A City Worth Falling For

By Sayf Mohamed, Tunisia (SUSI scholar 2014)

I was very lucky to have participated in the Study of the US institute for media and journalism. Although time is passing away quickly, it has impressed me deeply as a opportunity of wonderful experiences with friendly and cooperative International and American colleagues making me feel at home. 

My visit and experience in the United States was a great asset to my education and scientific research as well as giving me a better understanding of the American culture and environment. Though I really miss my family and friends back home in Tunisia, I am really getting used to staying here in small Athens with my new best friends. The greatest thing about this program is that I got to learn about the US culture and Media along with the cultures and politics of 17 other countries thanks to my fellow SUSIs, and I am not talking about historical and general overviews that we can get on Wikipedia, this is first-hand experience. 

I am also staggered by the quality of the distinguished faculty members, I have been offered the possibility of continuing my PhD here at OU and I am seriously considering it, for I am sure Athens is study friendly place and the help and guidance that I can get would be beneficial.

I had the opportunity to lecture about my beloved Tunisia and its media system, to attend academic conferences, and to visit some of the most important Media corporations. Among which was CNN headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. Coming from a country where news feed is always on top of the hour; TV channels such as CNN are playing a major role in shaping the political environment in the Arab world. We had the honor of meeting Eli Flournoy, CNN senior director and discussing the different reporting techniques and practices.

Last week, we went to San Francisco where we stayed at the Embassy Hotel. The idea that I had about this city is that it is industrial, businesslike, cold and uni-colored, a blue collar environment. However, the culture of San Francisco is major and diverse in terms of arts, music, cuisine, festivals, museums, and architecture. San Francisco's diversity of cultures along with its eccentricities is so great that it can greatly influence anyone who visits this city. It is set along the water, with rolling hills and a unique mix of architecture. It contains some of the most notable landmarks, including the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. We only had two days, I had a few tours, as a way to familiarize myself with the city, and I discovered dazzling museums, cool neighborhoods, and, quite possibly, the best ice cream on earth. 

The first day we went to Pier 39 with sea lions, waterfront dining, street performers, live music, shopping. I had the best crabs in a nice restaurant by the pier, and then we had to climb up heading to Lombard Avenue which is best known for the one-way section in which the roadway has eight sharp turns that have earned the street the distinction of being "the crookedest street in the world." One of the best examples of multicultural San Francisco is The Chinatown, centered on Grant Avenue and Stockton Street is the oldest Chinatown in North America and the largest Chinese community outside Asia and is the oldest of the four notable Chinatowns in the city, it is an enclave that continues to retain its own customs, languages, places of worship, social clubs, and identity.

I became easily immersed in a microcosmic Asian world, filled with herbal shops, temples, pagoda roofs and dragon parades. The Mission District of San Francisco is one of the most distinct neighborhoods in the city. Its uniqueness comes from a complex history which has resulted in a rich, diverse culture. And guess what! I had a delicious dinner at an Afghani restaurant.

Although the Mission District has been known for its Hispanic and Latino population, it is quite culturally diverse, as it has been a “stop-over” for many immigrants. The Mission District is startling when you first get there: A mix of Latino culture, Hipster bars, artisan restaurants, and funky shops, a very alive place that is well worth exploring. I can say that I fell for Frisco, as opposed to some northern states; I didn’t feel as a tourist anymore.

As we are approaching the end of this program I can say that it is by far one of the most interesting experiences and I genuinely hope that our interaction and collaboration whether with fellow SUSIs or OU faculty would last and prosper, we’ve already talked about future opportunities where we can visit each other or collaborate on joint research or studies.

Reflection on Connection

Benjamin Clos
bc494010@ohio.edu

The best word I can think of to describe my learning experiences in Ghana is "wow".  I do not think that there would be a more effective way to learn about the connection between another culture and the United States than to go there and learn.

Cape Coast Castle, Ghana

While in Ghana, we went to a couple different forts where slaves were held. Being on the western side of Africa, we were in an area where many slaves were shipped off to the United States and European countries. Slavery is an industry that had been going on since the 1700s and did not end until the early 1900s. As our colleague Carol would learn more about her family that originated in Ghana, I also learned more about slave trade. She told me that her family had always thought that when white men would come in a pick Africans to take with them, they had thought that their family members were being taken away to find jobs. Little did they know that they were being taken as property and they would never see their families again. This happened for several generations and the families that stayed behind in Ghana and other African countries made the assumptions that their relatives that left moved on to bigger and better things. It was not until around the 1950s-60s that Africans learned what the slave industry was and where their relatives actually went. This was a strange thing to learn as an American. In the United States during the 50s and 60s was the time when our civil rights movement was in full swing. To think at that time when America is trying to move past slavery and segregation, Ghana and other parts of Africa are just learning about slavery.

Africa in a Knock-Out Punch

One of our lecturers was a Rabi whom was originally from the United States but has lived in Ghana for over 20 years. He explained to us that the best way to understand Africa's feelings about slavery and colonization is that "they just had a knock-out punch and are still trying to recover, understand and mourn the loss of ancestors that were taken from them." While it is not something that may be a daily struggle, it is a topic of conversation that is painful for some to talk about. 

Colonization 

When European countries went into Africa to gather land they caused a lot of division in this large continent that I believe is still affecting Africans today. When these countries were gathering land they were not looking at the people that lived in those areas. Gathering as much land and resources as possible was the goal for the Europeans. When they claimed the land that they wanted, the people living there had to follow their new parent countries. Ethnic tribes and families became divided because of the new colony boundaries. Because of these boundaries formed years ago, there are problems with politics today. Politicians are not trusted by a majority of citizens because of the differences in ethnic origin. Along with distrust there has been corruption in the government from people in power looking out for their personal benefit or people of the same origin. We did have a discussion about politics once on the trip and this quote really stuck with me, "Just because you are based off of a democracy doesn't mean it is being practiced."

Reflection

Playing Soccer with Emmanuel, 10.

I think the whole trip and facts that I learned throughout the trip made me realized how small this planet is and how connected every political, economical and personal choice that we make can have an affect on another. Even if they are thousands of miles away. Just today, the U.S. Embassy of Ghana tweeted how President Obama is seeking a new level of economic engagement between the U.S. and Africa. This is one planet and this is one unit of people. By having the understanding of other cultures, we become more knowledgeable on how to be respectful and live a life that is less infringing on another. 

About SUSI experience in Estonian

By Kaja Tampere, Estonia

I wrote little bit in my blogs in Estonian about SUSI 2011 experience:
Story about intercultural relations due SUSI program
AND
About small towns in America (reflections about SUSI cultural tour in the Black Diamond Towns).
The last one was also published in Eesti Päevaleht (Estonian Daily).
Sorry that I'm writing in Estonian and the only possibility to read my text is to study Estonian :) But I think, it is very important to promote our SUSI-idea in the different languages also. Only in that case it will be really international case.

Systemic Racism Ripples through Italian Society

By Eric Sandy

Edited by Yacong Yuan

Regions in southern Italy have long been host to numerousimmigrant workers. In recent months, however, international media outlets have highlighted the inherent racism in the area.

The problem is, in fact, quite multifaceted. Italy, known as a hotbed of immigration (and emigration) in Europe, is presently witnessing the byproduct of institutionalized racism. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi recently summed up his government's view, one that does not invite the political or economic diversity of an immigrant population.“The left wants a multiethnic society – we don't,” Berlusconi said of his center-right coalition government. Statements such as that, which are common in Italian politics, emphasize the deep social divide amongst politicians and their constituents. Ideas like immigrant reform are indeed hot topics in Italy, as more that 5 percent of the country's population is labeled legal immigrants. Countless immigrants work and live in Italy illegally. This notable proportion of the population (especially in rural areas) makes economic waves for the country, which is similar to other developed nations like the US and France. A closer look reveals much of the racism to have roots far below the surface, signaling a systemic problem in society.

That very issue of racism came to the forefront with a series of riots and attacks in January. In rural Calabria, a region in Southern Italy (think of it as the “toe” of Italy's boot shape), poor immigrants clashed with poor residents after tensions rose to extreme levels. During the three-day riots, nearly 50 people were injured (including police officers and immigrants workers alike). Italian journalist Jean-Léonard Touadi compared the scene to Alabama in the 1920s – an explosion of vitriol and xenophobia.

International news outlets, such as CNN and The New York Times' bureau in Rome, were quick to report the story, focusing on the surface-level racism that plagues much of Italy. As the story unfolded, things began to take a different shape.

Some Italian officials and journalists quietly pointed fingers at local crime syndicates in the area – namely, 'Ndrangheta, a notorious outfit based in Calabria. According to journalist Giulio D'Eramo, an Italian journalist presently based in England, that organization recently became “the richest and strongest criminal organization in Italy” - trumping Sicily's Cosa Nostra.

'Ndrangheta’s history goes back about 150 years. The group's mission tends to focus on draining the central power of the region or country. In that sense, the group co-opted the arrival of immigrants and nudged them into “subhuman conditions, without human rights,” according to Flavio Di Giacomo, the spokesman for the International Organization for Migration in Italy, who is quoted by Rachel Donadio in The New York Times.

Immigrant workers, seeking the only viable alternative to Berlusconi's anti-immigrant policies, often turn to such horrid situations for their livelihoods. Those very workers then produce much of the food that comes from the region – food that is often exported to other countries. Considering that, it is clear that criminal syndicates and similar groups are exploiting the racial tension of southern Italy for their own economic gain.

The South, which is an agricultural-based economic area, is seen as the breeding ground for racism, as well as its foil - antiracist activism. That phenomenon is worsened by the fact that southern Italy has some of the highest unemployment rates in Europe.

“As far as southern Italy is concerned, the worst aspect is that the south no longer believes in itself. They are resigned to things as they are,” Gian Antonio Stella said in an interview with Federica Zoja of ResetDoc. Stella is a writer for Corriere della Sera, an Italian daily based in Milan.

Getting into those southern regions is a complex matter for immigrants. Often, transportation across the Mediterranean will cost an individual upwards of $10,000. Once in the target European country (Spain also attracts many migrants), many will settle and integrate into the working economy. In Italy, this typically means evading the government's deportation policies and siding with the power of organized crime.

Such powers, like 'Ndrangheta for instance, wield a mighty sword over the silent populace. While racism is allegedly the culprit in times of distress, it seems that people are hesitant to cast blame at organized crime – a significant instigator of systemic problems like racism. Such realities shed light on the influence that non-governmental groups can harness over people.

With the local media warping the situation by focusing only on aspects of the sickness, rather than the whole of it, the problem atrophies. Though Italy has such a grand connection with immigration, those local newspapers and broadcast stations (many of which are somehow owned by Berlusconi) rarely touch the topic. When they do, it’s in the vein of nationalism or finger pointing.

The Holy See often speaks out against such silences and misdirection. Pope Benedict XVI said that “one can defend the legacy of a people, but one cannot live on an island separated from the rest of the world, especially today.” The fact that the world is becoming a sort of global village is something that Italians will have to contend with in terms of their politics, civil societies, economics and their relations in the European Union.

Photos courtesy of bbc,toonpool and dailymail

Coming Soon: Spanish Blockbusters

By Craig Reck

Edited by Yacong Yuan

The Oscars are over and the Academy has proven that bigger is not always better. The international epic Avatar won a few awards, but not nearly as many as the critically acclaimed film The Hurt Locker. Regardless of which one is better, they are both Hollywood blockbusters. But how can countries rich in culture like Spain compete with these powerhouse movies coming from the United States?

The Spanish movie business is not as glamorous as its U.S. counterpart. Filmmakers in Spain turn to the government for support. Spain’s Ministry of Culture provides the necessary funds to maintain a movie industry, because there are not many private investors. Some producers in the industry say the Spanish government should change its business model. Representing Atlantia Canarias based in the Canary Islands, Vicente Mora says, “We believe that Spain should adopt a new model of business in financing based on the private investment and develop equal lines of exposure.”

Until the model is changed, prospective movie producers need to appeal to the Ministry of Culture. If a movie idea does not promote the culture of Spain, the government will not support it. This results in mostly independent films about real life situations, which can frustrate those producers who want to make sci-fi and fantasy pictures. Paulino Cuevas of Euromedia in Málaga says he understands the reasoning, but “you go to cinema to have an experience, you don't want to go see a movie for instance, where a guy looses his job in Andalusia.”

Movie tickets in Spain cost between 8 and 14 Euros, which is the equivalent of paying $11 - $19 in the United States. Spanish moviegoers now have to decide between the Spanish cultural film and the U.S. import. The decision might seem obvious, but Alejandro Loeza, a graduate student in Pamplona, says he “likes Spanish movies better, but they can’t compete visually with U.S. movies.”

Movie producer Paulino Cuevas is working to change that. He wants Spanish cinema to reach the same level as that of the United States, but Cuevas is convinced that the U.S. invented the movie industry. He says classics like Star Wars with the hero in white and the villain in black are now fundamental to the storytelling process of filmmaking. “I like to copy you guys, because you’re so good – silent movies, D.W. Griffith, everything. It’s a timeless business. I’m 41, but I’m still learning,” Cuevas says.

In hopes of shaking the Spanish system, Cuevas and his production company Euromedia made four movie trailers similar to what you might expect from a Hollywood production company. Among the trailers, Arkham Asylum looked at the darker side of Batman, Captain Harlock focused on a space pirate from a popular manga series, and Bad Boy brought to life another character from Frank Miller, who is the same author of popular graphic novels turned movies Sin City and 300. The fourth trailer adapted the popular comic book Sláine, which is based on Celtic myth. Cuevas later met with the comic book publishers, who appreciated his work despite a surge for comic book adaptations in Hollywood. “They appreciated the movie staying true to the story,” he says.

Cuevas premiered Sláine along with the other three trailers at the Málaga Film Festival and astounded the audience. Unable to attend later film festivals to market his work, Cuevas uploaded the trailers to Youtube. Word traveled fast and Euromedia soon had collaboration offers from Hollywood and all over the world.

Since Cuevas’ initial success in 2007, he has worked with international crews from Germany and the Netherlands, and he’s currently producing a Russian film in Moscow. It is alliances like these that strengthen a country’s movie industry when there are so few local private investors. Vicente Mora of Atlantia Canarias, who signed a $2.7 million investment commitment, says, “They help enormously to develop the (Spanish) industry with greater possibilities of success.”

Until the country of Spain can attract more private investors, filmmakers will have to continue making culturally significant movies with government money. The time of attracting private investors might be sooner than expected at the rate Cuevas and Mora are succeeding. An international blockbuster from Spain could be coming to a theatre near you, because there’s more to Spanish cinema than culture. As Cuevas says, “I work in this business to make my dreams come true.”

Photos courtesy of eqgroup.com and tvspain

Why Do They Hate Us? - REACTIONS from the IIJ Foreign Correspondence students

Cultural Differences

By Jeff Bennett

The global community displays a vast spectrum of diversity, providing opportunities to grow together in learning and friendship. However, it unfortunately also leads to malevolence through disparity. In the case of anti-United States sentiments, cultural difference perpetuates hatred for a myriad of reasons.

As technological advances facilitate cultural contacts, Celia Shortt believes the increased access creates a need for people to become aware of various global cultures. As for animosity from the Middle East with increasing interaction, one should expect trouble when he or she tries to insert their values into an alien society while not remaining objective, said Shortt. As seen, when objectivity is absent, the cultural gap is not bridged but instead widened.

According to Ellen Schnier, Americans are non-responsive to variance. “We do not value the differences … we think that if other countries are anti-American, that is not our fault, we did nothing to deserve such criticism, and they will eventually come around,” said Schnier.

This particular mindset exacerbates anti-Americanism. “To some cultures Americans therefore might seem as self-centered,” said Carolin Biebrach.

Both prejudiced attitudes and cultural misconceptions need to be quelled to form accords. This can be accomplished “by learning about other cultures … some of the misunderstandings between nations have a better chance of becoming understood,” said Sally Cruikshank.

American imperialism is evident in the unwillingness to accept cross cultural differences. This dark hubris breeds extreme rancor against the American disposition and should not come as a surprise. While the United States continues to force its culture upon those unwilling to accept it, enemies will emerge.
Photo above by blogrodent - Flickr © Some rights reserved

Bullying

By Jeff Bennett

“They hate us because since September 11, Middle Easterners have been interrogated in our airports, and Islamic temples in the United States have had bricks thrown through their windows, have been burned, and bombed,” said Ellen Schnier.

American forms of bullying are neither new nor reserved solely for citizens of the Middle East or those of the Islamic faith. Nonetheless, the American presence abroad, even if in good intentions, is typically viewed as the overextension of its militaristic authority and democratic attitude. In the context of the Middle East, the forced democratization of Iraq caused numerous nations to view the U.S. as a bully.

“In the current war, the world – especially the Middle East – saw an unprovoked invasion by a Western power,” said Cristina Mutchler. “This caused other countries to be concerned that it could happen to them for no apparent reason.”

According to Kristin Eckert, the U.S. foreign policy of being the city on the hill – spreading its own brand of democracy, capitalism and consumerism with a missionary zeal – does not reverberate positively with cultures where happiness is defined otherwise. The Iraqi example shows the United States’ dedication to stamping out dictators in creation of a government mirroring the American system breeds hostility from the Iraqi citizens, journalists and nations sympathetic to their plight.

In agreement with this perspective, Lu Tang said “[American] unilateral foreign policy … acting like world policeman, policies to intensify the gap between rich and poor countries should account for the anti-Americanism to some extent.”

Put quite simply on why some hate the antics of American bullying, “[American and Middle Eastern] cultures are different and Western liberalism has a tendency to eat others,” said Lacey Curtis.

They don’t hate ‘us,’ They hate the Leadership

By Jeff Bennett

It is a common misrepresentation that foreigners who advance anti-Americanism hold contempt for every U.S. citizen. In fact, it is more likely anger is reserved for the creators and enforcers of domineering foreign policy.

“I consider 9/11 as a tragedy that American people paid the cost for the foreign policy the U.S. government made,” said Yilei Cheng.

In terms of negative foreign sentiments, some believe the former-presidency provides an insight into the backlash of ill-will and intermittent acts of violence.

“The way in which the Bush administration has diminished the cultural significance of the rest of the world has shown light on the U.S. government's ignorance of the past eight years,” said Natalie Cammarata.

Albeit the negative reactions observed toward the U.S., much of the hatred is not focused at the common citizen. It is “a rejection of the politics of the Bush administration which many people also differentiate(d) from feelings toward U.S. residents,” said Kristin Eckert.

Adding a similar position, “I believe that the people within [foreign] countries can differentiate between the government and the citizens,” said Sally Cruikshank.

The policies of American institutions – from pre-9/11 encroaching capitalistic multinational corporations to post-9/11 closed-door policies and the propagating fear towards foreign cultures – create the visible antipathy from abroad against these same establishments, not the citizen.

“I don’t think people around the world would hate Americans, they just don’t like American foreign policy,” said Jung Lee.
Photo above by Berd Whitlock - Flickr © Some rights reserved