Monday, May 17, 2010

Final Draft Slumdog Millionaire

An Examination of Slumdog Millionaire and Globalization
Globalization is defined as “the integration of economic, cultural, political, and social systems across geographical boundaries.” Globalization is the enhanced interconnectedness of cultures and societies that can be contributed to the expansion of technology and the enhancing means of communication and trade. Complete globalization would mean that no country is isolated, but rather Western and Eastern societies would be weaved together. Fernando Coronil, author of “Towards a Critique of Global Centrism—Speculations on Capitalism’s Nature” examines globalization’s potential positive and negative outcomes. Although we know that globalization will affect the lives of individuals, the ultimate debate is whether or not globalization will enhance the lives of individuals and their countries.
Coronil explains an optimistic outlook on globalization by stating that “globalization offers the promise of a unified humanity no longer divided by East and West, North and South, Europe and its Others, the rich and the poor. As if they were underwritten by the desire to erase the scars of a conflictual past or to bring it to a harmonious end, these discourses set in motion the belief that the separate histories, geographies, and cultures that have divided humanity are now being brought together by the warm embrace of the globalization” (Coronil 352). This idea of bringing humanity together, coming to a reconciliation of a “conflictual past” can have both its positive and negative outcomes. For individuals that are struggling, in countries such as India, having the finances to support the Western ideals of education, for example, would have a positive outcome, and lead to opportunities that would enhance the lives of less fortunate people.
Globalization and its positive and negative outcomes can be examined by applying scenes from the movie, “Slumdog Millionaire,” directed by Danny Boyle. “Slumdog Millionaire” won the Best Picture Academy Award for the portrayal of life in the slums of India. For example, two young brothers, Jamal and Salim, live in the rural slums of India, and encounter obstacles in their everyday life, that most Western individuals would never encounter. Both children, Jamil and Salim are uneducated, and due to the need to survive, they must work in order to gain money. One of their jobs included working in a restaurant as servers and dishwashers. Child labor laws in India do not protect children in accordance with the child labor laws of the United States.
According to a Congressional Record, Dan Burton, explains that “Children under the age of 14 are forced to work in glass-blowing, fireworks, and most commonly, carpet-making factories. While the Government of India reports about 20 million children laborers, other non-governmental organizations estimate the number to be closer to 50 million. Most prevalent in the northern part of India, the exploitation of child labor has become an accepted practice, and is viewed by the local population as necessary to overcome the extreme poverty in the region” (The Exploitation of Child labor in India). While laws in India now prohibit the labor of children under fourteen years old, the laws do “nothing to protect children who perform domestic or unreported labor, which is very common in India. In almost all Indian industries girls are unrecognized laborers because they are seen as helpers and not workers” (Child Labor India). The lack of protection for women against child labor is evident in “Slumdog Millionaire” when Latika was forced to work as an exotic dancer who performed for men. Globalization, if applied to the devastating treatment of children in India’s workplaces, would give children rights that do not have in India, by integrating Westernized laws and prohibiting the exploitation of children. Furthermore, families would have more opportunities as well for work, therefore not relying on their children to work. Children then could receive an education and create goals that will fulfill their aspirations.
Simon Gikandi’s article, “Globalization and the Claims of Postcoloniality” addresses an issue of globalization that can be viewed in both a positive and negative perspective. Gikandi states that, “there no longer seems to be a clear relationship between cultural practices and localities” (638) meaning that cultural practices are no longer specific to the location of the individuals. Cultural values, traditions, and religious beliefs are all affected by globalization as novel ways of living are introduced to other individuals. In globalization, societies are being meshed together, perhaps leading to the loss of tradition. For example, if applying the movie “Slumdog Millionaire” to Gikandi’s statement that the lines between culture and location are diminished, if Jamil and Salim were introduced to Western traditions, they may be intrigued, and choose to live more Westernized. The transition from following one cultural tradition to another can have a positive effect if the traditions the individual followed prior were dangerous and life threatening, such as female genital mutilation, which is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as ‘all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons’” (Forward: Safeguarding Rights and Dignity). The article explains that women are subjected to Female Genital Mutilation, also known as FGM, “in parts of the Middle East, i.e. in Yemen, Oman, Iraqi Kurdistan, amongst some Bedouin women in Israel” (Forward: Safeguarding Rights and Dignity). Women that would have carried on this tradition with their daughters may otherwise decide to not carry on the tradition of female genital mutilation if they are educated on its harmful effects to the body, as well as exposed to other cultural traditions and lifestyles.


http://pangaea.org/street_children/asia/carpet.htm

http://www.scribd.com/doc/20261308/Coronil-Towards-a-Critique-of-Global-Centrism-Speculations-on-Capitalism-s-Nature
http://www.indianchild.com/child_labor_india.htm
http://www.forwarduk.org.uk/key-issues/fgm

http://www.indianchild.com/child_labor_india.htm

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Created By Rosie
ROLES
Jen- Intro and relate back Buckingham
Nadia- storyboard and still images
Rosie- making images into a imovie slideshow
Cyndi- How to add audio to the movie

12th graders
Text: Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven"

Objective: When asked to create a imovie for "The Raven" that exhibits thorough understanding of plot, students will be able to create a storyboard, upload images, edit images, and add sound to accomplish the task.

LESSON:

1. Journal: What are some forms of media that your teachers use in the classroom? How do they further your understanding of text and/or learning? What are some forms of informative or communication media you use?

2. Show "Shift Happens" Video on Youtube.com to spark student interest in different forms of media.

3. Work in groups to brainstorm a storyboard for the main plot "The Raven." Nadia

4. Teacher shows students how to locate images . Nadia

5. Now that you have all your pictures ready and know what sequence they go in, all we have to do is upload them into imovie!

6. Open imovie. Then go to file import. Choose the pictures you want to import. If you want to upload it from a flash drive, you can open that folder and then just drag and drop it into your clips. Then drag down the picture you want first down into the timeline at the bottom of the screen. You can change the amount of time on a picture by adjusting the timeline. Drag down more pictures until your movie is complete. You can also change the affect on each picture to manipulate how the picture comes into the screen.

7. Play youtube…"How to use apple iMovie: Importing Photos in iMovie" to help provide students with a visual representation of instructions.

8. Teach students how to add audio. Cyndi

9. Show students finished product examples

THE RAVEN EDGAR ALLAN POE by nesil
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcbWkMvMHrU&feature=fvw

The Raven - adfurlokid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hC7kFI0Bou8&feature=related

10. Tie the lesson back in with Buckingham. Jen

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Rough Draft: Slumdog Millionaire and Globalization





An Examination of Slumdog Millionaire and Globalization
Globalization is defined as “the integration of economic, cultural, political, and social systems across geographical boundaries.” Globalization is the enhanced interconnectedness of cultures and societies that can be contributed to the expansion of technology and the enhancing means of communication and trade. Complete globalization would mean that no country is isolated, but rather Western and Eastern societies would be weaved together. Fernando Coronil, author of “Towards a Critique of Global Centrism—Speculations on Capitalism’s Nature” examines globalization’s potential positive and negative outcomes. Although we know that globalization will affect the lives of individuals, the ultimate debate is whether or not globalization will enhance the lives of individuals and their countries.
Coronil explains an optimistic outlook on globalization by stating that “globalization offers the promise of a unified humanity no longer divided by East and West, North and South, Europe and its Others, the rich and the poor. As if they were underwritten by the desire to erase the scars of a conflictual past or to bring it to a harmonious end, these discourses set in motion the belief that the separate histories, geographies, and cultures that have divided humanity are now being brought together by the warm embrace of the globalization” (Coronil 352). This idea of bringing humanity together, coming to a reconciliation of a “conflictual past” can have both its positive and negative outcomes. For individuals that are struggling, in countries such as India, having the finances to support the Western ideals of education, for example, would have a positive outcome, and lead to opportunities that would enhance the lives of less fortunate people.
Globalization and its positive and negative outcomes can be examined by applying scenes from the movie, “Slumdog Millionaire,” directed by Danny Boyle. “Slumdog Millionaire” won the Best Picture Academy Award for the portrayal of life in the slums of India. For example, two young brothers, Jamal and Salim, live in the rural slums of India, and encounter obstacles in their everyday life, that most Western individuals would never encounter. Both children, Jamil and Salim are uneducated, and due to the need to survive, they must work in order to gain money. One of their jobs included working in a restaurant as servers and dishwashers. Child labor laws in India do not protect children in accordance with the child labor laws of the United States.
According to a Congressional Record, Dan Burton, explains that “Children under the age of 14 are forced to work in glass-blowing, fireworks, and most commonly, carpet-making factories. While the Government of India reports about 20 million children laborers, other non-governmental organizations estimate the number to be closer to 50 million. Most prevalent in the northern part of India, the exploitation of child labor has become an accepted practice, and is viewed by the local population as necessary to overcome the extreme poverty in the region” (The Exploitation of Child labor in India). While laws in India now prohibit the labor of children under fourteen years old, the laws do “nothing to protect children who perform domestic or unreported labor, which is very common in India. In almost all Indian industries girls are unrecognized laborers because they are seen as helpers and not workers” (Child Labor India). The lack of protection for women against child labor is evident in “Slumdog Millionaire” when Latika was forced to work as an exotic dancer who performed for men. Globalization, if applied to the devastating treatment of children in India’s workplaces, would give children rights that do not have in India, by integrating Westernized laws and prohibiting the exploitation of children. Furthermore, families would have more opportunities as well for work, therefore not relying on their children to work. Children then could receive an education and create goals that will fulfill their aspirations.
Simon Gikandi’s article, “Globalization and the Claims of Postcoloniality” addresses an issue of globalization that can be viewed in both a positive and negative perspective. Gikandi states that, “there no longer seems to be a clear relationship between cultural practices and localities” (638) meaning that cultural practices are no longer specific to the location of the individuals. Cultural values, traditions, and religious beliefs are all affected by globalization as novel ways of living are introduced to other individuals. In globalization, societies are being meshed together, perhaps leading to the loss of tradition. For example, if applying the movie “Slumdog Millionaire” to Gikandi’s statement that the lines between culture and location are diminished, if Jamil and Salim were introduced to Western traditions, they may be intrigued, and choose to live more Westernized. The transition from following one cultural tradition to another can have a positive effect if the traditions the individual followed prior were dangerous and life threatening, such as female genital mutilation, which is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as ‘all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons’” (Forward: Safeguarding Rights and Dignity). The article explains that women are subjected to Female Genital Mutilation, also known as FGM, “in parts of the Middle East, i.e. in Yemen, Oman, Iraqi Kurdistan, amongst some Bedouin women in Israel” (Forward: Safeguarding Rights and Dignity). Women that would have carried on this tradition with their daughters may otherwise decide to not carry on the tradition of female genital mutilation if they are educated on its harmful effects to the body, as well as exposed to other cultural traditions and lifestyles.