Heteronormativity Kritik Essay Example for Free

Heteronormativity Kritik Essay This chapter is about sex, but not the sex that people already have clarity about. Outer space as a human, political domain is organized around sex, but a sex that is tacitly located, and rarely spoken, in official discourse. The poli ­ tics of outer space exploration, militarization and commercialization as they are conceived of and practiced in the US, embody a distinction between public and private (and appropriate behaviours, meanings and identities therein) highly dependent upon heteronormative hierarchies of property and propriety. The central aim of this chapter is to show how US outer space discourse, an imperial discourse of technological, military and commercial superiority, configutes and prescribes success and successful behaviour in the politics of outer space in particularly gendered forms. US space discourse is, I argue, predicated on a heteronormative discourse of conquest that reproduces the dominance of heterosexual masculinity(ies), and which hierarchically orders the construction of other (subordinate) gender identities. Reading the politics of outer space as heteronormative suggests that the discourses through which space exists consist of institutions, structures of understanding, practical orientations and regulatory practices organized and privileged around heterosexuality. As a particularly dominant discursive arrangement of outer space politics, US space discourse (re)produces meaning through gendered assumptions of exploration, colonization, economic endeavour and military conquest that are deeply gendered whilst presented as universal and neutral. US space discourse, which dominates the contemporary global politics of outer space, is thus formed from and upon institutions, structures of understanding, and practical orientations that privilege and normalize heterosexualiry as universal. As such, the hegemonic discursive rationalizations of space exploration and conquest ,re)produce both heterosexuality as unmarked (that is, thoroughly normal ­ ized) and the heterosexual imperatives that constitute suitable space-able people, practices and behaviours. As the introduction to this volume highlights, the exploration and utilization of outer space can thus far be held up as a mirror of, rather than a challenge to, existent, terrestrially-bound, political patterns, behaviours and impulses. The new possibilities for human progress that the application and development of space technologies dares us to make are grounded only in the strategy ­ obsessed (be it commercially, militarily or otherwise) realities of contemporary global politics. Outer space is a conceptual, political and material space, a place for collisions and collusions (literally and metaphorically) between objects, ideas, identities and discourses. Outer space, like international relations, is a global space always socially and locally embedded. There is nothing out there about outer space. It exists because of us, not in spite of us, and it is this that means that it only makes sense in social terms, that is, in relation to our own constructions of identity and social location. In this chapter, outer space is the problematic to which I apply a gender analysis; an arena wherein past, current and future policy-making is embedded in relation to certain performances of power and reconfigurations of identity that are always, and not incidentally, gendered. Effective and appropriate behaviour in the politics of ourer space is configured and prescribed in particularly gendered forms, with heteronormative gender regulations endowing outer spaces hierarchies of technologically superior, conquesting performance with theif everyday power. It is through gender that US techno-strategic and astro-political discourse has been able to (re)produce outer space as a heterosexualized, masculinized realm. Heteronormativity K 1NC 2. The drive to colonize space precludes queer identities and concretizes sexual difference. This reinforces heterosexism and turns women into commodities. Casper and Moore 95 (Monica J. , Ph. D in sociology from the University of California, San Francisco, feminist scholar and researcher on reproductive justice. Lisa Jean, Ph. D in sociology from the University

Poems By Ann Bradstreet And Edward Taylor

Poems By Ann Bradstreet And Edward Taylor Ann Dudley Bradley was an American writer who was born in the year 1612 and lived for 60 years and died in 1672. Among her many works that she wrote included the poem titled The Prologue. She is best remembered as the first American poet to be published during colonisation of America. Edward Taylor was born in Sketchley, Leicestershire, England in 1642 and he lived for 87 years till in 1729. He too was an American poet during the colonisation of America. A Pastor and a Physician, one of his poems published was titled Prologue. The prologue by Ann has eight stanzas and each stanza has six lines, the stanzas of the poem have been arranged in a simple and clear manner; while in comparison with the prologue by Edward, written in 1939 from Preparatory Meditation has five stanzas and six lines. The first and the third line of every stanza have been indented left. Ann Bradley in her poem in the first stanza seems to despise the tendency to praise and adore war, captains and the kings and th eir cities and wealth that are as a resultant of war. She seems not to be able to compel herself into taking her pen and paper and praise them. (For my mean pen are too superior things). To her, it is the duty of poets and historians to set the facts straight. In her poem there is a thin line between the facts of history and the illusions of the kings and captains plus their wealth: and there worth will not be deemed by her writing. The perception of Ann and the emotions of her heart seem to look down about the colonisers good way of life (great bartas sugared lines) and she feels saddened about the state of her fellow Americans in the middle of plenty. In the Prologue by Edward Taylor, the poet seems to ask God a rhetoric question, that its very obvious like a clear sky that the dust that is on the earth (men) can not outweigh the totality of the grand mountains (superiority of God) on the earth caused its not their design nor show that can befit the grandeur of the divinity. To hi m he is self-agreeing that being handed a moistures pen (pen that is ready to be written with) will guide him in giving a wonderful praise to the lord. In the second stanza, he glorifies a pen that has been expectedly made for writing using a super refined ink that can even write on the most unlikely surface (in crystal leaves) where it can write ferociously till the writer stops. Both writers seem to praise the art of writing in bringing out their perception and in glorifying heavenly and in seeking self worth. (2nd stanza for Edward and the fifth and the sixth line of the first stanza for Ann.) In the fourth to the sixth stanzas, Ann Bradley states that they do not expect, any expressive language (rhetoric) from the school boys nor music (sweet consort) from old musical equipments (broken strings) nor a beauty that dance to their tune and so her thoughts also sings out but all this is in vain as whatever the issue at hand, it is not reversible as cause nature made it so. These has made her to dislike the Greek who through art discovered that there desires can be partly fulfilled by art to a certain extent , but at the end of the day an injured brain does not accept therapy.( the fifth stanza). The poet is intolerable to every nagging tongue that prejudices her hand that writes and scorns at her work just because of the superiority of her works and because sh e is female. This brings about the theme of gender bias and inequality through her works (Who says my hand a needle better fits.)and its her duty to prove them wrong through her works ( a poets pen all scorn) even though proving them wrong through her works will lead them to stating that her works and intelligence are not original but its plagiarized( last two sentence of the sixth stanza) Edward Taylor, in the third to the fifth and the last stanza refers himself to be the crump of dust that is so low in the society and its only through his pen that he can bring himself to the level of the praise and high life like the mountains and these he is to do through praising of the Lord through written poems written in the most refined if inks (Â  And Write in Liquid Gold upon Thy Name; My Letters till Thy glory forth doth flame.) He continues by stating that no one should attempt to neither break down his endeavours nor laugh at his works. He applies to the lord to inspire his works and may glory be given to the lord who may have mercy to all those that are looking down at his works of praise (Nor laugh Thou them to scorn but pardon give). For if glory is given then it will last (Thy dust shall live.) And that the people should be careful not to scorn at the short coming of his works as they are still part of his works. (They being Slips slipped from Thy Crumb of Dust.) Edw ard as the crump of dust seeks God( the mountain) to guide him so that he can show case his prowess and give praise and glory to the almighty god (the last stanza)In the last three stanza for Ann Bradley, she looks back at the ancient Greeks who were mild in there treatment of there women but they are still pretenders (Else of our sex why feigned they those Nine). To her Greeks are Greeks and that men should stop waging wars to prove to the women as they have an advantage and they will always excel, all that women are seeking from the men is some respect and acknowledgement for all that they do( Yet grant some small acknowledgement of ours) For even the birds that fly the skies fly high but catch their prey and that men can stop looking down the women achievements then women achievement including her works is bound to bring more wealth to the men by simply acknowledging them.( last stanza) . To conclude both writers are looking at the art of writing as a means of fulfilling there de sires. For Ann Acknowledgement from men and for Edward praise to the lord.

Urban Elite Theory Essay -- Development, Politics, Vancouver

Theoretical Lenses I. Urban Elite Theory Urban elite theory will provide students with a theoretical lens by which to understand the redevelopment projects initiated in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver during the lead-up to the 2010 Olympic Games. Urban elite theory extends the scope of classical elite theory by adding that a metropolis is divided by its physical districts based on class distinctions (Darity et. al., 2008). The presence and power of elites, however, is not seen as entirely negative according to this theoretical perspective. Instead, the collusion of elites is necessary for stability and efficiency within a political system. If urban elite theory were to be applied to the Vancouver case, one hypothesis would be that urban elites participate in development projects in order to maximize their political power and consolidate their involvement within certain communities. A successful gentrification project redevelops an area through the collaboration of political and business elites. Such a project would prov ide housing that caters to young professionals who will so...

William Shakespeares Othello as a Victim Essay -- Papers William Shak

William Shakespeare's Othello as a Victim Not All Works Cited Included In "Othello" Shakespeare shows that Othello is victimised in many ways, for instance; his race, his culture, his social position and naÃÆ'Â ¯ve. Othello's victimisation could also show Shakespeare's meaning of the term "tragedy". In other Shakespearean tragedies the lead character is shown as cunning, ruthless and manipulative, more similar to Iago than Othello. This could represent a change in Shakespeare's opinion of a true Shakespearean tragedy. The main cause of Othello's victimisation is his race. Unlike the other characters in "Othello" he is a Moor, a natural figure of hatred and disgust. In the play he is very rarely referred to as "Othello", but more often as; "moor" or "negro", Desdemona even refers to Othello as "my noble moor" not Othello. The event where Othello is victimised due to his race are vast, for example at the start of the play when Iago is talking to Roderigo, Othello's race is a major issue, "To the gross clasps of a lascivious Moor-". Here evidence of racism is shown. There is also a case that this shows the imperial and colonial nature of Venice in the Sixteenth century. "Othello" can be seen to show the stereotypical contemporary Elizabethan belief of blackness and the barbarous nature of the "black" man as evil and devilish. Othello's race also helps to highlight his jealousy and gullibility, due to his race Othello is always subconscious of his weaknesses, his "tragic flaw". This may be a reason for why he befriends Iago, who would act as his link to the "white" world, informing Othello of the opinions white society. Othello... ...d social figures. In conclusion I feel that Othello is more "sinned against than sinning". This is not to say that he is a innocent, it most be remembered that he killed Desdemona, not Iago and that no matter how big a part Iago has it is still Othello's fault. But, Othello is victimised, he is portrayed as an "other", "if this be known to you, and your allowance". He is also presented as a savage, barbarian and a inferior, a parasite, living of the healthy Venetian state. But, this is all due to the fact that he is different, it has been noted that if you are different you will never be equal, "if you are different you will always be different" (Marx - CM 1848) and Othello's difference is no fault of his own. Works Cited: Shakespeare, William. Othello. Ed. Alfred Harbab. Middlesex, England: Penguin, 1970.

The End of Oppression for Jamaican Women Essay -- Oppression Feminism

The End of Oppression for Jamaican Women Women have been oppressed in many places and in many different ways over the years, but in Jamaica this continuing trend is finally to be broken. "Sexual or gender inequality represents as essential and integral feature of social relations and culture construction in Jamaica, where for the past four hundred years colonial and imperialist exploitation has governed the development of economic, political, and sociocultural patterns and structures."(Harrison: Women in Jamaica's Urban Informal Economy pg. 12) Women have different roles in politics, economics and religion than their counterparts. It is important to know not just the general role of women, but it is also important to know where they come from. Women have not played a big role in politics, have been oppressed economically, and have not received equal pay. In the Rastafarian culture women are subservient, this is slowly changing. Where does this leave Jamaican women? A race looking for strong women role models. "Black women do not lack heroines or role models. They do though, need to rescue them from the shadows of selective history." (http://www.internurse.com /marymain.htm) Throughout the history of Jamaica there have been great women leaders and musicians, such as, Nanny of the Maroons, Queen Omega, Mary Jane Seacole, Marcia Griffith, Judy Mowatt, and Sister Carol. Currently it is very important today in Jamaica for young girls to have role models. Not only has Jamaican society and Rastafarian culture suppressed women, but other countries have as well. Going way back in history to the 1700's one can find a strong woman who is still talked about today. Nanny of the Maroons lived in the 1700'sm when people living in Ja... ..., 1997, URL: http://www.bobmarley.com/life/legacy/rita/ritainterview.html. Steffens, Roger, "Rita Marley", URL: http://hem.passagen.se/perdavid/ritaM.htm. 4/3/00. Timm, Bob, "Interview with Sister Carol", Nov 3, 1999, URL: http://ska.about.com/entertainment/ska/library/1999/aa110399b.htm. 4/11/00. United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, "Consultation on Gender and Industrial Policy", Aug. 1995, URL: http://www.unrisd.org/html/focus/focus1/eng/f1e12.htm. 4/3/00. Webmaster@jamaicaway.com, "Excellent Nanny of Maroons", 1999, URL: www.jamaicaway.com/Heroes/NannyPage.html. 4/3/00. Webmaster@sit.edu, "Jamaica Gender and Development", Jan 10, 2000, URL: http://www.sit.edu/studyabroad/americas/jamaica.html. 3/25/00. Whitemanm, Burchell, "Nanny of the Maroons", Feb. 1998, URL: www.kasnet.com/heroesofjamaica/nan/nan/nan1.htm. 4/3/00.

The Three Character Traits of Macbeth

Macbeth bumped Into three witches after his battle. The three witches tell Macbeth he will become thaln of cawdor and glamls, and then king. He then becomes the thaln which opened up an opportunity for him to become king. He then writes a letter to his wife in which he wrote to her about everything that was going on and she decides they need to kill the king in order for him to seize the throne. Macbeth kills the king but his wife has to return the daggers to the guards, to frame them for the crime, because Macbeth did not.After all that the King Duncans' sons run away becuase they fear that they were gonna be put to blame. Macbeth then becomes king. Once he became king, he did not want anyone else to have the same power as him or to do the same thing to him, as he did to King Duncan. Also he remembers one of the prophecies of the witch where they told Banquo the his children will be king. So he then orders the murderers to kill his best friend, Banquo and his son, Fleance . Macbeth is then haunted by Banquos ghost at his party.After all that he goes back to the witches and he sees three things; a bloody baby saying â€Å"beware Macduff, a bloody helmet saying that he cant be killed by anyone born of a woman, nd a child with a crown and a tree branch saying that he does not need to worry till the Birnam woods moves to Dunsinane. Macbeth started to worry and demanded Macduff and all his family killed, but Macduff left already. Lady Macbeth starts getting crazy and comitts suicide. Macduff heads over to Macbeths' castle with the army to kill him. Macbeth is killed, and gets his head cut off by Macduff.Macuff was born by C-section which was not considered to be born of a woman. One of the aspects that Macbeth grasps to make him an antagonist Is greediness. The three witches that he met In the beginning told him his prophecy, which Is that he Is going to be the future king of Scotland, † All hall, Macbeth! That shalt be king hereafter† (l, l†, 53 ). At first he doesn't believe the prophecy at all and thought that they were being foolish. But then the predlctlon of the witches starts to come true after being persuaded by his wife, Lady Macbeth, that he had to take some steps to make It come true.Once the first prophecy came true, he wanted all the prophecies of the witches to come true. Once Macbeth Is king, he becomes one of the most owerful person in his land, yet he still demands for more respect and power and does not want anyone to nave any part In It. 10 make tnls nappen ne KIIls Banquo, nls best friend, so he wouldn't create a line of king as it was one of the witches prophecy and attempts to kill Banquo's son, Fleance, however he escapes. Macbeth was told by the witches that no human born from a women, that is everyone, could kill him. Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn, The power of man, for none of woman born, Shall harm Macbeth† (‘V, i, 85). Macbeth believes this and gets greedy making im tru st that no one could kill him. Overall this proves that Macbeth is definitely a greedy person in this play. Another open feature that Macbeth is distinguished for is ambition. Macbeth wants to prove to his wife that he is the one that she desires for and to do that, he listens to whatever she has to say. He is so deeply in love with his wife and ambitious towards her that he starts committing dangerous and risky crimes.Macbeth is also very ambitious towards becoming king. In order to become king he had to kill King Duncan. † I go, and it is done; the bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell; That summons thee to heaven, or to hell† ( II, i, 69). This quote indicates that it is time to kill King Duncan. He is also speaking to Duncan though he is not actually present. He tells the imaginary Duncan to not pay attention to the bell as it marks his death and therefore will send him to either hell or heaven. Again, Macbeth was very ambitious in becoming king but he is also ambitious to remain king.He kills Banquo so that no could take over his position as king. â€Å"It is concluded. Banquo, thy soul's flight; If it finds heaven, must find it out tonight† ( Ill, i, 157). This quote is saying Macbeth has made all the arrangements of the murder Banquo's and that he is going to heaven or hell because he is dying tonight. After that he also finds out the one of Banquo's children would be king, so his ambition towards remaining king leads him to kill Banquo's son, Fleance, however Fleance escapes and is never heard after that incident.To sum it up, ambition is definitely a character trait in this play. Finally, the third character trait of Macbeth is bravery. It is barely noticeable in Macbeth but he is recognized for it. Macbeth at first seemed to be a courageous, rave and capable warrior who would risk anything for his country. At the beginning of the play Macbeth's skills and strength saved the day on the battlefield. † For brav e Macbeth -well he deserves that name-; Disdaining fortune with his brandish'd steel† ( l,ii, 18).The quote shows that Macbeth is brave and he is the one who helped defeat Sweno, the king of Norway. Macbeth also shows bravery because he goes after what he wants and accomplishes it. For instance, Macbeth wanted to become king, to do that he bravely killed King Duncan which is evil but it shows that he would do anything to full fill his desire. Macbeth is brave near the end because when all of his prophecies were finished, he still fought Macduff. † Tell thee, Macduff was from his mother's womb; Untimely ripp'd† ( V, viii, 19).The witches said that no human born from a women could kill Macbeth and Macduff said that he was delivered prematurely. So according to the witches prophecies he is able to kill Macbeth. Thus bravery is definitely one of the character traits of Macbeth in this play. In conclusion Macbeth is a person who is consistently stuck in ugly situations. respectful towards the king by winning the important battle and the war but also rutal and cruel because after he killing Macdonwald by slicing him from his middle to his Jaws and placed his head on a stick.Macbeth was also everybody's hero for winning the war. He was also a good friend to Banquo, in fact they were best friends. But then Macbeth changed, he become greedy. He met these three witches who completely changed his life When he was not happy and satisfied with what he had, Macbeth felt that he had to move up a level and become king. Macbeth was confused at first and was not sure if he should kill the king or not, started to argue to himself if e should stay on the good side or move to the bad side.He told his wife, Lady Macbeth, everything and she started to convince him to kill King Duncan and seize the throne. After all of this, once he becomes king, he becomes crazy when he sees blood on his hand and started to think that he can not get rid of the blood on his hands af ter killing the king. After that he is heartless and started to kill every single person who dared to cross his path or anyone that he suspects is a threat. Macbeth is ambitious to be totally in control. Macbeth without a doubt was out of control and vil when he kills Macduffs' children and wife.He is also very self assured and brave because he refuses to run away when an army is attacking his castle. But after all that, he still shows some kindness towards Macduff by saying that he does not want to kill him before he is killed by him. Although Macbeth would have been a great and brave king, it was the manipulation of his wife and the three witches that led him to an evil path. He became a greedy and very ambitious king. After a while, because of his fearlessness, he died devastatingly. words: 1539

Nature of God Essay

Maqamat-e Toyur (The Conference of the Birds) is a book of poems by Attar and is widely appreciated for it narrates the hurdles and levels that one may go through to understand the true nature of God. The tale begins with a group of birds who long and wish to meet the great Simurgh, who is a mythical creature residing far away. The birds then find hoopoe, a leader, and start their journey with his guidance. Their journey inhibits the crossing of seven valleys in order to reach the valley of Simurgh; Aban (Flash), Ishq (Love), Marifat (Gnosis), Istighnah (Detachment), Tawheed (Unity of God), Hayrat (Bewilderment) and, finally, Fuqur and Fana (Selflessness and Oblivion in God). Finally, a group of 30 birds reach the valley of Simurgh, only to see each others reflection in a lake. It is then they realize that the wisdom they seek is not in the mythical creature, but has been in them all along, â€Å"Si-Murgh† meaning 30 birds in Persian. The concept of God existing within is the basic theory of Sufism and Islam; it has also been mentioned in the Holy Quran. The seven valleys even signify the levels that each human seeking the truth must go through. These stages are not only for Sufis but for every Muslim, who wishes to find spiritual enlightenment. Attar has written tremendous texts for Sufism, explaining the depths of Islam with his poems and short stories and providing an insight through his stories. It is said that Attar had a tremendous impact on Rumi and he respected Attar a lot. Rumi is quoted as saying, â€Å"Attar roamed the seven cities of love — We are still just in one alley† (All About Religion). Jamal Ad-Din Al Rumi, has been the most well known Sufi poet and author around the world. Although he was a man with extensive knowledge about Islam, and all his theories and texts are based upon Islamic teachings, his work has been credited by people from various religions. Rumi was born in 1207, in the contemporary Afghanistan. Duing the era in which he was born, there was extensive violence caused by political and social causes. After which the 13th century came into being and brought the threats of crusades by the Mongols, Rumi and his family travelled to the west to find refuge. During his journey, he passed by Iran, Damascus and even performed pilgrimage at Mecca. While in Nishapur, Rumi met Attar and was deeply moved by Attar’s wisdom about Sufism. After that Rumi finally settled in Karaman and started preaching at the local mosque and teaching at the madressah. â€Å"This is where he met Shams-e-Tabrizi, an unorthodox eccentric scholar, who inspired Rumi by his intense spiritual presence. After this meeting, Rumi quit his academic workings and start writing Sufi poetry. All Rumi’s poems have the search of the truth and union with God as the common ground, and love is the most mentioned word in his poems. Rumi’s words do not just provide a great insight for a person but also carry several meanings at once† (Janghda, 157). A series of six books by the name of Masnavi-I Ma’navi (Rhyming Couplets of Profound Spiritual Meaning) which include 424 stories, is one of the most well known texts of Rumi. These stories narrate the struggle of man in search of truth and ultimate wisdom leading to God. As Rumi believed that ultimately every human on this earth seeks out to a higher purpose, to search for something that exists among the material of this world, a higher purpose that can lift the human soul to higher ground. Masnavi-I Ma’navi is referred to as â€Å"the roots of the roots of the roots of the (Islamic) Religion† by Rumi (Arbery, 89). It has also been translated in many languages and is widely accepted as prime Sufi literature. Masnavi-I Ma’navi’s stories such as, â€Å"Why the Saints take refuge in mountains and caves† and â€Å"The Prophet’s vision of Gabriel in his real form† described the essence of Islam and describe the depths of religion. Sufis have written tremendous books in the forms of poems, stories and travelogues. All these contributions have enabled people to better understand Islam in the light of mysticism. These literatures have allowed people to look into the teachings of Islam and understand them on a superior level. As Islam is a religion of peace and love, Sufism and its literature has promoted the religion of love throughout the world. The words of Rumi, Attar and many others have spread Islam through literature, because of these men of peace, Islam kept on spreading across the world without any exceptions of cultural differences. â€Å"It is said that Rumi’s funeral went on for 40 day, in which Muslims, Jews, Christians and Hindus all came to pay their tribute. As he did not promote hatred for people who did not follow his religion or disagreed with him, but according to the teachings of Islam, Rumi preached tolerance and unity of all human kind† (Janghda, 163). Nowadays that Islam has been given a bad name by the fundamentalists across the world, as they have reformed and used religion for their own agenda. The words of Sufis still echo and call for peace and love amongst all religions and races through their literature. A man seeking for wisdom and the truth will always find it in the message of Sufis, a young girl shall always find peace in a short tale of the mystic Sufi and a scholar will always question his logic when reading the swirling verses of Sufis. Arbery, Arthur J.. Sufism: An Account of the Mystics of Islam. London: Dover Publications, 2002. A. A. Janghda. â€Å"Sufism. † Hiba 10. 54 (2001): 144-163. All About Religion. 03 Jun. 2009. Religion FAQ’s At All About Religion. 14 Feb 2009 http://www.allaboutreligion.org/sufism.htm