Plus Alpha: Rabinow
18/09/10 08:55
Suzanne
I decided to look up Berber since it was a term I am not familiar with other than the carpet and because I just assumed Moroccan's were called just that, Moroccan. I found out that the two are not synonymous and where it is Berber's are traditionally from and where they live today. They are mostly identified by language and Berber is mostly a spoken language with different dialects, not really a written language.
http://www.al-bab.com/arab/background/berber.htm
Stacey
I did some research on Paul Rabinow. I wanted to see how well known he is and what his interests are. I found out that he generally focuses his work around modernity especially in Morocco. He wants to understand the people and how their environment effects them. He is pretty well known and has over 10 pieces of text that he has written. The biggest thing he is known for is "anthropology of reason."
http://anthropology.berkeley.edu/rabinow.html
Mary
I was interested in researching more about the customs of Moroccans. I found that when Moroccans greet each other they take their time and converse about their families, friends, and other general topics. Handshakes are a customary part of the greeting process between moroccans. Family life is the most significant value for Moroccans and the elderly are highly respected and play a large role influencing the rest of the family.
http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/morocco-country-profile.html
Meagan
I looked up Baudelaire
Baudelaire was a French writer, particularly a poet, who was alive from April 9, 1821 to August 31, 1867. Baudelaire related to Edgar Allen Poe, and spent about 15 or 20 years translating Poes works into French.
Simone
I decided to look up what the quote "Tu le connais, lecteur, ce monstre délicat, —Hypocrite lecteur,—mon semblable,— mon frère!" mens and what the significance could be. This quote that appears on the title page of the ethnography generally means: “You know this dainty monster, too, it seems Hypocrite reader! You! My twin! My brother!” (this might not be 100% right because there are multiple translations). The quote comes from an introduction to a volume of poems by Charles Baudelaire titled "Les Fleurs Du Mal" (published in the mid 1857). The poem is entitled “to the reader.” I’m not entirely sure why Rabinow is quoting this poem as it is really dark and seems to be calling the reader a hypocrite who commits the same sins as a poet. If anyone else has more insight feel free to let me know.
http://fleursdumal.org/poem/099
Scott
The revolts Rabinow referred to were the May 1968 strikes in Paris. This was the largest Wildcat Strike (strike without authorization from unions) in history. The French economy was a at a standstill and the revolt almost terminated the Fifth French Republic led by Charles de Gaulle. Many students of the Sorbonne started the revolt protesting expulsions of several students. The strike quickly turned into a general one against modern consumer society and totalitarian, Stalinist like governments. The revolt quickly turned violent and guerrilla tactics were used. In June, de Gaulle dissolved the National Assembly and threatened to march troops into Paris. Police seizes the Sorbonne, and the revolt eventually ended.
Juliet
The author refers to a mosque on page 35. A mosque was also brought up in one of my other classes and I didn't know what it was then either....so I realized it is time to look it up.
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. It is a place for community worship and "friday prayer services." Originally, it was supposed to be on a sacred piece of ground, but now mosques vary is structure, with most being a roofed building with open space, sometimes with a minaret.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&defl=en&q=define:mosque&sa=X&ei=mIKRTPLAIcK78gbgyd2iBQ&ved=0CBUQkAE
http://www.answers.com/topic/mosque
***Now in writing the above description I realized I didn't know what a "minaret" was, so I looked that up too.
minaret |ˌminəˈret|
noun
a tall slender tower, typically part of a mosque, with a balcony from which a muezzin calls Muslims to prayer.
Liz
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ennui
Ennui: a feeling of weariness and discontent resulting from a lack of interest.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/modus+vivendi
Modus Vivendi: a temporary agreement between parties following the settlement of matters in a debate.
Michelle
I thought the comment about facial hair on the young men was interesting, and thought it would be cool to look into the appearance norms of men in Morocco. I don’t know how “reliable” this website is, but the information I found said Moroccan men are very “image conscious.” Anything that shows skin (i.e. flip flops, shorts, tank tops) is “indoor clothing” and not appropriate for outdoors. Hair is generally short and neat, and beards often have religious connotations associated with them; devout Muslims grow full beards.
http://maroc.costasur.com/en/hommes.html
Laura
"Phenomenology" - defined in the reading as "a movement in which each cultural figure finds its meaning not in what precedes it but in what follows: consciousness is drawn out of itself and ahead of itself in a process in which each step is abolished and retained in the following one" (6). However, I thought it would be interesting to research this topic further. In addition to the definition provided in the introduction, I found that phenomenology specifically "studies the structure of various types of experience ranging from perception, thought, memory, imagination, emotion, desire, and volition to bodily awareness, embodied action, and social activity, including linguistic activity." http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/phenomenology/#1
Allison
"The owl of Minerva flies at dusk."
Although I know that Minerva is the Roman goddess of wisdom that is based on the Greek goddess Athena, I was not sure what it meant that her owl 'flies at dusk.' Hegel's original saying is: "The owl of Minerva spreads its wings only with the falling of the dusk." Hegel meant that wisdom 'takes flight' only at the end of the day after all of the day's events have come to a close - essentially, humans come to full knowledge just a little bit too late. In the article, Rabinow probably means that had he more knowledge or experience beforehand, it would have gone more smoothly; however, now that his experience is complete, he has finally come to full understanding of the situation, although it is too late.
I decided to look up Berber since it was a term I am not familiar with other than the carpet and because I just assumed Moroccan's were called just that, Moroccan. I found out that the two are not synonymous and where it is Berber's are traditionally from and where they live today. They are mostly identified by language and Berber is mostly a spoken language with different dialects, not really a written language.
http://www.al-bab.com/arab/background/berber.htm
Stacey
I did some research on Paul Rabinow. I wanted to see how well known he is and what his interests are. I found out that he generally focuses his work around modernity especially in Morocco. He wants to understand the people and how their environment effects them. He is pretty well known and has over 10 pieces of text that he has written. The biggest thing he is known for is "anthropology of reason."
http://anthropology.berkeley.edu/rabinow.html
Mary
I was interested in researching more about the customs of Moroccans. I found that when Moroccans greet each other they take their time and converse about their families, friends, and other general topics. Handshakes are a customary part of the greeting process between moroccans. Family life is the most significant value for Moroccans and the elderly are highly respected and play a large role influencing the rest of the family.
http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/morocco-country-profile.html
Meagan
I looked up Baudelaire
Baudelaire was a French writer, particularly a poet, who was alive from April 9, 1821 to August 31, 1867. Baudelaire related to Edgar Allen Poe, and spent about 15 or 20 years translating Poes works into French.
Simone
I decided to look up what the quote "Tu le connais, lecteur, ce monstre délicat, —Hypocrite lecteur,—mon semblable,— mon frère!" mens and what the significance could be. This quote that appears on the title page of the ethnography generally means: “You know this dainty monster, too, it seems Hypocrite reader! You! My twin! My brother!” (this might not be 100% right because there are multiple translations). The quote comes from an introduction to a volume of poems by Charles Baudelaire titled "Les Fleurs Du Mal" (published in the mid 1857). The poem is entitled “to the reader.” I’m not entirely sure why Rabinow is quoting this poem as it is really dark and seems to be calling the reader a hypocrite who commits the same sins as a poet. If anyone else has more insight feel free to let me know.
http://fleursdumal.org/poem/099
Scott
The revolts Rabinow referred to were the May 1968 strikes in Paris. This was the largest Wildcat Strike (strike without authorization from unions) in history. The French economy was a at a standstill and the revolt almost terminated the Fifth French Republic led by Charles de Gaulle. Many students of the Sorbonne started the revolt protesting expulsions of several students. The strike quickly turned into a general one against modern consumer society and totalitarian, Stalinist like governments. The revolt quickly turned violent and guerrilla tactics were used. In June, de Gaulle dissolved the National Assembly and threatened to march troops into Paris. Police seizes the Sorbonne, and the revolt eventually ended.
Juliet
The author refers to a mosque on page 35. A mosque was also brought up in one of my other classes and I didn't know what it was then either....so I realized it is time to look it up.
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. It is a place for community worship and "friday prayer services." Originally, it was supposed to be on a sacred piece of ground, but now mosques vary is structure, with most being a roofed building with open space, sometimes with a minaret.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&defl=en&q=define:mosque&sa=X&ei=mIKRTPLAIcK78gbgyd2iBQ&ved=0CBUQkAE
http://www.answers.com/topic/mosque
***Now in writing the above description I realized I didn't know what a "minaret" was, so I looked that up too.
minaret |ˌminəˈret|
noun
a tall slender tower, typically part of a mosque, with a balcony from which a muezzin calls Muslims to prayer.
Liz
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ennui
Ennui: a feeling of weariness and discontent resulting from a lack of interest.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/modus+vivendi
Modus Vivendi: a temporary agreement between parties following the settlement of matters in a debate.
Michelle
I thought the comment about facial hair on the young men was interesting, and thought it would be cool to look into the appearance norms of men in Morocco. I don’t know how “reliable” this website is, but the information I found said Moroccan men are very “image conscious.” Anything that shows skin (i.e. flip flops, shorts, tank tops) is “indoor clothing” and not appropriate for outdoors. Hair is generally short and neat, and beards often have religious connotations associated with them; devout Muslims grow full beards.
http://maroc.costasur.com/en/hommes.html
Laura
"Phenomenology" - defined in the reading as "a movement in which each cultural figure finds its meaning not in what precedes it but in what follows: consciousness is drawn out of itself and ahead of itself in a process in which each step is abolished and retained in the following one" (6). However, I thought it would be interesting to research this topic further. In addition to the definition provided in the introduction, I found that phenomenology specifically "studies the structure of various types of experience ranging from perception, thought, memory, imagination, emotion, desire, and volition to bodily awareness, embodied action, and social activity, including linguistic activity." http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/phenomenology/#1
Allison
"The owl of Minerva flies at dusk."
Although I know that Minerva is the Roman goddess of wisdom that is based on the Greek goddess Athena, I was not sure what it meant that her owl 'flies at dusk.' Hegel's original saying is: "The owl of Minerva spreads its wings only with the falling of the dusk." Hegel meant that wisdom 'takes flight' only at the end of the day after all of the day's events have come to a close - essentially, humans come to full knowledge just a little bit too late. In the article, Rabinow probably means that had he more knowledge or experience beforehand, it would have gone more smoothly; however, now that his experience is complete, he has finally come to full understanding of the situation, although it is too late.