As a comment, write one paragraph about what you are interested in working on for this class + your name + contact info
Morgan Feld
1/14/2012 06:43:30 am
I am interested in doing my feature on the accessibility of healthy food and food education for economically disadvantaged people. As someone passionate about nutrition, it frustrates me to hear people say that they can only afford the dollar menu at Taco Bell, when they could purchase a pound of dry rice and a pound of dry beans for $2. To investigate this, I would interview the local WIC coordinator and a YMCA health educator. I would be interested in hearing what programs they have to deal with these issues. I am also open to new ideas and direction if anyone is interested in coordinating.
Dr. Ross
1/15/2012 07:32:14 am
Great idea. There is a lot of research about why people make their food choices. Some of it is rooted in culture; others in the perception that we are too busy. Michael Pollan, a UC Berkeley professor, and Mark Bittman, a New York Times journalist, has written about cooking healthy food quickly and relatively inexpensively. You would also want to interview some regular folks about this, not just the experts. Even in Santa Barbara, many of us make poor food choices, although healthy food abounds. Why? We know what we should do--why don't we do it?
Cissy Ross
1/16/2012 06:06:03 am
I noticed that one of the photo students, Deborah Choi, is also interested in this topic. See her comments on this blog under that class heading. I see a collaboration forming!
richard ross
1/16/2012 10:56:20 am
What about food available through charities or the food bank. There is a food bank on campus for undergrads and grads. What are those cans and what do they represent in terms of fat, salt, protein, carbs?
Kiran Dhillon
1/14/2012 07:26:01 am
In the simplest terms justice is the good guys winning and the bad guys losing. But the definition of who is “good” and who is “bad” can vary drastically from person to person. I am interested in justice in terms of terrorism. How is it that al-Qaeda, ETA, the IRA, the KKK, etc., can all believe that their killings and acts of violence are justified? The idea is rough and could extend to individual hate crimes as well. I think my desired effect would be to pinpoint similarities in all types of terrorism to show people that all hate is crippling to a functional society. Your own hate or prejudices are not an exemption.
Dr. Ross
1/15/2012 07:23:45 am
Intriguing ideas. You need to start thinking about who you might interview for an article about terrorism or how you might make contact with kids in detention centers. David Incencio, the first of the Wednesday speakers, runs The Beat Within, which runs writing workshops for kids in detention centers. Check out the materials about him on the Justice collaboration website. He is looking for students who are willing to make a two-quarter commitment to run workshops at the Los Prietos Boys Camp. Is that something that interests you? Check out the website for The Beat Within; also The Beat Within training manual is posted under "Resources" on this webpage, under "texts."
Kristina parido
1/22/2012 12:15:32 pm
Kiran i want to write about kids in juvenile centers also let me know if you still are doing that idea
Minami Coirin
1/15/2012 12:31:04 pm
I would like to study the injustice of mixed racial ethnicities, specifically Asian Americans. Although I'm not an Asian American studies major, the topic of how mixed racial people "fit" or are forced to assimilate into our culture has always been interesting to me. I know that there is a Mixed Student Union on our campus that would be interesting to interview. Also, artist Kip Fulbeck has done a project on Asian-Americans titled that "Hapa Project", publishing a book of his documented photo and profiles of over 1200 volunteers. Each photo is published with the volunteers answer to the simple question, "What are you"?. As a question that is often ask of Asian Americans, I think the justice of being accepted as multi-racial will be interesting to research throughout the quarter.
Minami Coirin
1/15/2012 12:54:23 pm
Not exactly following Asian Americans, but this is an interesting piece that follows the injustice of Census and categorizing race and ethnicity. http://video.nytimes.com/video/2012/01/13/us/100000001285066/being-garifuna.html?ref=us
Dr. Ross
1/16/2012 04:14:13 am
Excellent possibility for collaborating with one of the photo students, I would imagine. Be sure to read their ideas and even reach out to someone who might have a similar interest. Thanks for including the video URL.
richard ross
1/16/2012 11:02:12 am
Kip is on sabbatical this 1/4 but it is a good project.Kip has mined this deeply and visually. How do you do research on work that has been extensively explored. How do you add you own twist and interest to it?
Sean Ison
1/20/2012 07:33:37 am
Hey Minami, i'm in the Art 120 class and we were asked to conduct some interviews of students in other classes to get a better feel for what everyone is working on. Your idea for working with Asian Americans is very interesting and since i am half japanese half white i was considering doing something similar for my research. i was wondering if we could possibly meet briefly tomorrow or sunday to discuss your work. just let me know, thanks.
Kalie Wertz
1/16/2012 04:29:23 am
For my feature, I am contemplating a variety of topics, but something that definitely catches my attention is the issue of racial justice. I am currently taking an interethnic relations class and it is very interesting, especially focused on the Mexican-American race. I am also interested in the topic of human sexuality, and would be intrigued into writing about it.
richard rosds
1/16/2012 11:07:05 am
I think either one can be great...but both topics seems very broad. Pick one, refine it. Rather than a broad statement..,You need specifics.
Kalie Wertz
1/17/2012 09:10:14 am
Actually, I just watched a documentary on Human Trafficking last night and I'd rather do my feature on that. I'll work on focusing it up.
Cissy Ross
1/19/2012 05:16:17 am
Great topic. Who can you interview?
Minh N Nguyen
1/16/2012 05:15:08 am
I am interested in working on a piece that revolves around professional working fashion. How these pieces start (the collared shirt, dress pants, blazer etc) and why it is the norm in today's career industry since people just take these things for granted and not really analyzing why we dress the way we do. Maybe some case studies on the transitioning process/period when people start to change out of their "normal" wardrobe and into the professional work attire. This intrigues me because I am currently in this process where each time I go shopping all i think about is work clothes because my time in school is almost up and I might be forced to go look for a job.
Minh
1/16/2012 05:26:49 am
If it's justice related then why there is some discrimination in the workforce based on what one wears. I know a few instances where my friends who are overly qualified were denied positions because of the way they dress. Maybe adding on race issues on top of that.
richard ross
1/16/2012 11:05:35 am
How does the uniform inform the social strata? The white coat and stethascope implies the top 1-2%, the Orange jump suit of the trash collector another annual income. How about looking at the nuances in between. Do Architects always wear a plaid shirt and a dark colored tie? A suit jacket for women? How about women in unexpected vocations wearing uniforms? Just thinking visually...whereas Dr. Ross may put you in a different direction.
Mackensie Minniear
1/16/2012 09:59:07 am
This quarter, I would like to study eating disorders and how they affect college students. There has been many studies about how media messages distort many women's perceptions of beauty, and how dangerous this effect is on females, but very few people are willing to talk about it as a serious issue. It is also striking how many people have misconceptions about eating disorders or other mental illnesses. Especially in college, people do not realize how pressing of an issue it is, or how many people it affects.
richard ross
1/16/2012 11:12:08 am
While the motivation is not to be dismissed, I have to warn you this is pretty overdone. Every generation of students, especially female look at this issue in a similar manner. When people speak of gangs, I was told the world of these kids is not global---it is East Side or West Side. I wonder if college students have the same vision? I don't want to disparage....I want to push you. How can you add something new to the conversation and the research?
Jill Agonias
1/16/2012 10:12:25 am
I am interested in working on a piece about the effects of YOGA and MEDITATION on prison inmates. Yoga and meditation has been scientifically proven to reduce stress, improve attention and mindfulness, and promote a general sense of health and psychological well being (University of Massachusetts Medical Center & UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center). It would be interesting to explore shifts in consciousness among inmates and how yoga and meditation has influenced their behavior and feelings toward themselves and others.
richard ross
1/16/2012 11:16:09 am
Good topic. MAYBE......if there is any facility in California that would allow you to enter? Could be good for interviews, research and writing --- and photographs. In it's own right it deals with justice.....I would ask do minimum security institutions offer more "karmic"solutions to time? Does maximum security offer Yoga? Is there a prejudice there in race of populations, crimes committed? You might get some photo students to do yoga poses to compliment rather than illustrate your research. If you need someone doing dead corpse position....That's the ONE Yoga pose I do well.
Jill Agonias
1/16/2012 03:56:24 pm
I will definitely look into nearby facilities that offer yoga and/or meditation programs. I am going up to San Francisco this weekend and am planning on contacting 4 yoga prison project directors in the area to schedule interviews and to see if there is any way I can visit the prisons they work in.
Jessica Oliveira
1/16/2012 01:58:32 pm
The topic I have been thinking about is based on the idea for green justice. Last week in one of my classes a speaker asked the class to sign a petition to ban plastic bags. The idea of this interested me very much. I am from Marin County in Northern California, where the ban recently was approved at certain stores. After looking a bit more into the topic, I have realized that this is an issue that is currently coming up around the country and even around the world. I remember when I last visited Portugal a few years ago, customers had to actually pay for each bag they used, eliminating people from using them. With the elimination to plastic bags, paper bags will increase, and yes they may be better in some ways to the environment, but they have horrible pollution effects. I think it would be cool if it were possible to ban both these bags altogether. Make everyone use reusable bags. If someone forgot theirs at home, then pay the extra $1 to buy a new one, and it will probably remind you the next time you return to the store. Yes, you may have to pay for the bag, but in reality your making a profit by using reusable bags, since many stores offer discounts for bringing in your own bags.
Cissy Ross
1/19/2012 04:49:54 am
The city of Santa Barbara voted AGAINST a ban on plastic bags because a majority of council members thought it would be too difficult for poor people who carry their groceries home more than people who drive to shopping centers. The city of Carpinteria, however, voted FOR a ban--or at least a minimal charge. Certainly a project could center on these differences of opinion right in our own back yards.
Abby
1/20/2012 01:44:30 am
Maybe you could look t what the co-op in IV does to lower non-reusable bag use. Whenever you bring your own bags, they put a coin in a box (i forget what this for) but its kind of like a rewards system. They also have a rack of reusable bag that are part of a bag exchange. If you've forgotten your bag, simply grab one off the rack (free).
Jessica Oliveira
1/22/2012 12:40:33 pm
Thanks so much for the information Abby. I had no idea the co-op did this. I am looking forward to going there and learning more about this.
Tessa Tapscott
1/16/2012 02:29:26 pm
Justice is something every living thing on the planet deserves, even those who do not have the voice to fight for it themselves. For this reason I have chosen to focus on animal rights, specifically the way in which race horses are cruelly and inhumanely treated at tracks. Many people have become so obsessed with building horses to win that they forget they are not machines, but living creatures that cannot bend to every human whim. Not only does the breeding and inbreeding of the thoroughbreds create weaker horses with shorter life spans, but the way many of the animals are treated in the barns is just plain sickening. As a horse owner I am particularly interested in the subject, however I would very much like to be more informed in order to promote change in the system. I would hope to speak to employees and even travel to some race tracks to see how the race horses are treated and why. Also I plan on interviewing some of the various groups that rescue the abused horses, I would be interested in hearing their stories and if there has been improvement. Justice for all creatures is something I strongly believe in and I hope my feature could educate people and maybe even help create some changes in the way race horses are treated.
Cissy Ross
1/19/2012 04:53:24 am
Fantastic angle on animal rights. Do you have access to owners of thoroughbreds to interview? There are many horse owners in Santa Barbara County, but I don't know how many thoroughbreds. In recent years, however, several cases involving mistreatment and neglect of horses have been brought to the attention of local authorities. Check with the ASPCA to find out if owners were actually prosecuted--if you decide to take your story in that direction.
Mariana Prestigiacomo
1/16/2012 02:55:26 pm
My interests lie in the homeless; it’s a tentative idea sparked by past community service hours spent in Casa Esperanza homeless shelter in Santa Barbara. I’m interested in where the homeless stand in terms of justice—do they deserve their condition? Where do they lie within the bad and good guy spectrum? There are a few organizations in Santa Barbara that I could reach to get more information on the conditions here, Casa Esperanza included, and I bet many are willing to be interviewed, including the Community Service consultant and mentors at Casa.
Cissy Ross
1/19/2012 04:58:45 am
Homelessness and justice. I'm not sure the question is: Do they deserve it? That's kind of a moral judgement perhaps. But with your connections at Casa Esperanza, you could do an authoritative exploration of how people end up there, and what help is available for people who can't get in. With government cutbacks, what services are and are not available. This is certainly a rich area to explore. Find out more. Invite a photographer to join you on the journey.
Mariana
1/21/2012 04:51:27 pm
I guess I was thinking more of whether homeless people deserve the way they are treated by non-homeless people, how they are ignored and sometimes feared. I'm more asking: do they deserve how they are being treated by other people?
Rafael Sanchez-Cruz
1/19/2012 05:00:06 am
I am interested in justice in relation to agriculture laborers, most specifically in the state of California. Our state depends greatly on these people to contribute to our economy and the demand for them is large as well, but because there are so many people (of the same or similar background) willing to do this job, they are easily "disposed" of. The amount of injustice in regards to wages, working conditions, health concerns, etc. creates a social class of disposable laborers that are willing to tolerate the unjust treatment as long as they can have a job. This goes as far as to create a culture of fear in which agriculture laborers are threatened with deportation, lay offs, and other forms of punishment. In the last couple of years the state of California has passed laws to help the working conditions after a pregnant undocumented immigrant from central america died from dehydration and heat exhaustion in the Central Valley. These laws include the provision of bathrooms, shaded areas, and water for agriculture laborers; but I have witnessed first hand how these laws are not kept up with.
Abby Whyte
1/19/2012 05:41:16 am
I would like to do a project on the pharmaceutical industry, specifically wrongful diagnosis or the suppression of natural alternatives (holistic medicine, herbalism, cannabis etc.). 10/7/2012 04:25:38 pm
Great blog ...Thanks for your great information, the contents are quiet interesting. I will be waiting for your next post. Leave a Reply. | This section is to help you find students in the other classes to collaborate with.
INSTRUCTIONS: - Find the blog post titled with your class. - As a comment, write a two-sentence description of your project + your name + contact info - Read comments from other classes to find students/projects you are interested in working with/on. CategoriesAll |
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