03.12.07
As majority of my class, and a smaller contingency of Howard students, prepare themselves to head to New Orleans for alternative spring break I relish on half of a semester done, half a semester in this course completed. Halfway to our presentation, halfway to finals, halfway to a greater realization of the catastrophe of hurricane Katrina. Though my feelings regarding the course itself fluctuates, I do gain a larger understanding of the multiplicitous nature of hurricane Katrina every week for which I am increasingly thankful. Hearing from the different lecturers has caused me to see how widespread the affects of the hurricane were. Doing research in the varying disciplines for the course I believe will also prepare me to participate in civic and humanitarian efforts through my career. Also the course material is preparing us as students to understand greater issues that currently affect American society, such as global warming, racism, poverty, environtmental justice, and political bureaucracy. To gain such an understanding of the hurricane will enable us to make predictions as to the environmental and ecological future of New Orleans, as well as sustaining its cultural and ethnic diversity, and strengthening the socioeconomic status, education, and health of its citizens. We can also determine what might be the best approach to rebuilding in New Orleans, post-hurricane Katrina, and how FEMA, the Red Cross, and American culture altogether can better prepare itself for similar disasters in the future.
02.13.07
Snow Day!!!!!
I have decided to use this blog not only to post applicable assignments for class, but also for personal reflection on the Interdisciplinary…Research course that I am taking: partly out of obligatory admonition and then partly for my own personal edification. So I thought it rather relevant that my first personal post provide a critique of the class thus far.
…Though at times the class is somewhat frustrating due to it being seemingly unorganized or perhaps just because of its multiplicitous nature, I am enjoying it so far. I appreciate the flexibility of the course’s instructors and facilitators, and I understand that since this is a pilot class there is no Rosetta Stone to use as a reference for success. We as students are sort of in the position of guinea pigs in this experiment called “interdisciplinary approaches to research”, therefore as tests are conducted on us (i.e. assignments via the internet, total independent study and research, etc.) we must compliantly respond as much as possible, consequently to the betterment of our academic experience, the furtherance of research conducted on the catastrophe that was Hurricane Katrina, and to harness our research skills altogether. Therefore, despite the scatterbrained moments in class and on Blackboard, the seemingly four weeks of meetings determining, introducing, refining, and reintroducing our research topics, along with any other complaints that anyone might have about the class, the upside of it all is that in the end we shall be better student [and researchers], and hopefully Howard University will have gained a course that will enable future students to learn the interworkings of the disciplines at Howard through topic oriented research affected by each department. And if you still view the glass as half empty, it’ll all be over in about three months.
cognizant.
01.11.07
Below are four articles as well as two additional articles attained from a government source, regarding the issue of… environmental justice and equality. I chose the topic of environmental justice because I felt it most relevant and also a rather intriguing aspect of environmentalism, especially as I try to relate these topics to environmental aspects of Hurricane Katrina.
I attained the articles cited below first through a basic Google Search of environmental justice, then by searching the academic search premier website EBSCOhost. I chose each article because of its focus on ecological and environmental ethics, as well as environmental justice and equality. The articles discuss observable facts of many unsightly aspects of everyday environments, such as what one article’s author refers to as “LULUs” “locally unwanted land uses”, that are often placed within lower income, minority, and primarily black neighborhoods. (Heffern, 2006) Relevant comparisons are made between such subtle social inequities and past acts of environmental injustice practiced by federal and local government municipalities especially when in response to natural disasters. Further examples of such environmental injustice are exemplified in the second article regarding the Navaho Indian people fighting to protect their land from industrial development. The article’s that I attained from my search of EBSCOhost discussed the affect of segregation on environmental health disparities, and also further discusses the affect of industrial facilities on humans. Each article presented me with relevant information that I determined pertinent to the concern of environmental justice and more importantly to the ethical issues concerning Hurricane Katrina.
Bibliography
Heffern, R. (2006). From landfills to freeways: Movement links ecology, justice. National Catholic Reporter, Retrieved January 9, 2007, from http://ncrcafe.org/node/171
Norrell, B. (2006) Policy debate: Power plants on Navajo land. Indian Country, Retrieved January 9, 2007, from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8161048/
Morello-Frosch, R. (2006). The riskscape and the color line: Examining the role of segregation in environmental health disparities. Retrieved January 9, 2007, from EBSCOhost Web site: http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/search?vid=2&hid=14&sid=3bf2a10d-b905-4e47-a803-fe023b9b1701%40sessionmgr3
Boerner, Christopher, Lambert, Thomas, (1995). USA Today Magazine, 01617389, Vol. 123, Issue 2598. EBSCOhost. Retrieved January 9, 2007, from Environmental injustice: Industrial and waste facilities must consider the human factor Web site: http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=2&hid=16&sid=c3fe1f9f-b84c-40cb-8ae5-f772ac174520%40SRCSM1
(2005). Katrina’s racial storm. Chicage Tribune Editorial, Retrieved February 25, 2007, from http://obama.senate.gov/news/050908-katrinas_racial_storm/index.html
Dunn-Chapital, K (2005). Retrieved February 27, 2007, from US Senate committe on environment & public works Web site: http://epw.senate.gov/hearing_statements.cfm?id=248155
Direct Links:
The riskscape and the color line: Examining the role of segregation in environmental health disparities
Environmental injustice: Industrial and waste facilities must consider the human factor
From Landfills to Freeways: Movement Links Ecology, Justice.
