African Languages and Societies Commons^™

Neoliberalism’S Zombies: Ling Ma’S Severance, Covid,And Anti-Asian Racism, Elizabeth Westrick

International ResearchScape Journal

In this paper, I argue that Ling Ma’s 2018 novel, Severance, weaves together Asian American identity, capitalism, and neoliberal ideals into a zombie apocalypse novel that works to critique the systems of global capitalism and the ways in which Asian immigrants are positioned within this system. Through the figure of the zombie who has been infected by a virus the global community refers to as “Shen Fever,” Ma elucidates the dehumanized, pathologized nature of the relationship between race and labor in the United States. I will also argue that these ideas have been realized in the COVID–19 pandemic and the …

"Communication From Afar": The Role Of Subversive Mail Art During The Argentine Dirty War, 1976-1983, Chloe S. Kozal

International ResearchScape Journal

This paper analyzes the role of mail art by Argentine mail artists Edgardo Antonio Vigo and Graciela Gutiérrez Marx in subverting Argentine fascism and censorship during the Argentine Dirty War from 1976 to 1983. La Guerra Sucia, or “the Dirty War,” was a seven-year period of right-wing military dictatorship in Argentina, following a coup on 24 March 1976, against the government of President Isabel Perón. The U.S. coordinated with the junta and the Argentine Anticommunist Alliance, or Triple A, and the dictatorship “disappeared” and tortured thousands of so-called enemies of the state. Meanwhile, American and Argentine artists maintained fluid communications, …

Dolor Y Angustia: Creative Practice And Arts-Based Advocacy And Activism, María G. López Davila

International ResearchScape Journal

This practice to press article discusses how arts-based advocacy and activism can be used to raise awareness about human rights violations. Inspired by the work of my mother, Dr. Morella Davilla, a physician of obstetrics and gynecology in Venezuela, and the arts-based activist work of London-based artist, Aida Silvestri, my arts-based advocacy and activism work, Dolor y Angustia [Pain and Anguish], illustrates the creative process of a visual representation of Female Genital Mutilation, one of the most oppressive and horrific acts enforced upon women and girls.

Empathy And Unity In Exit West, Kelsey Madison Dietrich

International ResearchScape Journal

Mohsin Hamid’s contemporary novel, Exit West (2017), proposes a world that allows all people to migrate with relative ease across the globe through instantaneous transportation via magical doors. This stylistic choice to use organically emerging, non-state-sanctioned doors as border walls aims to make migration an accessible option for people of all identities. This notion of accessibility is represented as the primary plotline follows the trajectory of two characters using the doors after their unnamed home country is overtaken by militants. Additionally, several vignettes interspersed throughout the novel depict people with various identities who have been transported through doors and the …

The Mexican Revolution: An Uneven Path, Tre Johnson

International ResearchScape Journal

This study analyzes the peasant and anarchist movement as foundational to La Revolución [the Mexican Revolution] and the revolutionary processes that lead to and followed La Revolución. The study makes the case that unique nature of La Revolución deserves far more analysis. Informed by the work of historian Eric Hobsbawm, La Revolución was born directly out of the world stage; its contradictions were born out of the developing and colonial world. It was during the period of La Revolución, that the fate of the country was ultimately changed by the likes of those who participated in it. The study asks …

Contents And Editor's Forward, Rachel A. Walsh

International ResearchScape Journal

No abstract provided.

Veterinary Medicine And The Covid-19 Pandemic: An International, Interdisciplinary Study Of A Globalwicked Problem, Daniella Fedak-Lengel

International ResearchScape Journal

Building on field research in Costa Rica and Belize, this study analyzes environmental and endangered animal protection policies, rights, and practices in Central America, and assesses impacts of veterinary science and conservation biology on animal welfare concerns. Informed by the recent surge in awareness regarding the spread of zoonotic diseases, given COVID-19, the study analyzes Manis javanica and the impact of illegal trafficking of this critically endangered animal. The project theorizes if awareness of zoonotic disease transmission, especially during a global pandemic, could be key to reducing sales, legal or illegal, of wild animals in order to mitigate zoonotic infection …

Public Opinion In The United States And Hungary: How Trump And Orbán Have Manufactured The Debate Over Refugees, Eve Cervenka

International ResearchScape Journal

This research paper is inspired by the author’s recent experience interning with US Together – Cleveland, a non-profit refugee resettlement agency that provides services before, during, and immediately after refugees’ arrival. It will utilize a humanitarian approach to the topic of public opinion and perception of refugees in the United States. In order to put these findings in the context of world refugee response, Hungary will be considered as another case study. This will include a look into the history of refugees in both countries, as well as the recent policy changes by both the Trump and Orban administrations respectively. …

“The Torture Of Colonization And The Holocaust: Multidirectional Memory In The Nature Of Blood”, Sarah Webb

International ResearchScape Journal

In this paper, I read Caryl Phillips’s 1997 post-colonial The Nature of Blood as a novel that exemplifies Michael Rothberg’s theory of “multidirectional memory.” Rothberg’s theory, which argues against the dominant competitive model of memory in the United States, asserts that memory is a “productive, intercultural dynamic” (Rothberg 3). In other words, memories of different groups of people, specifically African-Americans and Holocaust survivors in his essay, are intertwined and inform each other in a modern setting. Phillips’s novel depicts a relationship between the Holocaust and colonization through the use of multiple narratives interwoven throughout the novel. Those narratives begin with …

Ngos, Global Affairs And Cosmopolitanism: The Case Of Children’S International Summer Villages, Andrew Harper

International ResearchScape Journal

No abstract provided.

Neocolonialism And Globalization: The Dual Phenomena Of Exploitation And Underdevelopment In Modern Africa, Jack Riegert

Africana Studies Student Research Conference

Since the 1960s till date, African independence has been a mirage. Real freedom for African countries had been redefined by the impact of neo-colonialism and globalization. While neo-colonialism simply means indirect hegemonic control of former colonies or developing countries by former European colonizers and Western powers, globalization is the integration of global economy marked by free trade, free flow of capital, and the exploitation of cheaper foreign labor and raw material markets. Under neo-colonialism and the globalized world, though presumed independent, Africa is still dominated and exploited. Kwame Nkrumah, perhaps one of the most influential African leaders of history, aptly …

The African American Political Party Flip, Shanna Riley

Africana Studies Student Research Conference

My paper discusses the African American political party flip during the 1930s-1960s. Throughout my research, I found that there were many factors in the African American political party flip which began in the 1930s and continued into the 1960s. After analyzing the origin of the Democratic and Republican parties, I found that the latter supported freeing slaves during the 1800s. I will discuss how presidents Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson each handled Civil Rights during their times in office, and how this impacted the African American vote. Each president saw the power of African American voters, and knew that …

A Study Of Precolonial Urban Africa, Molly Cooper

Africana Studies Student Research Conference

Africa’s precolonial era of urban development lasted from approximately 3000 BC until the colonial era began in the sixteenth century AD. During this period, urban centers were built in regions of high ecological and economic potential, such as the Mediterranean coast, the Nile towns of Nubia, West Africa, and the Sub-Saharan region of Africa. Studying key cities in each of these areas demonstrates the rich history of precolonial Africa as well as the continued influence of these sophisticated cultures. Using historical records, archeological findings, and analysis of urban trends of cities such as Carthage, Meroe, Djenne, and the Great Zimbabwe, …

Gdr Involvement In South Africa: When Does Solidarity Become Engagement?, Edward Vaughan

Africana Studies Student Research Conference

The German Democratic Republic (GDR) was one of the most influential forces during the Cold War in Southern Africa. Thanks to their assistance, revolutionary groups such as the South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO) and the African National Congress (ANC) were able to stand up against the Apartheid government in South Africa aided by the United States. This project examines the GDR support and solidarity measures during the Cold War and if the GDR‘s involvement in this area constitutes active engagement with the conflict. Since the German reunification, research into the specific policies of the GDR and its connection to …

A Passage To Bowling Green: A Chronological Exploration Of James Baldwin’S Connection To Bgsu’S Ethnic Studies Department, Blaze Campbell

Africana Studies Student Research Conference

James Baldwin became connected to Bowling Green State University’s (BGSU) Ethnic Studies Department starting in the late 1970s, making four visits to campus, once as a guest speaker, once as a Write-in-Residence, and twice as a Distinguished Visiting Professor. The purpose of this paper is to understand how the relationship between BGSU and Baldwin developed. I constructed a historical, chronological narrative utilizing primary sources including various documents from BGSU’s archival collection to understand Baldwin’s affiliation with the university.

Baldwin’s 1977 visit to BGSU was his first public lecture in the United Sates since his departure to France years prior. Additionally, …

Haitian Carnival: The Art Of Resistance, Kari Boroff

Africana Studies Student Research Conference

This paper explores the different characters that are represented during Haitian Carnival, where participants mask their identities in order to act out mythological and political tales, emphasizing the corruption, politics, and social issues of Haiti through costume and drama. These characters which can appear bizarre, comical, or terrifying, embody subjects such as Haiti’s successful slave revolt in 1791, elements of Vodou, satirical representations of political figures, and social issues such as AIDS. Moreover, this raw, powerful, expressive side of Haitian Carnival can be compared to the artwork of André Eugène, whose work is characterized by and embodies the haunting, provocative …

Solidarity Between Women In Chimamanda Adichie's Purple Hibiscus, Michael Eniola Oshindoro

Africana Studies Student Research Conference

Adichie presents a complex reality of the Nigerian society, with particular focus on the Igbo, a tribal majority in the country. The novel details a woman’s ordeal and how she breaks free from her husband’s abusive grip, which does not spare their two children either. Mr. Eugene Achike, mostly referred to as Papa in the novel, sets the rules in the house and makes Beatrice Achike, also known as Mama, and their teenage children, Kambili and Jaja, follow them; regularly he uses physical torture to enforce the rules. While in public he fights for human rights and freedom of speech …

Colorism: The Effect Of Interracial Racism, Hannah Mcdermott

Africana Studies Student Research Conference

It is clear that issues involving race have plagued the growth of the United States since the early stages of the land's development. However, through Wallace Thurman's novel The Blacker the Berry, he is able to illustrate the struggles of racism within the African American society, having detrimental effects on the psychological aspect of racism as well. My paper focuses on the main character, Emma Lou, who faces both public and personal racism throughout her upbringing. Focusing on the problems that discrimination brings forward, the novel hones in on African Americans in education, family, the work place, and even …

Reframing Aesthetic Theory In The Caribbean Through Derrida’S Theory Of Deconstruction, Micaela Deogracias

Africana Studies Student Research Conference

There has been an ongoing struggle to pinpoint the definition of Caribbean aesthetic. Although still framed through Western values of beauty and significance, the Caribbean has been making strides towards breaking out of the artistic definitions of the Eurocentric art history canon. A means of doing so is evident in the works of Livia Ortiz Ríos, a Puerto Rican abstract expressionist artist who frames her art through the Chaos Theory and Derrida's Theory of Deconstruction. The latter's discussion of binary comparisons beautifully mirrors the present binary comparison of Caribbean art to Western art. This work will focus on Derrida's Theory …

A Modern Mother: Harriet Powers, Alyssa Johnson

Africana Studies Student Research Conference

The proposed presentation, “A Modern Mother: Harriet Powers (1837-1911),” was inspired by Linda Nochlin’s provocative question, “Why have there been no great women artists?” While the question is simple and concise, it enlists a number of responses. The most common response to this question, as pointed out by the contemporary group of artists known as the Guerilla Girls, is to counter with the question: “Why haven’t more women been considered great artists throughout Western history?” The reframing of Nochlin’s question implies the presence of greatness among the female ranks of artists, and allows for discovery and celebration of those forgotten. …

"Unite Yourselves In The Name Of Anywaa": Music And Anywaa Ethnic Identity In Gambella, Ethiopia, Sarah Bishop

Africana Studies Student Research Conference

Ethnicity is highly politicized in northeast Africa and has been implicated in conflicts, tensions, and protests in different countries throughout the region. Various, complex factors play a role in this: political marginalization and cultural denigration of certain ethno-linguistic groups within nation-states, unequal access to resources, increasingly ethnicized cycles of violence, and overall rise in identity politics around the globe are a few. This paper aims to expand our understanding of ethnicity by examining how ethnic phenomena are manifested in expressive culture and how expressive culture reflects, shapes, and informs ethnic consciousness. I do so by exploring local music-making amongst members …

Racism, Prejudice, And Democratization: The Westernization Of Japan Under U.S. Occupation, 1945-52, Jasmine Mitchell

Africana Studies Student Research Conference

Following the unconditional surrender of Japan on September 2, 1945, the Allied forces set out to establish a military occupation in Japan to instill democratic ideals upon the nation and rid Japan of its militarist and fascist sentiments. In facilitating Japan’s transformation into a democratic nation with values of freedom, liberty, and equality, there was also an influx of cultural exchanges between the American occupation forces and Japanese citizens. In fact, the issue of race revealed itself as a major component of American democracy that created a strain on the interactions and relationships between African American GIs, white GIs and …

Giving A Voice To The Voiceless And Women's Education In Kenya, Lyndah Wasike

Africana Studies Student Research Conference

Social stratification in any given capitalistic society leaves the poor voiceless. Moreover, children from well-off families attend prestigious schools, they are more informed and have resources to make meaningful life decisions. On the other hand, their poor counterparts attend low-cost schools and as if that is not enough, lots of problems claim a share of their lives. How can we make a safe learning environment for teenage girls from humble families? Meekers, Gage, & Zhan (1995) cites that in many cases, adolescents are insufficiently or incorrectly informed about their changing sexuality, and about the consequences and responsibilities associated with sexual …

Blended Styles Of African American Folk Music, Joseph Johnson

Africana Studies Student Research Conference

From childhood to the present, I have heard stories from my grandmother of growing up as an African American in rural North Carolina. As a young girl, she experienced a great deal of racial injustice, but she also told me of many of her most memorable experiences, mainly in relation to the church and old-time string band music. Through the musicological study of Rhiannon Giddens and The Carolina Chocolate Drops, Jake Blount, and Valerie June, I will show how these performing artists in the U.S. keep the tradition of African American old-time music alive while blending it with other contemporary …

Parting The Waters Of Bondage: African Americans’ Aquatic Heritage, Kevin Dawson

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Since the 1960s, when the United States Center for Disease Control began compiling racial statistics on drowning death rates, it has been painfully obvious that African Americans are far more likely to drown than their white counterparts. While segregation denied black people access to most public swimming pools and racial violence transformed natural waterways into undesirable places for swimming a leisure, perceptions that swimming as an “un-black” or “white” pursuit have marginalized its acceptability within African American communities. “Parting the Waters of Bondage” is an original article based on decades of the author’s historical scholarship. It seeks to reduce the …

The Space Gap, Access To Technology, And The Perpetuation Of Poverty, Tyler A. Way

International ResearchScape Journal

No abstract provided.

Eritrea And The Migration Dilemma In The Horn Of Africa, Elizabeth Stark

International ResearchScape Journal

The state of Eritrea is gradually losing its population. A variety of human rights violations including mandatory indefinite conscription is contributing to many Eritrean citizen’s choice to flee. Those that do flee, tend to go to Sudan or Ethiopia as there is a long historical and cultural connection between the three countries. Additionally, Sudan and Ethiopia have a variety of laws and institutions in place to help the various refugees they take in. However, while there is this legislation, refugees are still vulnerable segments of the population that face many troubles. This shared history, culture and the legal protections afforded …

The Impact Of Ww Ii On African Nationalism And Decolonization, Jacob Louis Money

Africana Studies Student Research Conference

Who was the true victor that emerged from the Second World War? General consensus among academia is that the United States and USSR were the chief benefactors from the downfall of the Axis, as they became the foremost states among the global community, in part due to the regression of traditional powers such as Britain and France. However, Africa as a whole was profoundly changed by the war and the most destructive conflict in history propelled the continent along the path to self-determination. Without the contribution of Africa to the allied cause, both in manpower and material, the eventual triumph …

Pop Music As E-Civism: Negotiating Change Through Subaltern Voices In Burkina Faso, Lassane Ouedraogo

Africana Studies Student Research Conference

In 2014, a popular revolution led by a group of underground pop musicians ousted a 27-year regime in Burkina Faso. In attempting to find meaning in how these musicians were able to mobilize millions of people across the country under the banner of Le Balai Citoyen (the Citizen Broom), I studied their works before the 2014 revolution. I found that pop music from Burkina Faso represents a subaltern discursive engagement voice whereby lyrics and video frames disseminate a counter-discourse and call for action against government malpractices. By examining the lyrics and video frames as a discursive voice in 40 YouTube …

The Relevance Of The Message To Time And Space: President Barack Hussein Obama Speaking, Michael A. Nkansah

Africana Studies Student Research Conference

This paper adopts the traditional perspective of rhetorical criticism by Aristotle to analyze the speech that is said to have made Barrack Hussein Obama, the President of United States of America. The traditional perspective has been used to explain advertisements, novels, films and for the most part speeches. Concepts that form the construct of the traditional criticism are used to describe, interpret, evaluate and make subtle judgments about the rhetorical artifact. In order to achieve this, Aristotle proposed three elements for rhetorical analysis of an individual’s performance to a target audience within a span of time: (i) the speaker or …