On the subject of constructing Latin American immigrants as inherently “illegal,” there was a great clip from a 2010 Colbert Report show http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/361456/october-07-2010/indecision-2010—revenge-of-the-fallen—fearstock-com [Video no… Read More »2010 Colbert Report on creating fear through images
This December 2011 Media Matters article reports on controversy over use of the word “illegals” by former New York Times executive editor Bill Keller. The… Read More »NY Times Drops “Illegals,” As Fox Continues To Cling To Slur
This article reports on the Associated Press controversy regarding term “illegal immigrant” in news reporting. AP deputy standards editor David Minthorn is quoted as saying, “Alternatives like undocumented worker,… Read More »The Associated Press Updates Its Stylebook, Still Clings to I-Word
This anti-illegal alien site contains rants about illegal aliens and compares them to thieves, invaders, etc: http://www.illegalaliens.us/ Some of the more interesting links on the site… Read More »Anti-illegal alien website
In the fist 50 seconds of this video, Glenn Beck argues that illegal aliens are just like illegal drugs. If you would like to read… Read More »Glenn Beck on illegal immigration
Elections for AAA, Society for Linguistic Anthropology, and other sections are open from 15 April until 31 May, 2012. Log in at www.aaanet.org with your username and password and click “Vote Now”.
The candidates for AAA and SLA positions, as listed in Anthropology News
“You have lots of ‘splaining to do”… Senator Tom Corburn (R-Oklahoma) interrupted Supreme Court candidate Sonia Sotomayor’s explanation about gun laws with this phrase, which echoes… Read More »Sotomayor “You have lots of splainin to do”
From Taco- to Chimichanga-Gate * “Insensitive Remarks Know No Party” by Kathleen McKinley,Houston Chronicle (February 18, 2012) http://blog.chron.com/texassparkle/2012/02/insensitive-remarks-knows-no-party/ * “The chimichanga wars” By Dana Milbank,Washington… Read More »Politicians’ remarks about Hispanic voters and chimichangas
This episode of Glee is all about negotiating the Spanish language in an English-dominant US high school. There are some great examples of indexicality and lines… Read More »Glee “The Spanish Teacher” episode
In this clip from the 2012 Golden Globes, the TV series Modern Family is presented with an award, and the legitimacy of Spanish and intelligibility… Read More »Spanish at the Golden Globes
Newt Gingrich argues against bilingual education because English is “the language of prosperity, not the language of living in a ghetto.” Here is his “apology”… Read More »Gingrich and the language of prosperity
There was an attack against Romney linking his ability to speak French to all kinds of negative character traits. This video provides more context. Pair… Read More »Attack against Romney for speaking French
Here are a few materials that work for introductory lectures. “Life In A Day” is a historic film capturing for future generations what it was… Read More »Introductory materials for linguistic anthro
The Star Trek clip “Darmok” available on YouTube complements teaching Basso’s ethnography “Wisdom Sits in Places.”
This report aired on Public Radio International in December 2011 discusses the decision to recognize the word “Gypsy” as pejorative and replace it with “Roma”… Read More »Renaming Gypsies in Romania
Recent news events highlight relationships between fact and story telling. Ethan Zuckerman’s recent ruminations on activism and journalism provide a summary and synthesis of one set of ideas, and a piece Michael Wilson contributed to the New York Times’ City Room at about the same time provides another.
“My Mom’s Name is Jean?”: Discussion of deixis- Suriya’s Aircel Ads (first two only): silly lead-in to deixis-
“Why do I need subtitles”: Politics of translation- This comic sketch comments on how people judge linguistic comprehensibility based on the appearance of the person speaking.
Kumail Nanjiani – “Racists”: Discussion of markedness-