Final Prep main terms

Question 1

How does Haraway define a cyborg? Using two other readings from class, explain if you think humans are cyborgs and why it matters.

Answer 1

Harraway: cyborg - mix of human and robot.
Collins: Science + technology - how science affects our lives.
Fanon: colonization - have we colonized our minds?

Question 1

In lecture, we discussed Goodnight and Collins’ theories on “expert” and “expertise”. Please explain what an expert is and then use two other readings from class to show how experts relate to public decision making.

Answer 1

Goodnight: expertise in spheres
Collins: expertise in layers.
Yellow Rain: ideas going back and forth, spheres mixed which is not good.
Spivak: subaltern - can professionals know what is best for the public?

Question 2

Explain how Patel and Moore define ‘nature’? Use one (or two) of the readings from the lecture as an example to explain their definition.

Answer 2

Nature: organizational way with capitalism.
Beck: risk - nature is the producer, therefore at risk

Question 2

In lecture, we discussed the idea of the ‘frontier’ based on the work of Ceccarelli and others. Please explain what a frontier is, and then give two examples from different readings of how ‘frontier’ shapes relationships and actions.

Answer 2

Ceccarelli: frontier with science
Darwin: changed plants to reach the frontier
Palm plantations: changing ecology which affects elephants

Question 3

Explain how Patel and Moore define ‘energy’? Use one (or two) of the readings from the lecture as an example to explain their definition.

Answer 3

Energy: physical item - helps make items/ and items cheap
Palm Oil Reports: land is energy - allows for everything to be cheaper
Memmi: dependence on energy

Question 4

Define Spivak’s idea of the subaltern in your own words, and then connect it to one other reading on theory (Fanon, Said, Memmi, Liboiron, Tsing, Haymes, Hicks, Mbebbe) from class to explain why it matters. Also, from a reading for class, give an example of a subaltern group and explain why it matters.

Answer 4

Spivak: subaltern - they cannot be heard
memmi: dependence subaltern has
UN Reports: Child labor - subaltern/dependence to share

Question 5

Explain how Patel and Moore define ‘lives’? Use one (or two) of the reading from lecture as an example to explain their definition.

Answer 5

Lives: everything together to make lives cheap, but expensive state
UN Reports: land, work, food, = cheap lives.

Question 6

In lecture, we discussed Beck’s concept of “risk” and “risk society”. Please explain how Beck defines “risk”, and then give two examples from different readings about how and why risk is distributed.

Answer 6

Beck: risk with the producer
Robins: chemical issues on women workers in the palm plantations
L’ouverture: regulations set in place creates risk

Question 7

Explain how Patel and Moore define ‘food’. Use one (or two) of the reading from lecture as an example to explain their definition.

Answer 7

Food: most calories produced to the dollar
Beck: risk - how cheap lowers risk for producer

Question 8

Bruno Latour argues that we have never been modern. Using two readings from before October 1st, and two readings after October 1st, agree or disagree with Latour.

Answer 8

Haraway: cyborg - our bodies are modern
Ceccarelli: frontier of knowledge with science, how it’s made us modern
Galileo: broke from tradition with telescope.
De Silva: how their irrigation is modern and influenced modern times.