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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2019
VOL. CLXXV NO. 144
Student Affairs and Q&A with PEN finalist Alexander Chee Student Assembly
commit to racial bias B y SUNNY DRESCHER The Dartmouth Staff
OPINION
PAK: THE UGLY MESS UNDER THE RUG PAGE 6
ELLIS: GABBARD GETS IT PAGE 6
KHANNA: LIKELY TO GET LABELED PAGE 7
SIVARAJAN: IN DEFENSE OF D’SOUZA PAGE 7
ARTS
‘INTO THE WOODS’ CHALLENGES US TO BREAK THE CURSE IN OUR OWN LIVES PAGE 8 FOLLOW US ON
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COURTESY OF ALEXANDER CHEE
English professor and writer Alexander Chee specializes in fiction.
B y LORRAINE LIU The Dartmouth Staff
English and creative writing professor and writer Alexander Chee grew up wanting to be a fashion designer and visual artist. Taking writing classes at Wesleyan College, however, changed Chee’s mind and prompted him to think of writing as a professional career. As the author of two award-winning novels — “Edinburgh” and “The Queen
of the Night” — Chee recently became a finalist for PEN America’s PEN/DiamonsteinSpielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay for his essay collection “How to Write an Autobiographical Novel.” For three years at Dartmouth, Chee has taught fiction writing, first-year writing and English 87, “Imaginary Countries,” a course on speculative fictions. SEE Q&A PAGE 2
Tuck team wins global policy contest B y EILEEN BRADY
The Dartmouth Staff
A team of students from the Tuck School of Business was awarded first prize in the Global Universities Challenge at the World Government Summit in Dubai this month. The competition asked participants to craft a 10year plan for the sustainable
development of the fictional Middle Eastern country of “Urmania,” according to executive director of the Tuck’s Center for Business, Government and Society John McKinley, who served as the faculty adviser for Tuck’s challenge team. The invite-only challenge brought students from 19 SEE GUC PAGE 5
In response to a Student Assembly resolution and a subsequent meeting with SA leadership regarding racist vandalism found in dorms in Oct. 2018 and more recent racist emails targeting students and faculty, interim dean of the College Kathryn Lively publicly responded with a letter detailing three action items that Student Affairs was committed to taking in the coming weeks and months. Action items included Student Affairs updating their website to include information about the current process for undergraduates to report incidents of bias by the first day of spring term classes; assembling a working group to examine that process and make recommendations for potential modifications by mid-summer; and working with Residential Life to evaluate safety practices in
residence halls. “[Walters] and I had received lots of concerned messages from students who were either reporting biased incidents made against them or who had friends who were being threatened by emails or by vandalism on the doors,” SA vice-president Nicole Knape ’19 said. She added that she and SA president Monik Walters ’19 believed that the resolution was the best way to call for urgent action on the part of Student Affairs and to “elevate [students’] voices to the administration” regarding how they felt these cases were being handled. Knape said that a meeting was scheduled with herself, Walters, Lively and senior associate dean Liz Agosto for the Monday following the promulgation of the resolution, which was emailed to campus on a Thursday. She added that the quick turnaround between the resolution being sent out and the meeting indicated that
the administration was taking their resolution and their call for urgent action seriously. At the meeting, Knape said, they discussed students’ concerns and came up with a plan to make the process for reporting racial bias more transparent. “[The lack of transparency] is one of the barriers to reporting [incidents of racial bias] because students don’t understand how these processes follow through,” Knape said. Lively said that she understands that it can be frustrating to students when Student Affairs is unable to share publicly what steps have been taken in an investigation. “I was thrilled that student leaders were really willing to take a public stand for inclusivity and diversity
SEE RESOLUTION PAGE 5
León studies self-driving cars B y EMILY SUN
The Dartmouth Staff
Geography professor Luis Alvarez León proved his passion for geospatial data after writing his master’s thesis on how Netflix tailors its movie recommendations based on a customer’s location. But, in a recently published study in the journal Cartographic Perspectives, Alvarez León looks into the future of spatial data collection relating to self-driving cars, particularly its political and
social implications. “The way I got to self-driving cars is, I was really interested in different applications of new spatial technologies and how new forms of data commerce were changing the economy,” Alvarez León said. “New navigation technologies … and new forms of informational or digital capitalism are really converging in self-driving cars because … self-driving cars rely on very advanced arrays of spatial technologies to navigate.” Not only do self-driving
cars require GPS, they also require cameras, sophisticated computing and other developing technologies, Alvarez León said. He added that among different companies — including Audi, General Motors, Google and Uber — there is active competition to provide the most advanced spatial information. This would provide the best service and technological development to customers. “A lot of companies today SEE CARS PAGE 2
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2019
THE DARTMOUTH NEWS
Q&A with English professor Chee Geography professor researches car data FROM Q&A PAGE 1
topics.
This term, he is teaching Creative Writing 20, “Intermediate Fiction I” and the first-year seminar English 7.46, “Belonging, Migration, Exile.”
You said “How to Write an Autobiographical Novel” ended up “being like a book of interconnected short stories about the self and the world.” Did you grow up thinking of Could you elaborate on this becoming a writer? idea? AC: I didn’t grow up thinking about AC: I guess what that means is that it, no. I didn’t start thinking about there is no direct narrative thread being a writer until I was in college. in the book. It was designed to be As a kid, I remember at one point a essay collection, but there is a I wanted to be a fashion designer. chronological timeline to the essays, And then the king of my own which I did because when you are island. And then I writing an essay remember I took Usually, ideas collection, you a test for possible have to anticipate for essays come occupations in high essentially two ways school and that especially from that people will suggested that I something that read it. One way should be an actor, is that someone I notice about which I thought will pick it up and was funny and myself, that I am perhaps read an interesting. I did essay or two, put suddenly able like acting, but I it down and come was also good at to connect to all back to it maybe music and drawing, of these other years later. Other so I think, for a people will sit down while, as I said in instances in the and read the entire the essay collection, past. essay all the way I mentioned that I through. There are would even become other ways that a visual artist. So -ALEXANDER CHEE, people will read no, I didn’t grow ENGLISH PROFESSOR the book, but those up thinking of are roughly the two becoming a writer. primary ways. So in every essay you have to introduce What led you onto the path yourself, and if you have a book of becoming a professional like this and you do not order it writer? chronologically, the result — for AC: I have always been good someone who is reading it all the way at writing, but I was never very through — feels repetitive if you say, impressed by it. People would often “We’re in San Francisco,” and then tell me that I should go be a writer, you leave San Francisco and then but I was not impressed with myself suddenly you’re in San Francisco and what I had done — not until again. That doesn’t make sense. It college. Once I started to take writing was tricky because I didn’t want classes in college, I started to see to suddenly turn it into a memoir that there was something that was either, because it’s too partial for interesting to me about what I did that. There’s not enough in it for me when I was writing — something to definitely call it a memoir. Also, that would satisfy my own sense of the essays really are on different art and meaning. Then I began to subjects. They’re not just about me. think about it more seriously. So the result is something that feels like interconnected short stories, in Tell us about your latest which I am the thing that they all project, “How to Write an have in common. Autobiog raphical Novel,” which has just been nominated Can you share some memorable as a finalist for the PEN America experiences in your years as a award. professor at Dartmouth? AC: The essay is about the writing of AC: I think I’ve been very impressed my first novel, about being an AIDS by the support that I get from activist in San Francisco in the late my colleagues here. When I was 1980s, about a trip to Mexico that I offering a Writing 5 course on the took when I was 15, about teaching American essay, one of the librarians myself to grow roses in Brooklyn, at the Rauner Special Collections about being a survivor of sexual Library reached out and asked me abuse and struggling with recovered if I wanted to look at these archives memory. There’s a wide breadth of of Dartmouth students’ papers
reaching back into the 18th century as a possible tool for the class. That was a lot of fun to do. I really enjoy working with humanities and social sciences librarian Wendel Cox. I brought him to have a meeting with my fiction writing students where we talked about how you research fiction writing, and he always enjoyed the topics that got generated out of that class. I really enjoyed working with the Asian-American Students for Action in their student-led seminar last spring. That was a lot of fun and very interesting. Where do you find inspiration for your writings? AC: It can come from anywhere — that’s the thing that’s interesting about it. It can be something that you notice in yourself or in others. It can be someone that you meet on a train or while traveling. It can be something that someone said as they walk by, something that’s overheard. Usually, ideas for essays come especially from something that I notice about myself, that I am suddenly able to connect to all of these other instances in the past. Or I try to look for things that seem obvious for me, but that other people seem not to be noticing, and then I try to write about that.
What advice would you give to writers at Dartmouth? AC: General writing advice across the board. I think a lot of my students already do this, but reading a paper out loud helps you revise it. One of the big problems that I think every writer has — whether they are literary writers or a writing student or a student of some other discipline — is what I call, “the word that is spelled correctly but is the wrong word,” where it sounds like the word you meant. I think people who work on Apple devices especially, there’s autocorrect that can create chaos in the manuscript, where the word is corrected to something that is not what you intended. Retyping something also is helpful. It seems counterintuitive. It seems like it would just take an impossible amount of time, but when you retype something, you enter into a revision process with a finite ending. When you’re done retyping, you finish a draft. Most other revision processes don’t have a cue that tells you that you’re done. Especially with computers, you just feel like you could sit there poking at it forever, but if you print it out, mark it up, retype it, then when you’re done retyping it, you finish a draft. You’re off the hook.
FROM CARS PAGE 1
are relying on geospatial data in various forms in order … to operate,” said David Friedman, former acting administrator and deputy of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “You’ve got a choice — either you drive a car based on a map, or you try to figure it out as you go. Obviously, as a human being, we know which of those is harder. Having a map makes it a lot easier, quicker and hopefully safer.” Issues surrounding privacy about the collection of data from self-driving cars are not new. In fact, previous debates have been waged over Google Street View’s alleged invasion of privacy. These debates and many of these technological and social implications are going to be a part of the data collection of self-driving cars, Alvarez León said. His research tries to find the direction this data collection will lead to, as well as how it will influence the decisions humans make about cities and public resources. “Congress was proposing that ... if [manufacturers] could demonstrate that their vehicle was safe … then they would be exempt from all federal motor vehicle safety regulations,” said Stephen Zoepf, executive director of the Center for Automotive Research at Stanford University. “Windshield wipers, airbags, seat belts — all those things would be set aside if those organizations could demonstrate that their vehicles were safe.” Alvarez León said he foresees another problem relating to the security around the collected data. He said that companies hide this data from the public, making it inaccessible
to citizens for both security and competitive reasons. This leads to a lack of transparency despite the significant impacts the data may have on areas of the economy. In a recent attempt to bring to light this perceived lack of transparency, hackers have been breaking into the information systems of cars to show how easy it is to breach these systems. Alvarez León said that an increase in transparency, if done properly and under the governance of a proper government authority, should lead to more security. “In particular, I’m looking at the different policies that have been enacted, the different regulations, the different reactions and statements from the companies,” Alvarez León said. “I’m trying to figure out how the landscape is configured between the different companies and the different levels of governance, both at the local level and the federal level, and in some cases, internationally.” Alvarez León’s next steps include sketching out both the contextual and theoretical framework to address these issues. He then wants to obtain access to the data withheld by the companies by either partnering up with them or requesting access himself. “It’s not necessarily like there’s a big solidified block [of people] that has a powerful presence to lobby for more transparency,” Alvarez León said. “There [have] been efforts here and there and lots of organizations are trying to push that way ... so we can have access to data that is not only relevant on a personal level but [also] on a social level, because it’s going to be used for large planning and reorientation of our entire spatial structure.”
THE ROAD NOT TAKEN
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.
CORRECTIONS NAINA BHALLA/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF
We welcome corrections. If you believe there is a factual error in a story, please email editor@thedartmouth.com.
Ice and salt cover the sidewalk beside Main Street after weather patterns shift.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2019
THE DARTMOUTH NEWS
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DARTMOUTHEVENTS
THE DARTMOUTH EVENTS
THE FRACKET CYCLE
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2019
LAMEES KAREEM ‘22
TODAY All Day
Exhibit: “#MeToo: Intersectionality, Hashtag Activism & Our Lives,” featuring student projects from fall 2018, Berry West
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Power-Up Thursdays: Electric Vehicles, hosted by the Revers Center for Energy at Tuck, Tuck School of Business, Frantz Classroom
8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Play: “Into the Woods,” by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, sponsored by the theater department, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Moore Theater
TOMORROW 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Gallery Talk: “Consent: Complicating Agency in Photography,” with student co-curators of the Gutman Gallery, Hood Museum of Art
7:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
Film: “A Private War,” directed by Matthew Heineman ’05, Black Family Visual Arts Center, Loew Auditorium
8:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Dartmouth Idol 2019, directed by Walt Cunningham, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Spaulding Auditorium
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2019
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THE DARTMOUTH NEWS
Lively details action plan Tuck team applies business and policy to streamline processes FROM GUC PAGE 1
FROM RESOLUTION PAGE 1
regarding determining how to best support students who are dealing and against cowardice, racism and with incidents of bias. The resolution hate. Yet, at the same time, I was included a provision to institute a also concerned more effective that students “network of “I was thrilled that t h o u g h t care to support nothing was student leaders were students” h a p p e n i n g really willing to take a f f e c t e d by when in fact incidents of a lot of things a public stand for racial bias, and h a d b e e n inclusivity and diversity Knape said happening,” that Student Lively wrote and against cowardice, Assembly in an email racism and hate. Yet, at hopes that statement. p u t t i n g the same time, I was also Agosto said together a that Student concerned that students streamlined Affairs does thought nothing was p ro c e s s fo r not share students to happening when in fact details during report such a n on g oi ng a lot of things had been incidents will investigation help students happening.” primarily find relevant to protect s u p p o r t the students -KATHRYN LIVELY, INTERIM services d i re c t l y more easily, i n v o l v e d DEAN OF THE COLLEGE potentially and “to not t h r o u g h tip of f the OPAL or other perpetrator.” She acknowledged campus groups. the tension between wanting to Third, Agosto added that be transparent and communicate Residential Life had the potential to information while wanting to make be a key player in increasing students’ sure that all information is accurate safety and perception of safety with and appropriate to share with the respect to incidents of racial bias. She community. said that ideas that had been floated “With so much so far included rumor going on, “With so much limiting dor m we want to share access to students rumor going on, timely but factual within each house information that we want to share community and doesn’t incite more timely but factual adding cameras fear or concern,” to dorm entrances. information that Agosto said. “It’s a H o w e v e r, s h e hard balance, and doesn’t incite more added that some I freely admit that of those measures fear or concern. It’s we don’t always get may “come with a hard balance, and I costs and not have it right.” A g o s t o freely admit that we the support of the explained each of student body.” the three action don’t always get it Associate dean items detailed right.” o f re s i d e n t i a l in Lively’s letter. life and director First, she said o f re s i d e n t i a l that the reporting -LIZ AGOSTO, SENIOR education Michael and investigative ASSOCIATE DEAN Wooten confirmed process had been through email that absent from the Residential Life website as the is working with College transitioned from using one Student Assembly regarding their web platform to another. resolution, but he said that no Second, Agosto said that the plans plans have been finalized regarding for the working group had not been specifically what Residential Life will formalized at this point, but she be working on. was hopeful that the working group “The hope is always to improve would have a representative group of the student experience and to students and staff. She added that it continue making the campus safe might be beneficial to have a student and welcoming for all students. I also co-chair for the working group to be hope that it illustrates a willingness an additional liaison for students. on the Dean of the College’s office to Knape added that the working listen to and work collaboratively with group would be especially helpful student leadership,” Lively wrote.
top graduate programs in public policy, government relations, political science and business administration together to design creative solutions to international problems, according to the Global Universities Challenge. Participating institutions included Harvard’s Kennedy School of Gover nment and Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, as well as other prestigious graduate programs from around the world. The GUC is a focal point of the four-day World Government Summit, a conference dedicated to “shaping the future of governments worldwide,” according to the World Government Summit website. This is the second year that Tuck students attended the summit, but the first year they were invited to participate in the challenge. Tuck’s WGS delegation included the five-member challenge team, three other students, and McKinley. According to McKinley, the challenge team attended summit activities during the day and worked tirelessly on their GUC presentation at night, often beginning in the evening and ending around midnight. When it came time to present, teams were judged by a panel of high-level government and business individuals on four categories: novelty and innovation, impact and comprehensiveness, viability and feasibility, and presentation. The team’s strategy focused on the Urmania’s human capital, appealing to the fictional nation’s various ethnic groups, according to Melina Sanchez Montanes Tu’20, a member of the challenge team. They sought to combine the best of both the public policy and business realms in their solution. She added that their approach was three-pronged: first they sought to stabilize the nation after years of civil war and unrest, then to connect
the people, reengaging the general chairwoman of the International population in the economy, and finally Monetary Fund and enjoyed a meal to transform the country’s economy with New Hampshire governor Chris to fit the demands of the 21st century. Sununu. Chris Ramos Tu’19, who attended “He was very gracious with his the summit as an additional delegate, time; he answered questions and was said he believes what set the Tuck very interested that we were from [New team apart Hampshire],” was its ability Ramos said, t o e x p l a i n “Our mission at Tuck adding that they the broader is to educate wise hope to bring implications Sununu to Tuck leaders to better the of their plan to speak in the near rather than world of business.” future. “He seemed focusing on pretty amenable, the individual so we’re just like -JOHN MCKINLEY, level. trying to figure “ I t h i n k EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR out the scheduling where we l o g i s t i c s, really shined OF TUCK’S CENTER FOR essentially.” was in looking BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT Additional at the macro, AND SOCIETY deleg ates also broader picture helped the of trying to challenge team implement policies and that we’re whenever possible, giving advice both like tangible on smart, like based on their own past experiences pegging the currency to the U.S. dollar and expertise. Challenge participants to mitigate inflation,” he said. could also contact Tuck faculty back in Sanchez Montanes said that Hanover, a resource which McKinley attending the summit helped the said proved to be invaluable. students make their case. “Students were allowed to be in “[During the summit], you hear contact with professors at Tuck, and from high level policy makers, they were really willing to respond politicians and business people and engage,” he said, emphasizing around the world, and being able the rapidity with which Tuck faculty to participate in those sessions with responded to students’ questions. other student was super valuable,” Tuck’s victory was announced Sanchez Montanes said. “Actually, to a crowd of over 4,000, Sanchez those sessions and what we learned Montanes said, adding, “it felt very throughout gave us a lot of good grandiose and official.” ideas for our case competition, and McKinley said the win was not we incorporated those ideas into our only a win for the five students, but final presentation.” for Tuck and the whole Dartmouth While team members were focused community. on their plan for Urmania, other “Our mission at Tuck is to educate student delegates focused more on wise leaders to better the world of networking, according to Ramos. business,” McKinley said. “We do that The many high-profile conference by encouraging students to cultivate attendees provided opportunities to confident humility, empathy and build relationships and bring different judgment. The Global University perspectives back to Tuck, Ramos Challenge provided a fantastic said. Attendees heard from speakers opportunity for our students to apply like Christine Lagarde, director and those skills in practice.”
OUR KNOWLEDGE IS EVER GROWING
NAINA BHALLA/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF
The greenhouse, in the Class of 1978 Life Sciences Center, is a popular study spot for students.
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THE DARTMOUTH OPINION
STAFF COLUMNIST SIMON ELLIS ’20
CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST MAYA KHANNA ’22
Gabbard Gets It
Likely to Get Labeled
2020 hopeful Tulsi Gabbard has the right experience and a fresh perspective. While growing up in Hawai’i, Tulsi Gabbard has been a household name in my family since I was old enough to start caring about politics. The seasoned congresswoman’s intent to join the congested Democratic heat may have come as a surprise to some. Dubbed by Vox as the “Long-Shot Democratic 2020 Candidate,” Gabbard might just actually have the tricks up her sleeve to reunite a polarized democratic populace, and possibly even challenge President Donald Trump to the Oval Office in 2020. A veteran, a woman of color, a hard-liner on terrorism and foreign policy, and a social progressive rolled into one, Tulsi Gabbard is the American Democratic candidate of the future. Whether you agree with her policies or not, Gabbard has a shot at meaningful bipartisan appeal and might not be such a long shot. Negative headlines regarding Gabbard’s previous stance on the queer community have plagued her early campaign, but she has made no effort at denying her past opinions and has acknowledged her changed positions. While her past record of not only abandoning the queer community, but actively advocating against it, are certainly troublesome, she has done what no supposed Democratic leader before her has done: provided an unconditional apology. Opposition to mixed messages regarding same-sex marriage and LGBTQ rights from candidates are nothing new for the Democratic party, and followed both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton during their respective campaigns. While both figures ultimately changed their stances in recent years, neither were free from sin or able to provide an apology past the likes of “I’ve changed my mind.” Gabbard, on the other hand, has not only issued a formal apology acknowledging her beliefs, but backs a record of walking the walk when it comes to the queer community. Not only has she sponsored and co-sponsored a number of bills that support same-sex marriage and protections for the LGBTQ community, the Human Rights Campaign gave her a perfect 100 score for her votes taken in the 115th Congress to support
equality. Additionally, Gabbard has taken steps to solidify her socially and economically progressive record on a number of issues, from introducing federal legislation to decriminalize marijuana, to opposing the Trans-Pacific Partnership and advocating for universal healthcare. While Gabbard assuredly places herself solidly among the left on many social and economic issues (her endorsement of Bernie Sanders in 2016 may even warrant her placement slightly farther left), her stance on foreign policy may be what tips the scales in her favor come primary season. Gabbard’s nuanced and experienced views on issues from the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory to her opposition of Obama-era foreign policy in Syria are certainly a change from the seemingly blindly dictated decisions of President Donald Trump. Like playing darts with a blindfold, the Washington Post notes how Trump’s foreign policy approach has not only devolved into “chaos,” but has failed to follow any sort of consistency. Gabbard on the other hand has consistently made her anti-terror message clear, advocating for elimination of terror groups like ISIS while also restoring peace to the Middle East by withdrawing unneeded American intervention. Her views on foreign policy are not at all perfect and may not even be close to being considered “traditionally liberal” — which could prove to be her X-factor. Gabbard’s ardent support of socially and economically progressive issues combined with her experienced and nuanced views on foreign policy allow her to appeal to voters on both sides of the isle. In a time in which the American electorate is as polarized as it has ever been, the versatility and plasticity of candidates like Tulsi Gabbard may be what it takes to cross the finish line come next November. While I do not support all of her views, past or present, she has the unique ability to differentiate herself from an arguably heterogenous democratic field, and I would not be surprised to see her receive the nomination at the 2020 Democratic National Convention.
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Dartmouth’s prevalent social labels reduce diversity in the community. Deviance is defined by sociologists as the is home to more than 160 student groups, violation of expected rules and behavior by these organizations are an infinitely small a member of a group, resulting in discord fraction of the complex diversity that between the individual displaying the students enter college with. In attempting to deviant behavior and the social context meet the spoken and unspoken expectations in which they reside. Though what is that define what a member of these student considered “deviant” varies greatly based groups should look like, it is all too easy for upon a group’s conventional behaviors, students to give up their unique blends of deviance itself generally serves as a way individuality in order to fit in. Electing to for communities to define and clarify the be an active member of the Dartmouth socially normative behaviors and identities community means participating in a system expected from its members. However, an that rewards conformity and obedience individual’s motivation for engaging in with success and acceptance. For the typical deviant behavior has been subject to a wide high-achieving Dartmouth student, trading range of sociological theories that have in one’s unique identity for a handful of the attempted to explain why people choose 160 definitions of what it means to be a part to renounce the establishment of their of the campus community is worth it. communities. Labelling theory, it would appear, perfectly One of the most prevalent explanations predicts the dynamic of life at Dartmouth. for deviant behavior is based upon the Social expectations coupled with individual proposition that an individual’s identity drive to fit in have created a community in and actions are shaped by the formal and which labels are as ever-present as upcoming informal agencies at work within their social midterms and long lines at King Arthur Flour context. This philosophy, known as labeling Café. Members of the Dartmouth Outing theory, emphasizes the self-perpetuating Club are “crunchy.” The label on the black nature of stereotypes within a society; overcoats worn by varsity athletes proclaim individuals both act and react in response a student’s sport of choice before they speak, to the labels affixed to associating themselves themselves or others. “In turn, students must with the stereotypes Labelling theory is most affixed to various varsity actively seek to accept often used to explain teams at the College. c r i m i n a l b e h av i o r, the discomfort inherent Any student studying p a r t i c u l a r l y w h e n in resisting conformity, economics is considered describing situations “preppy” by association, i n w h i c h c a l l i n g endeavoring to ensure while a women’s, gender a person a criminal that their identities and sexuality studies creates a self-fulfilling major is assumed to be reflect their true selves prophecy in which that “alternative.” It is often individual consciously rather than the persona assumed that members or unconsciously acts in that they feel obligated of more rambunctious ways that reaffirm their Greek houses party to become. ” categorization. hard every “on”-night, However, labelling with little regard for theory also hints at the their schoolwork. The reluctance of the majority within a society to classification of students in this manner has rebel against expectations that ascribe how a created easily identifiable divisions that both person who practices a given gender, cultural separate communities from each other and identity, physical appearance, activity or reinforce cohesion within groups themselves. other characteristic should act. Since the I am not suggesting that student groups very purpose of deviance within a group is are negative entities that must be avoided to to maintain conformity, an individual that maintain individuality. On the contrary, it is diverges from these expectations is subject the strong sense of friendship and belonging to the internal and external social sanctions provided by these organizations that make that noncompliance yields. In other words, Dartmouth a comfortable place for many rebelling against the establishment of any students. However, it is imperative that group is uncomfortable. Yet the tenants of these environments do not make students labelling theory take the vague discomfort feel welcomed because they conform to inherent in nonconformity and suggest that group expectations; rather, that members not only do people generally avoid overt feel welcomed because of who they already rebellion, but that individuals pre-emptively are. In turn, students must actively seek to shape their identities in accordance with the accept the discomfort inherent in resisting expectations of their community. conformity, endeavoring to ensure that Dartmouth students come from all their identities reflect their true selves corners of the globe, creating a student rather than the persona that they feel body that is a melting pot of cultures, races, obligated to become. If students and campus religions, beliefs, languages and traditions. organizations are able to work together The geographic diversity present on to fulfill both responsibilities successfully, campus alone presents stunning potential the Dartmouth community will be able to for a community defined by its uniqueness. more fully recognize and accept identities Potential, though, is as far as diversity extends that extend beyond the 160 labels currently here at the College. Though Dartmouth available to students.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2019
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THE DARTMOUTH OPINION
STAFF COLUMNIST EOWYN PAK ’21
GUEST COLUMNIST EASHWAR SIVARAJAN ’21
The Ugly Mess Under the Rug
In Defense of D’Souza
Trump has unveiled the deep vein of racism masked by the Obama presidency.
The Dartmouth community has yet to respect its conservative minority.
If there’s one thing that comes to mind when reflecting on the Trump presidency, it’s the astounding number of hate crimes and race-related incidents that have occurred before and after his inauguration. There are attentiongrabbing shockers like vilifying Mexican immigrants as criminals and rapists while on the campaign trail, retweeting white nationalists without remorse, his failure to attribute blame to Charlottesville white supremacist perpetrators and calling some of them “very fine people,” denigrating Native Americans, the Muslim ban, attacking kneeling NFL players — needless to say, the list goes on and on. Meanwhile, there are more implicit acts of racism intermittently peppered throughout, like when he absurdly served McDonald’s to the Clemson Tigers after a college football championship win because he presumed that it was “their favorite food” — guessing that most players were black or of low-income status and playing into the stereotypes that people of low-income status are more inclined to eat fast food (which aren’t even true — studies have shown that as income levels rise, so does fast food consumption). Political figures, like Alexandria OcasioCortez, have not let an opportunity go by to point out this salient fact: that Trump is “no question” a racist. Bernie Sanders has remarked that “we have a president intentionally, purposefully trying to divide us up by the color of our skin, by our gender, by the country we came from, by our religion.” Political figures, news anchors and media outlets are eager to point accusatory fingers at Trump, but strategically leave out one simple but ugly truth: many Americans are racist. Trump may have exacerbated explicit racism, but he didn’t create something out of nothing. From Feb. 1-10, a Gallup poll revealed that 44 percent of people approve of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as president, remaining consistent with his 45 percent approval rating from Jan. 20-29, 2017. Not surprisingly, rates are higher for Republicans when categorized by party, with nearly 90 percent of Republicans in approval. There are those who will argue that racist ideologies are not the only consideration that goes into deciding whether or not a president is fulfilling his role — that things like international policy, economy and jobs are also important factors. If this is the case, then it’s clear that there are those who prioritize employment outlook over not just neutral racial tolerance, but over abhorrent and atypical displays of racial bigotry. Trump’s words and actions have demonstrated to many Americans, including his own party, that he isn’t just any normal Republican president — which means he can’t be treated as such, and his proposals for the economy, foreign policy, etc. can’t be seriously considered the way Mitt Romney’s or John McCain’s would. To some (and hopefully many), valuing externalities like the economy, jobs and foreign policy over the tolerance and lives of actual people is a problematic mentality to have. But what they also don’t realize is that with racial tensions as high as they are now, everything else is secondary. There’s no progress that can be made with a divided country. Plus,
In their Feb. 12 Opinion Asks series, writers once said that the question was if women for The Dartmouth opinion staff unanimously should be educated at all), it is unfortunate condemned Dinesh D’Souza ’83 and the that people found the need to strip quotes Dartmouth College Republicans for inviting out of context to try to paint D’Souza as a him to deliver a lecture sponsored by the Young bigot. The great ex-communist Whittaker America’s Foundation, a seminal organization Chambers once declared, “Charity without for young conservatives. Moreover, in its Feb. the Crucifixion is liberalism.” The Dartmouth 22 Verbum Ultimum on minority identities, left will engage in crucifixion without charity, The Dartmouth editorial board proclaimed acting as an unforgiving behemoth intent on that Dartmouth is an institution “where destroying all who oppose its utopian ideals, conservatives invite individuals such as and whose members respond to criticism in Dinesh D’Souza ’83 who spread hateful and either periphrasis or an apothegm, depending intolerant ideas.” Notice that these writers fail on how much knowledge tangential to the to adhere to a journalistic maxim: support all question they possess. claims with evidence. These two articles are In the 1960s and 70s, people protested the part of a trend that I have observed among likes of vocal segregationist George Wallace many students belonging to the Dartmouth and quasi-eugenicist William Shockley. left, some of whom are writers for and editors Outrage at those men, whose views were far of the ostensibly conservative publication outside the Overton window, was perhaps The Dartmouth Review. These individuals justifiable. To act in a similar fashion when lambast Mr. D’Souza as a poor representative David Horowitz or Dinesh D’Souza comes of American conservatism, to which I would to Dartmouth is to be ridiculous, juvenile and quote National Review’s Jonah Goldberg and yes, evil. It is evil to falsely compare someone say, “If D’Souza is a ‘phony conservative,’ it’s to Hitler or to call them fascists, just as it is hard to know who the real deal is.” Further, it evil to say liberals desire the destruction of is conceited to believe the College Republicans all order in society. invite speakers solely to evoke a reaction from I strongly disagree on almost every the Dartmouth left. issue with the Dartmouth left. Unlike their Mr. D’Souza’s illustrious antics, however, I would career was summarized rather sit across a table during the event, and so, “It was D’Souza’s from the protesters and will not be mentioned here past comments, have a civil discussion. I except to say that he has invite every student at the not the content been at the forefront of College, and particularly the conservative movement of his speech, in The Dartmouth opinion since he was a student at this that angered the staff, who wishes to discuss small college over 35 years the supposed evils of the ago. The content of his Dartmouth left.” College Republicans or the speech on Feb. 11, like most speakers they sponsor in the of his early writings, did not deviate radically future to email me. I give my word that I will from the conservative mainstream. Little in respond to any reasonable concerns people his lecture was anything but criticism of the might have. inconsistent screed of leftism that is engulfing Members of The Dartmouth opinion staff the Democratic Party, with the rest being were perhaps too busy complaining about attacks on the pernicious progressivism that alleged oppression to devote time to actually dominates the Dartmouth administration and listening to what D’Souza had to say. Chantal the minds of The Dartmouth opinion staff. Elias ’22 declared, “It is indisputable that I do not seek to individually respond to D’Souza’s comments personally targeted D’Souza’s critics in this column, but rather to a great part of our student population.” defend the College Republicans against the Instead of making a broad statement, and ludicrous charges being levelled against us. using the word “indisputable,” it would be I do this not as the organization’s treasurer, helpful if Ms. Elias clarified how D’Souza was but as a conservative concerned about the indeed targeting “a great part” of the student direction the College is headed in. Dinesh population. In reality, she would be able to do D’Souza ’83 has worked for former President no such thing, because D’Souza targeted no Ronald Reagan, the think-tank The Heritage one. The leftists writing for The Dartmouth Foundation and was a fellow at the Hoover opinion staff, and those who “courageously” Institution, making him as respectable as any protested the racism exhibited by a person conservative can expect to be. Though he of color, should take the time to appreciate has, as of late, broken with the intellectual diversity of thought instead of condemning conservative movement on some issues, there it. is no reason to believe the man who wrote the monumental work “The End of Racism,” Sivarajan is a member of the Class of 2021 and with its hundred pages of notes and citations, the treasurer of the Dartmouth College Republicans. is any different from the one who directed “Death of a Nation.” The Dartmouth welcomes guest columns. We It was D’Souza’s past comments, not request that guest columns be the original work of the the content of his speech, that angered the submitter. Submissions may be sent to both opinion@ Dartmouth left. Even if one were to ignore thedartmouth.com and editor@thedartmouth.com. the fact that some of these comments were Submissions will receive a response within three falsely attributed to him (some alleged he business days.
given the government shutdown and its hurtful, bipartisan ramifications on job-holders and Trump’s alleged collusion with Russia and other countries, it’s hard to believe that one would still “approve” of Trump for any other reason than his racial and xenophobic ideologies. In any case, whether blunt or subtle, Trump’s racist actions and tweets have given the green light for people who align with such beliefs to be public and comfortable with them. Essentially, the collective mindset Trump has fostered is that it’s okay to be racist. Why? Because the most powerful person in this nation is unapologetically so and even worse, isn’t held accountable for his actions — save for a light slap on the wrist here and there. There are no consequences, no warrants to make racists feel guilty or ashamed because racism is the overtly domineering ideology that rules the country. However, in a twisted way, Trump is the president America needed. Obama, being the first black president of the United States, had a profound impact on this country. There’s no telling how many people were inspired to overcome race-based obstacles they faced, transforming the trajectory of their lives because of the example he set. In and of itself, the Obama presidency marked a step in progressing fundamental ideals laid out in the Constitution. However, too many people interpreted his presidency as an end, instead of what should have been seen as a single battle won in an ongoing war. Obama was used as a scapegoat for proving that racism was outdated (i.e. “But we have a black president”), not just among racists but among blacks and minorities as well (and I, too, am guilty). Obama himself could have capitalized on the presidency by pursuing a more aggressive agenda set to improve race relations, but instead, strategically avoided directly addressing race, especially in key moments like his last State of the Union address when the Black Lives Matter movement and Chicago police riots were taking the news by storm. Instead, he focused on “nonracial solutions aimed at lifting everyone up from one rung of the ladder to the next,” such as asserting that the tax cuts his administration enacted relieved 95 percent of Americans. PBS News Hour stated that Obama’s most talked about issues in his last State of the Union address were America’s recovery from the recession, outstanding work to be done for the economy, and improving political dialogue. After his speech, even MSNBC “Hardball” host Chris Matthews “forgot [Obama] was black tonight for an hour.” The Obama presidency made it easy to veneer that deep, ugly vein that America preferred not to see anyways. Americans thought racism was a thing of a by-gone era. With the myriad of hate crimes and widespread racism that followed the Trump presidency, as well as the hate emails spreading around Dartmouth hitting close to home, it’s now more obvious than ever that racism, not just from the presidential office but, more importantly, among the American people, is a pressing issue that is very much alive and thriving. It’s a hard pill to swallow, but better to call it like it is and work to fix it than plead ignorance.
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2019
THE DARTMOUTH ARTS
‘Into the Woods’ challenges us to break the curse in our own lives B y RYAN zhang The Dartmouth
Having fully immersed myself into “Into the Woods,” I find it rather difficult to express what I felt and thought. It is a meticulous and impressive production carried out by the theater department at Dartmouth, and it is a lot more than a musical out of which one walks and exclaims, “I enjoyed it and will carry on with my life without thinking about it for another second.” The lesson it attempts to deliver provokes much thought about not only the story itself but also our very own lives and this world. Before explaining why that is, let’s first take a look at the story and the amazing production. First performed in 1986 and based on the novel “Into the Woods” by James Lapine, the musical unites four classic fairy tales, namely “Cinderella,” “Rapunzel,” “Little Red Riding Hood” and “Jack and the Beanstalk,” into one story by inserting a brand new storyline. In the story, a baker (Owen O’Leary ’19) and his wife (Stephanie Everett ’19), are told by a witch (Brooke Goldner ’19), that
in order to break their curse, they the characters’ courses of action. need to collect four items from four Obviously, it alludes to either fate or characters from each of the previously an overpowering social force in reality mentioned tales. The baker family’s — all of us are characters who are desire to break the curse leads it into inevitably under the influence of the the woods, where time and space are woods or anything alike. The woods distorted and all stories converge into to some extent connect the fairy tale with the reality, as it creates a path for one. Unlike an old fashioned fairy the audience to witness the reflection tale that begets a happy ending for of our daily struggles and imperfection everyone, this modern fairy tale’s in the story. The profound message is aided by sole purpose is to shatter this illusion. highly detailed Act 1, which was a theatrical happy ending, only “Unlike an old s c e n e r y. A s provides Act 2 with the story starts the foundation to fashioned fairy tale to unfold, add the chaotic that begets a happy sounds of element into the raining follow, stor y. With a ending for everyone, certain principle this modern fairy tale’s and I noticed that even the of realism and window at empiricism, the sole purpose is to the very back story educates shatter this illusion.” of the stage the audience that accordingly in reality, there is really no perfect “happily ever reflects subtle movement of rain who is after.” Even the seemingly perfect drops. Guhui Zhang ’22 ending is followed by the last line: “I part of the production team, said that wish.” Such chaotic pessimism defines the production was done with great the story: the woods symbolize a attention to detail. The majority of mysteriously potent force that dictates the musical’s sound effects were live.
“The sound of the giant’s footsteps was imitated by bass drums, while the milking sound of Milky White was a result of two sand blocks,” said Zhang. Concerning creative elements infused in the musical, Guhui pointed out several innovations the team made on the basis of the original musical. For one, the narrator was given a new identity — the granddaughter of the baker, which makes the setting of the musical, an attic, plausible. Instead of in the forest, this musical was set in an attic, where the story develops through the narrator’s recount of the old familial memories. “Act 2 of ‘Into the Woods,’ in my opinion, symbolizes the destruction of the society altogether with its social order and contracts and then, their reconstruction,” Xingzhi Guo ’22 said. “The specific scene that took place right before the slaughter of the giant presents the characters’ severing of their previous ties to the destroyed society, along with the people and its memories.” Indeed, the implications of this musical are much more profound than just a restructured modern fairy tale.
What struck me as perplexing at first was the plot development’s seeming abruptness and incoherence between the characters’ own thoughts. Choices made by the characters, especially those in Act 2, are not understandable at first glance. After losing his loved one, the baker seems to lack a proper grief; Jack, played by Edward Lu ’21, did not grieve much over the death of his mother, played by Rachel Webb ’19; and the adultery committed by the baker’s wife and Cinderella’s prince, played by Zachary Gottschall ’20, came simply out of nowhere. On second thought, a unified theme unveils: the insurmountable absurdity of the world. Act 2 embodies the unpredictable nature of the world in which we dwell. In this cruel reality, there rarely exists perfect marriages. Instead, the real world is full of lies and broken hearts. As humans move into this modern society where profits and practical interests prevail, we have deviated away from the values and truth we once held dear. Maybe this musical could make us re-evaluate if our own lives have undergone such social chaos.
#MeToo exhibit in Berry combats sexual violence on campus opening a gaping wound every time I have to think about the assault knowing I was so young and naïve From Feb. 22 to March 2, the about the world.” Another writes, “I exhibit “#MeToo: Intersectionality dream of him, Over and over, I dream Hashtag Activism and Our Lives” will of him.” Beyond the personal, some be up in Berry West in the hallway in front of King Arthur Flour Café. survivors point out institutional failures at Dartmouth The exhibit is a concerning compilation of “It’s like opening a sexual assault poetry, artwork gaping wound every such as the and academic reflections: i n f o r m a t i o n time I have to think “ # M e To o about the Me about the assault started for me at Too movement Dartmouth,”and in the U.S. and knowing I was so abroad, created young and naïve about “[Dartmouth] has a strict policy by Dartmouth fo r t o u ch i n g students. The the world.” the fire during work included homecoming; it in the exhibit is -ANONYMOUS should have a a product of the strict policy to 2018 fall women, gender and sexuality studies class, expel students if they sexually assault which shares the name of the exhibit. or harass someone.” One writer The first section of the display even discusses the larger community, is called “Assessing the Impact.” saying “I feel like, as a country, we are Anonymous statements from survivors standing still.” In the section “#MeToo in Our here focus on the ramifications of sexual assault and reflections of Community: Gender Based Violence survivors. One writer says, “It’s like on Campus,” sketches and paintings
B y MIA NELSON
The Dartmouth Staff
display images of female-presenting people who have experienced sexual violence. Fear and shame are personified in the images. In one, a portrait of a woman is melting as if she is a candle, demonstrating the allconsuming effects of being assaulted. Another depicts a naked female with many clawed hands encircling her back, demonstrating an atmosphere of fear. Next is an exhibit of poetry. The poem “Shower II” goes, “I wish I could rid myself of my trauma/through my pores/sweat it out in a steamy room/ exfoliate it off my skin/shave it bare with a drug store razor/leave it behind in the shower drain.” The powerful metaphor of the razor helps to signify that the pain of trauma is physical, not just emotional. Also, the metaphor conveys the lengths to which a survivor would go to rid themselves of the remembrance of assault. The art gives way to more academic explorations of the movement. A section is devoted to analysis of the global Me Too movement, including projects on countries such as South Africa, Thailand, France and New Zealand. The Thailand movement specifically focused on
their iteration of Me Too, which important work. However, in the time used #Don’tTellMeHowToDress, I spent walking through the exhibit a statement that and taking notes, originated from a not one other Thai government “For Dartmouth person stopped to official’s warning women who read the powerful to women to dress wordsandresearch conservatively so experience sexual encompassed by as to avoid sexual assault during their the display. I am assault. T heir worried that the time here, the issue movement focuses temporary and o n d i v o r c i n g is not one they can rather unobtrusive appearance from simply walk past on nature of the culpability of exhibit means that sexual assault. The their way to KAF. It the Dartmouth project on France is a constant state of community has included an article the opportunity trauma and painful about the French to acquit itself of culture of romance remembrance.” paying attention contributing to a to the issue of pervasive culture sexual assault of unwanted sexual advances, thus presented. For Dartmouth women contributing to sexual violence. who experience sexual assault during The international element offers an their time here, the issue is not one opportunity for comparative study of they can simply walk past on their sexual violence movements globally. way to King Arthur Flour Café. It is The exhibit is a powerful a constant state of trauma and painful combination of information and remembrance; as one survivor writes anecdotal data from survivors, in the exhibit: “Being raped changed creating a detailed image of what that moment and every moment after it means to be a survivor. This is that. It has shaped the path of my life.”