1. First, watch the video lecture for this week
2. Next, read the required readings for this week.
1. Gajjala, Radhika. Cyberculture and the Subaltern (Intro and Chapter 4.)
2. Gajjala, Radhika. South Asian Technoscapes.
3. Gajjala, Radhika. Cyberselves: feminist ethnographies of South Asian women.
4. Gajjala, Radhika. Prosumption
2. Gajjala, Radhika. South Asian Technoscapes.
3. Gajjala, Radhika. Cyberselves: feminist ethnographies of South Asian women.
4. Gajjala, Radhika. Prosumption
3. Third, contemplate these questions on your own or with some friends
1. In the article Queer Blogging, Radhika discusses the importance of blogging for self-identity and in order to seek out similar "others." Do you seek out people like yourself online for different aspects of your identity? Why or why not?
2. In the article on prosumption, Dr. Gajjala discusses the new way we consume things online. Specifically she has more recently written about prosumerism and digital micro-financing projects like Kiva, and Toms shoes. Think about the experience of buying shoes at typical shoe store and buying shoes for a company like Toms. What values as a consumer do you negotiate?
3. Explain the notion of the "subaltern" from Radhika's book Cyberculture and the Subaltern.
2. In the article on prosumption, Dr. Gajjala discusses the new way we consume things online. Specifically she has more recently written about prosumerism and digital micro-financing projects like Kiva, and Toms shoes. Think about the experience of buying shoes at typical shoe store and buying shoes for a company like Toms. What values as a consumer do you negotiate?
3. Explain the notion of the "subaltern" from Radhika's book Cyberculture and the Subaltern.
4. Then, check out these case studies and given the lecture and the required readings for the week, answer the questions below.
1. Create an online account with Kiva.org and review the website as if you were to lend $25 to a borrower of your choice from the Youth category. Why have you chosen that recipient, and how is the online platform’s marketing strategy choosing to represent that beneficiary? Note any obvious stereotypes or glaring omissions in the information you are given, as well as the number of female borrowers you have to choose from, and the types of requests coming from women versus those coming from men.
2. Review the borrowers available in the Underfunded Areas category. What are the majority of female borrowers asking for money for? What about the men? What does that tell you about the socio-economics and gender politics of underfunded communities?
3. One famous scholars of the subaltern is Antonio Gramsci, who believed that a “consented coersion” (“Antonio Gramsci”, n.d.) of the lower classes resulted in cultural hegemony, thus creating a repression of the subaltern. Research his ideas and determine whether or not you agree with him, and why.
2. Review the borrowers available in the Underfunded Areas category. What are the majority of female borrowers asking for money for? What about the men? What does that tell you about the socio-economics and gender politics of underfunded communities?
3. One famous scholars of the subaltern is Antonio Gramsci, who believed that a “consented coersion” (“Antonio Gramsci”, n.d.) of the lower classes resulted in cultural hegemony, thus creating a repression of the subaltern. Research his ideas and determine whether or not you agree with him, and why.