Russell McCutcheon was nice enough to pass along this commercial to me, knowing I’d be interested because of my recent post about the ad on which it is based. It offers a response to Cadillac’s unapologetic praise of American consumerism…and it’s brought to you by Ford Motor Co. Yep, Ford! The same company who’s “Built Ford Tough” campaigns are hardly trying to get customers to imagine a more eco-friendly future, instead offering us the likes of Toby Keith (the very same “Angry American” who found a crass way of suggesting the “American way” is pummeling the country’s enemies) out-muscling two other trucks: Continue reading “Gotta Sell Somebody”
#edgeswitch
The latest Code Switching Workshop flyer now has the workshop program listed on it, so be sure to take a look! Also keep an eye out for live updates on our twitter feed @idendefying
(Click on the image to see a larger version.)
Advertising the American Dream
Maybe you’ve seen the commercial for the new Cadillac ELR…? It’s been understandably lambasted for the way it relies on “American Dream” rhetoric to sell a car. Everyman actor Neal McDonough is obnoxiously smug, and the appeal to what makes America great resorts to downright icky sanctimony and casual insults about what “other countries” are like. We are strong-willed and hardworking and awesome in every way. They flounce around with long vacations and a devil-may-care work/life balance that prioritizes cafés. Yeah, it’s pretty bad. Continue reading “Advertising the American Dream”
The Edge at the Southeastern AAR
The Edge’s Merinda Simmons, pictured above (center, middle right), presents her book response at the 2014 Regional AAR, addressing notions of identity and authenticity. Learn more here… Continue reading “The Edge at the Southeastern AAR”
Code Switching at Lehigh University
On April 14-15, 2014, Lehigh University will be hosting a Code Switching Workshop inspired by, and comprised of, Culture on the Edge‘s Monica Miller, Merinda Simmons, Leslie Dorrough Smith, and Vaia Touna. They will be joined by two other Lehigh faculty members: James Peterson, Associate Professor of English and Director of Africana Studies, and Jackie Krasas, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Sociology and Director of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies.
The topic of code switching here at the Edge began last summer (2013) and then developed into a couple of blog posts (here and here).
Stay tuned to learn more
about the upcoming workshop…
Behind the Scenes: A Conversation on “Code Switching”
Back in late June 2013, three members of Culture on the Edge had a conversation on Facebook about the category “code switching” (nicely exemplified in the above Key & Peele skit, featuring Luther, President Obama’s “anger translator” [watch it below]), a conversation that later led to two blog posts on our site, referencing this conversation (here and here) and, ultimately, to Monica Miller conceiving of a workshop at Lehigh University, funded by a Collaborative Research Grant from its The Humanities Center — an opportunity that will involve Lehigh faculty members, James Peterson, Associate Professor of English and Director of Africana Studies, Jackie Krasas, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Sociology and Director of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, along with three of her Edge colleagues: Merinda Simmons, Leslie Dorrough Smith, and Vaia Touna — all of whom work on identity and language, but in very different domains and historical periods.
We hope that the following conversation — spruced up a bit for public consumption — helps to set the stage for some of the early thinking that may be in the background of the workshop, which takes place in April 2014 (more news on that coming soon).
6/29, 4:45pm
Russell McCutcheon
Ok, I have a query: it strikes me that, despite how many use it, “code switching” is a profoundly imperial category, one that perpetuates certain notions of race (when it is applied to studying some instances of African American English), while seemingly only describing them, yet no one realizes it.
What do you think? Continue reading “Behind the Scenes: A Conversation on “Code Switching””
Talk Like An Olympian
Who can resist the goofy affectations of Olympic snowboarders? Typically, their hairstyles (how about that Staale Sandbech, huh?) and wicked lingo make just as news as their jumps. In his “Sochi Story” below, Sage Kotsenburg gives a taste of his colloquial style, making fans even as he admits to not having to “sacrifice really or anything.” He’s just been able to stay cool with the help of his awesome family and awesome sponsors and awesome U.S. team, ultimately landing the “sick, really fun experience” of winning Olympic gold. Continue reading “Talk Like An Olympian”
Who Are You? I’m a New Mom
“Who Are You?” asks members of Culture on the Edge to reflect on one of their own many identities (whether national, gendered, racial, familial, etc.), theorizing at the same time the self-identification that they each chose to discuss.
Being a mother was never part of my general life plan. In fact, where babies are concerned, I’m the unsophisticated rube who tends to think all infants look, sound, and smell the same. So, when my partner and I learned we were going to be parents in just forty short weeks (that’s another thing—even now, the week count might as well be military time, as far as I’m concerned), we traded blank stares regarding what that means or how to go about thinking toward how our lives would change once the squirmy, cartilage-laden fellow joined us. Continue reading “Who Are You? I’m a New Mom”
Find the Edge in Baltimore
Hoping to snag a button? Then find us in Baltimore.
Friday:
Craig Martin will be responding at North American Association for the Study of Religion Panel 2: Critically Engaged: Graduate Pedagogy in the Introductory Classroom (P22-209) on Friday, 1:30 – 3:30 pm in the Hilton Baltimore (Blake Room). Continue reading “Find the Edge in Baltimore”
The Privilege of Being Part of the Problem
The reactions to the blog post I wrote last week are indicative of the very point I was trying to make—a point that has been obscured by emphatic declarations of personal experiences and a point that warrants a quick rejoinder. Continue reading “The Privilege of Being Part of the Problem”