Blogs

Black Orpheus

During one of the tutorials I attended last year as part of LAST 100 (taught by John), I asked the following question: While of course, Latin American countries are and were incredibly cruel to their black citizens, why did the treatment of Afro-Latinos in Latin America historically differ from the treatment of African-Americans in the …

Black Orpheus reflection

The beginning of Black Orpheus caught my attention right off the bat. It shows what seems to be the beginning of Carnaval celebrations in Rio. The city is loud and full of energy and everyone seems to have the same vibrant mood. We see different parts of the city, the slums and neighbourhoods of lower […]

About Me

Hi there! My name is Magalee and I am in my third year of Kinesiology. This is my second time taking a Latin American Studies class with John and I am super stoked to be here! I am excited to learn more about Latin American history and culture through an academic perspective, as I have …

Black Orpheus reflection

The beginning of Black Orpheus caught my attention right off the bat. It shows what seems to be the beginning of Carnaval celebrations in Rio. The city is loud and full of energy and everyone seems to have the same vibrant mood. We see different parts of the city, the slums and neighbourhoods of lower […]

Raymond Williams’ Culture is Ordinary [1958]

What struck me in particular about Williams’ article was the attention to detail when emphasizing that culture is ‘ordinary’. As described by Williams, popular culture is made for and by the people of a particular society regardless of status. He notes the individual characteristics, professions, and inner workings of the town he grew up in…