Merge remote-tracking branch 'origin/main'

notes/2024/as-am-5/week-2.md

@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@
   immigrate to US -> 1946 Phillipines gains independences -> Bulosan arrives in
   between
 - Context between Bulosan's arrival in 1930 and publication of book in 1946:
-  The Great Gatsby -> Emblematic of Roaring Twenties; not a huge hit immediately
-  -> Fitzgerald explores the life of striving outsider -> critique of American
-  promise (upwards mobility, second chances)
+  The Great Gatsby -> Emblematic of Roaring Twenties; not a huge hit
+  immediately -> Fitzgerald explores the life of striving outsider -> critique
+  of American promise (upwards mobility, second chances)
 - Context 2: The Good Earth -> American born Pearl S. Buck, daughter of
   Chinese, grew up in China, Wrote her most famous novel about inhabitants of a
   Chinese village. Shaped ways in which Americans viewed Chinese in America
@@ -45,14 +45,39 @@
   Filipino reality for Western audience, split between young and older/wiser
   Bulosan
 - What is Bulosan doing besides just talking about nature? Why is he
-  concentrating on it? -> in conversation with specific type of literary style ->
-  the "pastoral"
+  concentrating on it? -> in conversation with specific type of literary style
+  -> the "pastoral"
 - The pastoral is a literary tradition -> traditionally, poems about shepherds
-  -> beauty of life, waking up early, farming, etc -> idealized lives of the poor
-  -> tension between cultivated author and low born subjects -> Bulosan
+  -> beauty of life, waking up early, farming, etc -> idealized lives of the
+  poor -> tension between cultivated author and low born subjects -> Bulosan
   deconstructs pastoral through realism
 - Social Realism -> unvarnished and unfiltered economic racial injustice ->
-  working class figure as hero -> scrutinizing ills of society -> reality without
-  illusion -> one problem: emphasis on collective vs. individual
+  working class figure as hero -> scrutinizing ills of society -> reality
+  without illusion -> one problem: emphasis on collective vs. individual
 - Do for Filipinos in America what Lange tried to do for working class -> book
   as work of pastoral social realism
+
+## Lecture 2 (10/10)
+
+- AH is a biography in the "social realist" mode -> leaves home in the
+  Phillipines after beaten down by harsh realities of life -> tries to maintain
+  optimism about American Dream as he continues through his journey
+
+## Section
+
+- Pastoral
+- Realism -> depict life as it truly is, complexities, imperfections, etc,
+  verisimilitude
+  - Social realism -> see peoples' struggles, critiques about causes/reasons,
+
+### Writing assignment
+
+Then, please write up why Carlos portrayed them in this particular manner.
+
+Each individual should write your own answer. Please write the name of the woman you are analyzing.
+
+1. Mary Strandon
+2. Marian
+3. Judith
+
+Mary Strandon was portrayed as a kindly woman who gave Bulosan work and allowed him to read

notes/2024/mes-45/peace-dialogue-notes.md

@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+# Peace dialogue notes
+
+- Grew up as Israeli, became soldier
+- Doubted morals, told to not think about consequences
+- Army is above everything
+- Never imagined meeting Palestinians -> always told to never cross wall (into
+  West Bank), violent
+- Never heard about Nakba (in Israel) until Germany -> In Israel, Law prohibits teaching Nakba
+- Israeli/Palestine peace activists: First step forward is recognizing the
+  other side
+- Decided to move and live with Palestinian friends in West Bank -> reaction
+  was shock
+- Oppressive system, Israeli government encroaching on Palestinian way of life
+
+- Lived in Jericho, born in East Jerusalem
+- Stories of Nakba were earliest
+- In Jerusalem, no services, not allowed to fix houses, etc
+- Army gave two options: administrative detention -> kidnapped by General for
+  2-3 years or military court
+- Learned about all injustices committed by jews (Israelis) and began to feel
+  hate, throw stones, etc
+- Heard of peace talks, celebrations in Jericho
+- Felt not recognized by international law, community, etc -> no rights
+- Palestinian schools closed by Israeli army
+- Shocked by jews who believe in peace -> could not believe they exist -> only
+  one narrative
+- Met woman who believed had right to live on land, but did not believe they
+  had the right to displace and discriminate against others
+- Everyone is suffering, paying the price
+- Went to Europe, learned what happened to Jews (holocaust) -> came to
+  conclusion that Israelis and Palestinians have to meet and talk to resist the
+  system
+- Started "Visit Palestine" to show Israelis what Palestine and life under
+  occupation looks like
+- Only way forward is to give everyone their freedom
+
+Questions:
+
+Where was the meeting in Bethlehem?
+
+_Q: What other parts of the system oppress the people?_
+
+A: There are three groups:
+
+First - from (Jordan) River to Sea. Arabs born in Israel ostensibly have
+citizenship
+
+Second group: Palestinians in West Bank, Gaza: not citizens, military
+law/police instead of civil police
+
+Third group: Palestinians expelled
+
+The entire system is how to guarantee Jewish majority (ethnostate). You can't
+guarantee "Jewish democratic state" without discrimination. Jewish democratic
+state / Jewish majority / "Jewish supremacy"
+
+_Q: Is land redistribution is a path through this crisis, and do you see that as
+a part of this movement?_
+
+A: In America, ethnic cleansing is complete, so we can talk about reparations,
+redistribution, etc. In Gaza, we are in the middle of ethnic cleansing.
+Redistribution is a "fantasy", because we need to stop the violence now. Of
+course, it is part of thefuture, but no one is imagining it because worried
+about more immediate issues
+
+Need to work on a ceasefire now. Worrying about what is the best solution,
+peace organization, etc, is us trying to keep conscience happy. No one knows
+about what is going on in Gaza, Israeli jails, etc. We need to talk about the
+governments defending Israel's crimes. Peace organizations are part of the
+system. Can't use system to change system.
+
+Israeli government doesn't want citizens to learn common language with Arabs.
+Discourage learning Arabic. Want to keep people apart because otherwise they
+will realize they are similar.
+
+System needs to keep people divided to dehumanize them.
+
+_Q: Who in the system do or would you think you need to speak to?_
+
+A: Very flexible, willing to speak to anyone who agrees or disagrees with us.
+Want to convince everyone.
+
+_Q: What do you think are the best steps to take to promote ceasefire on
+individual and institutional level?_
+
+A: We are all complicit because the system in Israel is the same system here.
+The same military complex, the same bombs. Understand how system works, and
+unite and build power and a movement. Need to be open and let people who
+disagree with us into our space, to stop separation of us against them.
+Transformation takes time. We are fighting against the empire who makes
+billions while we kill each other.
+
+Q: It seems that real transformation will not occur until mass media begins to
+change. The most respected media voices censor much of the discourse. What has
+your experience been with the media branding many of your points as
+anti-semitic?
+
+A: The mainstream media are not interested. Only invited by podcasts and small
+newspapers. Big channels will never talk to the activists. We need to build
+alternative independent media.
+
+Q: Do you feel that with support for Palestine on social media, Israelis are
+beginning to see the actions of the Israeli state?
+
+A: More and more Israelis are waking up but it's not enough, the mainstream are
+moving right. Every night, the news is propaganda. The prevalence social media
+and phones is very good because it's finally documenting the war crimes.
+Before, people wouldn't believe the atrocities committed by the Israel
+government. The US government is working more for Israel than the Americans.
+
+Q: Is the way that we discuss the issues productive?
+
+A: Many people are too busy infighting amongst themselves, when they have no
+skin in the game.

notes/2024/mes-45/peace-dialogue.typ

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#import "@preview/ilm:1.2.1": *
+
+#set text(lang: "en")
+
+#show: ilm.with(
+  title: [Notes on the Israeli-Palestine Peace Dialogue],
+  author: "Youwen Wu",
+  date: datetime(year: 2024, month: 10, day: 08),
+  abstract: [
+  ],
+  figure-index: (enabled: true),
+  table-index: (enabled: true),
+  listing-index: (enabled: true),
+)
+
+= Introductions
+
+- Recruited to