So I have been attempting to write an outline for my paper. I am in the middle of a 24hr final exam right now, I have an exam on Tuesday and another on Wednesday and this paper is due at 12:00pm on Wednesday. This leaves me with literally just the rest of today(after I finish my exam) and a few hours on Tuesday to perfect my final paper. So I set out to make an outline and I guess, sort out my thoughts. In the process of making an outline, I decided to approach my research topic from another angle. Here is what I have so far. I’m plannign to go back to the selected theorists, re-read the texts, or thoroughly skim through and hopefully, produce an amazing paper! Actually, I have no choice but to produce an amazing paper. So here it goes, my outline so far.
Dreadlocks as part of the natural hair movement and why African-Americans are angry at whites with dreadlocks
Theories to apply(???)
– Barthe’s mythology: Signs/ signifiers(Difference in the way what the signs signify based on race).
– General structuralist idea that sign systems and codes depend on binary oppositions. Saussure, and the idea of text as sign systems depending on binary opposition: this is present through the general discourse found in places like tumblr and other personal blogs. The idea of right/wrong. Appropriation/appreciation. Ours/everyone’s
– Bell Hook’s critical race theory
– Marx and his theory of changing consciousness not influencing change. Does accepting one’s natural hair matter when it comes to economic success?
– Marx and the idea of what the ruling idea is. Even after acceptance, what remains the ruling idea? (base/superstructure). Also, Marx’s idea of false consciousness plays on the idea of ideology. Ideology influences one’s consciousness. False, or not… in this case, the false consciousness is that natural hair is unattractive
– Gramsci’s idea of hegemony needing the consent of the governed. Does this count as a way of taking back consent and refusing to be governed? (Consent through moral/intellectual leadership such as seubjugation and sensationalism)
– Althusser’s definition of ideology as “that which links the real conditions of existence with the individual”. The idea that they shouldn’t even be part of the ideology because the real conditions of existence show a difference in race, the way these people are portrayed, etc.
– Difference: “Consciousness does not exist in space, its form is linear and temporal when looked at purely” (It is dichronic, not synchronic) …. Applies to the change overtime in the way dreadlocks are perceived. Derrida’s difference and the idea that signifiers interconnect with other signifiers. This works with the idea of blackness and other features counterbalancing dreadlocks. For example, a light skinned man with dreadlocks is more acceptable. An African with dreads vs. African-American with dreads or a Black-english speaking person with dreads vs. a standar-english speaking person(Cornell West and his afro example. In this case, he has an afro, he speaks Black-english at atimes, but his education counters these obvious indicators of “blackness”). Derrida: meanings are not determinant and cannot be tied down. This can relate to the other side of the argument for whites wearing their hair in dreaded form.
– Homi Bhaba( key words: mimicry, in-between, hybridity, reinscription) **To apply or not to apply? . Bhaba: The location of culture is neither here, nor there but in between. How would those for whites and dreadlocks interprete this?
– Bhaba: Meaning comes from differences. The meaning attributed to dreadlocks comes from racial differences. Goes back to the above idea that meaning cannot be tied down. So is there one meaning of dreadlocks or is everyone entitled to use their differences to attribute meaning to it?
cultural change and interaction:
– Increased number of white people with dreadlocks
– Dreadlocks as part of the natural hair movement
– How white people perceive white people with dreadlocks
– How black people perceive white people with dreadlocks
– How white people perceive black people with dreadlocks
– How black people perceive black people with dreadlocks
– Change overall in acceptance of dreadlocks
Political:
– Rastafarian culture and reactions
– Trans-atlactic slave trade
– Acceptance in the work place for African-Americans. Dreadlocks working in accordance with other signifiers of “blackness”
Social:
– General discourse( web sources)
– Perception of dreadlocks in Nigeria
– Why some decide to get dreadlocks
Cultural:
– Western subcultures
– British youth
– Natural hair movement
– Rasta cultura.. What is Rastafarian culture
Historical:
– Presence of dreadlocks in other cultures
– Trans-atlantic slave trade and history of name “dreads”
Relationship to globalization:
With an increased interaction of people from various parts of the world due to globalization, there is an increase in the number of varous mediu…… (Sort out idea)
– Popularity of reggae music
– British youth