1) It was a very interesting exchange. The issue of whether tribal identification could be cause for further division in society is very problematic. On the other hand, multiculturalism and diversity depend on the concept of difference.
2) When I teach this course in face-to-face format, I show two powerpoint presentations: one with current very offensive cartoons about Mexican immigrants; the second with the most vile representations of President Obama and - by extension - of African Americans.
In the context of a lecture where I can explain the reason for showing such extreme and hurtful images, I feel I can convey the right message and elicit the collective response of the class. It is sometimes traumatic but it helps bring us together.
I refrain from showing those images in the online course because I don't want to upload materials that could be found by the wrong people and misused. I know the net, it is not a secure place in any of its incarnations,and I don't want to contribute - even unwillingly -- to the diffusion of putrid racism.
In a way it's a loss for us, because this group seems to be the ideal audience for a serious semiotic analysis of those images' content.
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