Emily Huttner

October 11, 2015

Exam 1 Essay Portion

Explain a) positionality, b) standpoint theory, and c) ethnocentrism. Provide examples of

each and discuss why these concepts are important for intercultural communication.
1. Positionality is how an individual fits into society in relation to the socially constructed

categories we have created and what power they hold. As a white individual in the United

States of America I have privilege and power because of my race. As a female, my

gender does not hold as much power as a man. Both race and gender are socially

constructed categories we use as identifiers. Standpoint theory is theory that claims

individuals are influenced by who they socialize with, within groups that they belong and

construct what we know and how we interact with the world. Growing up in a low

economic social class places me in a position relative to other social classes and from my

position I have a different perspective of the world because of my position. My family

cannot afford to pay for me to go to college so I am very grateful that state and federal

grants from my financial aid have helped pay for my tuition. A student in one of my

classes come from a upper- middle class family and they feel that financial aid is stupid

because he did not receive any assistance in financial aid because of his familys income.

I view financial aid as beneficial because without it I would not be able to continue my

education; my fellow classmate views the financial aid as unfair because even though his

family has a bigger income than mine everyone should get assistance. Ethnocentrism is

the idea that one feels as though their lifestyle, beliefs and actions are superior to the rest

of the world. Hitler forming the Nazi party is an example of ethnocentrism; anti-
 Semitism. Individuals who seek to evangelize can be considered an example of

ethnocentrism because they feel as though their religion is superior and want individuals

to convert to their beliefs.

Chapter 3 of the textbook discusses the politics of the body from colonization to
globalization. Drawing on this chapter and our class discussion, address the following
questions:
a.) Define race. Explain what it means when we say race is a social construct.
b.) Explain the difference between individual acts of racism and
systemic/institutional racism.
c.) How has race been re-signified in the context of globalization and what are
the implications for intercultural communication?

2. Race is the socially constructed idea (that has only existed for the past 500 years) that

places individuals into categories based on the physical attributes of ones body. This is a

socially constructed idea because there is no scientific evidence that proves that any one

race is biologically superior to another. Race was used as a tool for power and privilege.

Individual acts of racism include discrimination towards individuals who are of a

different race on an interpersonal level. Institutional racism exists within organizations,

corporations and even schools. Institutional racism is the result of racist policies &

practices that neglect to provide equal opportunity and access to individuals based on

their race. Race has been resignified as class and culture masked to avoid the title of

racism through globalization. Globalization has allowed for larger global social

movements for civil rights but there are still problems with racial naturalism because of

racial historicism which constructed the color bind approach to race because it fails to

accept that though there are not hierarchal biological differences in those of the non-

dominant race, they still can be culturally inferior but are equally capable of becoming

as civilized. The problem is that whiteness is supposed to be the norm.

Use any major theories or concepts from the first four chapters to analyze Spike Lees Do
the Right Thing. You may choose to focus on a particular incident or character from the
film, or analyze the film as a whole through the theory/concept.
3. In Spike Lees film Do the Right Thing many ideas and theories from intercultural

communication are brought to light. The setting is in a contested cultural space, where

Black was the dominant race in the community with only 3 Italians, one white man and

an Asian couple. Both the Asian couple and the Italians owned their own businesses in

the community. The Italians owned a pizza parlor and the Asians owned a market. Where

none of the Black characters owned any businesses in the community except that the DJ

of the LOVE radio station was Black. Since the pizza parlor is location in a dominantly

black community his customers consist of mostly individuals. The owner of the pizza

parlor expressed his cultural identity with the wall he had covered with photos of only/ all

Italian/American celebrities. One of the black customers wanted to open a dialogue by

asking why there were not any black celebrities on the wall especially considering how

many black customers he had and the owner responses by saying when the customer

owns his own business he can put pictures up of whatever he wishes. He avoids the

possibility of making an adjustment to integrate the communitys culture. Though the

owner of the pizza parlor employs a black man he is still racist. The owners eldest son

feels that their pizza parlor is too good for the community they are in and expresses the

ideology of white supremacy and not wanting his younger brother spending time with his

black coworker.
Read the following two quotations, which were shown at the end of Spike Lees Do the
Right Thing. Discuss each quotation. What does it mean, and what does it have to do with
the film? Which quotation do you agree with more, and why?

Violence as a way of achieving racial justice is both impractical and immoral. It is

impractical because it is a descending spiral ending in destruction for all. The old law of
an eye for an eye leaves everybody blind. It is immoral because it seeks to humiliate the
opponent rather than win his understanding; it seeks to annihilate rather than to convert.
Violence is immoral because it thrives on hatred rather than love. It destroys a
community and makes brotherhood impossible. It leaves society in monologue rather
than dialogue. Violence ends by defeating itself. It creates bitterness in the survivors and
brutality in the destroyers. Martin Luther King, Jr

I think there are plenty of good people in America, but there are also plenty of bad people
in America and the bad ones are the ones who seem to have all the power and be in these
positions to block things that you and I need. Because this is the situation, you and I have
to preserve the right to do what is necessary to bring an end to that situation, and it
doesn't mean that I advocate violence, but at the same time I am not against using
violence in self-defense. I don't even call it violence when it's self-defense, I call it
intelligence. Malcolm X

4. Martin Luther King, Jr.s quote emphasizes that violence as a means to racial justice

does more bad than good , it does not allow the problem to be discussed and is immoral.

The problem is that racial injustice is violent towards colored individuals and a lot of the

time the words that have been spoken still have not done enough. Malcolm Xs quote

embraces the use of violence if used in self-defense. At the end of the film Do the Right

Thing the Italian pizza shop owner becomes violent when his black customer refuses to

turn down his stereo, the customers property is destroyed and he retaliates after having

exchanged racial slurs. The cops are called and use excessive force on the black man but

not the Italian pizza owner, resulting in the death of the black man. The community is

outraged and contemplate going after the pizza shop owner or his business. Though it

would be seen as extreme to Martin Luther King Jr. to destroy the shop there was so

much rage it was better the shop was attacked than Sal. I feel it was deserved; there was
no reason for Sals violent behavior. The customer was using the opportunity for dialogue

where Sal was enraged and felt he was superior and saw no need to discuss because he

was in charge of his establishment. I do think our actions speak louder than words; the

murder of the black man showed lack of value the white community put on his life and

the verbal upset did nothing to stop the officers from killing him, but maybe the

destruction of another mans property would become a place of enunciation for the

injustice, finally. Yes Sals shop is destroyed but a man died.