Comments for John Girdwood

Comment on The Proposal by John Girdwood

John Girdwood — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:18:27 +0000

Let your experience and beliefs drive your interest in the subject matter, but make sure to move toward factually based research as a support for your hypotheses and questions. Great start.

Comment on McAdoo – Interpreting the African Heritage in African American Family Organization by Niara Sudarkasa by John Girdwood

John Girdwood — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:16:38 +0000

I’m glad you learned something! You may have heard “conjugal” before as in “conjugal” visits to prisoners. Believe it or not, that is the same term (root word) and has connotations. You can begin to think of family members whose relationship has intercourse/sex as a big component (husband/wife who procreate) and then other relationships within a family where intercourse/sex is a BIG taboo (father and daughter, for example). So, from a sociological and cultural perspective, you may ask yourself – Why do we have these extremes where one family relationship is so principally based on a sexual relationship and, on the other hand, another is so taboo?

Comment on The Proposal by Christie Delgado

Christie Delgado — Thu, 17 May 2012 03:38:49 +0000

I think that a persons upbringing has a lot to do with how they view marriage and co-habitation. For instance my mom was a single mom until I was in my teens but my dad married when I was very young. I was raised seeing both worlds, that of being a single parent and of being the typical nuclear family. My mom always taught me that you dont have to be married so I think that she has influenced me to view co-habitation as something that is alright to do.

I also believe that you should live with someone before you get married to them to make sure that you can live together! It is interesting that our generation is leaning more towards co-habitation and not marriage. Is it that the legalities of marriage are not important anymore or that people dont want to commit to another peroson like they used to?

Comment on McAdoo – Interpreting the African Heritage in African American Family Organization by Niara Sudarkasa by Carly Jankowiak

Carly Jankowiak — Thu, 17 May 2012 03:10:50 +0000

I must admit, I learned a lot reading this chapter! I never studied AA families much, or rather this deeply before. I am surprised that no one has taken Sudarkasa’s explanation or created, as she says, a holistic theory.

I was very surprised to learn that while the familial history of Europeans is important in the understanding of the family structure of European descendants in America, many scholars do not connect the AA family structure in America to the African family structure. I know, as I learned during primary school, that slavery may have curtailed many African family traditions but this just lead to the development of new and adapted traditions among slaves; this is just what the author mentions herself on page 32. How any scholar could not see the connection between AA families today (who descend from these slaves) and African families (some of whom became these slaves) baffles me.

Consanguinity and conjugality, both completely new terms to me, among African families is really interesting. Specifically relatable (If I understand correctly), the first way Sudarknasa explains the African extended family: nucleus formed by consanguinity and “outer group” of in-marrying spouses. This to me reminds me of my large Irish American family. We are centered around my elderly grandmother, her 6 children, her 13 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, and then the spouses. Although, I consider no one in my family to be “extended” not even the spouses.

Comment on The Proposal by John Girdwood

John Girdwood — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:42:40 +0000

Your enthusiasm for Ryan Reynolds makes me think about mate choice. I wonder if you are interested at all in mate choice, potentially in why we might “settle” on a mate and not try for the “best” mate (like Ryan Reynolds). Is it because the “best” mate may not be in our social network or perhaps we simply think we cannot achieve the “best” mate? How much effort do we put in obtaining a mate? If a woman at Michigan State really wanted to date Ryan Reynolds (if he is available, I don’t know) to what lengths might she go? The book “Promises I Can Keep” sort of eludes to mate choice within the neighborhood. Good interjection.

Comment on McAdoo – Interpreting the African Heritage in African American Family Organization by Niara Sudarkasa by John Girdwood

John Girdwood — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:38:25 +0000

Good comment, made me wonder about the origin of the words “union” and “unit” and the differences between them. I think “union” means “one joined” (uni=one). Also, I think “unit” means “one [measurement]” (uni=one). It is interesting to consider the origins of the words as descriptors because that helps us understand meanings.

Comment on The Proposal by Allison Carley

Allison Carley — Wed, 16 May 2012 23:57:46 +0000

I never thought about the movie with this sort of approach, honestly I’ve probably been a little too distracted by Ryan Reynolds!:) However, after reading your blog it is neat to see how this curriculum ties in with the movie. I especially like where you mention Sandra Bullock needing to marry Reynolds so that she is not deported as it relates to the American Dream. I mean she had the perfect job and was super successful, other than not being married and from a different country, she truly was living or at least on her way to living the “American Dream…” Not only did she recognize this, but she was willing to do something that most of us wouldn’t (marry someone she didn’t love) in order to stay in America. I don’t know how others feel about this, but for me at least, after reading this portion of your blog it made me think of all the opportunities I have living here that might not be available elsewhere.

Comment on McAdoo – Interpreting the African Heritage in African American Family Organization by Niara Sudarkasa by Christie Delgado

Christie Delgado — Wed, 16 May 2012 22:21:47 +0000

I found it very interesting how marriage and divorce plays out in the some African societies. It was mentioned that there was an ease of divorce in some societies and that marriage was more of a contactual union. This is interesting because people who may have lived in a society that practiced this were now put into (when they were brought to America) one who had very different views on a husband-wife relationship. I also found it interesting that they did not always reside in the same “unit” as their spouse. Maybe this is why they were able to have successful unions.

I also like the close community aspect that was described. Everyone helped out with the children even though the parents who lived with them had more of the responsiblility. I think that this is something that is still true today. African American families that I am friends with are usually very close and are willing to help eachother out all of the time.

Comment on The Proposal by John Girdwood

John Girdwood — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:17:21 +0000

Really great insertion of the comparison to the UAW. That’s insightful and brings up a discussion of how people benefit from forming/joining as a union.

Comment on The Proposal by Derrick Nix

Derrick Nix — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:10:20 +0000

I personally do not think that unions are only between two people. I feel that more that two people can be apart of a union. Mostly you only hear people use the term “union” when they are referring to a marriage. On another note people are able to be apart of a union through their jobs like, UAW halls for example.
All unions and marriage are not based on love. In a traditional sense one would want to think so, but that is not longer the case people get married and from unions for all types of reasons now of days. For example, I know people that have been friends for years nothing more or less and have recently decided to get married so the other one can have benefits. That’s not love, that is simply helping out the next person.
Last but not least, I have also witnessed many divorces in my life. Now just because divorce is the ending result that does not mean that love doesn’t remain. In all actuality everyone that I know that has gotten a divorce still holds a great deal of love for the other person it is just that the union or marriage no longer exists.