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Jessica RodarteDonna, the alley no longer exists. It was located in old Chinatown which is underneath Union Station and possibly the 101. The docent at the museum told me and Ruth that the alley predated the exitence of the United States. It dates all the way back to the Spanish period. In Spanish it was called el Callejon de los Negros. It was in existence during the Mexican period and when California became a state, the alley remained and the name was translated into "N"word alley.
I will say that there is a difference between the Spanish and the English. The word Negro means black, not "N"word. That said the racism behind its existence is apparently a key aspect of it existing in the first place. According to the docent, it was the alley were all people of color were expected to live during the colonial period and during the state period, it almost became the dividing line. East of that extending into Boyle Heights and East LA, the area became incredibly diverse with different "people of color": Mexicans, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Irish, Russian, etc. and south extending into what was known as the Central Corridor leading toward what was South Central Los Angeles, now, South LA. As some of those groups were given "white" status, they moved into different areas like, West LA, Glendale, Pasadena, and the Valleys, leaving behind a predominantly Mexican neighborhood to the east and a Black neighborhood to the south.
Jessica RodarteMs. Sun, I hadn't thought of soft power in this context but your definitly right. There's an element of this in the curated history and culture that they are "selling" It would be an amazing discussion with students. With a little research, this would be a great exercise for the kids.
Jessica RodarteMs. Sun,
I think students would definitely see the breakdown of family. That said, some of them have little point of reference with their home countries, even if their parents are very traditional and they speak spanish. This may be the case because immigration prevents travel or because it is expensive to travel home. There might be more modern films that would represent this divide better. One of the things I'm always shocked by is that most kids have no idea how their families got to the United States, seems like few kids ask or few parents tell those stories. In any case, I think it would be a worthwhile experiment to try film as a point of connection.
With regards to the film angles, I don't remember if they use low shots primarily, I don't think so. Maybe it's time for me to rewatch some of those. 🙂
Jessica RodarteCrazy that both of us had the same immediate cultural reference. I had the exact same experience when we watched the Tokyo Story clips. I immediately thought about the Pepe el Toro films. A long, long time ago in college I took a class on popular culture and wrote a research paper on the tropes, characters, and styles of the Mexican golden age and the Pepe el Toro films were some of the quintessential examples of the era: family dynamics, dangers of poverty, archetypal characters, melancholic music, long shots, etc. The parallels are trippy given the distance in space and time.
Jessica RodarteI had never thought about American tourism media. I think you are right in wanting to see some of it. My curiosity is now piqued also. A good assignment might be a comparative tourism media assignment in which different groups of kids look at tourism media from different countries, paying close attention to the narratives told and the histories ommitted. It would make for an interesting exercise in which the students would really get a sense of national narratives, marketing, and the importance of knowing history beyond the textbook.
Jessica RodarteAttending the US-China Institute on Visual Culture was an eye-opening experience. I learned quite a bit of history, such as the concept of “soft power”, the relationship between China, Korea and Japan, and the richness of visual culture in East Asia. I plan on using all of these in my classroom to make my instruction in World History richer and more complex.
In particular, I was fascinated with the concept of “soft power” and the ways in which China, Korea, and Japan are exercising “soft power” in the American entertainment industry. I work at an art school in which many students are highly interested in the entertainment industry—musically, visually, and theatrically. I plan on using the arts as an entry way to discuss the governments and politics of China, Korea and Japan. I believe starting with a discussion of Hollywood films, K-Pop, and Anime is much more interesting than going directly into a discussion of the way in which countries try to exercise their strength over other foreign powers in ways that are much more subtle than military might.
I also plan on discussing the relationship between East Asian countries with my students. I actually didn’t really know how complex the relationships are and I believe that it’s important to have students understand this. My school has a predominantly Latino population and while they tend to understand the complex and fragile relationship between Latin American countries and the United States, they don’t always understand how similar the regional conflicts and tensions are between Latin America and East Asia.
I am excited about introducing more of the visual culture of East Asia, specifically films. I was really taken by the films that we watched in and out of the institute. I really appreciated how the styles are very distinct but the themes are such human themes. This is crucial because one of the hardest things to teach is empathy. Having students watch films that show the similarities in human experience will help students increase their empathy for other people who are different than themselves.
There is much gratitude on my end to all the people involved in creating such an insightful and transforming experience. I came out of there with much knowledge and new friends and colleagues. Thank You.
Jessica RodarteIt might be to make Americans visit but I'm not sure that the erasure of history is for the benefit of Americans. I think it serves the purpose of increasing Korea's influence in the world at large. As a history person, I was just rubbed the wrong way by the erasure of history and politics to create a particular national narrative that only focuses on culture. It seemed disengenous and very intentional. A lesson on perspective would be a great idea. I would probably have the kids discuss the motivation to remove elements and the type of national narrative that is being created with these omissions.
Jessica RodarteThis was by far one of my favorite experiences during the institute. The docent was phenomenal in her knowledge not just of the Old & New Chinatown, but in her general knowledge of the area and East Los Angeles. Cool side fact, we live in the same neighborhood! She was even able to share information about the neighborhood in which I grew up and where I live. The museum itself was also a great way to present the complex history of Los Angeles. I appreciated the frankness and historically accurate information presented. I knew quite a few things already, like the relocation of Chinatown for Union Station and the practices that prevented the buying of property and housing in Los Angeles. Others, I learned about that I had never heard of, such as the creation and expansion of Monterrey Park, the existance of a street called "N-word" alley in Chinatown. When Ruth and I, spoke with the docent, we were able to find out that the street was originally called Callejon de los Negros, but that when California became an American state, it was translated from the Spanish into "N-word" alley. Historically it was the "undesirables"--Blacks, Chinese, Mexicans, Jews, Italians, Irish--who were pushed to live on that street. There was so much to think about and process about this alley and how it was named. From the Spanish to the English, there was an intentional change in the word used and the connotations of the word. I'd be interested in learning more about why it was changed in this manner. This really piqued my interest in learning more about the history of Los Angeles. My first foray into investigation was to look up information on my own neighborhood and the complex relationship that it has had with neighboring Monterey Park. I've just begun to pick and dig but am excited to see what information I may find.
Jessica RodarteNot sure why this posted twice. Website is being weird and I can't delete it. My apologies.
The Korean Cultural center had many amazing artifacts and we were presented with good information on the culture of Korea. However, I was very struck with the lack and vagueness of information on the politics and history of Korea. Despite appreciating that we were able to see and hear about great cultural information, I couldn't shake the feeling that most of the information presented was part of a very specific agenda by the Korean government. If I'm being completely honest, I found it very strange to not hear more detailed information on the history and politics given that culture always happens in the context of history and politics. That said, I was glad that I learned about the landscapes of Korea and about the areas that are now considered Heritage sites, along with the technology work. I am now more curious about learning more information on the Heritage sites and on the technologies being advanced in Korea.
Jessica RodarteThe Korean Cultural center had many amazing artifacts and we were presented with good information on the culture of Korea. However, I was very struck with the lack and vagueness of information on the politics and history of Korea. Despite appreciating that we were able to see and hear about great cultural information, I couldn't shake the feeling that most of the information presented was part of a very specific agenda by the Korean government. If I'm being completely honest, I found it very strange to not hear more detailed information on the history and politics given that culture always happens in the context of history and politics. That said, I was glad that I learned about the landscapes of Korea and about the areas that are now considered Heritage sites, along with the technology work. I am now more curious about learning more information on the Heritage sites and on the technologies being advanced in Korea.
Jessica RodarteThe afternoon session on soft power, colors, images, etc by Prof. Dube was very helpful in clarifying the ways in which soft power is used. I am interested in creating a lesson that addresses soft power in the contemporary world, particularly during and after the Cold War. I haven't yet decided exactly how the lesson will develop but I know that it is a topic that I find extremely interesting and one that I think most people should understand--very rarely are people aware of the socio-political processes that are occuring in their nations.
Jessica RodarteProfessor Coats lecture on the changing roles and depictions of women in Japan made me realize that I need to incorporate more visual depictions of women across cultures in my World History class. It was particularly interesting that the women are shown in an abbreviated stylized fashion. This is very telling of the status of women and it makes me wonder if other cultures also portray women in abbreviated styles when the status of women were not as prominent. I would love to create a lesson comparing the depiction of women in different cultures.
Jessica RodarteDuring Prof. Brown's presentation I was struck by the way in which modernity and industrialization are directly connected to the creation of childhood. In the modern, industrialized nation in which we live, it is very easy to imagine that the growing up process must look quite similar around the world. For our students, this translates into the idea that their childhood experiences must parallel those of children around the globe. The reality is that this is just not true. The very notion of childhood is a construction of modernity and industrialization. As Prof. Brown discussed the creation of childhood in Japan with the advent of modernity and industrialization, I was reminded of the very similar processes seen during the Industrial Revolutions of England and the United States. This is an important comparison to make with students not just because it clearly shows one of the effects of industrialization, but also because it has the potential to increase empathy and cultural awareness while clarifying the importance of processes such as modernization and industrialization.
Jessica RodarteDuring Prof. Rosen's lecture I was very interested in learning more about the concept of "soft power" both with regards to China and the United States. It really reminded me of the concept of national narratives in that both seem to be processes that happen without the average person being aware of them. I discuss the concepts of national narratives and collective memory with my students every year when we talk about the creation of nation states. As I approach the "post" imperialism period, it might be beneficial to discuss "soft power" because it is a tactic used by all governments in tandem with national narratives and collective memory. A discussion of this would help students understand that foreign relations are not just about political meetings but are also about the way in which cultural forms are diffused and transformed.
Jessica RodartePerhaps, step one would be to figure out the conventions/canons of Chinese Posters. Once the kids understand how to read Chinese Posters, they could be instructed to create a canon for American posters as a class and a list of American values. Different groups can then be assigned the different values and using the class canon for American Posters, they could create their posters. Their classmates can then try to read the poster without the help of the creators. Once the creaters lead the discussion on their poster, they can share with the class their use of the canon and the meaning and "directive" of their posters. (Hope that helps.)
