pooja ghosh
10 Sep 2017, 01:21 PM
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Chapters 1 › Journal Assignment for Chapter 1: Do you feel like part of the 'Us' or the 'Them'? View instructions Hide instructions

Do you feel like part of the 'Us' or the 'Them'?

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Tell us: Where do you fall on the ‘Us’ and ‘Them’ spectrum?

In this chapter, you've seen many examples of how diversity is understood and contested in Germany and Canada. We imagine you may want to comment on what you've heard and maybe even share your personal experiences. The 'Us' & 'Them' course community would love to hear from you:

Here are some guiding questions to draw from:

  • How is diversity perceived in your country?
  • How are the communities you identify with (race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, disability, sex, gender...) represented in media and public life?
  • What examples can you mention or find that indicate your inclusion or exclusion from mainstream society?
  • What experiences have you had where others perceived you in a certain way based on how you look or where you come from? Were these correct or incorrect?
  • Does your country recognize itself as a country of immigration and in which ways? Do you see your country as a country of immigration?

Now what?
Click 'Start in Journal', and fill out the entry. How you do this is up to you: You can use just words, or add pictures or links to articles or videos to highlight your point!

Is this journal assignment required?
No! Nothing in our course is 'required', and there are no grades, but we encourage you to reflect on these topics and share if you feel comfortable, so that others in the course can benefit from your experiences.

Hovering between the words

1

Diversity in India is an age old concept. Being invaded several times over centuries, the very genes we possess speak of diversity. The representation of Indians in media vary from being the country ruled by Maharajas to that having highest child mortality. From raising engineers who are CEOs of top IT companies in the Big Apple to yogis who harness their life force to purify the energy in the cosmos. The tale of diversity has no beginning and end, though Butter chicken, Bollywood and Cricket are often used to sum up the nation. I despise Bollywood and Cricket and openly reject the role of religion and stringent societal structure in India (arrange marriages, joint families, single mom taboo, unabashed sexism, Casteism and so on). Indian festivals don't excite me either nor does Indian food or television. I am open to these but not crazy about them, especially if they do not represent a strong idea or quality. Having lived outside, I have had great experiences as well as shoddy ones. Yes, I have been racially abused as a tourist, at parties and at my workplace... the latter coming from a person of colour. Race is a living breathing thing, as we all know. I shall not forget the many times people have connected my simple acts of Kindness to be an Indian trait. I suppose it is a mix. India prides itself more as a country that gives 'refuge' than one of immigration. We do have political refugees (Iran, Afganistan, Bangladesh, Nepal etc) and a lot of illegal migrants. I am not sure of our stance on this topic or how many refugees we have, most of it is not on pen and paper.

Comments

Sophia Burton (instructor_assistant)
over 6 years ago

"Race is a living breathing thing". Well put. Thanks for bringing in your personal story and sharing some information about the India example. I'd also be interested to learn more about how such a huge and diverse country such as India handles its refugees and migrants.

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