S.P.I.C.E. – ASSIGNMENT SEQUENCE

Savannah Sanburg(edits and support by Dr. Charlene Shelton)

University of Colorado Denver

RATIONALE: The study of racism in the United States is a study of how society treats people who are outside of the dominant culture. In societies people leave behind all manner of “things” that attest to the society’s treatment of its members. Some of those “things” are from times past and some are being produced and distributed as you read this description. These things, which we call “artifacts,” include physical objects, written documents, and works of art. Historians use artifacts to help determine what happened in the past, what caused certain events or trends to occur, what effect those events or trends produced, and to link the present with the past. This project will require you to think and act like social scientists as you build your knowledge of racism and its implications in our modern society.

Definition: Webster’s Dictionary defines the word “artifact” as: “something created by humans usually for a practical purpose especially an object remaining from a particular period; or something characteristic of or resulting from a particular human institution, trend, period, or individual.”

Assignment: Choose at least 5 artifacts that help you tell the “story” of your topic. These artifacts are the basis of the research that will culminate in your final research paper and presentation. You may choose any time period; any geographic area within the United States; and any race, ethnicity, or marginalized group. You may choose a dominant population and explain how the group has risen to its hegemonic place in society and the effect it has had on nondominant groups. However, your artifacts must add to your ideas about how to end racism. This assignment will last over six-weeks.

You must include at least one interview (that you conduct) and one analysis of a scholarly article or book.

How you will accomplish this task: You will work in teams of 4 or 5 students. You will have the same teams for the whole semester, so choose your teammates carefully. You will turn in: 5 artifacts, one paper, and one presentation. Each person on the team will contribute to the success of the team. You will be given individual as well as team grades. You will also grade each of your team members to ensure that everyone pulls his/her weight. You can structure your team any way you want. Think of this as an assignment that you would do if you worked at Google.

Grading: Your portfolios will be graded based on the attached rubric. The grade will be the total of the 10 artifacts over the course of the semester (150 points).

Instructions:

1) The artifacts must meet the parameters of the definition provided above.

2) Artifacts can be anything you deem to have a role in shaping race and ethnic relations during the period that you choose. You are not limited at all by the examples of artifacts mentioned. You are free to discover and research additional artifacts that you feel are important to the understanding and elimination of racism.

3) Artifacts can be physical objects, historical documents, works of art, or even non-tangible things like ideas or theories. Intangible artifacts must have a basis in fact. You cannot, for example, say that your think that Asians have better morals than other groups without documenting how you know this information. Individual people CANNOT be artifacts.

4) The artifact must have a connection to your topic of choice. You must be able to make those connections in your descriptions and analysis of your artifacts.

5) You must provide a picture or some other visual image of the artifact. The picture can be a modern example of the historical object. See below for examples.

6) You must provide a description of each artifact.

7) You must explain why the artifact is important to the study of your topic as well as an important example of the your topic.

8) You must identify and explain how the artifact relates to at LEAST TWO of the “SPICE” themes below.

9) Each artifact must have a citation.Examples of Artifacts

Articles: Magazine, newspaper, blogs Art objects: pottery, photographs, paintings, drawings, cartoons Literature: poetry, short stories, novels, plays, speeches, children’s stories Music Film, television, radio Cultural objects: cars, clothing, jewelry, furniture, Fashion: clothing/hair styles Religion: religious artifacts, prayers, meditations, creeds Language: examples of words (e.g. “groovy”), sentence structure, syntax, communication methods, sayings Geography: neighborhoods, streets, shopping areas, travel, maps Cultural practices: food, ceremonies, holidays, health practices

Examples of visual images of artifacts and citations:

Artifact Image CitationFilm or video A copy of the DVD cover Name of the film, director, year producedBook Copy of the front cover In APA formatJournal, newspaper, or magazine article

The whole article In APA format

Work of art Photograph of the artifact Name of the work, artist, yearIntangible: idea, philosophy, theory, etc.

Image of the person whose idea it is.

Name of the work in which idea was first published, year, publisher, in APA format

Historical documents Image of the document In APA formatMusic Copy of the CD cover, sheet music,

composer or musicianIn APA format

Week #1 Daily Writing Prompt#1/2

Arguing A PositionFor

Arguing A Position Against

Week #2 Daily Writing Prompt #3/4

AGAINST FOR

Week #3 Daily WritingPrompt #5/6

FOR AGAINST

Week #4 Daily WritingPrompt #7/8

AGAINST FOR

Week #5 Daily WritingPrompt #9/10

FOR AGAINST

Week #6 Daily WritingPromp #11/12

AGAINST FOR

The goal of the Daily Writing Prompts are to facilitate dialogue within your groups about various social justice issues. These assignments are geared to allow for effective collaboration within each group to allow for students to learn how to think critically and to analyze an argument effectively.

ENGLISH 1020 FRESHMAN COMPOSITION Research Presentation - Rubric

Required Elements: Criteria: Points (max.)

PointsEarned

1) Student selects appropriate items as artifacts, including one interview and one analysis of a scholarly article or book.

Items are physical objects, historical documents, works of art, ideas, theories, etc. Artifact is not human or a specific person.

2

2) Student includes a picture or other visual image or representation of the artifact, or the artifact itself.

Visual image can be either historical or a modern rendition of the artifact but must closely resemble, or be easily associated with, the actual artifact chosen.

1

3) Student provides a written description of the artifact.

The description must include the uses or uses of the artifact and/or the physical appearance of the artifact and/or a summary of the artifact’s purpose or design

3

4) For each artifact, the student provides an explanation of the artifact’s importance to the study of the topic.

Explanation must demonstrate thoughtful analysis of the artifact’s significance in the student’s topic.

3

5) For each artifact, the student provides an explanation of the artifact’s importance to the historical period during which it was created or produced.

Explanation will put the artifact in the proper context of the period and provide analysis of the artifact’s significance to the historical period

3

6) For each artifact, the student will demonstrate how the artifact relates to at least two of the SPICE themes (see “SPICE” handout).

Student provides accurate historical evidence to show how the artifact relates to at least two of the SPICE themes and makes connections between the artifact’s cause and effects.

3

15

S.P.I.C.E.

Social--Development and transformation of social structures• Gender roles and relations• Family and kinship

• Racial and ethnic constructions• Social and economic classesPolitical--State-building, expansion, and conflict• Political structures and forms of governance• Nationalism• Revolts and revolutions• Regional or trans-regional structures and organizationsInteraction between humans and the environment• Demography and disease• Migration• Patterns of settlement• TechnologyCultural--Development and interaction of cultures• Religions• Belief systems, philosophies, and ideologies• Science and technology• The arts and architectureEconomic--Creation, expansion, and interaction of economic systems• Agricultural and pastoral production• Trade and commerce• Labor systems• Industrialization• Capitalism and socialism

The Research Paper

Each team member will write one section of the paper. The introduction should be a collaboration between all team members. Your paper must have the following sections:

1. Introductiona. What is this paper about?b. What is your research question?c. How did you come up with your idea?d. Why does it make sense?

2. Your plan for ending racism Be very specific a. Who is involved: city people, community members, students, churches, businesses, etc.b. Will it cost anything? How much? Why will it cost money or why will it not cost money?c. How long will it take to implement your plan?d. What are the specifics of the plan – how will it work?

3. Explanation of how all the artifacts work together to tell your storya. Do not summarize the artifacts again, put them all together and tell your story.

4. Why your plan will worka. Has anything like this been tried before? If so, what was the outcome?b. If something similar has been tried, how will your plan be different?c. What methods will you use to make sure your plan works?d. Will your plan target any particular group? Who? Why?

5. What do you expect to be the outcome if your plan is implemented?a. Will racism end completely? If not, is there some aspect of racism that will end or be better?b. How will people’s thoughts, behaviors, and interactions change as a result of your plan?

6. Conclusiona. Summarize your paper in one or two paragraphsb. State how your team’s thoughts, behaviors, actions, and interactions will or will not change as a

result of this projectc. Any last thoughts

ARTIFACT SAMPLE

ENGLISH 1020

S.P.I.C.E – ASSIGNMENT SEQUENCE

Research Portfolio Project Rubric

Required Elements: Criteria: Points (max.)

PointsEarned

1) Student selects appropriate items as Items are physical objects, historical documents, works of art, 2

artifacts, including one interview and one analysis of a scholarly article or book.

ideas, theories, etc. Artifact is not human or a specific person.

2) Student includes a picture or other visual image or representation of the artifact, or the artifact itself.

Visual image can be either historical or a modern rendition of the artifact but must closely resemble, or be easily associated with, the actual artifact chosen.

1

3) Student provides a written description of the artifact.

The description must include the uses or uses of the artifact and/or the physical appearance of the artifact and/or a summary of the artifact’s purpose or design

3

4) For each artifact, the student provides an explanation of the artifact’s importance to the study of the topic.

Explanation must demonstrate thoughtful analysis of the artifact’s significance in the student’s topic.

3

5) For each artifact, the student provides an explanation of the artifact’s importance to the historical period during which it was created or produced.

Explanation will put the artifact in the proper context of the period and provide analysis of the artifact’s significance to the historical period

3

6) For each artifact, the student will demonstrate how the artifact relates to at least two of the SPICE themes (see “SPICE” handout).

Student provides accurate historical evidence to show how the artifact relates to at least two of the SPICE themes and makes connections between the artifact’s cause and effects.

3

15

S.P.I.C.E. ASSIGNMENT SEQUENCE Research Paper Rubric

Required Elements: Criteria: Points (max.)

PointsEarned

1) Student selects appropriate items as artifacts, including one interview and one analysis of a scholarly article or book.

Items are physical objects, historical documents, works of art, ideas, theories, etc. Artifact is not human or a specific person.

2

2) Student includes a picture or other visual image or representation of the artifact, or the artifact itself.

Visual image can be either historical or a modern rendition of the artifact but must closely resemble, or be easily associated with, the actual artifact chosen.

1

3) Student provides a written description of the artifact.

The description must include the uses or uses of the artifact and/or the physical appearance of the artifact and/or a summary of the artifact’s purpose or design

3

4) For each artifact, the student provides an explanation of the artifact’s importance to the study of the topic.

Explanation must demonstrate thoughtful analysis of the artifact’s significance in the student’s topic.

3

5) For each artifact, the student provides an explanation of the artifact’s importance to the historical period during which it was created or produced.

Explanation will put the artifact in the proper context of the period and provide analysis of the artifact’s significance to the historical period

3

6) For each artifact, the student will demonstrate how the artifact relates to at least two of the SPICE themes (see “SPICE” handout).

Student provides accurate historical evidence to show how the artifact relates to at least two of the SPICE themes and makes connections between the artifact’s cause and effects.

3

15

Native American Imagery

Ravaged in Sports

Introduction

Historically, collegiate and professional sports have been a horizonless feature

of daily life for many Americans, and have provided a sense of unity and pride

among their respective students and fans. Unfortunately, many Americans know

and care more about major sporting events, teams, and superstar athletes than

they do about the social and political issues facing the United States (King, 2004, p.

32). Primarily, the Native American image is so badly tarnished and totally

misrepresented from their earliest contacts with pilgrim America, that it remains

unfixable is in itself a travesty of justice within the free confines of the United States

of America.

One common theme prevalent among many professional and collegiate sports

teams is the symbolic utilization of a logo or mascot. Often the logo reflects the

name of a particular team or the city and university they represent, and is created

in an artistic and aesthetically pleasing fashion. Cultural materialism has propelled

the use of logos and mascots into a lucrative form of revenue for teams and

universities alike. As a result, logos and mascots have grown increasingly more

recognizable within American society. A majority of Native Americans take offense

with sports teams adopting Indian nomenclature and images to symbolize their

team or to sell sports paraphernalia. While the topic remains controversial, several

major U.S. clubs continue to use Native American imagery in their names and logos

to evoke what they say are positive qualities like strength, courage and respect,

including the Atlanta Braves, the Cleveland Indians and the Kansas City Chiefs. On a

recent flight from New Orleans, a passenger with what could be stated as “hippie-

like” looks with the Grateful Dead patch on his backpack, long curly hair and a

bandana, sported a brand new Washington Redskins hoodie and ball cap. When

asked about his ensemble and if he had an issue with the imagery, he said, “Well, I

am 1/16th Indian”. Strange bedfellows you might think, but while most logos and

mascots are universally and socially accepted, a number of teams and universities

utilize names and display images that are culturally insensitive to Native Americans.

In fact, countless college, amateur and high school teams across the country

incorporate words like “Apaches,“ “Indians” or even “savages” in their names. The

use of such imagery has clouded the concept of race relations in the United States

and perpetuates “the mistreatment and abuse of American Indians and, for that

matter, discrimination against indigenous populations” (Harper, 2009, p. 136) and

tribes across the nation. Native American groups and their supporters maintain that

because they view words like “redskin” as offensive, it is wrong to use them. These

issues come up repeatedly with owners of teams stating they are “honoring” the

particular Native American ethnicity by displaying their logos on everything team.

In this writer’s opinion, in order to understand the importance of this issue and

the need for change, it is necessary to examine the use of Native American imagery

in sports through a historical lens and perspective to the issue.

Historical Context

In the 1960s, the Red Power movement took aim at eliminating the misleading

and stereotypical imagery in the sporting and advertising industries. Native

American leaders and activists urged “America’s high schools, colleges, universities

and professional sports franchises to do the right thing and take a hard look at the

racist implications of appropriating Indian names and images” (Thomas, 2001, p.

204). Although many schools and teams complied with these requests, a number of

them ignored the issue. The movement’s efforts culminated in 1968 when the

National Congress of American Indians launched a campaign to address the

stereotypes found in various forms of print media and advertising. Subsequently,

universities such as Stanford and Dickinson State changed their respective team

names from Indians to Cardinals and from Savages to Blue Hawks (Thomas, 2001, p.

204). In addition, the campaign initiated the eventual reevaluation of derogatory

names used in other commercial industries outside of sports as well. For example, in

1999 “the Crayola Company announced that it was dropping the color Indian Red

from its 64-Crayon box” (Thomas, 2001, p. 204). In attempting to reclaim their

cultural identity, Native American activists have advanced this issue and urged

change through a myriad of approaches including protests, legislation proposals and

lawsuits. Collectively, these efforts have “helped make the issue a topic of national

interest within the dominant American public” (Black, 2002, p.605). The activism

that has occurred over the previous 50 years demonstrates that some progress is

being made. However, to understand fully the motivation and purpose driving this

movement, the origins of the social misconstruction of Native Americans that have

contributed to the misrepresentation of their culture is explored.

The “Generic” Native American

The social construction of Native Americans is blatantly misrepresented and

infected with racial and ethnic stereotypes. Although many Native American tribes

vary in their cultural traditions, appearances, and religious beliefs, universities and

professional sports teams have continued to spread the social misconstruction that

has classified all Native American tribes and individuals as the same. This

categorization of the generic Native American is the basis for the change urged by

many Native American activists (Black, 2002, p. 607). Additionally, the generic

Native American image, coupled with the misunderstanding and misinterpretation of

the historical context of their cultures has tainted the Native American identity. The

most evident and insincere use of Native American imagery in sports, which

significantly disregards

the true context of its meaning, is the use of the term “redskins.” In Native

American culture there “is no single word more offensive than the term redskin”

(Thomas, 2001, p. 204). Likewise, the use of the term signifies English bounty

hunters exchanging wagonloads of bloodied Native American skulls and corpses for

payment. It cannot be denied that the use of derogatory terms relative to other

minority groups in the United States would be culturally, politically, and socially

unacceptable. However, professional sports organizations including the Washington

Redskins and Cleveland Indians refuse to recognize their insensitivity and consider

the true context of their logo and mascot.

Following is a September 2014 newspaper article from The Denver Post, one

of the latest in a series of attempts to move the National Football League to come to

their senses about this injustice.

“Washington>>A U.S. senator threatened the NFL with legislation over the Redskins nickname, a letter was dispatched to the other 31 team owners, and the issue was linked to the league’s other recent troubles…domestic violence, child abuse, substance abuse.

In a news conference that featured American Indian, civil rights and religious leaders, Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., took aim at the NFL’s pocketbook by announcing she will introduce a bill to strip the league’s tax-exempt status because it has not taken action over the Redskins name.

‘The NFL needs to join the rest of America in the 21st Century,’ said Cantwell, the former chairwoman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. We can no longer tolerate this attitude toward Native Americans. This is not about team tradition. This is about right and wrong.”

Redskins owner Daniel Snyder has said that the Redskins name and logo is meant to honor American Indians” (Associated Press).

This division among professional and collegiate sports entities and Native

American activists “underscores the power of naming in mainstream America”

(Thomas, 2001, p. 205); the power of which Native Americans are trying to reclaim.

In a broader context, the historic oppression of Native Americans by English settlers

and American explorers serves as a reminder that the use of Native American

imagery in sports reflects and supports the incredible amount of wrongdoing Native

Americans have endured throughout their rich but sorrowful history on this

continent. Unfortunately, until professional, collegiate and governmental

organizations and institutions recognize that racism, discrimination, hostility and

abuse are echoed in their logos and mascots, the use of derogatory terms and

images will continue (Harper, 2009, p. 137). This social misconstruction of the

generic Native American has not only produced racial, prejudicial, and insensitive

stereotypes, it has created a false image of the history and identity of Native

American people and tribes.

Native Americans from an Anthropological Perspective

At its core, the ethnic study of the Native American perspective seeks to

implement a cross-cultural approach when comparatively understanding and

studying current or past societies and cultures. This approach separates the

anthropological discipline from other social sciences and allows anthropologists to

view cultures other than their own while taking into consideration that different

customs and lifestyles exist. In addition, the cross-cultural approach reflects the

necessity “to look beyond the confines of our own society and compare it to the

beliefs and practices of other societies, past and present” (Dudgeon, 2008, p. 11). In

the professional and collegiate sporting arenas, this approach is trivialized and

neglected. An emphasis on understanding different cultures is imperative to the

goal that Native American activists are trying to achieve. However, it is clear that

professional sporting organizations and collegiate institutions overlook the concept

of cultural diversity and sensitivity. The cross-cultural approach of the

anthropological perspective can “encourage cross-disciplinary dialogues and

collaborations that foster fuller understandings and more dynamic interpretations”

(King, 2004, p. 34) of Native Americans and their culture. As Native Americans

continue to battle with organizations, institutions, and businesses that animate and

utilize derogatory Native American imagery, it is important that anthropologists

continue to provide an academic basis for their cause. As a result, the

misinterpretations that have led to the use of explicitly racial logos and mascots can

be accurately adjusted and respected through a culturally respectful lens.

Conclusion

The primary purpose of this paper is to address the ways in which the use of

Native American imagery in sports violates Native American’s right to self-identity,

racially and ethnically. These images reflect the conquering of Native American

tribes and land by European settlers and American explorers. Rather than

respecting and understanding the historic Native American cultures that have

occupied America, professional sports teams and collegiate institutions have aligned

“themselves with the centuries-old American tradition of oppressing Native

American cultures by demanding various forms of control over their identities”

(Black, 2002, p. 620). Moving forward, professional sports teams and collegiate

institutions need to, across the board, retire the use of Native American imagery in

their mascots and logos.

One small victory in June 2014 was celebrated by native tribal leaders, when

the U.S. Patent Office announced it had canceled six federal trademarks related to

the Washington Redskins’ team name. This ruling was an important step toward

expunging an offensive term. “Cancellation of the trademark is a landmark

decision,” the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council of New York state said in a

statement to International Business Times. “Strong minds are recognizing the team

name is disparaging. We have to be careful about making another human being a

mascot of anything. We’re no one’s mascot.”

As for the universities, ask yourselves this question: How many of your

student population are Native Americans? Not even 50 percent of Native American

teenagers make it to graduate high school. Social stigmas, drugs, alcohol and

suicide plague the Indian Nations. Poverty is rampant. The suffering and oppression

such mascots and logos signify can no longer be ignored. When this failure to

understand correctly rights itself, Native Americans across the United States can

reestablish their self and cultural identities without being fragmented by the

prevalent social misconception of the Native American image. Indigenous groups,

who established their own cultures and lifestyles, adapted to, and occupied the

changing environments and landscapes of North America, deserve cultural

compassion and respect. When such respect and passion is nonexistent, racial and

ethnic divisions prevail.

References

Black, J. (2002). The “Mascotting” of Native America. American Indian Quarterly. 26 (4), 605-622.Dudgeon, R. (2008). The Anthropological Perspective: What Makes it Unique? Manitoba

University.Harper, S. (2009). Wide Right: Why the NCAA’s Policy on the American Indian Mascot Issue Misses the Mark. University of Maryland Law Journal of Race, Religion,

Gender & Class. 9(1), 135-179.King, R. (2004). Preoccupations and Prejudices: Reflections on the Study of Sports Imagery. Anthropologica. 46(1), 29-36. Thomas, D. (2001). Skull Wars. New York NY: Basic Books Publishing.

The Associated Press. (2014, September 23). Senator threatens nfl over redskins. The

Denver Post.