This thesis aims to investigate the prosthetic memories generated by the movie ''The Birth of a Nation'' made in 1915 by D.W. Griffith. The theory of prosthetic memory, conceived by Allison...Show moreThis thesis aims to investigate the prosthetic memories generated by the movie ''The Birth of a Nation'' made in 1915 by D.W. Griffith. The theory of prosthetic memory, conceived by Allison Landsberg, claims that the advent of mass culture has given rise to a new type of collective memory that can reach a broader audience than has been possible thus far. As such, it can potentially be politically progressive by enhancing mutual understanding between different groups. A close reading will be executed and subsequently considered in two sociopolitical contexts: that of 1915 when the film was issued, and the present. This is done because the sociopolitical values between these two eras with regard to race-based discrimination are significantly different, which in turn impacts the nature of the prosthetic memories generated. The thesis statement is, in that light, that the sociopolitical context in which a prosthetic memory is generated determines whether the memory is politically progressive or regressive. Landsberg has argued that prosthetic memories can be politically progressive but neither she has pointed at the importance of the sociopolitical context to this, nor has any other scholar. As such, the argument made in this thesis could potentially supplement Landsberg's theory.Show less
Native American logos, mascots, and slang names in sport contribute negatively to the traumatic memory of Native Americans. The stereotypical nature of these logos force the Native American...Show moreNative American logos, mascots, and slang names in sport contribute negatively to the traumatic memory of Native Americans. The stereotypical nature of these logos force the Native American community not only to adhere to a western view of Native Americans, but it also undermines Native Americans to actively retell their own story and therefore change this western view. This thesis contributes to the academic discussion by showing the case of the NFL-team The Washington Redskins. By analysing the logo and name of The Washington Redskins, this thesis shows how this team contributes negatively to the traumatic memory of Native Americans. As a conclusion, this thesis argues that, first of all, the stereotypical logo and name of The Washington Redskins change the narrative memory of Native Americans. Second of all, the commodification of the logo and name together with Barthes concept of myth keep the Native American community from telling their own narrative. To give the Native American community the chance to heal their traumatic memory, Native American logos, mascots, and slang names should therefore be excluded from not only sport, but from all media that includes these stereotypes.Show less
The agon is the democratic political arena in which all social groups are meant to participate in. Historically, however, certain social groups have been systematically denied this access to the...Show moreThe agon is the democratic political arena in which all social groups are meant to participate in. Historically, however, certain social groups have been systematically denied this access to the agon. Using Chantal Mouffe's theory of agonism and antaongism I will explore a new term, anti-agonism, to demonstrate how certain groups violently deny other groups this access. The two key periods involved are political protests surrounding Selma (1965) as well as key protests surrounding Ferguson (2014). Anti-agonism is always based on the othering and dehumanization of others, in this case it is othering of African Americans by White Americans, specifically police and state officials. This framing of African Americans as the Other allows for anti-agonism to thrive. This paper aims to reframe the conflict, illustrating that the problem is not whether disenfranchised social groups attempt to access the agon peacefully or through violence, but the response to that is problematic. While disenfranchised groups are othered, it remains difficult for them to partake in the political arena.Show less
Although assuming specific ethnic groups are essentially alike is often inaccurate, modern-day academia still does not consider the distinctiveness of Asian Americans. As this generalization...Show moreAlthough assuming specific ethnic groups are essentially alike is often inaccurate, modern-day academia still does not consider the distinctiveness of Asian Americans. As this generalization extends to the cultural identities and war trauma of Asian Americans, this thesis asks "How the war trauma of Japanese Americans on one hand and Korean Americans on the other was formulated and addressed differently in the U.S.?" This research question intends to challenge academia's assumption of homogeneity among ethnic groups by discovering differences within the same ethnic group to exemplify the inaccuracies inherent in homogenization. This thesis explores the war trauma of Korean Americans and Japanese Americans through three steps: finding the origin of each group’s trauma by looking at each groups' historical backgrounds, researching the concept of ‘political silence’ to understand how each group’s trauma was prevented from healing differently, and investigating how each group’s trauma and silence were overcome by examining each group's generation of ‘prosthetic memory’ by analyzing pertinent exhibitions. Results indicated that despite their external similarities, each group’s trauma is differentiated by various characteristics. In exploring each group's uniquenesses, this thesis will suggest and help develop a more constructive research.Show less
Commonly, Jewish Broadway plays are described in superficial readings as kitsch. However, this thesis claims that the theatre had a crucial role for the Jewish community between 1880 and 1930. By...Show moreCommonly, Jewish Broadway plays are described in superficial readings as kitsch. However, this thesis claims that the theatre had a crucial role for the Jewish community between 1880 and 1930. By engaging in the academic debate of memory studies, this thesis argues that memory had three main functions in Jewish Broadway plays: (1) the healing of traumatic memory through the interaction in performance,(2) the creation of a community bond and identity as well as (3) the facilitation of transcultural and intergenerational understanding. Therefore, this thesis illustrates how an artistic environment can facilitate the integration process of immigrants by connecting the old with the new homeland.Show less
The War on Drugs has largely been declared a policy failure, and the attack on the supply-side has been subject to scholarly debate (see Bagley, Bertram, Nadelmann, Tokatlian, Johns etc.). This is...Show moreThe War on Drugs has largely been declared a policy failure, and the attack on the supply-side has been subject to scholarly debate (see Bagley, Bertram, Nadelmann, Tokatlian, Johns etc.). This is in contrast to the somewhat glorified war narrative of ‘good versus bad’ that Narcos imposes on the events that occurred in early 1980s Colombia. The show’s perpetuation of the War on Drugs supply-side logic, the juxtaposition of narcotrafficantes with communism, and the demonization of the narcos all serve to justify the suspension of morality in the war against the narcos.Show less
