Week 5 - Emily Luc

Emily Luc
Section A03
Week 5

The Imperial University by Piya Chatterjee and Sunaina Maira sheds light on the large impact that imperialist and hyper-militaristic ideologies have on American culture. Due to the United States' long history of engaging in violence and warfare, contemporary American society is heavily focused on militarism, which leads to increased spending on defense and military equipment, as well as the development of a violent disposition in American culture, even during times of peace. A hyper-militaristic government creates a like-minded society, which can be seen in how defensive the American population has become. For example, guns are extremely accessible—and in some states, they can be bought more easily than other controversial (but necessary) items such as birth control.

These hyper-militaristic ideologies have also seeped into our education system, especially at large universities where students and faculty are often considered "dispensable." This reading sheds light on the fact that students and educators who are considered to be political dissenters are usually punished for their actions—an outright violation of these individuals' constitutional rights. This connects back to the pepper spray scandal at UC Davis, in which campus police militarized against protesting students. I find this highly ironic because these institutions of higher education often portray themselves as proponents of free thought and expression, but the actions that they have taken to suppress students' and faculty's rights show that they are clearly not.

Question: How can we rid American society of these hyper-militaristic ideas that are poisoning the people's minds?

References:


Chatterjee, P., & Maira, S. (2014). The Imperial University. London: University of Minnesota Press.

Police Militarization [Cartoon]. (2014, March 31). Retrieved October 22, 2017, from https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2014/3/31/1288732/-Militarization-of-a-Police-Officer-in-One-Drawing.