Archive | February 2016

Annotated Bibliography 6: Constructing African American Urban Space In Atlanta, Georgia by Joshua F.J. Inwood

Feb24

INWOOD, JOSHUA F. J. “Constructing African American Urban Space In Atlanta, Georgia.” Geographical Review 101.2 (2011): 147-163. Environment Complete. Web. 23 Feb. 2016.

Joshua Inwood, an assistant professor of geography at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, wrote a journal about Big Bethel AME Church’s $45 million redevelopment project that included housing and retail space. Big Bethel AME Church is a church on Auburn Ave that is one of the oldest black-run institutions in Atlanta. The author sought to explain the implications of the redevelopment project and how it is symbolic to modern black counterpublic places.

I chose this source because it is an analysis of the Sweet Auburn area and the process of recapturing its past culture. There will be of more concentration on the redevelopment. It will talk about the black community, specifically Big Bethel, and it’s efforts to reclaim their neighborhood. This source can contribute to my research of the redevelopment of African American neighborhood with Sweet Auburn being one of them.

Annotated Bibliography 5: REMEMBERING ‘Sweet Auburn Avenue.’

Feb24

“REMEMBERING ‘Sweet Auburn Avenue.’.” Ebony 43.7 (1988): 164. Middle Search Plus. Web. 23 Feb. 2016.

Published in 1988, this article acts as a primary resource for the mindsets of African Americans when Auburn Avenue was culturally destroyed. The article first tells of what Auburn Avenue was to the black community during that time. It goes on to explain how it was split apart by the 75/85 interstate and the citizens reactions. Lastly, it describes the leaders of the community’s plan to bring the culture of Auburn Avenue back again.

I chose to use this source because it gives a first hand description of what the town was like and what it meant to the people. It will also describe the outcome of the neighborhood’s fall. It’s more reliable to use than a textbook because of when it was published. A textbook isn’t going to offer the same descriptions, quotes, examples, and language as this newspaper article did. I could use this source to make a comparison of that article’s Auburn Avenue and the 2016 Auburn Avenue.

Annotated Bibliography 4: Displacement And The Racial State In Olympic Atlanta 1990-1996 by Seth Gustafson

Feb24

GUSTAFSON, SETH. “Displacement And The Racial State In Olympic Atlanta 1990-1996.” Southeastern Geographer 53.2 (2013): 198. Advanced Placement Source. Web. 23 Feb. 2016.

Seth Gustafson, a candidate in the department of Geography for the University of Georgia, argues his idea of how Atlanta’s city council created plans to make Atlanta a “global city” for the 1996 Olympics by displacing the lower socioeconomic citizens. The article also uses other cities that acted in similar ways like Seoul for their Olympics in 1988.

This source is relevant to my research because it will provide a detailed explanation of what occurred to African American neighborhoods that were destroyed due to construction for the Olympics. It also offers another possible intention of the city council that isn’t solely just racism.

I chose this article because it gives a specific time period and event to focus on rather than just generalized statements that can be made in other sources. It also is centered on Atlanta and the African American neighborhood. It will discuss the process of deconstruction of homes, resistance from former residents, the relocation of displaced people, the construction of Olympic-related places, and lasting effect on the displaced people and neighborhoods.

This is a depiction of some of Atlanta's Olympic related areas and other landmarks

This is a depiction of some of Atlanta’s Olympic related areas and other landmarks

Southeastern Geographer, Summer2013, Vol. 53 Issue 2, p198-213, 16p, 1 Graph
Graph; found on p200

Summary #4 – Recognizing Campus Landscapes as Learning Spaces by Kathleen G Scholl, Gowri Betrabet Gulwadi

Feb16

College campuses are universally supposed to be known as “distinct” community from the cities around them. A problem that campuses face is providing good learning spaces for the diverse evolving needs of each college student. More and more college students are becoming enrolled in higher education institutions. This means even more expectations and demand for accommodations are being placed on universities that it must take in consideration in regards to decision-making and the campus. The latest research states that how a university space is designed and used effect the entire student body. The authors of this essay suggested that natural landscape should be considered an attentional learning resource for students.

College is a stressful but fulfilling part of a student’s life. Most learning doesn’t happen in the classroom. Depending on the university, students can be seen studying in residential halls, cafeterias, lounges, computer labs, quads, and many more. The authors declare that these areas must be perceived as universal learning spaces. They even go as far to say that an entire campus must be seen this way in order for students to get the most success out of their enrollment. If this can be achieved then it promotes a sense of belonging to the learning community for everyone.

Historically, campuses were built in remote places. Founders of these institutions wanted to create a community that was to be secluded from the surrounding city. This idea was put in place so that students and faculty could devote time and attention for learning, growth, and expression. There were many open green spaces in the early American institutions after the Morrill Act in which granted huge amount to land to universities; however construction wasn’t being done during the Great Depression and World War era. When the market was back to normal and people were enrolling, universities began filling their open spaces with parking lots, and standalone structures that didn’t contribute with the existing campus style. Certain elements of a campus still remain today crucial to its identity. More than ever, campuses are starting to implement construction on “green infrastructure” to support the political problem of environmental protection.

“A well designed campus was an integral part of the educational experience of students…” is a quote from the authors. They bring the attention to the idea of the Attention Restoration Theory. This theory discusses the benefits of human-nature interaction. In similar terms, the theory discusses the idea of nature acting as a trigger for the brain to “restart” or “refresh”.  The authors define nature as “the physical features and processes of nonhuman origin that people ordinarily perceive, including living nature…” If a campus contains a holistic landscape, it will have a positive effect on students because it will maintain cognitive function. After a day of sitting in class, a student can feel quite drain. The authors’ idea is that if presented with just a little bit of nature, it will increase their cognitive function which will directly result in better performance on assignments. They point out that nature plays with the in-attentional mind so that the attentional mind can reviving itself in order to do better on task. Green spaces hold as a cognitive benefit to students because it will reduce the levels of fatigue and stress. The authors further enforce the idea that college campuses should create more open holistic learning spaces for the maintenance and effectiveness of a quality higher learning experience.

Sources used –

Scholl, Kathleen, & Gowri Betrabet Gulwadi. “Recognizing Campus Landscapes as Learning Spaces.” Journal of Learning Spaces [Online], 4.1 (2015): n. pag. Web. 16 Feb. 2016

Summary #3 – His & Hers: Designing for a Post-Gender Society by Suzanne Tick

Feb16

‘We are living in a time of gender revolution.” Is the first line stated by Suzanne Tick. The gender revolution can be defined as a time when people do not just identify with one gender anymore. The traditional roles of males and females are no longer the same anymore. Tick said “Masculine and feminine definitions are being switched and obscured. But this is an essentially human phenomenon” Human tastes change over time and most of them repeat. The first indication is through fashion. In this example, clothes considered to be stylish for women look boyish and items normally intended for women are being catered for the men. Boys are looking like girls. Girls are looking like boys. These are things Tick notices. She claims that designers of landscapes, buildings, and architecture should keep up with this movement too. It would benefit society if designers created spaces that cater to this new ideology and promote acceptance of it in the process.

In order to make things more comfortable for the “different” ones of today’s society, companies and schools are starting to accept the concept of not asking for gender identification. People in the past are starting to ask for this privilege. Different organizations like the LGBTQ rights movement have sought out to make concepts like same-sex marriage more acceptable by lobbying in state and national courts. Nowadays people have been wanting softer elements in public and private places like open floor plans, emphasis on textural materials, and the influence of hospitality. In the workplace, people want views, big windows, and natural light. Tick suggest that this trend is happening because women are become more prominent in making critical decisions. Historically, males were dominant in all these areas, therefore; they made most of the decisions while not taking into account what kind of work environment could work for everyone. Tick pushes the idea that designers should look into incorporating more details that are gender sensitive. Tick believes that it would be better for society if designers created spaces that didn’t tend more to any particular gender. Embracing this idea will makes spaces more populated and loved by the people. An example Tick gives that designers can pay attention to is bathrooms in public places and workplaces. She states that big companies like Google are adapting gender-neutral bathrooms to allow less incidents of gender identification. This allows coworkers to have less uncomfortable issues and able to collaborate better as a team.

Tick states that designers shouldn’t treat this problem with just regulations and compliance. An example of this disaster would be the Disabilities Act. Regulations are there however, it is still difficult for disabled persons to find accessible bathrooms and entryways in public areas. Tick says this problem has to be dealt in a much better way in order to reduce the feeling of rejection and frustration for the “different” ones. Tick states being respectful of diversity and creating environments where people can express their individuality openly, equally, and safely is the best way to deal with this issue. It starts with the designers. For a solution, Tick final words could be that “We are only at the very beginning with gender-neutral design, but having safe places for anybody to function and do what they need to do, no matter who they are, should be our first step.”

Sources used –

Tick, Suzanne. “His & Hers: Designing for a Post-Gender Society.” Metropolis. Network Solutions, LLC., 16 Oct. 2012. Web. 16 Feb. 2016

Kimberly Oglesby’s Midterm Reflection

Feb15

Writing on a blog can be challenging for many different reasons depending on the person. One reason could be that a blog is seen as pleasurable and not intellectual. Generally, an author would post tons of pictures or slang depending on the type of blog they want to display. Because this is an academic class, a student may get confused as to what may seem acceptable and what isn’t. The professor could place restraints or be very open. The idea of a blog doesn’t fit quite well with a student however it can be beneficial. If the student tries to become comfortable with the idea then there are endless possibilities as to what they can create. They may even see other things like Twitter, Instagram, and even Snapchat as another platform.

My strengths in this class are understanding the points in the required readings and displaying my work neatly and appealingly on my blog. My weaknesses are proofreading. I normally engage in peer reading so that others can inform me when the content is unclear. I like how this class allows me to be able to earn extra points. It is like I am creating a safety net just in case I don’t get the score that I wanted. I am more prone to the quizzes on D2L. I haven’t really used the Writer’s Help 2.0 because it looks overwhelming. The work requested seems too much or doesn’t apply to me. However, I am satisfied with the efforts I have made in class so far because of the pride I have accumulated in the work.

In the past, I’m used to just getting a prompt and writing an entire essay. Instead in this class, we write short descriptions, annotated bibliographies, and summaries that is essentially considered our research. The projects created in class, like the descriptions, are intended to enlighten someone about Atlanta’s space. For example, a student a working in California might want to know about different landmarks in major cities. Our research is used in our final analysis. In my English 1101 class, we had an essay about a group of people that we were a part of. We had to go to the place, sit back, and observe the area while taking notes. It was the first time I actually went out to a place to research others rather than writing an essay based purely on opinion. In English 1102, research is key to a complete ethical argument for an essay. With the work that we have completed so far, I have learned how to think critically about certain things and places. I begin to question “why?” to everything. I take into account what I consider to be a reliable resource because not every source is a good source. I have also learned that anything can be a platform. From social media to radio, television to newspapers, or song to poetry. There is a way to get a text of words, arguments, descriptions, or expressions across to the world. For the remaining of the semester an and in future projects, I plan to ask more evaluating questions more often while taking advantage of the resources around me.

Images taken at the Jackson Street Bridge

Feb8

Annotated Bibliography 2

Feb5

Roy, Parama. “Collaborative Planning – A Neoliberal Strategy? A Study Of The Atlanta Beltline.” Cities 43.(2015): 59-68. ScienceDirect. Web. 5 Feb. 2016.

Written by a Geo-sciences professor at Georgia State University, the article’s purpose is to assess the Atlanta BeltLine planning project. It will discuss the implications of the collaborative planning theory used for the BeltLine. It will also talk about how the collaborative planning theory could have been corrupted by market-driven decisions. The author proposes that market-driven decisions ruin the democratic process of planning. The example given is decisions regarding the historic Old Forth Ward neighborhood in Atlanta. This article will helpful to my research because it will give specific examples of the decisions for the BeltLine and how it changed historically African American neighborhoods like Old Fourth Ward. It will further show corruption amongst the decision makers. This article isn’t a primary source; therefore, the arguments proposed could be false. What if the decisions weren’t market-driven? What if the author missed something important? What if they used information that would  only support their thesis? These questions must be taken in consideration when using this source; however it is still an great source because the argument given is understandable based on the grounds given.

Annotated Bibliography 1

Feb5

Holliman, Irene V. “From Crackertown To Model City? Urban Renewal And Community Building In Atlanta, 1963-1966.” Journal Of Urban History 35.3 (2009): 369. Publisher Provided Full Text Searching File. Web. 5 Feb. 2016.

This article, written by a historian at the University of Georgia, studies the mayor, business men, organizations, and residents in Atlanta during the 1960’s during the urban renewal phase. There are two sides to the issue. Some wanted the money for public housing and others thought it should be spent to protect the property values of business districts. The problems arise because of site selections, limited funding, and planning. This article will further my research because it will provide information about the planning aspect of the urban planning time period of Atlanta. This source is the correct time period and place for my research. I will receive more details about the people’s resistance to the new plans and their plans to keep their homes. The article is not a primary source. Just like myself, the author of this article had to conduct research. The article could miss some information that could be useful; however, it is still relatively important because it will give informative insight on the city councils and business associates reactions to the troubles placed upon them. It will also show what precautions the public took to keep their neighborhoods from being torn apart.

Annotated Bibliography 3

Feb5

Hyra, Derek. “The Back-To-The-City Movement: Neighbourhood Redevelopment And Processes Of Political And Cultural Displacement.” Urban Studies (Sage Publications, Ltd.) 52.10 (2015): 1753. Publisher Provided Full Text Searching File. Web. 5 Feb. 2016.

This article was written by an associate professor at Virginia Tech. It talks about a study that assess the population influx of citizens in Washington D.C between 2009 and 2012. The concentration is solely on the redevelopment of the Shaw/U Street neighborhood, which is known to be an African American neighborhood. A population increase has forced residents out and new ones to accommodate them, making property values to increase. This is what the author calls “The Back-To-The-City Movement”. The effects of this movement is discussed and demonstrated in specific examples. I chose to use this source because it will give information about the effects of redevelopment of an existing neighborhood. It’s even more beneficial because the district being discussed is an African American neighborhood; which is highly relevant to the topic. The article is in the right time period; however the place in question could be a problem. My research is about Atlanta’s redevelopment. Although, the article studies a different place, it is still great to use because the information can be used to compare the effects of Atlanta’s redevelopment with another major city; thereby, showing it’s not just Atlanta’s issue but can be any city’s issue.