Announcements 2022

2022 Announcements
2022 Announcements
•061722: Colonialism is not dead, Your Royal Highness
•061422: Hey folx - just letting you all know that I submitted the grades tonight, and graded all the stuff you submitted in the past few days. I will finish uploading my comments on your submissions Wednesday morning, and will e-mail a summary of your grade calculation in the next day or two. Sorry for the delay in processing stuff - the back injury made typing a bit difficult, but everything's good now. More info soon!
•061022: bt was injured and is behind on grading and uploading comments to the web site. that should be completed in the next few days. in the meantime, if you have any questions about your grade, e-mail bt!
•061022: Flawed Plans for Relocation of the Maasai from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area || Tanzanian authorities seen opening fire on Maasai people in game reserve dispute
•060822: Belgian king expresses ‘deepest regrets’ for abuses in DR Congo
•060222: Apologies to those who were trying to connect via zoom to class today. we weren't able to get the connection to work from where we were sitting in the grass near the Roots Restaurant!
•060222: Last office hours online tonight (Thursday) 8-9PM. if you want to talk otherwise, please e-mail bt with your availability, and we will set up a meeting.
•053122: Thanks to everyone in ETHN 113A for putting together four informative and interesting presentations, and for the comments and questions following the presentations! The slides from the four presentations are available for viewing on the Notes and Handouts page - note that some of the presentations have action items for you all.
•052922: The office hours zoom room unfortunately isnt working, so we are using the class link - i will change it on the links page.
•052922: Final Group Project Office Hours - Sunday 630-830PM: Monday 2-4PM. Link is on the Links page.
•051522: Colonialism and Imperialism are violent and brutal: One || Two
•051322: On Tuesday of Week 8, we will briefly meet in groups to continue your discussion of the Week 7 reading, then we will meet as a class to discuss the Week 7 reading and continue to groups to begin the discussion of the Week 8 reading. There will be a short period of time for the Final Project Groups to meet, but be certain to have chosen your topic and started work on the worksheet before Tuesday. Note that Week 8 reading template is now available (sorry, forgot to post it).
•050922: Presentation Videos were due one week ago, and Critical Analysis Essay Topics were due 6 days ago. If you have not turned in one or the other or both, please do so asap!
•050522: Please watch 10 videos (a mix of additional reading and Indigenous Activist presentations) and post a comment on each of those 10 videos that includes either a well-thought-out question or a well-thought out comment -- no later than Wednesday, May 11. Your questions and comments should be substative and content rich. Examples of comments that are not substantive and not content rich include "Great video!"; "Nice slides!" or "What app did you use to record your video?" Your presentation video counts for 10% of your grade and your comments/questions count for another 10% of your grade. The videos are located in the Additional Reading Presentationsand Indigenous Activist Presentations forums to the right. Contact bt if you have any questions!
•050522: US, Canada commemorate missing and murdered Indigenous women the official recognition of this violence by the settler-colonial states enabling it is a direct result of fierce resistance by Indigenous Women and Two-Spirited People. More on Indigenous Resistance during Week Seven.
•050522: Definitions/Examples of Earth Science-colonialism connection categories:
HISTORICAL/DISCURSIVE: Same or similar discourses/ways of thinking about the world are circulating about colonialism and about Earth Science. For example, for colonialism, an important discourse is the Myth of the Pristine Wilderness, the idea that colonized lands were empty of People and therefore pristine and ready to be colonized. A similar discourse governs the approach of Earth Scientists to studying landscapes - the best landscapes to study are devoid of people, who are complications to any study of processes involving Earth materials and their remnants on the landscape.
FUNCTIONAL: A dependence of aspects of Earth Science on colonialism or aspects of colonialism on Earth Science. For example, colonialism in the Americas was funded for the first few centuries mostly by extraction of valuable minerals like gold and silver (especially colonialism by Spain), which depended on Earth Science knowledge about location and extraction methods for these minerals. Initially, that knowledge was stolen from Indigenous communities, and later mining experts were imported from Europe, mainly from what is now Germany. In turn, the search for and mining of gold and silver motivated developments in Earth Science knowledge related to processes whereby these minerals are concentrated in the Earth's crust, and development of new extraction technologies.
DYNAMICAL: Aspects of Earth Science and colonialism sharing similar behaviors. For example, colonialism is a positive feedback process (positive feedback is where the acquisition of some quantity such as wealth increases the rate at which that quantity is acquired - the rich get richer and the poor get poorer), because colonizing Lands leads to added wealth and power that enable the colonization of additional Lands. Similarly, the production of Earth Science knowledge is a positive feedback process. Acquiring some knowledge in Earth Science leads to scientists asking more questions and developing new methods that allow them to acquire more Earth Science knowledge. For example, recognizing that earthquakes are produced by fault ruptures, where a crack (a fault) in Earth's crust developments and relative motion occurs across that crack, enabled geologists and geophysicists to predict future earthquake activity by studying faults on Earth's surface. Additionally, the similarities between the extraction of minerals and the extraction of Earth Science knowledge from landscapes, discussed in the slides of Week Six-A, is an example of a dynamical connection between Earth Science and colonialism.
•050522: Caltech says it regrets drilling holes in sacred Native American petroglyph site - Article referred to in the reading for week nine
•050322: I revised the presentations instructions to reflect what I announced in class, that you only have to watch and comment on 10 of the videos, instead of all of them. The specific language change is...
5) Videos will be available for viewing in the ETHN 113A Forums on the course web site. Watch 10 videos and post a substantive question or comment for each of those 10 videos no later than Wednesday May 11 (Wednesday Week 7). If there are videos that have no or few questions/comments, please comment on those if possible. Respond to questions or comments on your video. To clarify, 10% of your grade will be for your presentation and 10% for commenting on other folx's videos.
•050322: IMPORTANT! If you missed class on Tuesday (today), please be certain to check out the slides on the Notes and Handouts page and also get the notes from the class from one of your study buddies who was there. We talked at length about knowledge extractivism (epistemic extractivism) and other topics and did a review of the first five weeks of the course!
•050322: On Thursday, we will start with practicing critical analysis, to help prepare you to write your critical analysis essay. Please try to attend if possible! Then we will dive into the week six reading, and hopefully complete our discussion of it. Please come prepared! Note that there are only two questions for week six, and that I provide some info in two paragraphs about the connection of Earth Science to dam building in the U.S..
•050122: Regarding uploading your presentations videos... The most common problem uploading videos is that your file is too big (size limit is 500 mbytes). please check your file size before uploading. you can easily reduce file size by reducing the resolution of your video or by reducing the frame rate - both can be done with Handbrake or most movie making/editing programs. if you are having problems uploading your presentation, please send an e-mail to bt with a screenshot of the error you are getting. please do not e-mail bt video files or links to video files. thanks for your patience with this process!

Remember: Presentations Video (Additional Reading or Indigenous Activist) is Due on Monday, May 2! Office hours on zoom tonight (Thursday) 8-9PM and Monday 2-4PM (link on the Links page, different from the class link) or e-mail bt with questions

We will be reviewing Weeks 1-5 on Tuesday May 3. Please attend if possible!

Upcoming Due Dates - Start

Week Six
→ Monday May 2 – Article/Book Chapter or Indigenous Activist presentation video – upload to Upload your Additional Reading and Indigenous Activist Presentation Documents link - video must be in .mp4 or .mov format. you can use freeware Handbrake to convert. ask bt if questions...
→ Tuesday May 3 – Topic for Critical Analysis Essay upload using the Upload your Critical Analysis Documents link
→ Tuesday May 3 – Reading Assignment Template Week Six

Week Seven
→ Tuesday May 10 – Reading Assignment Template Week Seven
→ Wednesday May 11 – Watch all other videos on the web site forum and post a well-thought-out comment or question for each by this date
→ Thursday May 12 – Organizing Final Prioject Groups and Topics – attendance is important if possible!
→ Saturday May 14 – Critical Analysis Essay - upload using the Upload your Critical Analysis Documents link

Week Eight
→ Tuesday May 17 – Reading Assignment Template Week Eight
→ Wednesday May 18 – Final Group Project Worksheets one group member uploads using the Upload your Final Project Documents link

Week Nine
→ Tuesday May 24 – Reading Assignment Template Week Nine

Week Ten
→ Tuesday May 31 – Final Group Project Presentations in Class
→ Thursday June 2 – Group Lunch

Upcoming Due Dates - End

042722: Developments regarding US Colonialism in Puerto Rico - Juan González: In Surprise Move, Gorsuch Challenges U.S. Colonialism in SCOTUS Ruling on Puerto Rico
•042722: May Day, also known as International Workers Day, is a day of celebration for the history of struggle and wins that the working class has gone through for the advancement of labor rights. Our rally will consist of speakers from unions and student organizations that will speak of current labor issues and their intersections with student issues, LGBTQ+ issues, race issues, class etc. As students, we are constantly facing tuition hikes, lack of housing, lack of parking and all these issues are connected to the privatization of our universities - which also consists of outsourcing and the exploitation of workers at UCSD. Please join us for May Day on Monday May 2nd at 11:30am by the Silent Tree - right in front of Geisel
•042522: On Tuesday April 26, we will be completing our discussion of week four reading and hopefully discussing the Simpson and Klein article on extractivisim, with our discussion of the week five videos and article on the gold rush delayed to Thursday. if you want to delay posting your template to Thursday, that's ok, but please be ready to discuss extractivism on Tuesday.
•042222: The assignments for the presentations - Indigenous Activists and articles/book chapters - are posted on the Assigned and Additional Reading page, scroll down. Unfortunately, some articles and Activists were popular choices, so some of you didn't get your top or second choice - sorry about that!
•042222: "This is land where my family have been since the iron age, and now, a windfarm with a life of about 25 to 30 years can force me from land where my ancestor put a name to all the mountains, to every river, and every creek.” ‘Green industry wants to take our land’: the Arctic paradox
•041822: Everyone will be doing just one presentation - Book Chapter/Article or Indigenous Activist - presentations will be on video. List of people assigned to each category and detailed instruction sheets are located on the Note and Handouts page.
Send bt your top three choices of articles/book chapters OR Indigenous Activists to report on no later than Thursday April 21 (Thursday Week Four). Choices are listed near the bottom of the Assigned and Additional Reading page. Assignments will be posted to the course web site Assigned and Additional Reading page on Friday, April 22. If you do not send bt your choices by Thursday, April 21, bt will pick articles/book chapters or Indigenous Activists to report on for you.

•041422: Week Four Reading and Week Four Reading Template not due until Thursday, April 21
•041422: if you missed me during Thursday office hours (I was on the wrong link during the first part), please e-mail me with your availability to set up a time to talk - sorry about that!
•041322: Event peripherally related to colonialism and Earth science: Surveillance Capitalism, Borders, and the Police -- What is surveillance capitalism, how does it harm us in different ways, and what can we do to stop it? Join us on April 14th at 6pm for a free community panel to explore the implications of surveillance capitalism in the border region and beyond. Register here: http://bit.ly/survcap || Panelists include: Science fiction author Cory Doctorow, Sarah T. Hamid of the Carceral Tech Resistance Network, Khalid Alexander, founder of Pillars of the Community, and Pedro Rios of American Friends Service Committee. We’ll discuss the current intersection of the police state and private tech corporations, and learn strategies to build public safety without surveillance or policing. This event is organized by the Tech Workers Coalition San Diego, Democratic Socialists of America San Diego, Groundwork Books, DSA San Diego, Chop Shop Economics and the American Friends Service Committee. Live translation will be provided in Spanish.
•041222: I have office hours today until 150PM at Mandeville Cafe - I am in one of the patios off the inside room next to the coffee cart and across from Mandeville auditorium.

•041222: Attendance is an integral part of your learning in ETHN 113A and it is required - if you cannot attend class, please e-mail bt! if you did not attend class on Tuesday, April 12, please reach out to bt via e-mail asap!

•041222: I forgot to connect to zoom at the beginning of class today - I didn't connect until 1110+ - if this affected you, please let me know!
•040722: Confirming that starting Tuesday, April 12 our class will be held in Warren Lecture Hall 2112, which has moveable chairs! I will send you all a few e-mail reminders...
•040722: It looks like we will be moving to Warren Lecture Hall 2112, which has moveable chairs, probably starting next Tuesday! As soon as get a confirmation, I will send out that info via e-mail. Stay tuned!
•040522: If you missed one or more classes last week, you can find a comprehensive summary of what we talked about on the Slides and Handouts page - Week One Summary (I also sent that out in an e-mail)
•040522: When you upload your Reading Assignment Template it will say something like ETHN 189 Reading Assignment Upload - you can ignore that - the number for this course used to be ETHN 189... (thanks Anthony for pointing this out!)
•040422: I uploaded a much clearer version of the Dunbar-Ortiz chapters - go to the Assigned and Additional Reading page to download the pdf...
•033122: Week Two Reading - Due Tuesday April 5 11AM - Here are the steps:
1) Go to the Assigned Reading Page
2) Download the week two Reading Template (links underneath the three week two reading selections)
3) Download and read the three week two reading selections
4) Fill out the week two reading template and answer the questions at the end
5) Upload your reading template using the Upload Reading Assignment Template link on the right side of the web site
6) Bring an electronic or paper copy of your reading template to class on Tuesday for use in discussion groups.

•033122: Office hours 8-9PM Thursday online - for the link, go to the Links page (requires account - if you don't have one, e-mail bt bwerner@ucsd.edu)
•032922: Office hours 1230-150PM on Tuesdays at Mandeville Cafe. If I am not outside, enter the door into Mandeville next to the coffee cart, take the first right into a large room, and I will be in there or on one of the patios connected to that room.

If you have signed up for ETHN 113A but did not attend on Tuesday or Thursday or both, please contact bt bwerner@ucsd.edu asap so they help you catch up on what you missed and also get an account for the course web site if you don't have one (different from your canvas/ucsd account).

As the multiple crises spawned by the capitalist, colonizing system continue, please prioritize taking care of yourselves and those you are close to!

Questions? Please contact the instructor
bt werner
bwerner AT ucsd.edu

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Thursday, March 31, 2022 - Queer Indigenous Feminism and Indigenous Movements in Media
Please join us Thursday, March 31st from 5-6:15pm (PST) for a live taping of the Red Power Hour Podcast where Indigenous members of The Red Nation gather round the laptop to chat about the latest from Indian Country with merciless Indian humor. Join hosts Melanie Yazzie and Elena Ortiz in conversation with Tommy Pico and Chad Charlie, both writers for the hit FX series Reservation Dogs, on Indigenous representation in Hollywood, what it means to participate in an Indigenous lead and produced commercial television show and many other topics around the production of Native media.

LINK TO EVENT

ALSO....
Undergrads and Grad students! Please join us Thursday March 31st from 3-4pm (PST) for a special one hour workshop on media production and community hosted by The Red Nation members Jennifer Marley and Uahikea Maile. This workshop will be conducted in a Zoom room in order to provide maximum participation and direct conversation with our workshop hosts. Seating is limited so please sign up for a spot here (you must be logged into your UCSD email). You will receive the Zoom link upon registration.
More info about both these events on the Critical Gender Studies website (scroll down)
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