Identity Politics (POLS 53) Syllabus

Where do our identities come from and why do they matter for social and political life? Do we have the freedom to choose our own identities or are they ascribed to us by others? And to what extent do our identities dictate what we can do, think, know, say, or feel? This class explores how categories like class, race, gender, ethnicity, nation, religion, and sexuality impact politics and struggles for power around the world

The Heuristic Power of Agapism in Peirce’s Philosophy

La prima parte di questo saggio offre un’analisi del testo “La legge della mente”, in cui Peirce teorizza il potere di crescita e diffusione delle idee e formula la sua risposta alla classica domanda riguardo al modo in cui la mente possa influenzare la materia. A partire da un’analisi centrata sul duplice significato semantico della parola "affetto", il lavoro intende mostrare come la rottura da parte di Peirce con il dualismo cartesiano di mente e materia conduca a una sostanziale identità tra idealità e realtà per mezzo di una fusione metafisica di realismo e idealismo, in cui la materia viene considerata esclusivamente come un caso particolare della mente. La seconda parte mostra come le diverse forme di evoluzionismo discendano dalle tre categorie, ponendo in evidenza il concetto di agapismo, la dottrina dell’amore cosmico e creativo. Nella parte finale viene mostrato come il legame tra realismo e idealismo, così come le considerazioni di Peirce sull'evoluzionismo, costituiscano aspetti essenziali in vista di una giustificazione del successo storico della nostra capacità umana di elaborare congetture, ovvero di proporre ipotesi di successo per spiegare i fatti.The first part of this essay provides an analysis of the text “The Law of Mind”, in which Peirce theorizes about the power of growth and spreading of ideas and also presents his response to the classic question about how mind can influence matter. We intended to show, from an analysis focused on the dual semantic meaning of the word “affect”, how the author’s rupture with the Cartesian dualism between mind and matter implies in a substantial identity between ideality and reality by means of a metaphysical merging of realism and idealism, where matter is taken to be only a special case of mind. The second part shows how the forms of evolutionism are drawn from the three categories, highlighting the agapism, the doctrine of cosmic and creative love. Finally, we shall argue on how the association between realism and idealism, as well as the considerations of the author’s evolutionism, constitute vital aspects for the justification of the historical success of our human capacity for conjecturing, viz., for proposing successful hypothesis to explain the facts

\u3cem\u3eNacherzeugung, Nachverstehen\u3c/em\u3e: A Phenomenological Perspective on How Public Understanding of Science Changes by Engaging with Online Media

It is widely acknowledged in science education that everyday understandings and evidence are generally inconsistent with the scientific view of the matter: “heartache” has little to do with matters cardiopulmonary, and a rising or setting sun actually reflects the movements of the earth. How then does a member of the general public, which in many areas of science is characterized as “illiterate” and “non-scientific,” come to regard something scientifically? Moreover, how do traditional unscientific (e.g., Ptolemaic) views continue their lives, even many centuries after scientists have overthrown them in what are termed scientific (e.g., Copernican) revolutions? In this study, we develop a phenomenological perspective, using Edmund Husserl’s categories of Nacherzeugung and Nachverstehen, which provide descriptive explanations for our observations. These observations are contextualized in a case study using online video and historical materials concerning the motions of the heart and blood to exemplify our explanations

Surveying Identities in Context: Race, Gender & Sexual Orientation ‘at Work’

Researchers, practitioners and common practice have imputed a great deal of power onto categories of social identity (e.g. race, sexual orientation, gender, religion). It common practice to collect demographic and identifying information on the categories to which we belong in settings ranging from the Census to the online shopping profile. Moreover, we have come to expect that this information will be used to make meaningful decisions on government program funding, targeted marketing, college recruitment and so much more. We also know that minority identities have a long history of negatively impacting individuals in employment, housing and other realms of daily life beyond ‘top-down’ decisions, such as government funding. While research has examined best practices for conceptualizing these categories, it has largely done so using terms that may not capture the nuance and actual identity experiences of respondents (e.g. offering a ‘gay’ category but not a ‘queer’ category). Additionally, little research has focused on how these categories are understood by individuals with non-normative or multiple minority identities (i.e. intersectional identities such as being both LGBT and black) and what, if any, such identities have on lived experiences. The literature generally presumes that one’s identity is stagnant - meaning, you self-identify and are known (as a sexual minority, by your racial identities, etc.) the same across all situations. This (potentially incorrect) approach likely impacts sexual minorities disproportionately, who still lack sufficient representation in the literature, and multiple minorities, whose identities are not usually considered in context. The timeliness of addressing this gap in the research is evidenced by national conversations around the Orlando Pulse nightclub attacks, the Supreme Court cases surrounding religious exemption, the Black Lives Matter movement and many others. In response, this work proposes a three-part investigation: first, a meta-analysis of existing literature on identity and patterns of self-identification using national samples; second, cognitive interviews to investigate how respondents with multiple minority identities understand and answer questions around their identities, with an emphasis on disclosure (to whom they ‘come out’ and how) ; and third, a pilot survey using questions responding to the findings of the cognitive interviews on disclosure, with an emphasis on practices and experiences in the workplace in order to provide a specific context for examination of outcomes

Everything augmented: on the real in augmented reality

What is augmented in Augmented Reality (AR)? In this paper, we review existing opinions and show how little consensus exists on this matter. Subsequently, we approach the question from a theoretical and technology-independent perspective. We identify spatial and content-based relationships between the virtual and the real as being decisive for AR and come to the conclusion that virtual content augments that to which it relates. Subsequently, we categorize different forms of AR based on what is augmented. We distinguish between augmented environments, augmented objects, augmented humans and augmented content and consider the possibility of augmented perception. The categories are illustrated with AR (art) works and conceptual differences between them are pointed out. Moreover, we discuss what the real contributes to AR and how it can shape (future) AR experiences. A summary of our findings and suggestions for future research and practice, such as research into multimodal and crossmodal AR, conclude the paper

Clinical care nursing in mental health: reflections on a practice nurse

Objective: Understand how clinical care in nursing can develop into a perspective that considers the person in distress as subject of this practice. Method: Work result of workshop with 17 nurses who work in the day-care Center of Fortaleza. Results: Through analysis of the lines of the nurses at the workshop, we come to the elaboration of the following categories: that subject matter. Subject and listening for who cares. The workshop allowed the nurses approach of other theoretical and methodological references to conceptualize the subject beyond Cartesian as, for example, the reference of psychoanalysis, allowing the nurse recognizes that the process of care is complex and demand actions based on the uniqueness of each subject. Conclusion: psychoanalysis emerges as a theoretical tool that can contribute to the nurse in this endeavor as it constructs a listening space, whose knowledge is supposed to be the person who speaks

Creating a Sexual Self in Heteronormative Space: Integrations and Imperatives Amongst Spiritual Seekers at the Findhorn Community

Intersections between religion and sexuality are coming onto social science agendas. However, this has predominantly been in terms of its treatment by mainstream religions, particularly Christianity and Islam, and thus in contexts traditionally hostile to lesbian, gay and bi sexualities (LGB). This article extends this by exploring identities and contestations of sexuality within activities that have variously been described as \'New Age\' or \'spiritual\'. Considering the experiences and interactions of spiritual seekers avoids a non-social conceptualisation of \'New Age\' which views spirituality primarily as an individualistic experience. The specific focus here is the Findhorn Community, a spiritual community and demonstration eco-village in Scotland. We find that seekers\' attempt to resist labelling and categorisation through creating and using individualised sexual (as well as spiritual) expressions. However, tensions stemming from (heteronormative) interactions within the Findhorn community show that sexual diversity and labelling continues to matter. The research demonstrates that sexual fluidity is a privileged position to occupy, but that it is also ultimately unsustainable in that fluid identity becomes re-subsumed in heteronormativity and, eventually, individuals have to come out and identify all over again. The continuing imperative for some LGB people to define themselves as/with \'something\', is thus apparent even within supposedly individualized settings and belief systems. Such positioning questions the individuality that is presumed to define New Age spiritualities, and shows how categories of lesbian, gay and bisexual also continue to be deployed at the same time as they are resisted and reinterpreted.Individuality; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual; Sexuality; Spirituality; Findhorn Community

Recalling Subject Centered Enthusiasm: The Essence of Great Teaching

This phenomenological study took place at a Christian liberal arts university in Missouri. Specifically, the study assesses ten undergraduate students’ perspectives regarding the characteristics of the best teacher of their academic lives. Ultimately, 17 characteristics emerged as standards for great teaching. The results indicate that the most powerful learning environment is one in which the teacher is dynamically connected to the subject. Our results strongly support Parker Palmer’s (1998) argument that the subject matter itself is “the great thing” (p. 117) that focuses the authentic teacher in the community of truth. Consideration of these characteristics in relation to how teachers honor their subject matter may serve to enhance the learning experience for everyone