What?! A book to read over the summer? But it’s my vacation! Yes, you received your first college assignment before even starting classes. Actually, thousands of other freshmen were also reading books over the summer in preparation for their first days on campus. Many colleges and universities across the nation have instituted First Year and/or Campus reading programs, but why? There are many reasons for having students – and faculty and staff – read a common book. As a new student, you are entering a community of other learners with a variety of life experiences. A common reading program allows incoming students to have at least one thing in common and something to talk about right from move­in day. Reading a common book provides numerous opportunities to connect with, engage in, and contribute to your new community. Common reading programs also set the tone for college academic expectations. College will be work and will demand that you challenge yourself in many ways; participating in a shared reading program is one way to start this academic journey. According to a 2007 report from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), among seventeen­year­olds, the percentage of non­readers has doubled, from nine percent in 1984 to nineteen percent in 2004. The fact is that Americans of most age levels are reading less, which, according to the study, results in lower reading scores and civic, social, and economic implications. The NEA also found that “literary readers are more likely than non­readers to engage in positive civic and individual activities – such as volunteering, attending sports or cultural events, and exercising.” Overall, reading literary fiction and non­fiction, not just the latest issue of People or checking the news on CNN.com, is an important part of being a college student and in being a thoughtful, engaged citizen of your community and your world. WHAT IS “SYNERGY”? UNCW’s Common Reading Experience, also known as “Synergy,” provides:
· an introduction to academic expectations and intellectual engagement
· a common experience with new peers and faculty
· an opportunity for self­reflection and critical thinking
· a great way to get involved in and out of the classroom
· a powerful, meaningful, and FUN learning experience Synergy supports the university mission of integration of teaching, research, and service and the stimulation of intellectual curiosity, imagination, critical thinking, and thoughtful expression. How will the book be used? The Common Reading book is a requirement of First­Year Seminar courses and will also be used in various courses as determined by faculty. Throughout the Fall semester, there will be numerous events related to the book including films, lectures, discussion groups, and much more. "The Common Reading Experience helped me to create common ground with people of different backgrounds and I was able to expand my horizons." ­ Elizabeth Barnard, UNCW Class of 2009
How are books selected? The Synergy Common Reading Committee solicits recommendations from students, faculty, and staff throughout the year. In selecting a book, the committee gets feedback from student readers and considers characteristics such as:
· Potential to engage students and spark passionate discussion
· Appeal to a wide range of students
· Possibilities for classroom use and additional programming
· Richness of themes; interdisciplinary in nature Do You Want to Suggest a Future Book? Are you reading something great? Do you want to help choose the next Common Reading book? Go to http://www.uncw.edu/commonreading/suggest.htm to make your recommendation. Synergy Website http://www.uncw.edu/commonreading/ Program information Book and author information Reading resources Related multimedia web links Event schedule Suggest a book Synergy General Questions and Activities Discussion / Journal Questions 1. As a college student, what does “intellectual engagement” mean to you? 2. What role does reading play in your life? Do you like to read for leisure? How often and what do you read? 3. As a student and a reader, what characteristics would you look for in a future Common Reading selection? 4. Do you think UNCW’s Common Reading program is a good idea? Why or why not? Activities 1. Write a letter to the Synergy committee to propose next year’s Common Reading selection. Base your proposal on the selection criteria found online at ­ http://www.uncw.edu/commonreading/aboutprogram­selection.htm. Group Work 1. Although Common Reading programs are the norm at most colleges and universities, some schools have Common Film Programs instead in which all freshmen view the same film at the beginning of the semester and have discussions. In groups of four or five, discuss how you feel about this type of program instead of a common book program. What are possible advantages and disadvantages? What characteristics would you look for in your film selection? As a group, choose one or two films that you believe would be good candidates for such a program based on your criteria. Each group will present its thoughts and selections to the class. The class will discuss and agree on a list of criteria for selection and vote on the best “selection” for a potential Common Film program. The film that is selected can then be viewed during or outside of class time. Campus Events Each student will be required to attend at least one scheduled common reading event. Possible events include a speaker and film series, discussion groups, and / or performances. A detailed event schedule can be found at http://www.uncw.edu/commonreading/events.htm.
Critical Thinking and Critical Reading As a college student, you will be asked to think critically in all of your classes. You will be faced with new information, challenging issues, and difficult decisions in which critical thinking skills will be helpful. The Common Reading program offers your first opportunity to engage in critical thinking and critical reading. Critical reading is “a technique for discovering information and ideas within a text,” and critical thinking is “a technique for evaluating information and ideas” (Kurland, 2000). As you read and discuss the Synergy book, delve deeper into the text and question what you are reading. Critical Reading is: ACTIVE: Critical readers question the text as they read, often writing those questions and notes in the margins. They use a dictionary if necessary and use context clues. “Speak to the text” as you read – argue, agree, respond. Discuss ideas and themes with others. FOCUSED ON INTERPRETATION: A critical reader knows that a text is but one person’s portrayal of a story, information, and/or facts. One single text cannot necessarily be taken for the “whole truth.” It is important to recognize not only what a text says, but how that text portrays the subject matter. Are the facts biased? Is it well researched? EVIDENCE­DRIVEN: Especially in non­fiction writing, it is important for readers to actively recognize and analyze the evidence presented on each page. The evidence and facts provided help to establish the author’s purpose, tone, and any bias. AWARE OF CONTEXT: Critical readers don’t just read for facts. They know that all texts exist in contexts: cultural, historical, etc. SOPHISTICATED: Critical readers consider how a text is written, not just what it says. They think about choices the author makes and how the writing choices affect the reader and meaning. MEANINGFUL: Critical readers work on making sense of a text by synthesizing what they know about the subject, the context it was written in, and the writing style. They go beyond the surface and work towards their own critical, insightful interpretation of the text. “To read without reflecting is like eating without digesting.” ~Edmund Burke For more information on Critical Thinking, see Cha. 4, “Strategic Learning.”
FALL 2011 UNCW COMMON READING SELECTION Zeitoun By Dave Eggers When I was prompted by the Synergy committee to recommend a book that would provoke thought and discussion, I was naturally hesitant. Finding a book that you think will be relevant, engaging, and enjoyable is a very difficult task for anybody. After a great deal of consideration, I remembered a particular book that was written by one of my favorite authors, Dave Eggers, dealing with a remarkable man in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. That book, of course, was Zeitoun. Zeitoun embodies much more than just the qualms of moral obligation and disaster politics; it also characterizes a sense of community. Although we may never have to paddle out in flood waters like Zeitoun did, we can still learn from his actions and nurture a sense of pride for our school and the people that we share it with. Having pride in a community does not always mean running for student body president (although it is certainly not discouraged), but it does mean being active in its functioning, something that resounded with me in reading Zeitoun. Seeing Zeitoun’s strong commitment to his home is something that I see in UNCW and hope to relate to anybody wanting to know more about our school. So, on behalf of the Synergy committee, I invite you to explore Zeitoun and to find your own connections to the book and its themes ­ and to hopefully embrace the ideas of community that first attracted me to the book and led to me recommend it for the 2011 Common Reading Experience. ­Taylor Curley Synergy Committee, 2010­2011 Psychology and English, UNCW Class of 2012 Awards Winner American Book Award, 2010 Winner Dayton Literary Peace Prize John F. Kennedy Distinguished Honor Winner of Los Angeles Times Book Award A New York Times Notable Book A Huffington Post Best Book of the Year A New Yorker Best Book of the Year A Chicago Tribune Best Book of the Year A Kansas City Star Best Book of the Year A San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year An Entertainment Weekly Best Book of the Decade
Author Information – Dave Eggers Photo credit: Michelle Quint Dave Eggers is the author of six previous books, including What Is the What, a finalist for the 2006 National Book Critics Circle Award and winner of France's Prix Medici. That book, about Valentino Achak Deng, a survivor of the civil war in southern Sudan, gave birth to the Valentino Achak Deng Foundation, run by Mr. Deng and dedicated to building secondary schools in southern Sudan. Eggers is the founder and editor of McSweeney's, an independent publishing house based in San Francisco that produces books, an eponymous quarterly journal, a monthly magazine (The Believer), and Wholphin, a quarterly DVD of short films and documentaries. In 2002, with Nívine Calegari he cofounded 826 Valencia, a nonprofit writing and tutoring center for youth in the Mission District of San Francisco. Local communities have since opened sister 826 centers in Chicago, Los Angeles, Brooklyn, Ann Arbor, Seattle, Boston, and Washington, D.C. In 2004, Eggers taught at the University of California–Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, and there, with Dr. Lola Vollen, he cofounded Voice of Witness, a series of books using oral history to illuminate human rights crises around the world. A native of Chicago, Eggers graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in journalism. He now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and two children. (McSweeney’s) Also by Dave Eggers
· · · · · · · · · A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius – Pulitzer Prize finalist
You Shall Know Our Velocity!
How We Are Hungry
How the Water Feels to the Fishes
What is the What – National Book Critics Circle Award finalist 2006
The Wild Things
Teachers Have It Easy: The Big Sacrifices and Small Salaries of America’s Teachers
The Best American Nonrequired Reading (ed)
Surviving Justice: America’s Wrongly Convicted and Exonerated (ed) “[The Zeitoun’s] story intrigued me from the start, given that it’s at the intersection of so many issues in recent American life: the debacle of the government response to Katrina, the struggles facing even the most successful immigrants, a judicial system in need of repair, the problem of wrongful conviction, the paranoia wrought by the War on Terror, widespread Islamophobia…” – Dave Eggers, The Rumpus Interview, June 9, 2009
Dave Eggers Humanitarian Projects
· 826 National ­ www.826national.org 826 National is a nonprofit tutoring, writing, and publishing organization with locations in eight cities across the country. Their goal is to assist students ages six to eighteen with their writing skills, and to help teachers get their classes excited about writing. Through volunteer support, each of the eight 826 chapters provides drop­in tutoring, class field trips, writing workshops, and in­schools programs—all free of charge. 826 chapters are especially committed to supporting teachers, publishing student work, and offering services for English language learners.
· The Valentino Achak Deng Foundation ­ www.valentinoachakdeng.org A nonprofit organization working to increase access to education in post­conflict Southern Sudan by building schools, libraries, teacher­training institutes, and community centers. Established by Valentino Deng and Dave Eggers after the publication of What Is the What, the Foundation's first major project was the construction and operation of a 15­structure educational complex in Valentino's hometown of Marial Bai, Southern Sudan. The Marial Bai Secondary School opened in May 2009, and is the first high school in the entire region.
· Once Upon a School ­ http://onceuponaschool.org/ An online initiative developed in response to Dave Eggers' 2008 TED Prize wish to inspire and collect the stories of private citizens engaged in their local public schools. Each year, three individuals are granted the TED Prize, which provides winners with a wish to change the world, $100,000 in seed money, and the support of the TED community in making the wish come true. The Zeitoun Foundation The Zeitoun Foundation was created in 2009 by the Zeitoun family, Dave Eggers, and McSweeney’s to aid in the rebuilding of New Orleans and to help ensure the human rights of all Americans. Using author proceeds from Zeitoun, The Zeitoun Foundation serves as a grantor to various nonprofit organizations. www.zeitounfoundation.org Themes in Zeitoun
· · · · · · · · · · Natural disaster preparedness and relief
Government response to disaster
Immigrant experience
Multiculturalism
Prejudice and stereotypes
Religion and religious tolerance
Civil liberties and the legal system
Social justice and human rights
Social responsibility
Post 9/11 America
· · · · · · · · · Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Values and morals
Family
Sense of home and community
Work ethic
Sacrifice
Perseverance
Human displacement / Diaspora
New Orleans – history, culture, and resurgence “[Reading Zeitoun] changed my view on Hurricane Katrina, and I think it touched on many great points concerning the relations between Americans and those of the Muslim faith.” – Becca Furr, Nursing, UNCW Class of 2012
ZEITOUN RESOURCES Hurricane Katrina Statistics (The Weather Channel) The National Hurricane Center's report about Hurricane Katrina, which hit Florida and the Gulf Coast in 2005, describes it as "one of the most devastating natural disasters" in U.S. history. It was the costliest to hit the United States, and the third deadliest, with an estimated 1,500 deaths directly attributed to the storm. Katrina first hit Florida August 25, 2005 as a Category 1 storm, strengthened to a Category 5 from a Category 3 in just 12 hours over the Gulf of Mexico, then hit the Gulf coast August 29 as a weaker but dangerous Category 3. Here are some facts that indicate the ferocity of the storm: Damage: $81 billion total; $40.6 billion in insured losses Deaths (direct and indirect: 1,833 total; 1,577 in Louisiana, 238 in Mississippi, 14 in Florida, two in Georgia, two in Alabama Winds: Maximum winds extended to a 25­30 mile radius; hurricane force winds extended 75 miles east of the center (on August 29) Storm Surge Western Mississippi: 24­28 feet in a 20­mile wide swath centered on St. Louis Bay Eastern Mississippi: 17­22 feet Louisiana St. Tammany Parish from Slidell to Mandeville (northeast shore of Lake Pontchartrain: 12­16 feet East New Orleans, St. Bernard Parish, Plaquemines Parish: 15­19 feet West New Orleans: 10­14 feet Western shore of Lake Pontchartrain: 5­10 feet Alabama Western Alabama coast (including Dauphin Island): 10­15 feet Eastern Alabama coast: up to 10 feet Mobile Bay: 8­12 feet Tornadoes: 43 total; one in Florida, 20 in Georgia, 11 in Alabama, 11 in Mississippi Evacuees: 1.2 million people in northern Gulf coast from Louisiana to Alabama were under evacuation order Source: NASA
Stories from Katrina – UNCW Students and Faculty Several UNCW faculty and staff (and surely students) have ties to New Orleans and to the Gulf Coast affected by Hurricane Katrina. Here are some of their stories. For more responses to and experiences from Katrina, and to post your story and pictures, visit www.uncw.edu/commonreading. Dr. David La Vere Graduate Program Coordinator, UNCW Department of History “Do you know what it means, to miss New Orleans?” go the song lyrics. I do. Though jobs have long ago taken me away from the Crescent City, it was my home town and no matter where I went in the world, a piece of me was there and it in me. So I was shocked when I watched news accounts of Hurricane Katrina. To see “my city” underwater and deserted was unbelievable. My aunt, cousins, and friends were blown out of the city and scattered into Texas, Alabama, and northern Louisiana. It was unfathomable. And then when talk arose among some politicians that maybe the city should be abandoned and not rebuilt, well, that was a true low point. I couldn’t imagine a world without New Orleans in it. Fortunately, it seemed that most people couldn’t imagine that either. Aid poured in from the government and good people across the United States and the world. The waters receded; people returned home; and the rebuilding began. My aunt and some cousins returned, though others remained in their new homes in other states. And then the Saints won the Super Bowl!! Who’d ever imagined that? But then who’d ever imagined that this city the French built on a cypress swamp back in 1718 would last this long? And though I rode out Katrina from the comfort of my home in North Carolina, I can answer that question: yes, I definitely know what it means to miss New Orleans. Carole Tallant Professor Emeritus, Department of Communication Studies Although Katrina didn’t affect my husband and I overtly as it did people who lived in New Orleans, it was nevertheless emotionally wrenching because we still have family and close friends there and because we so love the city. James, my husband, was born and reared there, and he said that it was like watching a beloved relative die. We knew as we watched the fury of the flood drowning the city that much of it would never be restored as has proved to be true. I vividly recall feeling terrified during the actual storm. We were unable to reach any of our family for days to see if they were safe. Some had vacated the city and we didn’t hear from them for weeks. One of our relatives is a police officer in nearby Gonzales, Louisiana. He spent days in kayaks trying to rescue people who had been unable to leave the city because they didn’t own cars, didn’t have relatives in other cities, and didn’t have the financial resources to escape. We went back to New Orleans for a week­long visit almost a year after the storm and we were stunned at how devastated much of the city still was. For instance, at the Bucktown harbor, there were still small yachts tossed up in the road, just abandoned. Some of the houses were still filled with putrid overgrowth, snakes and wild animals. Some had hand­painted signs – “My insurance company says this house is livable” (trust me, it wasn’t). In one large area, we noticed every store was still boarded up and closed, except a Popeye’s Chicken place that had just reopened that day. Everyone in the area was thrilled and pouring into the facility for food and “celebration.”
Shane Fernando Assistant Director, Campus Life Arts & Programs WHQR 91.3FM, Public Radio Commentary (adapted for this textbook) Broadcast on the 5 th anniversary of Katrina Two months after Katrina I was traveling with UNCW students who wanted to spend their fall break with the recovery effort, based in St. Bernard’s parish right outside of New Orleans. We were brought to a ghost town neighborhood, abandoned during the storm after the levee broke. Within minutes, hundreds of homes were under twelve feet of water. The neighborhood looked like a surreal Daliesque disaster painting: twisted cars hung from trees and were on roofs, and furniture, toys, and debris were everywhere. Most unnerving was the monochromatic landscape. Everything was dusty brown ­ the buildings, cars, debris ­ there was no greenery anywhere…no grass or shrubs…no leaves on any tree. Walking up to a lifeless house, the landscape was dead silent…no traffic, no birds, no insects, NO sound of life. During the week, we were to go into abandoned homes and remove all of the waterlogged contents to the street, and then gut them to the exterior walls and up to the roof, leaving an empty shell to possibly be rebuilt later. Peering through the front window, we saw that the house had been filled with water through the ceiling. Slabs of moldy ceiling drywall hung down vertically into the room. A couple feet of black mud covered the floor. The furniture had floated all around and was barricaded against the front door, so we walked to the kitchen door and broke it down. We were warned that human remains were still being found. This always stuck with us whenever lifting up an overturned sofa, mattress, collapsed wall or opened a closet. Luckily that never happened. We always remembered that this was someone’s home, seeing their life all around us. We surmised this was an African American couples’ home, with three young daughters. Going through the home we witnessed haunting sites: the mother’s purse, with her wallet and personal items still hung on the rack by the back door. We noticed through the oven window that a pot roast was still in the oven; the dial set at 350 . The washing machine had soapy laundry inside. This family left their home in a hurry. We never found out where they were or if they survived the very quickly rising water, but we decided to salvage what we could for them, which was little ­ the purse, a water stained GED certificate, a rusted soccer trophy and a photo of a cute toddler in pigtails…the only photo saved from a dozen destroyed photo albums. The next day as we finished, I looked down the desolate street seeing an elderly man slowly walking towards us with a limp carrying a shoe box. He approached thanking us repeatedly, his eyes filled with tears as his trembling hands held out the box. Inside the box were a half a dozen military, MRE cookies. He said this was all he had to give, but he wanted to thank us for coming to his neighborhood. We were the first people he’d seen since the storm, other than an occasional government jeep coming through to assess damage. He and his wife were the only ones left, staying in a trailer in their yard. They had no family other than their son who was serving in Afghanistan, so they were waiting for him to return. As we walked him back, he thanked God for the joy brought to him today. He called us their dim glimmer of hope in such despair.
Hurricane Katrina and College Students – Findings from Research “The Other Diaspora: New Orleans Student Evacuation Impacts and Responses Surrounding Hurricane Katrina” (Ladd, Marszalek, & Gill, 2007) In September, 2005, an interdisciplinary consortium of social science faculty and researchers from Mississippi State University (MSU), University of New Orleans, Xavier University of Louisiana, and Loyola University New Orleans formed at the Social Science Research Center (SSRC) at MSU to assess the impact of Hurricane Katrina on college students from New Orleans. The storm’s massive winds and tidal surges not only devastated much of the Gulf Coast, but contributed to a breeching of the New Orleans levees causing over 80% of the city to flood. One result of this disaster was the largest Diaspora (human displacement) in U.S. history; displacing over one million people from the Gulf Coast region, including over 50,000 students who were forced to evacuate from their New Orleans campuses. In the face of varying degrees of physical damage and destruction, as well as millions of dollars in infrastructure repairs, payroll outlays, and lost tuition funds, every university in New Orleans closed its doors for the Fall semester. As colleges and universities across the U.S. responded to the catastrophe by announcing that they would open their admission doors to any student displaced by the hurricane, tens of thousands of these students relocated to new institutions outside the Gulf Coast region to enroll in classes for the 2005 Fall term. A total of 7,100 students from three universities responded to the online survey. Here is a selection of the findings. For complete research findings and conclusions, visit the Synergy website – http://uncw.edu/commonreading/reading.htm. • An overwhelming majority (84.4%) of students evacuated before the hurricane landed. • Almost a third of students (29.8%) had a family member, significant other, or friend who was forced to take shelter in either the New Orleans Superdome or the Convention Center. • The majority of students (61.4%) evacuated or relocated to a new residence/shelter twice and over a third (36%) evacuated three or more times. • Over one­fourth of students (26%) had a family member, significant other, or close friend who was missing during or after the hurricane. • Most students (66.2%) indicated that their universities did not provide any evacuation assistance. • Almost one­tenth (9.1%) of students had family members, significant others/partners, or close friends who lost their lives and 12.5% had people close to them who were injured. • An overwhelming majority of students (84.6%) reported that they incurred some financial loss, and over one­third (39.4%) indicated that they lost their jobs as a result of Hurricane Katrina. • Almost one­fourth (23.6%) of students reported seeing a doctor or health care provider as a result of the hurricane. • Approximately one­half of students reported the experiencing the following physical symptoms more than usual since the hurricane: fatigue (51%), headaches (47.1%), and sleeping problems (53.2%). • Over one­half of students (51.9%) reported that they had not been able to function normally physically or mentally for up to two months after the hurricane. Credit: Matthew Ericson
Religious Tolerance "Muslim is a very simple word. Translated into English it means peace or believers. So why have these two nice, beautiful words been changed in people's minds to 'terrorist'?" – Abdulrahman Zeitoun Religion and faith play a large role in Zeitoun and in Abdulrahman and Cathy Zeitoun’s life before, during, and after Hurricane Katrina. In the following article, John Esposito, Professor of Religion and International Affairs and of Islamic Studies and Founding Director of the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim­Christian Understanding at Georgetown University, argues for religious tolerance and civil liberties for all, particularly Muslim Americans. As you read, consider the questions at the end of the article. “Islamophobia: A Threat to American Values” by John L. Esposito We are passing through difficult and dangerous times. The impact of staggering economic crisis and fears of a continued terrorist threat have spawned a culture of hate that threatens the future of our American way of life and values. The legacy of the 9/11 and post 9/11 terrorist attacks has been exploited by media commentators, hard­ line Christian Zionists and political candidates whose fear­mongering targets Islam and Muslims. Islamophobia is fast becoming for Muslims what anti­Semitism is for Jews. Rooted in hostility and intolerance towards religious and cultural beliefs and a religious or racial group, it threatens the democratic fabric of American and European societies. Like anti­Semites and racists, Islamophobes are the first to protest that their stereotyping and scapegoating of these "others" as a threat to all of us, incapable of integration or loyalty, are not Islamophobic. Yet, examples that illustrate the social cancer of Islamophobia that is spreading across the United States, infringing upon the constitutional rights of American citizens, abound: • Across the US a major debate has erupted over building an Islamic community center a few blocks from the site of the World Trade Center. Amidst the voices opposing this venture, even the ADL (the organization devoted to fighting defamation and prejudice) decided to oppose the building, not because Muslims do not have a right to build the center but rather to protect the feelings of those opposed! Is this a criterion the ADL has used or would subscribe to in its own struggles against anti­Semitism? The ADL's position contrasted sharply with that of J Street, rabbis and Jewish activists. • Today, opposition to mosque construction with claims that all mosques are "monuments to terrorism" and "house embedded cells" in locations from NYC and Staten Island, to Tennessee and California, has become not just a local but a national political issue. • In California, a Tea Party Rally to protest an Islamic Center in Temecula, encouraged protesters to bring their dogs because Muslims allegedly hate Jews, Christians, women, and dogs. • Christians from a right wing church in Dallas, Texas traveled to Bridgeport, Conn. Mosque to confront worshippers. These Christians, shouted "Murderers!" at the young children leaving the mosque. Carrying placards, they angrily declared "Islam is a lie," ..."Jesus hates Muslims" ... "This is a war in America and we are taking it to the mosques around the country." • Politicians use fear of Islam as a political football. Newt Gingrich warned of the danger of Shariah taking over American courts. Republican Rex Duncan of Oklahoma, declared there is a "war for the survival of America," to keep the Shariah from creeping into the American court system. Even the new
Justice Kagan is being accused of being "Justice Shariah" • Congresswoman Sue Myrick from NC and Congressman Paul Broun from Georgia recklessly charged that Muslim student interns were part of a secret infiltration of Muslim spies into key national security committees on Capitol Hill. • Hate crimes against Muslims are on the rise across the country. "What constitutes an Islamophobe? Islamophobes believes that: • Islam, not just a small minority of extremists and terrorists, is the problem and a threat to the West • The religion of Islam has no common values with the West • Islam and Muslims are inferior to Judaism and Christianity • Islam is an inherently violent religion and political ideology rather than a source of faith and spirituality • Muslims cannot integrate and become loyal citizens • Most mosques should be monitored for embedded cells • Islam encourages its followers to launch a global jihad against all non­Muslims but in particular against the West What fuels the fires of discrimination against Muslims? There is no lack of hate speech in the media and in print to empower Islamophobia. The media, whose primary driver is sales and circulations, caters to explosive, headline events: "What bleeds, leads." The primary focus is often not balanced reporting, or even coverage of positive news about Muslims but on highlighting acts and statements of political and religious extremists. Political and religious commentators write and speak out publicly about Islam and Muslims, asserting with impunity what would never appear in mainstream broadcast or print media about Jews, Christians and other established ethnic groups. If one takes out the word "Muslim" and substitutes "Jew" or "Catholic" in many of the articles targeting Muslims, the negative public reaction would be monumental. The net result? All Muslims have been reduced to stereotypes of Islam against the West, Islam's war with modernity, and Muslim rage, extremism, fanaticism, and terrorism. The rhetoric and hatred of a violent minority has been equated with the Anti­Americanism or anti­Westernism of a peaceful, mainstream majority, all lumped together in the question (more a belief) "Why do they hate us?" Islam and Muslims, not just the small minority of Muslim extremists and terrorists, are cast as the peculiar and demonized "other" with serious international and domestic consequences. What do many Americans think about Islam? In the Gallup World Poll, when U.S. respondents were asked what they admire about the Muslim world, the most common response was "nothing" (33 percent); the second most common was "I don't know" (22 percent). Despite major polling by Gallup and PEW that show that American Muslims are well integrated economically and politically, a January 2010 Gallup Center for Muslim Studies report found that more than 4 in 10 Americans (43%) admit to feeling at least "a little" prejudice toward Muslims ­­ more than twice the number who say the same about Christians (18%), Jews (15%) and Buddhists (14%). Nine percent of Americans admitted feeling "a great deal" of prejudice towards Muslims, while 20% admitted feeling "some" prejudice. Surprisingly, Gallup data revealed a link between anti­Semitism and Islamophobia, that contempt for Jews makes a person "about 32 times as likely to report the same level of prejudice toward Muslims."
Islamophobia, like anti­Semitism, will not be eradicated easily or soon. We all (governments, policymakers, the media, educational institutions, religious and corporate leaders) have a critical role to play in countering the voices of hate, the exclusivist theologies and ideologies. Islamophobic campaigns force even the most moderate and open­minded Muslims to question the value of integrating into the larger society when the leaders of that society look at all Muslims with suspicion and prejudice. This is not reconcilable either with Judeo­Christian ethics or the civic moral values of America and Europe. Attempts to limit public discourse and debate, to silence alternative voices speaking out against ignorance, stereotyping and demonization of Islam, discrimination, hate crimes or threats to the civil liberties of Muslims must be turned back if America is to be preserved as the country of unity in diversity and free speech and opportunity for all. Education in our schools and universities and seminaries (as well as our churches and synagogues) that train the next generation of policymakers, religious leaders, educators, and citizens will be critical. What is at stake is the very core of who and what we are as a nation and a society, the foundation of our identity. Islamophobia and its culture of hate is not only a threat to the civil liberties of Muslims but also the very fabric of who we are and what we stand for, the principles and values embodied in our constitution which have historically made our democracy strong. Reading Response Questions: 1. Esposito argues that religious hostility and intolerance threatens American values. Give examples of specific values of American society and history might be threatened. 2. Give other examples of Islamophobia you have seen or heard about. 3. The article focuses on Islamophobia. Take the tenets of this type of prejudice and intolerance and apply them to another religion, belief system, and / or lifestyle. Do you see variations of “phobias” elsewhere in society? 4. Esposito argues that education is one of the possible solutions to “Islamophobia.” Do you think this is a viable solution? What would this “education” entail? What are other possible solutions? Hurricane Katrina – Videos and Responses Watch the following Frontline videos for perspectives on potential lessons learned and on the issue of law and order during and after Katrina.
· “The Storm” – http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/storm/view/ An hour­long investigation that examines how and why government at every level – local, state, and federal – was unprepared, uncoordinated, and overwhelmed in dealing with the Hurricane Katrina disaster.
· “Law and Disorder” ­ http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/law­disorder/ An on­air and online investigation into questionable police shootings by the New Orleans Police Department in the wake of Katrina. Includes case studies, interviews, and timelines. New Orleans Levee Breach Photo Credit: Liz Hines, UNCW Associate Professor, Department of Geography and Geology
UNCW Information on Hurricanes, Tropical Storms, and Emergency Procedures Source: UNCW Department of Environmental Health and Safety UNCW has faced many hurricanes and tropical storms since its founding. The Hurricane Operations Plan enables UNCW emergency personnel to respond effectively and efficiently to tropical weather. Hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30 of each year. What is a hurricane? A hurricane is a type of tropical cyclone, which is a generic term for a low pressure system that generally forms in the tropics. The cyclone is accompanied by thunderstorms and, in the Northern Hemisphere, a counterclockwise circulation of winds near the earth's surface. Tropical cyclones are classified as follows: ­ Tropical Depression: An organized system of clouds and thunderstorms with a defined surface circulation and maximum sustained winds of 38 mph or less ­ Tropical Storm: An organized system of strong thunderstorms with a defined surface circulation and maximum sustained winds of 39­73 mph ­ Hurricane: An intense tropical weather system of strong thunderstorms with a well­defined surface circulation and maximum sustained winds of 74 mph or higher The damaging effects of a hurricane are not confined only to the area around the center (eye wall). Spiral bands of showers and thunderstorms rotate around the center of the hurricane. These bands may extend outward for hundreds of miles, bringing tropical storm force winds and heavy rains to an area several hours before the center comes ashore. Learning the hurricane warning messages and planning ahead can reduce chances of injury or major property damage. UNCW Hurricane Operations Plan ­ The University utilizes a well practiced, federally compliant hurricane response plan in coordination with the UNCW Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). The Plan details how UNCW will prepare before a storm and how it will recover after a storm. For detailed information on UNCW’s policies for evacuation and closing, visit http://www.uncw.edu/ba/safety/hurricanes.html#Policies. For other information, visit the following links:
· UNCW Hurricane Information: http://www.uncw.edu/ba/safety/hurricanes.html
· New Hanover County Hurricane Information: http://www.nhcgov.com/AgnAndDpt/EMNG/Pages/Hurricanes.aspx
· National Hurricane Center: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov
· Wilmington Hurricane History ­ http://www.hurricanecity.com/city/wilmington.htm Ninth Ward, New Orleans Photo Credit: Liz Hines, UNCW Associate Professor, Department of Geography and Geology
Zeitoun Bibliography An extensive list of resources is also available online at www.uncw.edu/commonreading. Websites and Videos
· · · · · McSweeney’s Zeitoun Page ­ http://www.mcsweeneys.net/books/zeitoun/
Author Interview with Dave Eggers – Time, July 22, 2009 ­ http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1912044,00.html
Author Dave Eggers at MPAC Media Awards (video) – May 2010 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpIrQiAToJs
“Zeitoun: How a Hero After Katrina Was Labeled a Terrorist and Imprisoned” – Interview with Dave Eggers and the Zeitoun family (5 part video series) ­ DemocracyNOW! ­ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcz7pytbCsA
“Eyes of the Storm: Hurricane Katrina Remembered” (video) – Pulitzer­Prize winning New Orleans Times­Picayune photographers talk about their Katrina images two years later ­ http://videos.nola.com/times­picayune/2010/08/eyes_of_the_storm_hurricane_ka.html Suggested Reading Antoine, Rebeca, ed. Voices Rising: Stories from the Katrina Narrative Project. Block, Robert, and Christopher Cooper. Disaster: Hurricane Katrina and the Failure of Homeland Security. Brennan, Virginia. Natural Disasters and Public Health: Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. Brinkley, Douglas. The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Brunsma, David. The Sociology of Katrina: Perspectives on a Modern Catastrophe. Dyson, Michael Eric. Come Hell or High Water: Hurricane Katrina and the Color of Disaster. Horne, Jed. Breach of Faith: Hurricane Katrina and the Near Death of a Great American City. Neufeld, Josh. A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge. Rose, Chris. 1 Dead in the Attic: After Katrina. Vollen, Lola and Chris Ying, eds. Voices from the Storm: The People of New Orleans on Hurricane Katrina and Its Aftermath (Voice of Witness). Ward, Jerry W. The Katrina Papers: A Journal of Trauma and Recovery. Films Lee, Spike. When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts. Lee, Spike. If God is Willing and Da Creek Don’t Rise. Lessin, Tia and Carl Deal. Trouble the Water.
UNCW Resources Related to Zeitoun Multicultural Affairs and Diversity ­ http://uncw.edu/diversity/ Responding to the needs of our diverse student body, the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) aims to promote an inclusive university climate by acting as a resource that prepares students to succeed in a multifarious and global society. The Office provides a supportive environment for multicultural communication, constructive interaction and mutual understanding. Environmental Health and Safety ­ http://uncw.edu/ba/safety/ The UNCW Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) Department's mission is to lead the university to a safe, healthy, sustainable and disaster resilient culture by providing educational, technical and operational services to support the UNCW community. We provide the university with information necessary to address regulatory compliance and actual losses associated with environmental, health and safety issues. Center for Leadership Education and Service (CLES) ­ http://uncw.edu/stuaff/leadserv/ The Center for Leadership Education and Service cultivates a dynamic and experiential learning environment that provides students opportunities for leadership development and civic engagement. Counseling Services ­ http://www.uncw.edu/stuaff/counseling/ The overall goal of the Counseling Center is to assist students in maximizing their success at UNCW and in life. The center's staff provides confidential counseling services to help students build a more satisfying and successful college experience. Services include individual and group counseling for personal, relationship, or substance abuse concerns. In addition, staff members provide outreach and consultation services on a broad range of topics for students, faculty, staff and the university community.
ZEITOUN QUESTIONS AND ACTIVITIES Discussion / Journal Questions Adapted from: Random House Reader’s Guide and the University of Kentucky General Response 1. What was your initial response to Zeitoun? Did you like or dislike it and why? 2. Why do you think this book was chosen for the Common Reading Experience? Do you think it is a good choice? Why or why not? 3. What lessons are we to learn from this book? Critical Thinking Response 1. In the notes about this book, Eggers explains that the book is based on the accounts of Abdulrahman and Kathy Zeitoun. What does the story gain by reflecting only the Zeitoun family’s view of the events? What might be lost in such an approach? 2. What are some of the strengths and weaknesses of Eggers decision to present Kathy and Abdulrahman’s testimonies concurrently? 3. Evaluate Eggers’ use of research in his writing. Has he done adequate research? Is he a credible source for this story? What, if anything, could / should he have done differently? 4. For those of us who did not live in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina and therefore did not experience its impact firsthand, we likely received most of our information and formed most of our opinions about the various issues surrounding Katrina by watching or reading the news. Now having read the book, do you think that the information you heard or read was accurate? How has your view of the event and its issues been affected? 5. While the story of Zeitoun, immediately after the hurricane, was one of peaceful meandering around the city, the media was focused on the hysteria. How does the media play a role in shaping the perception of crises? 6. There is room for debate on whether or not Abdulrahman should have stayed behind in New Orleans to protect his home and business. What do you think Zeitoun should have done? 7. Zeitoun takes the plight of the neighborhood’s abandoned dogs very seriously. Why do you think he feels such an obligation to and connection to these animals? 8. Compare and contrast the imagery of the trapped animals with the imagery of Zeitoun as a prisoner. 9. While Zeitoun helps the animals and people trapped in the flood, how does he feel about what he is doing? How does he think about these days after he has been imprisoned? 10. Discuss Kathy’s situation and actions during the storm and afterwards when she learns where her husband is. What do her actions say about her character? 11. The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina was difficult for Kathy, causing her health to suffer after the storm. She begins to experience physical and psychological problems that seem to be the result of post­traumatic stress. What was the most traumatic part of her experience, and why? 12. If you had to pick one word to describe Abdulrahman Zeitoun, what would it be? Tell why you would pick that word to describe him. Give examples to support your word choice. 13. Describe the roles the sea has played in Zeitoun’s life. How have his experiences with the sea made him into the man he is today? 14. Describe the relationship between Zeitoun and Kathy, in marriage and in business. How do they “work” together before and after the storm? 15. Why has Eggers woven into the story accounts of Zeitoun’s past in Syria, his upbringing, and his family relationships, especially with his brothers Mohammad and Ahmad? What effect does this framework of family have on your perception of Zeitoun’s character, his ethics, and his behavior? 16. How does race and social class factor into the story?
17. The book begins by describing Zeitoun’s challenge to understand America and its values. For example, how did Zeitoun respond to reactions about his rainbow logo? 18. How did Kathy’s family, friends, and community respond to her conversion to Islam? Describe some of her experiences of prejudice and religious intolerance. Were you surprised by these reactions? Do you think they would be the same today? 19. Discuss the following quote and how it applies to Zeitoun and to your experience in today’s society: "Religious tolerance means to refrain from discriminating against others who follow a different religious path. Tolerance is more difficult to maintain when you know that your religion is true and their religion is wrong." – Anon 20. During times of distress our values are tested. Why do you believe so many American ideals (innocent until proven guilty/no false imprisonment/the right to representation) were breached? 21. Do you think it is possible to maintain law and order and protect civil liberties during a crisis? Personal Response 1. How does the book and the story of the Zeitoun family make you feel? How did you respond emotionally? What made you feel this way? 2. Abdulrahman Zeitoun is admired for his strong work ethic. Provide examples of his strong work ethic. How would you define your own work ethic and what you want it to be? 3. Both Kathy and Abdulrahman Zeitoun are strong in the face of adversity. They persevere through many challenges from Katrina. Discuss an example of a time when you had to persevere through a hard time and what you learned about yourself in the process. 4. There were clearly times throughout Katrina and its aftermath that Zeitoun was wrongfully accused and was given little by way of apology or remedy once the truth was found. Have you ever been wrongfully accused or wrongfully accused someone else? What lessons did you learn from your personal experience and from reading about Zeitoun’s? 5. Discuss a time in your life when you have experienced persecution and/or prejudice based on your belief system, identity, and/or lifestyle. Or, discuss a time or situation when you have witnessed this done to others. How did this make you feel? 6. What, if anything, can be done to avoid stereotyping, prejudice, and intolerance? 7. What made you most sympathetic to the Zeitoun family? 8. What would you have done if you lived in New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina hit? Would you have stayed if you were in Zeitoun’s position? 9. What news reports do you remember most vividly from Katrina? 10. Did Abdulrahman's story give you a new perspective on a Muslim family in America? Why? 11. In many ways, Zeitoun is a story about identity – how we see ourselves and others, and how our own identity can change over time. How has your own sense of self been affected by the impressions of others? Did this novel affect how YOU see the identity of the people of New Orleans? Did this novel affect how you see the identity of the United States? 12. Zeitoun has a strong sense of community and responsibly to his home – in Syria and in New Orleans. Describe what “home” means to you and what role it plays in your life. 13. The community of New Orleans came together to help one another during and after Katrina. How would you define “community?” What types of “communities” do you belong to? 14. How does Zeitoun affect your confidence in the American government and justice system? For numerous links and multimedia resources, visit http://www.uncw.edu/commonreading/reading.htm ­ Book and author resources Related Reading and Films Much More
Activities and Assignments 1. Use writing, poetry, song, dance, film, photography, art, collage, theatre, and/or another medium of creative expression to answer the question, “What does Zeitoun mean to me?” 2. Read the newspaper or watch the news, looking for current events about human rights issues. Come to class ready to present your current event with your class. 3. For Dave Eggers and cover artist Rachell Sumpter, the image of Zeitoun in his canoe traveling around a New Orleans submerged by water represented his story. Design your own book cover for Zeitoun. Explain how your image represents the story and your perspective on the book. 4. Choose a favorite passage from the book. Present it in class and explain why it is meaningful. 5. Many artists have created work in response to Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath: journalism, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, music, film, television, and photography. Research, view, and/or discuss Katrina­related works. 6. Compare the tenets of Islam, as presented in Zeitoun and/or by doing research, to the basic tenets of another world religion (e.g. the Buddhist noble truths, the Judaic ten commandments, Christ’s sermon on the mount, etc). Present your comparisons to your class. Oral History Project Options Zeitoun is the result of Dave Eggers’ oral history project, Voice of Witness, a nonprofit book series that empowers those most closely affected by contemporary social injustice. Choose a social issue, such as poverty, homelessness, prejudice, racial profiling, etc. and interview people related to the problem and its solutions. You can gather your information via video, tape recording, and/or written notes. You will then present your project to your class. An alternate topic would be to do an oral history project on your family members – parents, grandparents, etc – to learn about things such as your own family heritage, family traditions, and/or family history. Students could also do an oral history project on the history of hurricanes in the Wilmington area, interviewing members of the Wilmington community. Service Learning Project As a group, either design your own service learning project or connect to an organization or project already in place that is related to Zeitoun. Here are some examples:
· · · · · Work with Habitat for Humanity to build houses
Work with the Good Shepherd House
Work with an Interfaith organization
Work with an animal rescue group or shelter
Red Cross Group Presentations Groups of four or five students will choose one of the following topics or another approved topic to prepare and present a presentation to the class. The presentations should be five to ten minutes, well­ researched, well­organized, and include visuals (Power Point, multimedia, images, etc.).
· Economic effects of Hurricane Katrina
· Environmental effects of Hurricane Katrina
· Hurricane Katrina and the Red Cross or other relief organizations
· USA Patriot Act and Homeland Security
· Other natural disasters (Haitian earthquake, Chilean earthquake, etc)
· Military involvement in Hurricane Katrina
References Elliott, S. (Interviewer) & Eggers, D. (Interviewee). (2009, June 9). The Rumpus long interview with Dave Eggers [Interview transcript]. Retrieved from The Rumpus Web site: http://therumpus.net/2009/06/the­rumpus­long­interview­with­dave­eggers/?full=yes Ericson, M. (2006, August 23). [Katrina’s Diaspora graph] The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2006/08/23/us/24katrina_graphic.html Esposito, J. (2010, August 10). Islamophobia: A threat to American values? The Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john­l­esposito/islamophobia­a­threat­ to_b_676765.html Kurland, D.J. (2000). How the language really works: The fundamentals of critical reading and effective writing. Retrieved from http://www.criticalreading.com/critical_reading.htm Ladd, A., Marszalek, J., & Gill, D. The other Diaspora: New Orleans student evacuation impacts and responses surrounding Hurricane Katrina. Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences, Oct 2007. Retrieved from http://211.232.57.48/Documents/Encyclopedia/EN/%EC%B2%A0%ED%95%99,%EC%8B%AC %EB%A6%AC%ED%95%99/%EC%B2%A0%ED%95%99%EC%9D%BC%EB%B0%98/the% 20other/PDF/katrinastudentsummary.pdf. McSweeney’s. (n.d.) Dave Eggers biography. Retrieved from http://www.mcsweeneys.net/authorpages/eggers/eggers.html National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). (2005, October 13). [NASA Katrina Poster]. Hurricane Season 2005: Katrina Featured Images. Retrieved from http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/lookingatearth/h2005_katrina.html National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), News Room. (2007, November 19). National Endowment for the Arts announces new reading study. Retrieved from http://www.nea.gov/news/news07/TRNR.html Random House. (n.d.) Zeitoun reader’s guide. Retrieved from http://www.randomhouse.com/acmart/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780307387943&view =rg University of Kentucky. (2010, March 2). Common Reading Experience. Retrieved from http://www.uky.edu/StudentAffairs/NewStudentPrograms/CRE2/index.html The Weather Channel. (2009, August 21). Katrina’s statistics tell story of its wrath. Retrieved from http://www.weather.com/newscenter/topstories/060829katrinastats.html