I’m still grappling with identifying a clear social issue for my literacy map. It all seems loosely connected right now. I chose the book, Celebrating Ramadan (Hoyt-Goldsmith & Migdale), because of a great map it has of the Islamic world. I will definitely use it as an image (if I can ever hammer out a clear social issue). It made me think of all the racial profiling and stereotyping that occurs in this country, particularly with the social/political climate since 9/11. Many Americans make sweeping generalizations about the vast Islamic world without taking responsibility for their negative sentiments. In addition to a very comprehensive description of the customs around celebrating this holiday, the book provides Arabic translation of important religious and cultural vocabulary as well as general religious practices.
I will use the Islamic Center of Washington for my local public monument. It serves as both mosque and cultural center for many Muslims in the DC area. My students could benefit from fieldwork to this site beyond enriching their reading of Celebrating Ramadan. The Islamic Center of Washington sits on Embassy Row, which holds a lot of social/political importance in the nation’s capital.
The book also had a beautiful photograph of a Muslim girl displaying her hands decorated with henna designs. I thought it would be a fun activity to do with students. Despite its Islamic ties, henna has become popularized in the United States. This mainstream trend has further implications about American sentiments regarding Islamic culture. Does the mainstream accept this aspect of Islamic culture or are they just ignorant of its cultural association?
2 comments:
Leensa, I love your idea of a text set dealing with the Islamic world and cultures. I lived in Greece until 2002, and had many Arab friends. I was surprised when I came to the US and realized how closed-minded people could be towards Arabs, particularly because of the fears and stereotypes resulting from the 9/11 attacks. Our urban population children in particular might have little other than the television images they see to help them make judgments about who Middle Eastern people "are" and what they are "like". Just like with Ms. Campos' text set dealing with homosexuality, I think that a text set dealing with Islamic peoples will be great for breaking down the barriers of stereotypes for our students.
I also think this is a powerful and much needed text set. I think you already have highlighted important social issues so now your challenge is fine tuning a script.
For this you could talk about word choices (the relationship between language and power) and so forth.
Thanks
vivian
Post a Comment