Constructing Racial Boundaries Precis/Free Write

Chapter Two of Navigating Interracial Borders: Black-White Couples & their Social Worlds by an unnamed author is one called "Constructing Racial Boundaries and White Communities" is overall about whites accepting interracial relationships as well as the media and surveys support. The author uses compare-and-contrast with past history of interracial relationships as well as present day news stories to bring his point home. In order to further study the sociological view of a interracial society, this article was written to further shed light and explain. The intended audience are fellow sociologists and ones interested in the accepting of interracial relationships, like myself. I really like this article, although the argument is against mine. This will be helpful in my paper because I have something to counteract, that way I have a little 'they say' in my paper, and it can be a littler structured. It will add a couple paragraphs to my paper because I have to disprove the author's claim, and that can give my paper a little more ethos. This article made it clear that it was hard for whites to fully accept interracial marriages, because it was such a big deal and made such big change. "Many whites believed that desegregation and racial integration was the equivalent of promoting interracial sexual relations and marriage. These incidents reveal how sexuality, and even the potential for interracial sex to occur, influenced not only social interaction between blacks and whites but also the economic and political realms." The author further explains that people don't like talking about the subject, and the possible reasons why. "In my interviews with white community members, interracial relationships were rendered outside the realm of what is speakable; in other words, interracial relationships were not part of the available discourse or script that they as a group drew upon." Close knit societies don't want to step on other people's toes, and that's often a problem... Or is it?

Strengthing Connections: Free Write/Precis

"Strengthening Connections in Interracial Marriages Through Pre-Marital Inventories: A Critical Literature Review" by Monica Wong explains the connections needed for a interracial marraige to eventually work, and the challenges they often face. She references different studies, disproving them and demonstrating the way they don't work for these types of couples. Her purpose is to shed light on the problems that interracial marriages and the lack of studies on the subject; she wants to spark conversation. The intended audience is fellow cultural study researchers as well as researchers. The way Wong connects divorce rates and interracial marraiges astounds me, and I could really use it in my paper. Interracial often face some of the same problems as gay couples might have, to my surprise. The paper also stated the statistic that "These types of marraiges have doubled in that last 20 years" (252). That's amazing! So, at least they are becoming less uncommon. She also stated, "In fact, the United States Supreme Court did not declare as unconstitutional laws prohibiting interracial marriages until 1967" (254). What?! That's insane!!

Working Thesis

Interracial relationships viewed by cultures involved and especially by surounding media, still working on how to make this an argument. I do believe that there aren't enough of TV or movies, there is lack because of it maybe being too "taboo" or producers trying not to step on anyone's toes?

Free Write #2!

"Visual Ethnography and Racial Theory: Family Photographs as Archives of Interracial Intimacies" by Winddance Twine explains the enthography of interracial relationships through photography throughout the past decades. He explains that to understand the dynamics of interracial friendships and romances throughout time, pictures are required for full comprehension. Photos have often been discredited in social sciences and the author believes it should be the opposite. "Historically photographs were discredited as a legitimate form of ‘evidence’ in mainstream sociology journals, in part, because in the early twentieth century sociology was engaged in a campaign to establish itself as a ‘science’ and anxieties were generated by visual images because they were associated with photojournalism and ‘political’ activism rather than viewed as apolitical academic inquiry" (489). Twine not only sees the beauty in the photos, but also good references for his future and past enthographies about interracial families. He discusses how he learned so much from past photos of these families and friendships and how they should be credited as scientific references. He uses personal experience: "I have learnt from photographs how to ‘see’ the socio-racial world in which my research subjects operate" (491)

Free Write!

Kellner expressed many things in her paper about cross cultural dating. She makes a point of it being not all about race. In a cross-cultural relationship, the couple can be from different backgrounds as well as different social standings. She answers the question of how it got to be this way, after such a long time of traditional marriages. "Increased cultural movement, immigration, tourism, job training, and study abroad have created couples whose romantic choices reach across cultural, racial, and religious lines" (1). She discusses the challenges that people face when being in a cross cultural relationship- there are many extra hoops to jump through. From a procreation standpoint, what will the child be taught and by which traditions? It's only one of the many things that can get in the way of two people from two very different places. Gender views the subject from a respective standpoint- respect and equality within the two lovers. She uses an example through sexuality. "...Anna connected to the core belief system of her culture. During sex with Albert she assumed a traditional collective-culture female role in which she acted as if she was not entitled to her own pleasure...Albert was forced to regress to the role of a man who objectifies women, which made him feel as though he was a ‘'rapist.' The woman he cared about did not appreciate his evolved gender-role identity, and Albert felt undesired as a man" (4).

Oh, Hey Gender Perspective in Cross-Cultural Couples

Judith Kellner explains in "Gender Perspective in Cross-Cultural Couples" (2009) the physiological aspect of when two people of two different backgrounds fall in love, and how others see the couple. She uses references to studies, literary works in popular culture, and discussions on sexuality to bring her point home. In order to track the progress our country has made in discrimination and color identification, this article was written. The intended audience are ones interested in the growth of interracial couples and the representation of it in the media/ how people today view it.

Topics, duh.

Racism in the news
Racism in TV Shows
Mixed raved relationships in public eye
Racism in advertizing
Racism in education
Racism in movies
Racism in teen social gatherings
Racism in acting
Racism in casting
Racism in horror movies
Racism in modern literature
Racism in job hunting