Here are your assignments for Tuesday:
1. Set up your own blog--make it on blogspot--use a name different from your own if you like.
2. On your blog, post a response to one of the questions about Mountains Beyond Mountains--go back to the book and refer to one or two passages (include page number) to support your thinking. Include some reflections about Kidder's talk.
3. Post here, as a comment to this post, about what area(s) of the public sphere are most interesting to you, and why. What public issues would you like our class to pay attention to this semester? What news sources do you like, or would you like, to follow?
4. Here's a link to an opinion essay from the New York Times, Aug 28, 2011. Read it and post a response on your blog.
Ed
ReplyDeleteThe areas of the public sphere that interest me the most current are sports, our government, and global issues such as war and poverty. As an avid fan of several sports I enjoy following my favorite teams on their road to victory (hopefully) and also to check in on how the players I enjoy watching are performing. As a US citizen, I want to know what policies are being debated and how the laws will affect me. Also, I want to know which elected officials share my views on certain issues. Lastly, as a member of the global community I want to know what is going on outside of my own personal sphere. I believe that it is a necessity to be knowledgeable about global issues to diversify your view of the world.
I dont have anything specific that I want us to focus on but I definitely think that the public issues we discuss should be fairly diverse.
The news sources I like and follow are CNN, ESPN, ABC local news, The Daily Show, and various late night talk shows.
The areas of the public sphere that I am most interested in are pop culture, politics, and world issues. Although they seem superficial, I think many of the celebrities and actors in our public sphere are seen as role models for young men and women. Although I disagree with a lot of their lifestyles, I think following them is important because many adolescents are so influenced by their decisions. The second and third aspects of the public sphere I think are important too are politics and world issues, which I think go hand in hand. It is significant to know about what is happening in our country but everything needs to be considered in a global perspective.
ReplyDeleteI would like to not only pay attention to verified news sources, but also frequently viewed websites that the mass population gets their information from. Websites like yahoo may not be as reliable as news sites such as the NY times and cnn.com, but I think it is important to look at the most popular websites to see what the general population thinks.
The areas of the public sphere that interest me the most are very varied. I really enjoy and am interested in reading about politics, sports, international news, world politics and police actions. I find politics interesting because it is always changing and Politicians are always discovering new ways to attack each other. I like reading about what information one politician has dug up on another and what corrupt actions they have taken. I’m only interested in certain sports news, such as football and hockey and baseball. Mostly I like hearing about the Boston sports teams and the New York Giants. I find international news and world politics interesting because I think it is very important to know what other things are happening in the world and what interactions the United States is having with other countries. I also think it is important to understand as much about the cultures of other countries. I find police action a very interesting topic as there are many different stories coming out all of the time. It is very interesting to read about what crimes people have committed and how the police have dealt with them. Sometimes it is interesting to read about the problems which people cause to police as well as whether the police are always handling situations properly and lawfully. I would like our class to focus on a variety of different issues as a way to broaden the spectrum of what I read. I like to read many different news sources so I can hear opinions from all sides.
ReplyDeletehttp://rzindman.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteand my blog link is http://sdoering.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteThe areas of the public sphere that I am most interested in are local news, politics and global news. I always read the local newspaper in my hometown because I liked being informed of what events and issues were occurring in my town. Now that I'm going to be living in Hartford for the next four years I want to be in the know of what is going on in my new surroundings. I also think it is important to be aware of what is going on in politics especially when an election is coming up. Also, I believe it is important to be aware of global news because it is good to have a perspective of what is happening in other countries and their relations with the United States.
ReplyDeleteI like to follow different types of news sources, such as newspapers, TV news channels and blogs.
blog link: http://laura924.blogspot.com
The areas of the public sphere that interest me are local news, global crises, sports, and opinion pieces. I don't really have a preference as to what our class follows, as long as it is interesting.
ReplyDeleteI follow news in all forms, whether it be online, in print, or on TV.
http://rugolik93.blogspot.com
my blog link
ReplyDeletehttp://emoney1220.blogspot.com/
The areas of the public sphere that are most interesting to me are sports, local news, and politics. I’ve been a big New York Mets fan my entire life, so following the team has always been a priority for me. It’s great watching my favorite players on the field, and then reading their comments in the paper about how the team is performing. Even watching the manager during the press conference after the game is great because the viewers can understand his thought process and approach during a certain game. Local news has always interested me because I like knowing what is going on around me, and in my neighborhood. Reading the police reports in my local town newspaper was always fun because I could laugh at how funny some of the reports were, especially when I knew who they were reporting about. Politics has been becoming more interesting to me, especially because I’m getting older now and I can vote.
ReplyDeleteI would like our class to follow public issues that I would have otherwise overlooked, and hopefully this will help me become a more informed person. I like following espn, local newspapers, some news channels like ABC.
http://vdzenis.blogspot.com/
The sections of the public sphere that appeal to me the most are the arts and entertainment, sports, and national or global issues. The arts and entertainment, such as news about music and movies, have always interested me because I like to hear updates about my favorite music artists and celebrities. Having played basketball for several years, I enjoy reading about both college and professional basketball. Finally, I believe it is important to be updated on both national and global issues, such as wars, natural disasters, and public health so that we can understand other cultures and help others in need.
ReplyDeleteThis semester, I think our class should pay attention to issues in multiple areas. With the upcoming presidential election next year, I believe it is important to follow the candidates. Also, we should follow any major story or development in the news relating to any global issue that appears in the upcoming months. Besides current events, we could pay attention to topics that deal with life and style, possibly something related to college life.
I obtain my news from a variety of sources. Usually I get my information from watching news networks such as ABC, NBC, or CNN. Also, I read newspaper articles everyday to get news about both local and national events. Finally, I use Twitter as a way of getting news; I "follow" news sources such as The New York Times. I prefer to use Twitter when I do not have an adequate amount of time to read an entire article or watch the news on television.
I really like politics and finance, but what I'm really into is seeing how the two influence each other. It's really interesting to me to see how a global market crash has led to a period of hyperpartisanship. I think something we should look at is the increasing ability to personalize one's news sources because I think that having only information sources the confirm one's biases can only lead them to a more extreme position. Incorporating psychology into the class should also be considered important because I think people have a lot of preconceived notions about human behavior and by understanding how people think we can better understand how discourse in the public sphere is formed. I like sports, but I haven't tended to watch of them much. I think things like sports and pop culture provide really valuable microcosms of the public sphere in which the trends of society at large tend to be exaggerated. I guess I am really interested in the mechanics of how public sphere is formed and how to manipulate it.
ReplyDeleteI think our seminar should focus on the 2012 election cycle, especially as it begins to really heat up. Politics have an overwhelming impact on each of us and I believe that we should try and foster an engaged citizenry. I also think our class should pay attention to the outcome of the Arab Spring. Governments all across the Middle East and Africa are in turmoil, if not outright rebellion and the people leading these revolutions are participating in the public sphere in a way that impacts how the very fabrics of those societies are formed.
My newspapers are Wall St. Journal, which I rarely agree with it, and the Financial Times. I don't watch TV news anymore after I realized that it was just making me angry all the time, but I do love the Daily Show and the Colbert Report. I get the vast majority of my news from internet and I tend to read a lot of blogs and listen to a lot of podcasts.
-Ty
http://hotelpianosa.blogspot.com/
Some areas of the public sphere that I am interested in are Sports, the upcoming election, and the recent events taking place in the middle east. I am a huge Boston are sports fan (especially the Celtics) and i follow all my team through television, the radio and the internet. Also I am eager to learn about how the media portrays presidential candidates to the public sphere, especially with the 2012 election right around the corner. Lastly I am very interested in the revolts happening in the middle east and how the middle eastern medias are portraying it to their people.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17047289215403995783
ReplyDeletehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17047289215403995783
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I really want the class to be focused on a variety of public sphere sources. I would be particularly interested in looking through the New York Times, The Huffington Post, and realclearpolitics.com, especially at Op-Ed pieces. I think social media now has a lot to say about what people are paying attention to, and that may be another route. I’m interested in sports, arts, and foreign affairs, but I am less familiar with the routes to incorporate them. I am really into cultural issues, as well, but I don’t really know a source that would continually be appropriate.
ReplyDeletehttp://kielymac.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteThe areas of the public sphere that tend to interest me the most are sports and pop culture. I also find local news in my hometown of Philadelphia interesting because there always seems to be some form of change taking place. For this reason I think I will be interested in the local news of Hartford. Living here will be completely new so I feel as though I should have some understanding about the city I live in.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be a good idea for our seminar to focus on a variety of different areas of the public sphere even if they are areas I am not too excited about. For example, I am not that interested in politics but I feel as though learning about this area would be beneficial. That is the main reason I signed up for this class. I want to learn about not only the things I am really interested in such as sports and pop culture, but also learn to have an appreciation for the areas I typically do not enjoy.
bdones15.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteSorry for the extra post, but I forgot to answer a few questions.
ReplyDeleteI find sports to be the most interesting because as an athlete it is a significant part of my life and how I was brought up as a child. I also would like to use the internet as a source in class simply because I think it is the most convenient.
http://alyssamonkeysinabarrel.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteThis is my blog. I havent posted in a while but Ive put everyone on my bloglist, so its a nice way to see what everyone has posted. Its like a newsfeed for the class.
The areas of the public sphere that appeal to me the most are typically anything to do with sports, pop culture and/or global issues. I am a very passionate sports fan especially when it comes to the home-town teams. Sources such as ESPN and general sports radio are great ways to keep updated and relevant, whether it be scores, highlights or general team updates. I find the pop culture realm more interesting than I should. Many of the stories seem meaningless but appeal to the majority simply because of the individuals involved. Global issues have the biggest impact on day to day life, knowing and understanding the things that occur outside of the public’s often sheltered view broadens horizons and provides a different perspective to one’s life.
ReplyDeleteI typically utilize the internet and local newspapers for my news sources. As for class it does not matter how we get the news as long as we get it.
http://cameron-armstrong.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeletescratch that http://cameron-armstrong36.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteI have a various array of interests when it comes to the public sphere. I enjoy following sports, local news, pop culture, and global news. I grew up in Boston so sports has always been a big part of my life and one of the main things that always seems to appear in the newspapers and online. I also enjoy following local news because I find it interesting but also important to keep in touch with what could potentially be most affective to my day-to-day life. Like many have said above, though following pop culture seems superficial I have to admit I do like to follow it. It is somewhat important to follow it however because of the major influence celebrities have on our population, especially the young population. Lastly, and probably most importantly, global news. Following global news is not only interesting, but important because you are able to learn and absorb information about different parts of the world and cultures that you may not have been otherwise. Following global news is getting the chance to be a part of something bigger than oneself.
ReplyDeleteClass-wise I think it would be beneficial to cover a range of topics in the public sphere. I usually use the internet, newspaper, and magazines for my news. In class I think we should explore different sources of news coverage.
http://katherinenicole15.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteI am extremely interested in global affairs. I like to read about everything from politics and finances to sports and the arts. My favorite newspapers (which I have read religiously for the past several years) are the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times. What I like best about both publications is that they give me a well-rounded view of the world outside of my immediate life.
One of my favorite things to do before reading the WSJ is to read its “What’s News” column before I read any articles. I don’t always have the opportunity to read every article in full, so I rely on these snippets to fill me in on what the WSJ editors consider to be the most pressing global and national news. I’m so thankful for that column. I kept up with the world cup that way last summer, as well as updates on political conflicts and military advancements in the Middle East. The column provides readers with such an eclectic selection of news, both international and local.
The Financial Times consists of articles focused primarily on international affairs. Very few of the articles I read in the FT regard the United States, and I often find that the articles in which the U.S. is included are written from an international perspective. This aspect has helped me become more open-minded about the political circumstances in other countries. I have also come to appreciate the differences of popular opinion that exist between many countries (due to their contrasting cultures and national ideals). I am reminded, thanks to the FT’s reports about political strife in foreign countries, not to take my own country’s political situation for granted. I feel very fortunate to live under a democracy. The FT helps me appreciate many different social and political aspects of foreign countries and their respective current affairs from the perspectives of journalists of varied nationalities.
This semester, I would love to be able to explore the concept of journalism. I think that it'd be interesting to study a publication from a foreign country to learn more about the perspectives of intellectuals in other parts of the world. It would be interesting to see the differences between the publications we're used to reading in the U.S., and those that are published in countries with different social freedoms.