring to the access of citizens to environmental
decision-making processes that affect their environments” (Holifield, 2001, 81).
by Quinci Adams
Read: “It Goes Both Ways”: Negotiating Passing, Identities of Liminality, and Everything In-Between
Finding Procedural Justice in Baltimore’s Department of Public Works
Structures of power and governance hold significant sway over the process and outcome of
decision-making in local governments. An assessment of the processes involved in
environmental decision-making (Dietz and Stern, 2008) and structures of governance (United
States Census Bureau, 2016; National League of Cities, 2016) can aid an understanding of how
public administration decisions are made, and help to dismantle structural power imbalances. To
the same end, the presence and impact of procedural justice must also be considered (Holifield,
2001). Holifield defines procedural justice as “referring to the access of citizens to environmental
decision-making processes that affect their environments” (Holifield, 2001, 81).
by Maren Stunes
Read: Finding Procedural Justice in Baltimore’s Department of Public Works
La identidad sexual: la sociedad, el individuo, y la pérdida de la virginidad
El sexo es uno de los temas más polémicos en el mundo; lo ha sido durante siglos.
Aunque sea polémico (o tal vez porque es polémico), se aparece mucho en todas las culturas del
mundo. En el mundo occidental, no se puede escuchar la radio sin oír una canción que hable del
sexo; no se puede ver la televisión sin ver un programa o un anuncio que mencione el sexo; no se
puede caminar por ninguna parte sin escuchar alguna conversación sobre el sexo. La perspectiva
del sexo depende de cada cultura, de cada familia, de cada persona. No hay una sola concepción
del sexo; parece imposible definirlo.
by Ashley Pearman
Read: La identidad sexual: la sociedad, el individuo, y la pérdida de la virginidad
Breeding from biotechnology: a look at the infrastructures behind the production of flood-resistant rice in India and Bangladesh
Thanks to modern technology and advancements in agricultural breeding,
developers at the International Rice Research Institute have found success in combating
food insecurity in India and Bangladesh. Research and development efforts have been
fruitful in breeding rice varieties with specific traits that enable them to withstand
nature’s powerful forces. One such rice variety goes by the name Swarna-Sub 1 and can
withstand flooding for up to 15 days. This paper explores the infrastructures involved in
the production process of this flood tolerant rice.
by Aliza Lieberman-Barnard
Alicia Garza: Situated Analysis and Practicing Being Free
In her essay “Home,” Toni Morrison explores her attempts to “convert a racist house [the
society consumed by white supremacy in which we all exist] into a race-specific yet nonracist
home,” a project that strives towards being both “free and situated” (5). To be both free and
situated speaks to the necessity of working towards a world in which everyone is truly free while
simultaneously remaining situated within and aware of the world that we inhabit now.
by Abigail Jones
Read: Alicia Garza: Situated Analysis and Practicing Being Free
Why Does the Tigress Roar? Exploring the Role of Female Suicide Bombers in the LTTE
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were the first terrorist group to
employ women as suicide bombers. Making women’s bodies into weapons that the
women themselves deployed was an important choice for the success of LTTE
assassinations and reveals the complex and often contradictory gender dynamics within
the Tamil Tigers. In Sri Lanka, women have a subservient position in both Tamil and
Sinhalese society. The LTTE claimed gender neutrality and women did rise to leadership
positions within its ranks, although this ideal was compromised by traditional cultural
norms.
by Lindsey Mills
Read: Why Does the Tigress Roar? Exploring the Role of Female Suicide Bombers in the LTTE
The Disproportionate Impact of Hurricane Katrina on People with Disabilities
While environmental justice has a much wider scope than the traditional environmental movement, its proponents have often overlooked the role of disability in determining access to environmental benefits and decision-making. Disability has a strong correlation with increased exposure to environmental risks, especially those related to “natural” disasters. A long history of both overt and subtle forms of discrimination against people with disabilities has relegated them to vulnerable positions within society and has severely limited their options for coping with disasters. Although this should place disability well within environmental justice’s purview, discussion surrounding disaster has either entirely ignored the disproportionate impact inflicted on certain populations or solely acknowledged the effect on racial, ethnic, and economic groups (Belasen and Polachek, 2008; Kahn, 2005; McCallum and Heming, 2006; National Council on Disability, 2006; Smith, 2006; Stringfield, 2010).
by Molly Walsh-Warder
Read: The Disproportionate Impact of Hurricane Katrina on People with Disabilities
