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Current Issue: Volume 21, No. 2
Week of September 5, 2004

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temporarily. I hope to have everything fixed by next week. jeanne

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Sociology 328-01, Fall 2003
The Controlled Chaos of Involved Naked Space

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California State University, Dominguez Hills
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Created: August 30, 2004
Latest Update: September 9, 2004st
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Topic of the Week:

Naked Space: The Intersection of Illocutionary and Public Discourse

August 17, 2004

A narrative of personal memory:

I know I started this way last week, but there's more to tell. The painting that opens this week's discourse is my impression of our Sociology of Agencies class last fall. The funny way we ended up sitting along the wall of that huge room, instead of layering chairs in the circle. And the crazy way we all popped in and out of the Naked Space. That gives me pause as I put together reading lists this Fall. In the reality of governance and substantive, and even illocutionary discourse, it doesn't seem to work to structure a lesson plan.

We talked about that at ASA in San Francisco with Amy Swiffer from Canada. As soon as you try to standardize behavior, capture it to be sure that you can keep replicating just the way it first happens, it evaporates like gravity slithering over the edege of the brane. (Remind me to put up reference - it's a real theory.) This is the iron hand of bureaucracy, where dictating the official response that the whole bureaucracy is to give to keep things running smoothly, and incidentally to render workers fungible, we loose the heart of the whole thing.

I am reminded here of a Zen puzzle: pick up the head of a coin, not the tail, just the head. That's all. Just pick up the head of a coin. Remember the old song: love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage? They go together, folks, the head and the tail. And in the case of the coin it's not even socially constructed, so you can't do much about it. Love and marriage are socially constructed; we might be able to part them, or put them together in a different way as in polygamy, or in serial marriage, or in same sexmarriage. But the coin is already cast. Some reality we socially construct. Some reality just is, and we have to cope with it.

So if I can't just make up a list and tell you what to read, and it hasn't worked so well just letting you read whatever you want, what can I do? This semester we're going to try the "On the Same Page" theory. My lectures for our texts will go up as quickly as I can write them. Shared Readings will be taken from the broad list, as you choose them, and a handout with essential concepts and terms will be given out before class if possible, the day of class, at worst. I hope that this will give us enough flexibility that the Naked Space will maintain its magic aura of freedom and support for expression, and through that expression, the power of voice.

This week's painting should give you an idea of the quasi anarchic atmosphere when jeanne gets tired and gives up on quelling some of the excitement. But excitement is good for us. Just be sure you read and stay in touch.

NEWS and Announcements:

Open Access Discussion Threads

Fall 2004

It will take a while to transfer all the discussions from the last years over to the newly structured site. But new discussions will be threaded, and included on the Index of Threaded Topics.

First Hypertext Poem for Fall 2004 Naked Space Exhibit

Requiem for Racer: A Favorite Cat


This is a hypertext map. Link on the phrases.

Freeing the Feminine Other:

Hypertext Gallery Exhibit from Fall 2004

 

Hypertext Project Map
Link on Section Titles for Hypertext Poem and Different Sections of Table of Contents.

Academic Support

Using Academic Language Effectively

Merriam-Webster Dictionary Search:

and Careers

  • Resumes:

  • Letters of Recommendation:

    • Letters of Recommendation: How to get me to respond to your request. Many of you need letters. If you will follow this format, I can do them quickly and make them good.
    • Dog Letters If you do not give me adequate information, but do manage to get my attention, you may end up with a dog letter. That is a letter that says that you work well with people, that you are enthusiastic, that you persist at getting things done, and that everyone likes you. Of course, my dog gets along well with people, brings his ball to them, is enthusiastic, and persists at getting them to take his ball. Everyone likes my dog. That's a dog letter. It's so general it could be about my dog. jeanne

  • Reports and Studies on Employment and the Job Market

Play:

jeanne's vision of broadband causes obesity
Broadband Causes Obesity

  • Broadband Causes Obesity This is statistics you must understand for survival reasons. Nota bene: Dubya didn't say this. We can't blame Dubya for everything. The honor this time goes to the Mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah. jeanne

  • Shared Reading on Teamwork and Fair Play.

  • China Art Gallery: Work of Zhang Kai


    Zhang Kai
    Sad Union; 150x100cm. not available

    I don't know what this means, but it leaves me speechless. There's a bit of Calder in it; but that's not all. There's something about the smoke stacks or whatever they are that fits into the feeling. So I went hunting through early American Art. But I'm not an art major, and I couldn't find what I was looking for. Arnold and I thought it was Thomas Hart Benton, but not anything that I could find for you. But I did find this delightful site for kids and grownups who don't mind "flying dogs:" Thomas Hart Benton's Arts of Life in America: A portrait of life in America in the 1930's". Lots of stuff to play with. The New Britain Museum of American Art. Site is worth a visit. Meanwhile, so is the Chinese Art Site on which I found Zhang Kai's work.

    The more I think about it, the more it feel like in Sad Union he has taken those unglamorous wires that transport our electricity and mar our urban and rural environment every which way we turn and turned them into magical musical notes. That might be why it makes me happy. I'm getting too used to flying dogs and dancing unicorns and magical swirling musical notes. I like it. I like it. Though I must admit I don't know where he got the sad part from. jeanne

    That Was Fun! Sneaky Strokes and Flying Good Dogs

    Flying Dog is also a painting by Zhang Kai. Best I've every come across to illustrate our site with magic numbers and unicorns and whipped cream cats and now, flying dogs:


    Zhang Kai
    Flying Dog, 100 cmx100cm (doesn't say "not available," so maybe I can get it. jeanne)
    China Art Gallery: Work of Zhang Kai

    Flying Good Dogs: Whenever something happens in class that works out well, that inspires you, that helps in studying, whatever, take a few minutes to send us an e-mail. We'll post it where all of us can learn from it, including other teachers.

    Include:
    • A sentence or two about what you want to share with us.
    • The name of the teacher whose class you were in.
    • The name of the class.
    • The name of the school. We're not picky. We'll honor teachers in any school, any level. This might be a good idea to help young children learn to say "thank you" and encourage meaningful practice in all our schools. We could even start with pre-school. This is a skill needed in answerability. To discover that what you think matters is to end silencing. Even home schooling. You can send photos or drawings, too.

    • See the first entries at Sneaky Strokes and Good Dogs

    You can also send an email to the Who to Take Site:

    • Creative Commons License
    This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
    Individual copyrights by other authors may apply.