week 4--- Zi Ye

   ASA 002 A01

   The book, "Unmaking the Public University--- The Forty-Year Assault on the Middle Class" by Christopher Newfield reminded me of the video shown in class by Prof. Valverde. The video and the theme of this book greatly influenced me on the importance of cultural studies. Newfield has used his own voice to strongly advocate people to have more cultural awareness and to be able to have these knowledge taught in higher education institutions, especially in universities. Likewise, the video shown in  class revealed the cruelty of some universities cutting the budget for ethnic studies and some even terminated this department. The emotion of this video revealed anger and disappointment, because the students and the faculty members have realized the importance of ethnic studies that ethnic studies are essential to students and are important lessons for everyone to know about races and their values behind it.

     As much as the author wanted the society to be well equipped in preparation for the future, Newfield explains that "our ability to move the world forward depends on our cultural capacity" (Newfield, 2008). People in general are in need of realizing and embracing their culture and so we should not exclude ethnic study. It holds a valid explanation to why the society sometimes have hate towards specific races and to why there are so many stereotypes to certain races. All in all, I personally endorse my culture and appreciate my "root", because the value it has taught me and the influences it had on me that it have helped me better adapted in this unfamiliar world and encouraged me to develop it to better.

Question: Why did some higher education institutions want to shut down the ethic study department given that the adminitration should have known better the value and importance of ethic studies?



Reference:

Newfield, C. (2011). Unmaking the public university : The forty-year assault on the middle class (1st Harvard University press paperback ed.). Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press.

Kris S. (2014). All Things considered. Chainsawsuit. http://chainsawsuit.com/comic/archive/2014/12/08/all-things-considered/. Accessed Apr. 23. 2017