Blog Post 10

In Chapter 12 of Arnett et.al, they discuss the importance of communication ethics in an age of difference. While reading the chapter, I thought of how difficult it is to distinguish the ‘correct’ good, in an age where everyone has different opinions and different ideas of what the good is. The author talks about how communication ethics takes on pragmatic currency and how “we must learn about other views of the good with recognition that, like it or not, multiple views of the good exist and contend for attention in the ongoing postmodern marketplace of ideas” (Arnett et.al, 3). I think it is extremely important to remind ourselves that everyone has different positionalities and different narratives, which influence their idea of what the ‘good’ is. Arnett et. al also talks about how “it is possible to ask another to seek to understand our position as we seek to understand another’s position, but agreement and endorsement are no longer a sure bet” (Arnett et. al, 5). This reminded me of the importance of invitation within communication. While we can invite someone to understand our position, we cannot expect them to be persuaded into endorsing our position. 

This made me think about the United States political parties and policy making. When it comes to Republican versus Democrat, they both hold very different ideas of what the ‘good’ of the country should be. For example, when it comes to Pro-Life versus Pro-Choice, for the  most part, Republicans lean towards Pro-Life and Democrats lean towards Pro-Choice. When Roe vs. Wade was overturned, I found it to be extremely difficult to understand why anyone would support the overturning of the bill, and why the government thought that a women’s bodily autonomy should be up for debate. I had a hard time trying to understand the opposing view from my own perspective, and even strayed away from learning about the opposing view’s motivations. I think that this shows a clear example of the complexities of communication within an age of difference.

Blog Post 10 - Proulx

  I really liked Arnett et. al.'s piece because it really spoke to our class concept of the multiplicity of narratives and how there is more than one way to define "the good". He says "One of the major questions of this era is, "How do we live constructively within an era of so many differing views of the good, a time of acknowledged different goods?" The importance of this moment finds shape and clarity in the desire to understand (learn and discern) "communication ethics" rather than to prescribe "the" communication ethic" (Arnett et. al, 5). We live in such a high-tension time, where people can be so hostile and argumentative that their point of view is correct, and all others are invalid.

    Let's look at religion for example. It's a classic example of differing "goods" that individuals and cultures have devoted their entire lives to for centuries, yet have competing narratives of what "doing good" is. Who is correct? Who does more good? What does good actually mean? These are frankly existential questions that we'll never have the answers to, but in the US we have the freedom to practice whatever religion we please and it's generally accepted. However, we do of course have extremist groups who make it their personal life mission to shut down and destroy other religions because they believe so strongly that they're incorrect. These people exemplify unethical behavior and disrespect the concept of upholding and honoring the multiplicity of narratives and goods.

Arnett, Ronald C., et al. Communication Ethics Literacy : Dialogue and Difference. Sage Publications, 2009.

Blog Post 10 - Walkup

  I found the idea of citational segregation really interesting. I’ll be honest- I think I’ve heard this term before, but I had never really looked into it or gotten the chance to learn about it. I suppose that is a good example of systematic educational oppression, and also a good example of my laziness. Anyway, citational segregation has to do with who sources and cites information from who. There are clear “disparities” between non-white and white authors in terms of citations, showing that people tend to cite information more from groups to which they belong (Chakravartty et. al). 
This really made me think about who I’ve been citing, and if I’m playing into citational segregation at all. Basically, I don’t ever look at who I’m citing unless I need to check their credentials for some reason. Most of the time the validity of an article or journal can be determined by the publication. However, a lot of the time we as students are exposed more to white authors than authors of color due to what is more likely to be published. Racism within the educational system has more of an impact than most people think because it flies under the radar. 

Paula Chakravartty, Rachel Kuo, Victoria Grubbs, Charlton McIlwain, #CommunicationSoWhite, Journal of Communication, Volume 68, Issue 2, April 2018, Pages 254–266, https://doi.org/10.1093/joc/jqy003

Blog Post 9- Mentzer

 Zabalegi et. al.'s piece raises a really great point in saying, "The coronavirus only emphasizes an already ongoing care crisis, the profound and planned capitalist inertia of invisibility, gendering, and racialization of care. In Euskal Herria, feminists felt that there was no structural direction that government officials had set for individuals who are marginalized during the time of the Covid-19 pandemic. They were yet again experiencing what it is like to live though a structural care crisis where the health of these individuals are not prioritized. The feminists in this nation had to take their own actions towards care and health of their people because no one else was going to. They state, "We believe that it is necessary to organize ourselves socially to organize care among all, and at the same time address the needs of people without representation. We are ready to work. We will only get out of this together" (Zabalegi 2). 

I find it to be so upsetting, yet extremely powerful that this group of feminists took it upon themselves to attempt to get proper care and health benefits for their people. It is absolutely unfair that our healthcare system is structured to really only support those who are financially able to afford it. These women had to take initiate, recognize their underprivileged state during the pandemic, and take actions to solve this on their own. Healthcare should be equally accessible for ALL individuals. I can remember seeing during the pandemic which communities were the most effected by the virus. And it was always communities that were poor and underrepresented. It is so upsetting that this is the way that we live- only supporting those who can support themselves. 

Zabalegi, Maite Arraiza & Lober, Brooke, "A Communique From Basque Country in the Time of Coronavirus." Commune, 2020. 

Blog Post 9 - Ramsey

 In the article titled "ACT UP, Haitian Migrants, and Alternative memories of HIV/AIDS" by Karma R. Chavez, the depiction of the over 300 detained political refugees that tested positive of HIV, as well as the activism that followed from the ACT UP group as well is expressed. Throughout this piece there is more and more details surrounding the detention centers in which many Haitian migrants were detained in Guantanamo by the orders that the United States would not allow an HIV positive individual into the country. While stuck in the process of trying to get into the country, many people were either struck down and sent back to Haiti, or rarely, given asylum into the United States. Going forward, the ACT UP organization was an essential part of ending Haitian imprisonment due to positive results, and while helping people get out, they also used the collective voices of those affected by this to speak out regarding their treatment from the US government. 

I was surprised after reading this piece because I simply had no idea that there were quite literally "modern day concentration camps" (Chavez, 1). Especially in relation to something as serious as HIV, learning more about just how horrible the treatment of these people were simply because they tested positive is unfathomable. I think that this overall ties back into the concept of how people that are not white simply do not and will not get the same treatment - especially medically or in the world of healthcare. 

Chavez, Karma R. “ACT UP, Haitian Migrants, and Alternative Memories of HIV/AIDS.” The Quarterly Journal of Speech, vol. 98, no. 1, 2012, pp. 63–68, https://doi.org/10.1080/00335630.2011.638659.

Blog Post 9 - November

The focus of the article by Zabalegi and Lober focuses on collectivization efforts led by women in the Basque region of western Europe, as well as their response to the coronavirus pandemic. The article begins with the phrase, "It's time to seize the means of care" an overt reference to the writings of Karl Marx, who called workers to "seize the means of production." The phrase is most commonly linked with communist projects, but also applies to most efforts of worker collectivization and empowerment. The article discusses how Basque women have faced both violence from men, as well as the strain put on themselves and others by the coronavirus pandemic. The article discusses how problems are often addressed by governments and other institutions with an individual approach, rather than a collective one. This can both be very isolating, and can also increase the pressures of inequality, as those in privilege have access to more tools to address their individual concerns, while in contrast, a collective approach would allow marginalized people to support one another and build power through community rather than individual privilege.

One continuing difficulty faced by many collectivist movements, as well as the main focus of the article is the difficulty in "rising up" and creating lasting, or systemic change. Many of our societies are structured in a way in which to present any fundamental change to their structure as impossible. The status quo is treated as "the way things have always been, and always will be, rather than just one step in on the path to the improvement of the lives of the people. Most governments and institutions oppose any potential shakeups in their protected systems of privilege and power, because those in charge directly benefit from them, and many are even willing to incite or participate in violence, intimidation and suppression in order to prevent change to the status quo. Collectivist movements find their greatest strength in numbers, and the argument made in this article intends to build strength for these groups by explaining their struggle and extending their communicative reach.

Zabalegi, Maite Arraiza & Lober, Brooke, "A communique from Basque Country in the time of Coronavirus." Commune, 2020.

Blog Post 9

    In the article “A Communique From Basque Country in the Time of Coronavirus” by Zabalegi et al. the author discusses how in Euskal Herria a discourse has been brought up about their concerns with their healthcare systems. They talk about how there is a need for a reevaluation and redistribution of care, but covid-19 finally made people realize how badly it was needed. I think this is related to narrative ethics and how sometimes we need to shape the story so that others can relate to it through their experiences. The author states, “One of the main demands of the feminist movement, in and beyond Euskal Herria, is the need to ‘put life at the center’” (Zabalegi et al., 2020). They are trying to create and spread a narrative of putting one's life first and how there is a need to shift the narrative that is currently being spread. 

For a different class, I am currently doing a project on domestic violence in the U.S. While I was researching I found a lot of information about how the systems that are in place are not very effective in helping the victims. There are many different systems that are set up to work against helping women and encouraging them to get help. For example, some don't have insurance, and others who do, when they go in are sometimes not listened to for what they really need or believe. Also considering the number of people affected by domestic violence there isn't nearly enough resources or funding to effectively help all of them.

“A Communique from Basque Country in the Time of Coronavirus.” Commune, 4 Apr. 2020,https://communemag.com/a-communique-from-basque-country-in-the-time-of-coronavirus/