Blog #8

1) After I read the article, I still think his dream house came from "political realities, from the class, race, and gender differences...”(VR 396)Because his imagination never can be drawn away from his identity which was created by his and his family’s those physical materials. I studied communication in a college. According to my precious classes, our thinking never can be separated from identities. Although it was not on purpose, his dream house still invisibly represented his identity based on his background and culture. But, it's natural because all we want come from how we are. And, how we are come from our identities, culture, and background.

2) According to Hooks, "expansive and more inclusive understanding of architecture, the vernacular is as relevant as any other form of architectural practice." (VR 399) architecture is unique depend on cultures and traditions in different areas. Also, history has a significant meaning when we look at architecture. In other term, we can say architecture makes a cultural practice. Those two interact with each other. Also, he mentioned “the major challenge of a new architectural historiography is… “past” and “present” be attuned to the complex role of differences.” (VR 399) It contains all differences such as skin color, gender, traditions, and so on.

3) According to van Dijk, the new racism is totally different from the old racism. First of all, it doesn't consider itself as “racism." The new racism is more democratic and respectable than old one. Moreover, minorities, such as drug abuse or lacking achievement values, used to be looked down by the old racism; however, the new racism takes those minorities as just different. Those minorities don't need to be looked down by the new racism. Especially in U.S. and Europe, the new racism is more like psychological and science studied rather than discriminations which come from emotions or prejudices.

Hooks, Bell. "Black Vernacular: Architecture as Cultural Practice." Visual Rhetoric in a Digital World 395-400.

van Dijk, Teun A. "NEW (S) RACISM: A DISCOURSE ANALYTICAL APPROACH." Ethnic Minorities and the Media