tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5367422966279549752024-02-02T09:48:08.826-08:00Brian the Sociologist's BlogBrian Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15398953107713442731noreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-536742296627954975.post-53325355920371796502013-05-28T08:27:00.001-07:002013-05-28T08:27:17.867-07:00Ming Chuan University and our trip is nearly overOur trip is nearly over. I may have a chance to post again, but among a final day of sight seeing, packing, and seeing some past student this may be my last post before we hop on that plane home. We spent the day with Ming Chuan University and I want to say thanks to Dr. Yien, Carol, and Carine for their genuine hospitality. You made us feel at home. We saw a great presentation on leadership by Professor Wang and enjoyed a tour of the Ming Chuan Taoyan Campus. We had the chance to meet with 11 Ming Chuan students and some MCU faculty who will soon be joining us at SVSU and we look forward to seeing you in Michigan. <br />
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Ming Chuan University also hosted us for dinner along with 16 other SVSU students and Dr. Elizabeth Rich who arrived from Michigan at 10 PM last night. Honestly, some of them still looked a little shocked to be in Taiwan and it was strange for me to reflect on the fact that many of our Roberts Fellows carried the same expression a few short weeks ago. These students will be studying at Ming Chuan for the next 4 weeks and I know that they are in good hands. It is nice to know that there will be some SVSU students still carrying the flag for our university as we depart. <br />
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The RF14s are truly an impressive group of people. They have met the challenges of this trip with patience, poise, and often laughter. They have been open-minded and friendly to people from various cultures and demonstrated that they have the skills and commitment to be forces of positive change in society. They deserve credit for this as this has come to them through hard work and dedication. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with these students and to be a part of this program.<br />
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P.S. Long live Jones.<br />
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Thanks to Ming Chuan University for hosting us and to Professor Wang for a great presentation on leadership</div>
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What? The RF14s have been magically transported to Australia!</div>
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Touring Ming Chuan University</div>
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Justin is sitting on an 800 year old chair!</div>
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Emily showing off her mad pottery skills in the ceramics district of Taipei</div>
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We met another group of SVSU students for a dinner hosted by Ming Chuan University. Great to see so many Cardinals in Taiwan!</div>
<br />Brian Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15398953107713442731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-536742296627954975.post-47964193512985770262013-05-27T09:01:00.002-07:002013-05-27T09:01:24.796-07:00Shih Hsin University and Farewell to Anne!First, I'd like to thank Jennifer Lin, Peter Lin, Tzu-Hsiang Yu and all the students from Shih Hsin who graciously hosted our visit today. Shih Hsin has a beautiful campus and we enjoyed learning some aboriginal dances, touring campus, and visiting Baoan Temple, Fort San Domingo, and Tamsui. We also had a great time seeing four SVSU students who are currently at Shih Hsin for the semester. I would also like to thank Dr. Peter Mu who hosted a wonderful dinner for us at Shanghai Shanghai restaurant. Dr. Mu is an honorary Roberts Fellow and has a long history with our program. Finally, I would like to bid farewell to Anne, who is flying back to Michigan early tomorrow morning. We celebrated Anne's last night with a foot massage at Shihlin Night Market. Anne, thanks for all of your help on this trip and we look forward to seeing you back home!<br />
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I've been to a lot of temples in the PRC, but Baoan Temple was hands down the most beautiful and ornate temple I have ever visited</div>
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Intricate carvings everywhere</div>
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Fort San Domingo</div>
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It was REALLY hot so we stopped for ice cream. A LOT of ice cream.</div>
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Some new friends from Shih Hsin joined us</div>
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We also had tea at Yuan, a Taiwanese shop that sold only locally grown sustainable tea products</div>
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Thanks to Jennifer Lin for all of her help making arrangements!</div>
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A fabulous dinner at Shanghai Shanghai thanks to Dr. Peter Mu</div>
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Hey Mom! I ate some durian fruit just like I said I would!</div>
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<br />Brian Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15398953107713442731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-536742296627954975.post-3545741087805032642013-05-26T08:16:00.001-07:002013-05-26T08:16:04.000-07:00Hello Taiwan!We were warmly welcomed by our Ming Chuan University hosts upon our arrival in Taiwan today. We are looking forward to our visit with <a href="http://www1.mcu.edu.tw/Apps/SB/SB_Site.aspx?PageID=164&L_ID=1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: purple; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 22px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 10px;" target="_blank">Ming Chuan University</a><span style="background-color: whitesmoke; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 22px; text-indent: 10px;">, and </span><a href="http://english.shu.edu.tw/" style="background-color: whitesmoke; border-bottom-color: red; border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: purple; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 22px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 10px;" target="_blank">Hsih Hsin University</a>. I can't believe that the trip is coming to an end in only a few days. Since we spent most of the day getting from Tokushima to Taipei, we only had a couple activities today. One was a visit to the Taipei Confucius Temple and the second was a truly extraordinary dinner at the <a href="http://www.grand-hotel.org/main/default.aspx?lang=en-US" target="_blank">Grand Hotel</a>.<br />
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The Taipei Confucius Temple</div>
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The Taipei Confucius Temple</div>
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Inside the Grand Hotel</div>
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It really was grand!</div>
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Enjoying a fabulous 10 course dinner with our friends from Ming Chuan University</div>
<br />Brian Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15398953107713442731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-536742296627954975.post-37231354399360995692013-05-25T06:09:00.000-07:002013-05-27T08:37:37.502-07:00Roberts Fellows don't slow down at the end of a trip, they speed upFirst, and most importantly, happy anniversary Holli.<br />
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Wow, what didn't we do in the past couple of days? We had a great time and the students loved all the activities that Shikoku University planned for us. For the last 48 hours or so we have been working with students from Shikoku University as part of their English Workshop (basically an overnight English camp held at a traditional Japanese resort on Mt. Bizon). They didn't have internet at the resort so I have a ton of photos still to post. We are also leaving early tomorrow morning for Taiwan so this is an abbreviated post. Here's the summary in no particular order: boat ride to whirlpools, hydroponic strawberry picking, Pacific ocean from the "other" side, karaoke, Japanese-American skits, traditional communal bath, Japanese lessons, slept on a tatami mat, traditional indigo dying, tour of Shikoku, chopstick contest, charades, pizza party, drama class, and more. <a href="http://www.tout.com/brianthesoc" target="_blank">There are some seriously funny touts of all this so make sure to check them out.</a> Thanks to Chairman Sato, Mark, Richard, and everyone else at Shikoku for their kind hospitality. Now for the photos:<br />
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Traditional indigo dying at Shikoku. This is WAY more complicated than I thought.</div>
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Hands deep in vats of indigo dye.</div>
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Giving a present to Chairman Sato of Shikoku University.</div>
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Drama!</div>
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Skit planning</div>
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The view of Tokushim from Mt. Bizon.</div>
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Chopstick contest!</div>
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Hanging out with some Shikoku students at dinner.</div>
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Shikoku University was VERY welcoming!</div>
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It was a beautiful sunset.</div>
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We had a lot of fun after dinner.</div>
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Including some charades</div>
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And karaoke, of course</div>
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Those Roberts Fellows know how to work the stage.</div>
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Thanks Shikoku University!</div>
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We stopped by a hydroponic strawberry farm the next day</div>
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We also stopped at a beach on the Pacific Ocean.</div>
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Roberts Fellows jumped for joy.</div>
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We also hopped on a ferry to watch some tides collide into giant whirlpools</div>
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And saw some ships in the distance</div>
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Only one country left and I want to thank Andy and Anne for being such great travel companions.</div>
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<br />Brian Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15398953107713442731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-536742296627954975.post-66042613220859669792013-05-22T23:29:00.001-07:002013-05-22T23:29:16.626-07:00The Roberts Fellows in Asia: Phase 2We arrived in Tokushima yesterday after about 3 hours on a train. Tokushima is located on Shikoku island. I've been thinking of today as the start of Phase 2 of the our trip to Asia because we shift gears here and will be hosted by three different universities for the rest of our trip. The Roberts Fellows represents a unique opportunity for students, not simply because they travel to Asia, but also because they also have the opportunity to operate as SVSU ambassadors and interact directly with students from both Japan and Taiwan. In essence, they have spent a year in seminars learning leadership skills, meeting with national and community leaders, and implementing their own service-learning projects. We then spent the last 10 days or so challenging students to leave their comfort zones and engage with environments that are, for the most part, very unfamiliar to them. Now it is time for them to step deeper into understanding and interacting with Japanese and Taiwanese cultures and, truly, represent the entire SVSU student body as they meet with students, faculty, and staff from <a href="http://www.shikoku-u.ac.jp/eng/" target="_blank">Shikoku University</a>, <a href="http://www1.mcu.edu.tw/Apps/SB/SB_Site.aspx?PageID=164&L_ID=1" target="_blank">Ming Chuan University</a>, and <a href="http://english.shu.edu.tw/" target="_blank">Hsih Hsin University</a>. Honestly, it is a great honor and I am grateful to have the opportunity to travel with them.<div>
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On a practical side note, it also means that our daily agendas from here on out are going to be pretty full. At times, such as tonight, the students are going to be away from the faculty and with Shikoku students so I won't be able to capture any Touts or photos. I'll do my best to keep you all updated and post what videos and photos that I am able to get. As for now, here are some photos from yesterday's visit to the <a href="http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/index_e2.html" target="_blank">Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museu</a>m and <a href="http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3401.html" target="_blank">Miyajima Island</a>.</div>
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One of the memorials by the Peace Park. It has roof tiles that bubbled due to the heat of the blast.</div>
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The A-Bomb Dome is a landmark because it was one of the few buildings that was not destroyed in the blast.</div>
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In this model the A-Bomb Dome is almost directly underneath where the bomb exploded. Nearly everything else was destroyed more or less instantly.</div>
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Roberts Fellows brought paper cranes to the Children's Memorial. Why? <a href="http://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/shimin/heiwa/crane.html" target="_blank"> Read this. You can also send paper cranes.</a></div>
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After the Peace Museum we enjoyed a relaxing and reflective afternoon at Miyajima Island. More than one RF commented that it was a bit like a Japanese Macinac Island.</div>
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This is for you, Mom. One of their specialties is large, fresh oysters.</div>
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This torii gate is iconic of Shintoism. Next year I want to run or hike to the top of the mountain in the middle of the island.</div>
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Brian Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15398953107713442731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-536742296627954975.post-71071906867124989432013-05-22T05:53:00.001-07:002013-05-22T05:53:28.724-07:00HiroshimaIt is difficult to describe visiting the A-bomb dome and the Peace Museum in Hiroshima. In truth, I kept hearing about what a moving experience it was and I was a bit skeptical. It really was everything that people said it would be. Check the <a href="http://www.tout.com/brianthesoc" target="_blank">Tout feed for some video</a>, including a short one of some Japanese school children in front of the Children's Memorial. I'll post more later about the experience, but for tonight I'm just posting a photo of a statue in front of the Peace Museum.<br />
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<span id="goog_556955537"></span><span id="goog_556955538"></span><br />Brian Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15398953107713442731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-536742296627954975.post-57327923772465034772013-05-21T05:59:00.003-07:002013-05-21T06:08:57.614-07:00Andy smiles his way to HiroshimaI'm tired so only a short post tonight. We made it safely to Hiroshima. Let's just say that Andy was really happy that we got here.<br />
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Better?</div>
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Still smiling!</div>
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Delicious Hiroshima okonomiyaki at a little diner</div>
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Breakfast at Mr. Donut. To my surprise, the pastry on the right was filled with macaroni and cheese.</div>
<br />Brian Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15398953107713442731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-536742296627954975.post-16163105216778458612013-05-20T01:38:00.002-07:002013-05-20T01:41:47.572-07:00Todaiji Temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine in NaraToday, the Roberts Fellows were tasked with getting us from Kyoto to Nara for a day trip. We came, we saw, we road a train. It was pretty cool actually. Good mass transit systems are just awesome and the ride to Nara gave us a great view of the country. I know I keep saying what a beautiful country Japan is. The problem is that no matter where we go, we just see more beautiful views. Among other things, Nara is notable for deer. According to the Shinto religion, deer were the messengers for a god coming to the city. This means that the city is full of tame deer. Do you want a mellow experience? Stroll along a tree covered walkway lined with ancient stone lanterns and filled with tame deer. It felt like something out of Disney movie. Admittedly the hoards of school children detracted from the serenity a bit, but they were having fun so it just added to the festivities. Among other things, we saw the largest bronze Buddha in the world at the Todaiji Temple and President Gilbertson bought a roof tile that the Roberts Fellows decorated, which will be placed on top of the temple. Anne and I also accidentally ordered children's meals for lunch because we couldn't read the menu. :)<br />
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P.S. Make sure that you are checking the video stream too since there are videos inside the temple, among other things. <a href="http://www.tout.com/brianthesoc">www.tout.com/brianthesoc</a><br />
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On the train to Nara!</div>
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Nara!</div>
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The Three Story Pagoda</div>
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Todaiji Temple (look at how small the people are at the entrance)</div>
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This tile will be placed on the roof of the Todaiji Temple</div>
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This is a Japanese Happy Meal (it was yummy!)</div>
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Kasuga Taisha Shrine</div>
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Deer in Nara</div>
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More Nara deer</div>
Brian Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15398953107713442731noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-536742296627954975.post-46397062012670310292013-05-19T03:01:00.001-07:002013-05-19T03:01:46.778-07:00Nijo Castle and Kiyomizu TempleKyoto is a beautiful city. It is very clean, organized, and has a relaxed atmosphere to it. I've enjoyed our time here a great deal. They even have lots of nice coffee shops. :) Today we visited Nijo Castle and Kiyomizu Temple. We made use of the public bus system, which is very convenient and took a long stroll too. The rain put a bit of damper on things, but the Roberts Fellows were good sports and persevered despite the weather. President Gilbertson arrived this evening and we are about to head off for dinner so I am going to let the photos speak for themselves. Yes, I did include a picture of my toilet. Tomorrow, we head to Nara for the day.<br />
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View of Kyoto from an overpass</div>
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Heading in to Nijo Castle</div>
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The moat by the entrance</div>
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Gardens inside Nijo Castle</div>
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Who is the brave group of world travelers?</div>
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It must be the RF14s!</div>
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The streets outside of Kiyomizu Temple</div>
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The entrance to Kiyomizu Temple</div>
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In the hotel rooms there are both the Teachings of Buddha and the New Testament</div>
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Two words: heated seats. Posh.</div>
<br />Brian Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15398953107713442731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-536742296627954975.post-30251085374902136232013-05-18T07:18:00.000-07:002013-05-18T07:18:01.711-07:00China finale on the Great Wall and then off to JapanYesterday we had a great last day in China with a trek to the Great Wall. We also visited the Ming Tombs, a jade factory, and a cloisonne factory, but the Great Wall really stood out. It is still one of the coolest places I have ever been. This was a section of the Great Wall that I have not previously visited. I believe it was the Juyongguan section. While this is a bit of a simplification, this section is basically a short loop that starts with many steps going straight up. The steps keep going, and going, and going. Certainly Jinshanling and Simatai have plenty of hills and steps, but I must say that Juyongguan wins in terms of pure and unrelenting climbing. It was great. There are lots of great Touts as the Roberts Fellows all made it to the top and I've put lots of photos below. Thanks to some delays at the airport (mostly spent sitting on the tarmac) we spent all day making our way from Beijing to Kyoto. The trip was long, but uneventful and Kyoto seems like a wonderfully laid back, but clean and efficient city. I look forward to having the opportunity to explore more tomorrow. I'd like to offer a final congratulations to all the Roberts Fellows who overcame the challenge of the Great Wall and made it to the top of the mountain pass (especially Rehanna!). As Mao would say, you are all now heroes!<br />
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Touring the Ming Tombs</div>
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At the jade factory</div>
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Are we going to climb all the way up there?</div>
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Not that we were counting, but Kristen and I made it to the top in under 30 minutes.</div>
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Success! All the RF14s conquered the Great Wall!</div>
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Oh no, the Roberts Fellows are falling off the Great Wall!</div>
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Seriously, those were a lot of steps.</div>
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Like a lot of steps...</div>
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Note, that is only the first tower and not the top</div>
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Such a studious group at the airport.</div>
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Hello Kyoto!</div>
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So that is what a Japanese ham sandwich and egg salad sandwich look like...</div>
<br />Brian Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15398953107713442731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-536742296627954975.post-87845351505270632692013-05-16T15:04:00.001-07:002013-05-16T15:07:03.019-07:00Summer Palace, Hutong Tour, and Marlin's Birthday!I've made up for the lack of photos and video with several of both today. After the challenge of self-guided navigation yesterday, we took it easy today and hopped on a tour bus to visit the Summer Palace and then went over by <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g294212-d324010-Reviews-Back_Lakes_Hou_Hai-Beijing.html" target="_blank">Houhai Lak</a>e to ride some rickshaws on a tour of the hutongs in the area. After a breather in the afternoon, we met down in the hotel restaurant to celebrate Marlin's 22nd birthday! While we spent part of the afternoon conspiring to acquire a birthday cake, the<a href="http://www.capitalhotel.com.cn/index.html" target="_blank"> Capital Hotel </a>actually beat us to the punch and, having noticed his birthday on his passport, had already arranged to have a cake for Marlin. I just finished putting students into taxis where some are going to see <a href="https://www.thechinaguide.com/index.php?action=show/pekingOperaLiyuan" target="_blank">Peking Opera</a> while others are going to see an<a href="https://www.thechinaguide.com/index.php?action=show/chaoyangAcrobatShow" target="_blank"> acrobat show</a>. The few of us still around the hotel are going to stroll over to Tiananmen Square to watch the lowering of the flag. Anyway, here are the pictures. Make sure to check<a href="http://www.tout.com/brianthesoc" target="_blank"> tout</a> for several videos. Great Wall tomorrow!<br />
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The Summer Palace</div>
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Music at the Summer Palace</div>
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Sidewalk calligraphy</div>
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Hello friends!</div>
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The Long Corridor</div>
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Learning about freshwater pearls</div>
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Hutong tour with Kai</div>
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Happy birthday, Marlin!</div>
<br />Brian Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15398953107713442731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-536742296627954975.post-85480038884928225272013-05-15T08:07:00.002-07:002013-05-15T08:07:38.585-07:00The instructions made it look easy...I don't actually have any photos today because the students were operating as independent small groups so I didn't see them for much of the day. When we finally rendezvoused at a coffee shop near Jingshan Park, I simply forgot to take photos. For all those family and friends who are reading this, I promise that everyone is okay. Everyone, however, was challenged by the task of going to three different locations and testing their negotiating skills against the master salespeople at the Pearl Market. I think that everyone was satisfied with at least one of the "bargains" that they were able to negotiate and I like to think they gained an appreciation for the difficulty in coming to agreement on price with a party that has opposite motivations and there is not clear definition of what the "right" price is. Alas, we are so used to seeing price on a label that bargaining for something as simple as a t-shirt can be both exciting and frustrating at the same time.<br />
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Perhaps the greatest challenge that students faced was finding the Alley Cafe located across the street from the east gate of Jingshan Park. Sounds easy right? Jingshan Park is a major landmark, right? To varying degrees all three student groups got lost. There was confusion about where they were, which subway stop to take, and on more than one occasion what direction they were going. They all walked farther than they expected. In some cases they walked much farther than they expected. Frankly, they struggled at times to decide as a group where to go next and how to get there.<br />
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It was challenging for a reason. Being a leader requires dealing with uncertainty and helping a group work with that uncertainty (um, I think it is this direction, but I am really not sure.) Being a leader require balancing your own beliefs against the beliefs of others (I know you think it is this direction, but...) Sitting in the lobby of the hotel this morning the students were well rested and excited to venture off on their own. Several hours later as students grew hot and tired, the uncertainty and interpersonal negotiation became more of a challenge.<br />
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I will say that I am proud of how well everyone persevered and it was great when we finally had the chance to sit down and share our adventures for the day. There were many ups (ask Jordan about her jade necklace) and there were some downs (don't ask about trying to find a cab outside Jingshan Park). Importantly, everyone worked hard and worked together.<br />
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Tomorrow we are back on a conventional tour. We will ride rickshaws through some hutongs and also visit the Summer Palace. Students also have the option of seeing a show in the evening and some are planning on going to some Peking Opera while others are planning on going to see an acrobat show. As for me, I need to get some sleep. Brian Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15398953107713442731noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-536742296627954975.post-4191608613903072202013-05-14T08:31:00.003-07:002013-05-14T08:31:55.887-07:00Worms, scorpions, starfish and snakes, oh my!Busy day today. First we toured Tiananmen Square. Then we headed north through the Forbidden City. We stopped for a bit at a silk factory and then toured the Temple of Heaven. After an afternoon siesta (and a 5 mile run by Justin, Marlin, and I) we tested out the subways by going to the Silk Market. We split into three groups for dinner and, in the interest of diversity, one group went to a Chinese restaurant, one group went to an Indian restaurant, and another group examined the authenticity of Tim's Texas BBQ, which was apparently run by some Brits. I was with the group at the Indian restaurant and, despite our surprise that this was only the second day that they had been open, the food was really tasty. After dinner, we checked out Wangfujing, which was unfortunately closing early for some reason. However, they did not close before some students had the chance to sample some unique street food (see photos below.)<br />
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Now that students have had a taste of Beijing, we will be breaking them into small groups for self-guided activities tomorrow. No help from the professors! Basically, they will have to navigate to the Pearl Market to haggle for something, find their way to the Lama temple, and finally find a secret location where they will receive their next clue. Okay, there aren't really any next clues, but their goal is to meet their trip leaders at the last location. Ann C2, if you are reading this, I'll give you a hint. They have tasty coffee.<br />
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RF14s in Beijing!</div>
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Learning how silk is made</div>
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At the Temple of Heaven</div>
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Are we having fun yet?</div>
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They were so sincere about doing well their second day open that I thought I would give them a little "press"</div>
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Authentic Texas BBQ?</div>
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Was Marlin the star or is something fishy going on?</div>
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That's good snake.</div>
<br />Brian Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15398953107713442731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-536742296627954975.post-7203078007816158652013-05-13T08:04:00.001-07:002013-05-13T08:04:37.151-07:00A few movies, a few naps, some bad airline food and we are on the other side of the worldFirst, I cannot ask for a better trip to China. Sure, we had to sit on a plane for 14 hours, but everyone was on time, check in, security, customs, and transportation to the hotel all went off without a hitch. My contact met us with some cell phones and before long we were all headed off to walk around <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g294212-d554052-Reviews-Qianmen-Beijing.html">Qianmen Street</a> to see a bit of Beijing and find a place for dinner. We settled on a place on a nice looking restaurant with a table large enough for everyone to sit together. As many readers may know, traditional Chinese food is eaten "family style" with one person ordering so I took a shot at a combination of dishes that have a few new things, but mostly be friendly to the Midwest American pallet. Of course, this also meant that I had an excuse to order some of my favorite dishes. Notably, we celebrated our first meal in Asia with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peking_Duck" target="_blank">Peking duck</a>, which was a first for all but one student. We parted ways after dinner to stroll through some <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hutong" target="_blank">hutongs</a> before heading back to the hotel<br />
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On a side note, I really like the city of Beijing on a personal level. I just like being here. This personal experience is only enhanced by having the opportunity to experience the city through the eyes of students who have never been there before. Certainly there was some anxiety, in particular right before take off, for students and parents alike (you know who I am talking about :) ). However, once we arrived I was pleased to see how ready students were to put themselves "out there" whether it was trying new food or heading off without any faculty members in tow (although cell phones were mandatory). It's going to be a great trip. I think that I have all my technology working right so expect regular<a href="http://www.tout.com/u/brianthesoc" target="_blank"> "Touts"</a> as well as daily posting of photos and commentary on this blog.
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The Capital Hotel at night</div>
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Our first meal in China!</div>
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Walking the hutongs near Qianmen Street</div>
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<br />Brian Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15398953107713442731noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-536742296627954975.post-55833886831218497662013-04-24T06:45:00.000-07:002013-04-24T06:45:55.169-07:00Modern China in 20 minutesI've often been in positions where I have had to try to describe modern Chinese society. I have struggled to negotiate the cultural similarities and differences in a way that resonate with American college students. The economic, and increasingly political, global influence of China is undisputed. The cultural implications of the rapid changes that are taking place in China are more difficult to trace. That being said, Martin Jacques in this TED talk does a damn good job.
<iframe src="http://embed.ted.com/talks/martin_jacques_understanding_the_rise_of_china.html" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe>Brian Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15398953107713442731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-536742296627954975.post-74346259041186657002013-04-09T08:17:00.000-07:002013-04-09T08:17:16.771-07:00The sociology of zombies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My personal interest in zombies likely goes back to some time in middle or high school when I began to see more horror and/or science fiction movies. My academic interest in the idea of zombies stems from a 2003 article by George Ritzer where he uses the metaphor of islands of the living dead to describe the current state of society (<a href="http://abs.sagepub.com/content/47/2/119.abstract">http://abs.sagepub.com/content/47/2/119.abstract</a>). While I have not brought the metaphor into my research or academic writing, as I reflect back over 8 or so years of university teaching, it has been a metaphor that I have threaded through many of my classes such as introduction to sociology and global cultures.<br />
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Drawing from popular Ritzer theories, such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonaldization" target="_blank">McDonaldization</a> and the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Globalization-Nothing-2-George-Ritzer/dp/1412940222" target="_blank">Globalization of Nothing</a>, I've suggested to many students that we may be entering a zombie apocalypse full of mindless consumption and moved away from critical and meaningful engagement with our social and natural worlds. I often ask students "Who has ever been bored and just gone shopping for something to do?" as evidence of this trend (needless to say, many hands are raised, including my own). Certainly not everyone is a zombie, but aren't those creative, dynamic, critical thinkers simply magnets for the zombie hoards who threaten to tear them apart (brains!) and turn them into the same mass-produced nothingness that is the hoard?<br />
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The metaphor is not without problems, but with the growth in popularity of zombies as a pop cultural reference (who hasn't seen the <a href="http://www.amctv.com/shows/the-walking-dead" target="_blank">Walking Dead</a> by now?) it is certain great fodder for class discussion. Hey, if everyone else is doing it why not you?Brian Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15398953107713442731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-536742296627954975.post-59645673583150411172013-03-26T09:48:00.000-07:002013-03-26T09:49:18.818-07:00Great study abroad opportunity<a href="http://www.svsu.edu/" target="_blank">Saginaw Valley State University</a> and<a href="http://www1.mcu.edu.tw/Apps/SB/SB_Site.aspx?PageID=164&L_ID=1" target="_blank"> Ming Chuan University</a> are offering a great study abroad opportunity for students in Taiwan this summer. Ming Chuan University is covering tuition and housing for SVSU students for four weeks in Taiwan. Students just need to cover airfare and food. It is anticipated that students will earn 4 credits that can be transferred back to SVSU. With an estimated cost for students at $2,000 to $3,000 per student this is an incredibly good deal for a great experience. As anyone who reads this blog knows, I am a proponent of international experience regardless of your major. The ability to deal with diverse people, environments, and cultures is a fundamental part of a good college education. I'm including a link below to more information:<br />
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<a href="https://svsu-sa.terradotta.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.ViewProgram&Program_ID=23565">https://svsu-sa.terradotta.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.ViewProgram&Program_ID=23565</a>Brian Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15398953107713442731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-536742296627954975.post-81133285279468214882012-12-12T06:17:00.000-08:002012-12-12T06:17:01.301-08:00Video from my 2012 study abroad trip to ChinaHere is a bit of a video clip montage from my 2012 study abroad trip to China. We visited Beijing and Chengdu over a two week period. Thanks to Ann and all the students for a great trip!
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/67FfQOiltHE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Brian Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15398953107713442731noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-536742296627954975.post-34584277775297738202012-12-10T11:18:00.000-08:002012-12-10T11:18:05.919-08:00Voting is not enough for democracy to workIt has been <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=166671354" target="_blank">an eventful week in Michigan</a> for labor and, to be frank, I am rather shocked to see that the birth state of the AFL-CIO will soon become a Right-to-Work state. Despite the catchy name, "Right-to-Work" refers to legislation that seriously undermines the ability of unions to engage in collective bargaining by opening the door for freeloaders who benefit from a contract, but are unwilling to pay for the maintenance and negotiation of that contract. Labor contracts, after all, are not gifts of a benevolent management, but rather the hard won product of a negotiation between two parties. When the power of one of these parties is undermined by legislation, such as Right-to-Work, the process of collective bargaining shifts from being that of democratic negotiation to that of codification of power inequality.<br />
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I'm going to set all that aside for this post, although I would encourage you to read up on the issue as even non-union jobs are impacted by legislation such as this. Really, I want to talk about this idea that democracy is about voting. This semester I taught an introduction to sociology class where the majority of the students were voting for the first time. When we discussed the issue of voting, they reflected a mainstream idea that voting is a fundamental obligation of citizens in the United States. For the most part they voiced enthusiasm at being able to participate in the process, although that was often mixed with some amount of confusion and a thread of guilt around "not being more informed" about all the issues. Once they worked their way though the process on voting day they were mostly satisfied and they felt their civic obligation was done.<br />
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In addition to my obvious political stance regarding the current political issues, this is one of the reasons that I am headed to Lansing tomorrow for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/121775524650254/" target="_blank">this rally</a>. I think it is important that we battle this idea that citizen involvement starts and stops at the voting booth. Sure, voting is important and you should go vote. However, I would support someone who organizes like-minded people, meets with and contacts his/her legislators, runs for office, encourages civil public debate, and engages in the distribution of meaningful information on public issues over someone who simply shows up at the voting booth any day. Vote, but don't stop there. I would make similar comments to digital activists who always post the latest meme on their profile--spread the word (and <a href="http://wearemich.org/" target="_blank">sign this petition!</a>), but make sure that you are backing up your digital activism with real action.<br />
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This is important because apathy is concession. Without your active participation, dollars can easily influence public policy (check out the <a href="http://www.mackinac.org/" target="_blank">Mackinac Center</a> budget at <a href="http://www.thenation.com/blog/171663/pro-right-work-groups-michigan-outspend-union-counterparts#">http://www.thenation.com/blog/171663/pro-right-work-groups-michigan-outspend-union-counterparts#</a>.) Without your active participation, politicians will not be accountable for their actions. Without your active participation, more legislation will be sent through without true public support. Political malaise in the United States is driven, in part, by the feeling among many people (disenfranchised populations in particular) that their votes don't matter. The problem isn't that votes don't matter--the problem is that voting isn't enough to make democracy work.Brian Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15398953107713442731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-536742296627954975.post-47187061633792125652012-12-03T07:03:00.004-08:002012-12-03T07:03:55.398-08:00Help during finals!Remember students, if you are struggling and need some extra help, please consider stopping in at the Center for Academic Achievement on the 2nd floor of the library. There are people there that care and can help you with your studying. <a href="http://www.svsu.edu/tutor/">http://www.svsu.edu/tutor/</a>Brian Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15398953107713442731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-536742296627954975.post-88497785853837945512012-10-17T06:42:00.002-07:002012-10-17T06:42:53.494-07:00My endorsement of Holli Wallace for Freeland School Board<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6WoxBgtBTv4kqGZ6vb4qVaTv5erERGw3Ai4F11vxqLc9DqYF4tLiUelxTTK13BAZ92d2fqmC6Zb64_REA0nhvj340MxKFCz2O5x33q4qf4bfnnIKD-wDI1Al-vrddVmLgVc-F_emcn2U6/s1600/sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6WoxBgtBTv4kqGZ6vb4qVaTv5erERGw3Ai4F11vxqLc9DqYF4tLiUelxTTK13BAZ92d2fqmC6Zb64_REA0nhvj340MxKFCz2O5x33q4qf4bfnnIKD-wDI1Al-vrddVmLgVc-F_emcn2U6/s320/sign.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Okay, perhaps it goes without saying that I should endorse my wife who is running for the Freeland Community School District School Board. I'm also not sure what weight my endorsement carries, although I will note that I am a sociology professor who has done at least some research into K-12 to higher education transitions of students in mid-Michigan. Nonetheless, spousal bias aside, I thought it was worth voicing why I think she is a excellent candidate for the position. I've come up with three characteristics that should make her your choice (or really one of your three choices) for the position:<br />
<ol>
<li><u>Integrity.</u> It is a running joke in our house. Holli is a rule follower and she expects those around her to be rule followers also. This is not just a personal ideology. As an attorney she has the professional background and knowledge to understand both the legal and ethical implications of crossing certain lines. Integrity is important for the school district and community to have a productive relationship.</li>
<li><u>Reflexive</u>. That's my way of saying that she thinks about stuff. Nurturing the children in a community such as Freeland is a weighty responsibility to take on. The decisions made on their behalf need to be evidence-based and involve consideration for their long-term and secondary impacts. School of choice, test scores, and other issues are important factors to consider. However, they should not be decided as individual issues, but rather considered in the context of economic, social, and political changes in Freeland and throughout Michigan. Holli does not rush to conclusions, but rather listens to all voices in the community and weighs them against the best interests of Freeland's children.</li>
<li><u>Child-focused.</u> Holli is an excellent mother. Importantly, she understands that being an excellent mother is about more than caring for her two children. It is also about creating a learning environment for their peers, a working environment for their teachers, and a space for the community which will enhance their personal growth in a changing world. I think this is fundamentally what drives her to run for School Board--she knows that our success as a community is very much linked together. I am confident that she will work to collaborate with all necessary parties to ensure that Freeland's children are well prepared for success in the future.</li>
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I would encourage other people to post either here or on Holli's Facebook page (<a href="http://www.holliwallace.com/">www.holliwallace.com</a>) why they think she is an excellent candidate. The fact is that the School Board has an awesome responsibility to help Freeland's children grow into happy, productive, and success adults. Holli is more than up for the task and I hope that you will not only vote for her, but also do what you can over the next three weeks to let others know about what a great candidate she is.Brian Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15398953107713442731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-536742296627954975.post-59654440345385000462012-09-18T07:39:00.001-07:002012-09-18T07:39:35.809-07:00Recycling is overratedFirst, I admit that I wrote that title to get your attention. It's really only partially true. Recycling, for the most part, is good for the environment. There are some very legitimate concerns that I have about low-wage, low-quality jobs (see David Pellows book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Garbage-Wars-Environmental-Industrial-Environments/dp/026266187X/" target="_blank">Garbage Wars</a>) and there are numerous examples of greenwashing, when the environmental benefits are blown way out of proportion. That being said, to recycle is better than to just throw stuff away. The problem is it is an individual action that gives people validation to continue to consume without consideration for the consequences. It is sort of like those "lite" snacks that just give people license to eat more. Really, out of the slogan "reduce, reuse, recycle" recycling is meant to be the last option. Furthermore, environmental problems require collective action and organizing groups of people around shared interests. It requires political and community engagement. It requires definitively more than sticking some aluminum in a recycling bin. So let go of the excuse that "at least I recycle" and give some thought to not buying the stuff in the first place and spend your time joining an environmental advocacy group instead.Brian Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15398953107713442731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-536742296627954975.post-19094212500044536132012-08-22T06:54:00.002-07:002012-08-22T06:54:55.314-07:00Introducing the Brian the Sociologist logo!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMnFygN07DFxz-CGpQURP2ukz6kyt4V3x03k9tFJp3OxWpk9W1FKycF0Yre78CtTS66-_PywmK3Po0mHumAnYJrh118ZVWKoKtC5GCj-Z7Xr08ulsV5Ha0FjpMCOiJ8yCezrNiaOon5tgb/s1600/dr.brianthomas-logo-BB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMnFygN07DFxz-CGpQURP2ukz6kyt4V3x03k9tFJp3OxWpk9W1FKycF0Yre78CtTS66-_PywmK3Po0mHumAnYJrh118ZVWKoKtC5GCj-Z7Xr08ulsV5Ha0FjpMCOiJ8yCezrNiaOon5tgb/s320/dr.brianthomas-logo-BB.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
So, this is what happens when I don't teach during the summer. Actually, I've thinking for awhile about designing a logo to act as a visual link among my various projects, classes, social media identities, etc. I started playing around www.fiverr.com and someone designed this for me for $5. I initially thought about something more complicated addressing issues of globalization, food, and the environment. However, as I gave it more thought, I decided I wanted something really simple that focuses only on groups of people. What do you think? It will make its first appearance on my syllabi next week.<br /><br />Brian Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15398953107713442731noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-536742296627954975.post-73997347477642853312012-08-15T17:51:00.001-07:002012-08-15T17:51:51.948-07:00Getting geared up for the school year<div><p>Well, the new school year is nearly upon us. While this is my 8th year teaching, thanks to some time off through a sabbatical, I'm planning to revisit everything I do in the classroom (no ruts here.) My primary goal is to do some writing about public sociology and service learning. However, I'm hoping to also spend some time formalizing assessment for all these various service learning projects I have running and getting the student clothing and food bank running. I've also decided to make a more concerted effort to implement research based teaching best <u>practices</u>. Step one will be to take a shot at learning student names (no more just throwing out that generic "I'm bad with names excuse.") Thanks to www.fiverr.com I will also soon be releasing the official Brian the Sociologist logo. Yes, a smartphone app will likely follow. </p>
</div>Brian Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15398953107713442731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-536742296627954975.post-57505201375506369692012-05-29T11:46:00.000-07:002012-05-29T11:46:09.878-07:00Off to China!Well, I'm taking off for China with 10 students on June 2. We will be gone until June 17. It should be a really great trip with lots of exciting activities planned from an internship at a panda research center in Chengdu to camping by the Great Wall of China. I'm experimenting with some new forms of social media (e.g. <a href="http://www.tout.com/brianthesoc">www.tout.com/brianthesoc</a>) so hopefully there will be some interesting video being generated. I'm also going to have a smart phone with me so I hope to be able to provide very regular updates. If you are interested in following us on our trip, go to <a href="http://www.facebook.com/brianinchina">www.facebook.com/brianinchina</a>.Brian Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15398953107713442731noreply@blogger.com0