Tarek Fahmy: Cultural Critic

I think I figured out my philosophical approach to formulating my thesis argument. As long as I objectify the subjective and individualize the objective my thesis topic will be strong; but more importantly, it will keep the audience’s interest and mine as well.

If my topic starts from a personal perspective I have to try to infuse some objectivity in the mixture. On the other hand, if it starts from an non personal angle, I have to also humanize it a bit.

As long as the graduate student keeps this delicate balance all will be fine in the thesis formulation and writing processes.

Title: “Citigroup Buys Banking Operations of Wachovia”
New York Times

Article Link

As you may or may not know, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, a sovereign wealth fund owned by the world’s fifth-largest oil exporter, in December bought a 4.9 percent stake in Citigroup.

Citigroup will acquire Wachovia’s banking sector.
This is a continuing trend of the 3 giant banks
that are gobbling up smaller ones in the USA.

Bank of America, Citigroup, and JPMorgan Chase.

Further, America’s bank deposits are controlled by these three giants.

Surely, Abu-Dhabi’s $7.5bn cash infusion played a role in this purchase.
Oil money is helping this country try to bounce back from these hard financial times.

Book Review:

:::BOOKS:::

• Sex as a Political Variable: Women as Candidates and Voters in U.S. Elections. By Richard A. Seltzer, Jody Newman, and Melissa Voorhees Leighton. Boulder Colo., and London: Lynne Rienner, 1997.

• Gender Dynamics in Congressional Elections. By Richard Logan Fox. Thousand Oaks, Claif., London, and New Delhi: Sage, 1997.

• The other Elites: Women, Politics, and Power in the Executive Branch. Edited by mary Anne Borrelli and Janet M. martin. Boulder Co., and London: Lynne Reinner, 1997.

Janet A. Flammang, Santa Clara University

Review LINK

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“Sex as a Political Variable: Women as Candidates and Voters in U.S. Elections”:

Based on prior studies of voter perception, women are more likely then men to vote democratic.

“Gender Dynamics in Congressional Elections”:

**general Voting issues for men:
• budget deficit
• crime
• defense spending
• taxes
• foreign policy

**general voting issues for women:
• health care
• education
• race relations
• abortion

**General voting issues for both:
• economy/jobs
• family values
• environment

“In 1992-1994, California voters concerned with abortion, the economy/jobs, the environment, education, health care and race relations supported Democratic candidates while those concerned with crime, immigration, taxes, welfare reform, the death penalty, foreign policy, and family values supported Republican candidates.

” The Other Elites: Women, Politics, and Power in the Executive Branch”

The author …emphasizes gender ideology, structural power relations in the Executive Branch.” p. 929

Janet M. martin reports that, “since 1961, every administration with the exception of those of Presidents Nixon and Reagan, has had a greater percentage of women serving in high level posts then the preceding administration.”

“The role of first lady is highly symbolic, and, as Barbara C. Burrell notes, it is historically circumscribed to first hostess.”

First Lady = First Hostess

“First ladies who have used their influence to affect policy have been frequently criticized,…” p.930

“The persistence of gender ideology is an obstacle for women.” p.930

Tarek : Stereotypes are universal forms of cultural reduction, often resulting in negative generalizations!

Review: Anatomy of a Stereotype
George Mosse
New German Critique, No. 42 (Autumn, 1987), pp. 163-168
Published by: New German Critique

Critique of:
Sander L. Gilman, Differnce and Pathology: Stereotypes of Sexuality, Race, and Madness. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1985, 282pp.
Sander L. Gilman, Jewish Self hatred: Anti-Semitism and the Hidden Languange of the jews. Baltimore: The John Hopkins University Press, 1986, 461pp.

Essay Link

Quotes/paraphrases and thoughts on the text:

“A stereotype which continues to influence human perception remains present at all times, though it may not always find public linguistic expression” p.163

“these stereotypes are all the more strongly held, the more the so-called outsider departs from the standards which society has set for itself.” p.163

Like Ruth Amossy states in her text (previous post), pathology is homogeneous. A number of ‘outsider’ groups could be lumped together is the same stereotype.

People that were stereotyped were also used as cultural and political scapegoats; specifically in Nazi Germany.

Some of these stereotypes were extremely offensive in nature, especially in Nazi Germany.

My point here is to research the history of stereotypes and surely that period in time (Nazi Germany) is filled with them.

I also want to find similarities between stereotypes of today, specifically the ones directed at “Arabs’ and other stereotypes that were directed at different peoples like the African Americans, Jewish people, Native Americans, women, and countless others.