Cluster Connections

          I find the concept of "clusters" interesting  As a transfer student who has already experienced the freshman gig LaGuardia's cluster approach seems to ease freshman into college life more effectively. It's easier to absorb material when all your classes focus on the same subject just use different approaches. It also makes it easier for students to connect what they have learned in one class to another. I have used material I've learned in a class in a previous semester in a current class but the material was always foggy and watered down. With this cluster the information is fresh and its easier to  quote from class to class. This is great for freshman who may not have connected material from different classes and must do so now. For example:

     

          The first text we read was Tannenbaum's Slave and Citizen. He spoke of the treatment of Slaves in Latin America and about the concept of dark skin color symbolizing slavery. Recently in Anthropology we read several passages on the treatment of slaves post-slavery and it was clear that throughout Latin America those of dark skin presumed to be of African American decent were looked down upon and segregated. In the text Color as a Symbol of Social Status the author specifically states, "The antagonism was not directed against people of color because of color as such, but because their color indicated that they were, or had their origin in, slaves" (Arlene). This means that people of color were not looked down upon because of their skin color but because their skin color symbolized slavery and the salve was the lowest of any social hierarchy sometimes not even considered human. From reading this text it became clear to me that this concept was not exclusive to Tannenbaum (he wasn't so crazy after all) but that it was a paradigm, something people of historically did not question. 

        The one thing I do note about the cluster is the use of the same key terms like race, ethnicity, racial formation and the universal "Race is a social construct", "Race is not real" theme. It's a nice thing to hear but does the rest of the world know that? If anything having these phrases repeated to me has made me aware of my so called "race" and "ethnicity". 

         

         They say ignorance is bliss and I've never been able to agree with it until taking this cluster. My eyes have been opened to so many social issues that in a way make me feel powerless to change. I was happy living in my little paradigm "go to school, get a job, get paid, buy a house" (although my version might have been get a job, struggle through school, maybe get a job?, possibly afford an apartment without roommates?) and now I'm "the fish that realizes its in water" (or something like that). It's an out of body experience.