session 11 w/Dr. Clayton Dube

[Anonymous]

I would like to have my Econ/Gov classes analyze different types of economic models for agriculture. I would have them compare cooperatives, communes, family run farms and corporate farming in order to find out, which model will yield the best production and will satisfy the needs of society. They will discuss the pros and cons of each agricultural model, ultimately choosing the best one.

[Anonymous]

I would like to contrast the Chinese propaganda posters with some facts of the Great Leap Forward. It would really liven up the Language Arts' persuasive unit. Instead of anti-semitism propaganda that I've used in the past, these beautiful, joyful images suggest the power of "inspirational" images. But juxtaposed against the facts of the famine, I think the message of the persuasive, biased ad speaks for itself.

[Anonymous]

The timing for this lecture is great. I feel like it gave me the essential details for China's transition to Communism, the Cold War and the wars in Korea and Vietnam. I'm trying to cover most of the Cold War this week before the state exams. I feel this will help me give the abridged "must know" details for the test and allow me to go back and provide depth after the exams are over. This week's session also gave me substantial resources for current events to incorporate into the different themes of the social science standards.

A good video resource to cover major topics of the Cold War is "America in the 20th Century:The Cold War" it is available on discoveryeducation.com.
edited by jillsandoval on 5/1/2012

[Anonymous]

The idea of analyzing and contrasting propaganda is great. I read Animal Farm with my sophomores and we discuss Communist/Stalinist propaganda. We also read Night and discuss the propaganda of the Nazis during the Holocaust. It would be great to infuse the propaganda during the reign of Mao as well.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the idea to create a mini- propaganda unit after state testing, because I tend to rush through it. It would be interesting to see the students analyze and compare propaganda techniques that are used by leaders of the 20th century, you could create a current connection by adding how modern businesses have adopted propaganda techniques to market to consumers. A good project would be for students to create their own propaganda campaign for a cause or person that they are passionate about. Many classes complete research projects or author studies, you could add a component by having the students create a propaganda campaign based on their authors political viewpoints or causes.

[Anonymous]

Wish I would have heard about the play that speaks truth to power Written by Wu-Han. I couldn't help but think about the unit I just finished with my 11th graders talking about Arthur Miller and The Crucible. Looking at the many examples of this type of play with hidden meanings are great, but especially being able to look at these two plays written fairly close to each other time wise would be fascinating.

[Anonymous]

Creating a cult of personality is essential for all dictators and totalitarian regimes. I too have my students analyze propaganda posters for World War I and during the Nazi regime. In my World History when studying the Chinese Cultural Revolution, I would like to have my students analyze posters of Mao and what these posters are trying to communicate about Mao. They would be in groups analyzing these posters and this would be followed up by general discussion on the use of propaganda in the media. In addition, they will create their own poster used to manipulate an American audience or they could find a piece of current propaganda being used today and present to each other in a think-pair-share exercise. In the site below you will find a variety of posters of Mao.

http://chineseposters.net/themes/mao-cult.php

[Anonymous]

When I think of the Korean War I think of MASH. When studying the Korean War, it might be a good idea to show a few episodes from the show itself. One of my favorite MASH moments is when Colonel Potter rants about the futility of war. I have my kids comment on it and use it is as one my selected clips when we have a class discussion about what makes a war a good war.

[Anonymous]

Another great class! It was fascinating to learn about Mao and how pathological he was. I didn't China had a fascist period. The time under Mao, especially with the introduction of the red arm bands, was right out of Nazi central casting. And the book with his face in the middle?! Unbelievable...

I always thought China enjoyed it's transition into industrialization because of Mao. The lecture on Tuesday suggests China made this successful transition in spite of him. Fascinating...

[Anonymous]

After learning more about Mao and his ways authoritarian ways, I too have joined the bandwagon and cannot wait to teach propaganda to my students in the upcoming year. The interest is found in exploring the small, almost minute, details of a government advertisement and exploring these with the students will be a pleasure.

[Anonymous]

Additionally, I am blown away by Mao's absurdity. The idea that three years of starvation can be overlooked is bewildering; yet, Mao's reign creates an opening to discuss the roles and responsibility of government. Mao, Stalin, and, more recently, Mubarack would all make great discussion pieces in a unit on Animal Farm, Kite Runner, Night, or any other novel whose plot is affected by a tyrannical ruler.

[Anonymous]

If you ask most of my students about propaganda, they do seem to remember it from their World War II units and from something they may have seen today, but to be able to point out that this is truly an international technique seems like a great way to emphasize the importance of persuasive techniques. It is almost always the same techniques over and over again that inspire and change our world.

[Anonymous]

If you think about it, propaganda is aimed at influencing attitudes toward some cause or position. In many ways, our students are exposed to propaganda on a daily basis: It's called advertising. This is a great way to introduce students to the topic of propaganda. When I taught economics, I would often ask my students about the brands of shoes they wear and usually would get responses like Nike, Adidas, etc. We would also talk about price and the concept of logos and how much of the price was associated with the logo. I asked my students if they would buy the exact same shoe from Nike or Adidas if you took the logo off. Usually 80% said no. So I asked the same question about luxury automobiles like Ferrari or Mercedes Benz. Would students still buy the automobile minus the logo? Usually 75% said no. Students said the whole point of buying a Benz or Nike's was so people knew you had that brand. They were buying the logo, not the quality of the product it was attached to. I was, and am, convinced that advertising propaganda is very powerful. I was wondering if the Chinese government runs any propaganda ads emphasizing the importance of the Gaokao, the college entrance exam. I have looked but as yet have not found any. Still, it seems that there is a gradual erosion of the importance of the Gaokao in the minds of Chinese students. Some students are opting to study abroad and at least one Chinese University is experimenting with an application system similar to western-style universities.
edited by straylor on 5/6/2012

[Anonymous]

On May 6, 2012, at the Los Angeles County Art Museum, Brown Auditorium, Christina Yu Yu, assistant LACMA Chinese Art curator, PhD, University of Chicago, presented a leclture on Contemporary Chinese Art, “Looking Forward, Looking Back” .

Since I, unfortunately, missed one of our Tuesday night classes, I went to this lecture as a make-up assignment. Ms. Yu’s presentation was excellent and tied right in with our study and forum dialogue about the Cultural Revolution’s propaganda posters. Commenting on what the artists of each modern phase were reflecting, Ms. Yu presented a hour of modern Chinese history through examples of art that she had selected.

Chinese artists during 1977 – 83 were allowed to throw off their artistic hand-cuffs. Their first response was to paint what the Cultural Revolution had meant to them. Some people have labeled this the “scar movement”, as artists addressed the consequences of 10 years of shuttered art schools and the trauma of artistic repression. The only allowed visual art had been the propaganda sanctioned by Mao. Three examples of this newly found freedom that Ms. Yu prsented were a mask with its mouth and eyes blocked, an oil painting of a slouching, vacant staring female red guard, and a hyper-realistic oil of a poor, wrinkled exhausted man, whose suffering face was a strong contrast to the happy peasants of the propaganda posters.

During the 1980’s artists were looking forward to the new China, and a government that allowed the exhibition of controversial works, identified by the artists’ logo, a “No” u-turn sign. Unfortunately, an avant garde artist’s behavior at the National Gallery in 1989 -- shooting a bullet into her installation -- caused the government to shut down the modernists’ exhibition on the second day. But, on other fronts, the protest movement continued. Four months later, Tiananmen Square demonstrations occurred.

In the 1990-98’s there was introspection and politicalism in the art. Wang Guangyi, for example, mocked the western invasion of Coca-Cola, one of the first capitalistic brands into China, yet he ironically became himself a financially successful, much sought-after artist in the West. The young artists of the 90’s had no strong, first-hand memory of the Cultural Revolution; their themes were China’s lost grandeur, history and culture, questions about women’s identity and roles, and the future of Hong Kong. Some artists objected to the government’s control, such as deciding their job had to be to teach art. Artists choosing to be independent, exiled themselves, lived in abandoned housing, and expressed themselves in “no-cost” body performance art. Ms. Yu showed us a photograph that eventually made its way to a New York City gallery’s walls: A naked artist sits on a toilet, covered in flies, that were attracted to the honey he had smeared on his skin.

Artists questioned how to debate and discuss East vs. West perspectives, included Cai Guo-Qiang (currently at MOCA) who used explosives and fireworks to demonstrate how he planned to dialogue with aliens.

During 1999-06, Chinese views were rising in the world; literally skyscrapers replaced outmoded housing in cities. Some artists captured the fragility of nature or expressed an ambiguous regard for the "improved" China. Meanwhile, Chinese art was the new, hot, must-have acquisition for worldwide collectors and curators. Exhibits of contemporary Chinese artists occurred in New York, Paris, the Venice Beinnale, and beyond.

Ms. Yu gave us a quick glimpse of the world’s taste for Chinese commercial art, showing us a clip of Chinese artist Yang Fudong’s creation, “First Spring”, a short movie which he has directed
as part of the Prada men’s spring / summer 2010 advertising campaign.

Some Chinese international artists are returning to the homeland to inspire and teach the next generation – the post 80’s artists. These are the “one child” kids, who may have received six adults’ attention (2 parents + 4 grandparents) in their formative years. Their artwork is exploring themes of identity, detachments, and middle class life. Ms. Yu concluded her lecture with the message that the Chinese government encourages contemporary artists to showcase their society and share their messages with the world.

[Anonymous]

I recently taught Animal Farm, and this was the first year in six years of teaching that my students actually had been taught the historical context behind the novel. I cannot tell you how invaluable it was to not have to stop and explain the allegory and the political/historical significance of each of the characters. It allowed me to teach other things, such as propaganda techniques and indirect protest of totalitarian government (Shostakovich) in Russia.

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