From My Seat

1) “Hallmark Five: We Embrace The Gift Of Diversity.” In what way does Strayer’s textbook,  Ways of the World , reflect Hallmark 5 of the SND de Namur? There are a lot of ways to define diversity.  Some like to think of diversity only as it relates to race, ethnic background and/or religious beliefs.  I choose to think of is taking all of those one step further and simply saying that true diversity is diversity of thought.  The reason is that when one looks at race and ethnic background, it seems too limiting.  If we think about the State of California and even look at the San Francisco Bay Area, you have many people who are very different ethnically and racially but they share common beliefs and morals based on the area that they have lived their entire lives.   I think Strayer reflects and embraces the Hallmark of Diversity in a couple different ways.  One is that he perspective on history is as a Feminist.  As a Feminist, his...

How far have we truly come regarding racism? I guess it depends on if you are a glass half full or glass half empty type of person. In chapter eighteen, we learned about how European people attempted to explain the difference races. We learned about the prism that they looked through, which today are racist views, at least in some parts of our society.  It is interesting that Europeans began to use modern advances in science and achievement to define whether or not a certain people were inferior and/or not as developed.  The author describes how the Chinese were reduced to be known as “John Chinaman” and were considered “weak, cunning, obstinately conservative and, in large numbers, a distinct threat, represented by the “yellow peril”.  In addition, African societies lead by powerful Kings were described in terms of their “primitive qualities”.  Finally, the quote from the European settler in Australia talking about the Aborigine people, “The question comes to this...

In Chapter Eight we learned a tremendous amount about China.  We even had a debate in class regarding whether or not the “Golden Age” of China was as significant as the Renaissance in Europe. Clearly, I lost that argument during the debate because I truly saw that what they achieved during that period of time changed their position in the world forever.  Starting from 589-618 during the Sui Dynasty, the Chinese reunited as a people and that hasn’t changed significantly for eternity. According to the text, the unity was enabled “by a vast extension of the country’s canal system.” These canals brought communities in the north and the south together economically. It wasn’t just the accomplishments economically, we learned about the changes to the school and exam system and that for the very first time in history books were printed.  Even this advancement is significant for Chinese society in ways that we don’t talk about.  These advancements in education and examinati...

So in chapter five and six we learn about Slavery in throughout history.  We learn what slavery is.  Essentially that is means that a person is owned by someone else, who may be referred to as their master.  This person can be bought, sold, used as property and discarded if the master decides.  We know that throughout the ages slavery has been present in societies.  In the text, the author tells us that around 1750 B.C.E. it was already a long established practice in Mesopotamia.  He goes on to assert that slavery was also alive and well in all other civilizations.  In the Americas, Africa and Eurasia the people practices some form of slavery. Obviously there have been many types of slavery.  Some forms where the social status of being a slave was passed down from generation to generation like in early America.  A slave gave birth to a slave. There have been other societies, like in Aztec society, where the children of slaves were born as f...

When I finally went back and read Chapters One and Two the thing that stood out to me the most was the thought-provoking questions that the author asked.  Primarily, “does it make sense to ignore the first 200,000 years or more of the human experience?”  I say no. In the text, the author talks about what researchers have found through fossils, stones, rock paintings, etc.  We are able to ascertain that these early paleolithic peoples made deliberate decisions regarding the “creation of the earliest human societies, the beginnings of reflection on the great questions of life and death”.  The author then points out that, from his perspective, “the breakthrough to agriculture arguably represents the single most profound transformation of human life in all of history”.  Is that true?  I’m not sure.  Clearly, these breakthroughs in harnessing the power and necessity of water and growing and cultivating food is the basis for the ability for men and wome...