Category Archives: News

Thomas’ ethnography about the formation and perceptions of citizenship in transnational Jamaica is fascinating. The structure of this ethnography differs from the other works we’ve read in this class because it examines black bodies and citizenship from a structural perspective. … Continue reading →

I first am prompted in a manner similarly to what I believe Shange is to mention the death of Keenan. As she says, he “haunts the ethnographic text”. I believe her footnote about his death and the complexities surrounding it … Continue reading →

In Chapter Three of “Progressive Dystopia,” Savannah Shange details her ethnographic research on the schooling experiences of Black students in San Francisco. Through in-depth interviews and participant observation, she reveals the ways in which the supposedly “progressive” policies and practices … Continue reading →

I enjoyed Shange’s writing style. I liked the way that she weaved her observations in and out of her analyses and discussions. This “storytelling” aspect of her work made the reading very engaging and proved valuable for supporting the larger … Continue reading →

In Shange’s “Progressive Dystopia”, we learn Shange’s ethnographic approach to a much larger issue that many don’t comprehend until further observation has taken place. In Shange’s observation, we learn her relationship between her casual classroom observations to her closer interviews … Continue reading →

It is interesting that attention to detail in ethnographies begins with the very literature used. When describing her nomenclature system, Shange carefully explains the purpose and reasoning behind her choice. It especially stood out that she asked the students what they … Continue reading →

I am fascinated by Shange’s theorization of the metaphor that is used to encapsulate how students of color are put into a disadvantageous spot due to cultural and sociopolitical factors. Various kinds of inequities weave together to challenge Black and … Continue reading →

Shange draws a contrast between Sofia’s “anti-antiblack practice” and Abuelita’s Black practice”. What is the difference, then? The most noticeable feature that the chapter focuses on is the repeated question of “why can’t we learn African?” Asked by African American … Continue reading →

Shange uses multiple methods to conduct her ethnography, but the one she seems to rely the most on is classroom observations and observing conversations between students and between Sofia, the teacher, and her students. Shange still participates because she is … Continue reading →

After reading the chapters from Shange’s work, one theme that stood out to me was her argument for abolition over other strategies of achieving social change. Specifically, Shange focused on Black education, and how modern structures need to be abolished … Continue reading →

I really enjoyed this ethnography both in terms of methodology as well as the content. As someone who is interested in systemic violence as it pertains to Indigeneity, I found her insight and perspective on change valuable. In Chapter 3, … Continue reading →

I found the author’s exploration of how political elements pervade and define classroom interactions fascinating. The relationship between race, academic success, economic mobility, and rates of mass incarceration per certain demographics is shocking and something Shange traces back to “enrollment … Continue reading →

The more I reflect on the prologue of this book, the more I realize the masterpiece of web created by matsutake rather than the fungi itself. Although the mushroom takes place with the most emphasis on the cover as the main character, there is … Continue reading →

Something that stood out to me from Chapter 3 of the Murchinson book was what comes before the formal research design that I would assume many of us are familiar with from research, science, and statistics classes. Exploratory research, specifically, … Continue reading →

I really gravitated toward the discussion of “thinking about the nonobvious as discoverable” when determining a research topic (26). This idea is relevant not only in terms of being creative when questioning the world around us, but also in terms … Continue reading →

In the introduction of “The Mushroom at the End of the World: On the Possibility of Life in Capitalist Ruin,” author Anna Tsing presents the concept of “ruin capitalism” and how it relates to the cultivation of matsutake mushrooms in … Continue reading →