Suchergebnisse

A consideration of what accommodations should be offered or refused to native speakers of Spanish living in the US argues for the "English first" principle which emphasizes the mastery of English by minority children while also encouraging mastery of their native language. Arguments presented by proponents of offering public education in a child's minority language are explored to contend that it is not in the best interests of either the children or the liberal rights of their parents. The welfare of minority children & the preference of their parents should not be relinquished in an effort to help other members of a minority group preserve their culture. The best interest of the children should always be foremost in the design of educational institutions & most minority children living in the US are best served by becoming fluent in English. The moral costs associated with accommodation rights that place the promotion of group interests over the best interest of individuals are discussed. 11 References. J. Lindroth

Ernest Gellner's cultural criticism, Postmodernism, Reason and Religion (1992 [see abstract 93c01704]) contrasts three irreducible positions: religious fundamentalism, romantic relativism, & Enlightenment fundamentalism. The most recent version of the last is postmodernism, which Gellner has long challenged in the name of modern scientific rationality. Gellner's response to the critics of modernity is based on his thesis that the prosperity & technical mastery of rationality inevitably introduce the demand for rational legitimacy into every aspect of society. Gellner's faith in reason mirrors David Hume's (1740) rational fundamentalism, although Gellner's understanding of reason's disenchanting effects is also influenced by Immanuel Kant & Max Weber. Gellner's final embrace of scientific method is predicated on a pragmatic account of the success of rationality that commits him to a cognitivist understanding of the basis of modern social order. 20 References. H. von Rautenfeld

Investigates gendered aspects of the virtual environment suit as a particular mode of disembodied subjectivity, drawing on the work of Zoe Sofia (1992), Elizabeth Grosz (1992), & Luce Irigaray (1985). It is suggested that scientific commentary on virtual environments commonly refers to them in terms of the creation & control of occupiable spaces. As a key aspect of this control, the virtual environment suit weds technology & body into a cyborg-like fantasy of eradicated corporeal limits & disembodied mastery. In the guise of the virtual environment suit, cyberspace becomes a kind of ideal love object that is endless, reiterative, & excessively recombinant. However, despite the effort to erase the gendered female Other, the body of disembodied consciousness is intrinsically tied to the bodies it excludes. It is this paradox that opens opportunities for redeploying cyberspace in terms of differences between the spatiality of bodies rather than in terms of a unitary, masterful subjectivity. 27 References. D. Ryfe

Examines the ideological underpinnings of various manifestations of anti-Semitism in an analysis of Louis-Ferdinand Celine's political pamphlets (1936-1941). Although these pamphlets are characterized by vast & often stifling contradictions, an overview evidences the underlying causes & justifications of various stages of anti-Semitism during the WWII era -- the first characterized by rage against the symbolic world represented by religious & moral establishments. Under these circumstances, it is argued that Jews became the object of hatred, & anti-Semitism became a means of venting the anger of believers & nonbelievers. The association of Jews with the symbolic was further justified in the second stage when Jews were simultaneously represented as fearless, powerful, & secretive. This dangerous combination of traits amounted to a sibling rivalry (from the Aryan perspective), which evolved into violent conflict. Finally, once the Jews had been subdued, anti-Semitism transformed into disgust (& perverse fascination) regarding the Jews' decline from mastery into slavery. T. Sevier

Considers the assumption that subjects (Ss) become empowered when inhabiting the space of virtual reality, drawing on a reading of the virtual reality literature. It is shown that, for many commentators, virtual reality constitutes a radical break wtih contemporary modes of being that promises to unleash human capacities for imagination & creativity. This commentary is taken to undergird the ideologies that currently underpin the social formation of late capitalism. Moreover, it is argued that this discourse also articulates anxieties & fantasies of the postmodern S's desire for mastery of her or his own experiences. This discourse is described as naively assuming that Ss can enter virtual reality without themselves being changed by the experience. Further, it is charged with denying the positive aspects of prior modes of subjectivity. It is concluded that, in the struggle over cultural meanings of virtual reality, it is necessary to preserve practices that defy reification so that multiple subjective experiences may unfold within & outside the virtual reality domain. 25 References. D. Ryfe

Draws on use of the word "sexy" by molecular scientists in reference to topics that enjoy the highest status, to argue that such male/female binary distinctions influence interpretations in both the biological & social world by celebrating masculinity. Specific examples of "master molecules" taken from the science of signal transduction are used to illustrate that the standards used to identify "sexy" cells are based on male-centered notions of mastery & dominance. Although sexy science does not inhibit scientific progress, reasons are given for why molecular biologists & feminists should resist sexy science that equates molecular interaction to a human biological phenomenon. The many levels of molecular biology's connection to hierarchical oppression are examined, & personal efforts as a scientist/feminist to participate less in sexy science are related, noting that sexy science-oriented researchers do everything possible to discredit any work that detracts from the master's position of supremacy. A new vision of science is presented that offers alternate metaphors/models that better describe a cell's multiple functions. 2 Figures, 4 References. J. Lindroth