The Ed Stu LIVERPOOL HOPE UNIVERSITY’S EDUCATION STUDENT NEWSPAPER ISSUE No. 2 | MAY 2019 VOLUME 1
THE DISPOSSESSED FIGHT BACK Flo Carter, first year Single Honours Education student, reflects on the light that Jordan Peele’s horror movies shed on society.
BEWARE THE SIRENS Carl-Michael Jones, third year Education and English Language student, reflects on gender stereotyping and mythology in Homer’s ancient Greek epic, The Odyssey.
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Flowers in bloom at Liverpool Hope, April, 2019.
PLUS… Kelly Mahoney, Rebecca Jackson, and Dorotea Trivanovic, second year Education students recount their experiences at an enlightening careers event organised by Dr. Jody Crutchley.
YEARS OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
The Dispossessed Fight Back By Flo Carter, first year student in Single Honours Education
“Is social inequality the true monster in Jordan Peele’s ‘Us’?”
Horror movies, some of us love them and some of us don’t. This seemed to change in 2017 with Jordan Peele’s debut Oscar winning horror film “Get Out” which caught the attention of horror geeks and movie critics alike. Jordan Peele completely changed the 2
horror game and challenged typical stereotypes in horror films like the African American man or woman being the first to die. “Get Out” depicts an upper class white family trying to lure in African American
men to entrap them. The film challenges institutional racism with the white family portrayed as monsters. Even the main actor, Daniel Kaluuya described the film as “12 Years a Slave: The Horror Movie” (Weston, 2018, p. 38). The film was a box office success and won an Oscar for best original screenplay. Fans were left waiting to see what else Peele had up in his sleeve. Peele’s new movie “Us” was released earlier this year. To sum it up, all seems fine when a family goes on holiday until they are tormented by masked home invaders. Things take a turn when the attackers take off their masks to reveal they are the family’s doppelgängers. “Us” takes a slightly different route than “Get Out”.
“Us” takes a slightly different route than “Get Out”. While Peele still challenges the race-bias in stereotypical horror movies by having a nearly all black cast, the film also challenges other inequalities present in modern societies.”
While Peele still challenges the racebias in stereotypical horror movies by having a nearly all black cast, the film also challenges other inequalities present in modern societies. The family’s doppelgängers, or the “tethered”, are people who live in underground abandoned tunnels. They are unable to speak and they live off rabbits. In the movie, we see the tethered come to the surface to seek revenge on their doubles who have lived a privileged life compared to them. It could be said that the tethered represent disadvantaged people in society who have decided to fight back against the American dream and the normalisation of greed. Personally, I think the true monster in this movie isn’t the tethered because it is Us ourselves.
References Weston, K., 2018. THAT SINKING FEELING. Sight and Sound, 28(1), pp. 37-39. 3
Education Beyond the Classroom Several students recount their experiences of an Education careers event organised by Dr. Jody Crutchley, Lecturer in Education, in April, 2019. The careers event opened students’ eyes to the range of professions that they might pursue upon completion of their Education degree… Kelly Mahoney, second year Education and Early Childhood student. The careers lecture organised by Dr. Jody Crutchley was more valuable than I could have imagined. Being an Education and Early Childhood student, we hear a lot about becoming teachers or working directly in a school but this event opened our eyes to brand new avenues away from schools but still within the education sector. Michael Lavalette spoke to us about routes into and careers in social work, it was interesting finding out social work is a very viable option with our degree. We heard from Sabrina Persiano regarding play therapy, which is a more autonomous career in which you can work from home and govern your own schedule. Then, most interesting for me, we heard from Joanna Fitzsimmons who is the Prevent Education officer for Liverpool City Council. She explained how she was in the House of Commons one day, then doing a primary school assembly the next; feels like the best of 4
both worlds to me, out in the community and working closely with schools. These examples are just a few from a host of speakers. The message which came across loud and clear was that with the range of careers available to us, we must do some research and try to gain some experience in many different areas. It is not a one size fits all - go out there, network and see where your skills fit best. It is going to be a very busy summer for me.
Above: Professor Michael Lavalette, Professor in Social Work and Head of the School of Social Sciences at Liverpool Hope, talks about careers in social work.
Left: Sabrina Persiano, practicing playtherapist, discusses career options in her profession. Followed, from right to left, by Joanna Fitzsimmons, the Prevent Education Officer for Liverpool City Council; Kelly Stephens, the Careers Advisor at Hope; Lewis Rothwell a former Education Studies student who is based at Rushton Futures which works with the Liverpool Royal School for the Blind to support young adults who are 19+ to combine lifelong learning with social care.
Rebecca Jackson, second year Single Honours Education student. For the careers lecture this year we were introduced to quite a few people with a range of different career paths that tie in with Education Studies. If you don’t want to go into teaching or are still unsure on what you want to go into, it would be a great starting point to read into the careers presented to see if any spark your interest. We first heard from Michael Lavalette who spoke about careers in social work. Social work is all about individuals, families, and groups and communities (hence the ‘social’). Being a social worker includes a number of roles and tasks, but the overall role is safeguarding in order to improve the outcome of vulnerable people’s lives. Sabrina Persiano came from Inner Treasure (a play therapy centre) to talk to us about her role in play therapy. Because play is something children can do before they even learn to talk, it can be analysed and is an effective way of understanding children with mental health problems and behavioural issues. Now, working with vulnerable
children can be quite emotionally difficult, especially in abuse cases, but with the unfortunate rise in children’s mental health issues it is a valuable role and is very rewarding being able to help vulnerable children and see their growth. Joanna Fitzsimmons talked to us about her role as a Prevent Education Officer for Liverpool City Council. She spoke about the recent influx in anti-terrorism/ extremist programmes and how her role is very important in the implementation of these. A big part of her role is not just teaching the dangers of extremism, but also being able to notice and pinpoint the early signs of extremism in young people. We also got to hear from Lewis Rothwell who talked to us about working with differently abled people. This would be a great path to look into if you are interested in working with young people with special education needs. Working with young people with SEN can have its challenges however, it is extremely rewarding in the long run giving you the opportunity to form bonds and friendships with different people. 5
Dorotea Trivanovic, second year Education and Early Childhood student.
and providing an innovative, happy environment that made me feel uplifted and inspired.
The Education Careers event that I attended was highly stimulating and enlightening, and it raised my awareness of the diverse career prospects and pathways that can be undertaken with an Education Studies degree. I was deeply moved and inspired by the different professions in the education sector which included working at The Royal Blind School, as a Prevent Education Officer, and in play therapy.
Above: Education students listen intently to the careers talks.
I was provided with a richer understanding of these professions and what these sectors consist of, as opposed to the traditional view of having an education degree and only having a teaching route to pursue.
Above: Joanna Fitzsimmons (in white top), the Prevent Education Officer for Liverpool City Council; Kelly Stephens, the Careers Advisor at Hope.
Hearing about The Royal Blind School was particularly inspirational because they challenge labels and stereotypes in society by viewing everyone as a unique individual, supporting their needs 6
It was also intriguing and captivating to learn about The Prevent Education Officer and the role they play in schools in employing the counter terrorism strategy and the support and care they provide to children so they have the knowledge to protect themselves. The careers event opened my mind to the variety of opportunities I can immerse myself into that I had no knowledge of prior to the event, which is why it was so beneficial and valuable.
“Being an Education and Early Childhood student, we hear a lot about becoming teachers or working directly in a school but this event opened our eyes to brand new avenues away from schools but still within the education sector...”
Beware the Sirens: The Odyssey and Gender Politics in Ancient Greece Carl-Michael Jones, third year Education and English Language student, has been reading Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey, this Spring. Here, he provides some reflections on this big read.
Are women demonised in Homer’s great work, The Odyssey? The Odyssey is a staple classic from ancient Greek culture that has stood the test of time. The two great poems, The Iliad and The Odyssey were initially recited orally and were later recorded during the late 8th Century BC; attributed to the author, Homer. The Iliad takes place during the 10 year long Trojan War and focuses on the famous Achilles, and his role within the
war. The Odyssey takes place 10 years after the Trojan War, with most of the participants either dead or reunited with their families. The narrative follows the protagonist, Odysseus, and his journey to reunite with his wife, Penelope and his son, Telemakho on the island of Ithaca. At times The Odyssey can read as an awry game of Dungeons and Dragons: an egocentric hero, mythological creatures, divine intervention, 7
the pursuit of glory and being the unintentional cause of most of your party member’s deaths. Odysseus defies the conventional lawfully-good nature of classical heroes, displaying unending self-interest to the detriment of himself and to those around him. Whether it be endangering himself and the crew of his ship to hear the fabled melodies of the deadly Sirens, the exclamation of his name as a calling card to reap renown for maiming a cyclops, or a homecoming which made The Red Wedding appear civilised. The actions and decisions Odysseus makes are far from ideal, but the flaws and miss-steps of Odysseus lends his character a level of authenticity amidst the mythology.
Throughout the epic poem, Odysseus displays a misogynistic attitude towards women. Odysseus places importance upon the chastity of his wife, Penelope, despite his twenty year absence and speculated demise. This attitude carries through the narrative, depicted in the choice of mythological creatures encountered throughout the journey, the predominant amount being female. The literal demonization of women is further intensified through the portrayal of their use of sex and sexuality to accomplish their goals. The Sirens, for example, 8
use their voices to seduce male sailors, enthralling them in a state of arousal, causing them to walk from their ships into a watery grave. In the following quote, Odysseus recalls how his friends had to restrain him from being drawn to the Sirens, They sang these words most musically, and as I longed to hear them further I made signs by frowning to my men that they should set me free; but they quickened their stroke, and Eurylochus and Perimedes bound me with still stronger bonds till we had got out of hearing of the Sirens’ voices.(Homer, XII, p.577). One of the few female characters that holds power in their own right, Circe, a powerful and magically skilled sorceress, is reduced to using her sexuality to entrap Odysseus on the island of Ogygia. The way in which women are portrayed throughout are a potential reflection of the societal view of women at the time of composition. The Odyssey is not completely void of positive representations of female characters. Athena, through acts of divine intervention, played a pivotal role in Odysseus’s survival and journey home. Without her help, Odysseus would have likely met his demise on a number of occasions. This could be viewed as an attempt to show how Odysseus would not be able to complete his goals without the assistance from female characters. Penelope, also shows development throughout the epic, growing to be viewed as more than a chase object to be claimed by Odysseus. This is epitomised through
her requiring Odysseus to prove he is who he claims upon his return, changing the power dynamic of their relationship. Penelope reveals her intentions to test Odysseus in the following quote: My son, I am so lost in astonishment that I can find no words in which either to ask questions or to answer them. I cannot even look him straight in the face. Still, if he really is Odysseus come back to his own home again, we shall get to understand one another by and by, for there are tokens with which we two are alone acquainted, and which are hidden from all others. (Homer, XXIII, p711).
The Odyssey may present dated gender representations, but it does offer a journey through ancient Greek culture, through a world gilded with legend and lore. The brash decisions of the protagonist leads to a series of fantastical events and encounters which not only entertain, but depict the values and traditions of the society that the poem’s author, Homer, lived in. You can view Odysseus’s character and the intentions behind his actions in a plethora of ways, a narcissistic hero suffering from toxic masculinity, a soldier unable to accept a peaceful life due to the terror endured during the war, or an average adventurer with a convenient relationship with the gods. The Odyssey truly allows the reader to immerse themselves in the narrative and consistently provokes the question “What would I do?”. References Homer, The Odyssey (Barnes and Noble 2013 edition), transl. Samuel Butler
Contributors welcome Do you want to contribute to the December 2019 edition of The Ed Stu? If so, please contact Rosie Germain with your idea at germair@hope.ac.uk All ideas welcome. 9
LIVERPOOL HOPE UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF EDUCATION Hope Park, Liverpool, L16 9JD T: 0151 291 3410 E: ask-education@hope.ac.uk www.hope.ac.uk/education
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