4 - Tuesday, December 10, 2013
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
4 - Tuesday, December10, 2013 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom
l e Mic4igan 4:lat,6,ly
Resistance comes in many shades
Edited and managed by students at
the University of Michigan since 1890.
420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
tothedaily@michigandaily.com
MELANIE KRUVELIS
and ADRIENNE ROBERTS MATT SLOVIN
EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS MANAGING EDITOR
ANDREW WEINER
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily's editorial board.
All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.
Ree valuatingevaluation~s
Centralizing course information has benefits for professors and students
s the fall semester comes to a close, it's open season for course
evaluations. Feedback from students is an integral part of the Uni-
versity's self-improvement, explaining the professorial exhorta-
tions that go along with the evaluations. Unfortunately, few students are
willing to fill out these evaluations. As much as students are responsible
for filling them out, it is the role of professors to demonstrate the impact
of these criticisms. Additionally, information regarding class structure,
such as syllabi and evaluations, should be more centralized to allow stu-
Anyone who's invested in
social justice work - as
loose and vague as the
term is - knows
that it isn't easy.
On most days it
feels defeating
and depleting to
the point where
you may guiltily
question what
you are doing or ZEINAB
why you're the
one who has to
take this on.
It can push
you to distrust the world, recoil into
your couch and start a "Scandal"
marathon when you should really
be working on job applications or
doing the statistics homework that
was due yesterday.
But as much as it may bother some
people, the vagueness lent to "social
justice" can be useful in pushing us
to rethink what anti-oppressive work
looks like in different contexts.
Resisting oppression - or at least
its normalization - comes in differ-
ent forms and sometimes in ways
that we don't highlight or value as
much..While anti-oppressive work
may evoke images of radical orga-
nizing or perhaps images of more
reformist approaches that seek to
fight "within the system," maybe
through negotiating with people
in positions of influence, liberation
comes in many more shadet.
Resistance can play out in the
everyday small steps we take, in the
seemingly mundane things we do,
that, if intentionally proactive and
subversive, can be powerful ways to
disrupt the status quo.
Rethinking resistance starts by
dropping any lofty fixed image in
our mind of what anti-oppressive/'
liberation work looks like. Falling
into what we think "social justice" or
"activism" ought to look like or what
it requires limits our imagination,
and subsequently, the impact of our
work. Truly challenging the status
quo around us won't happen by abid-
ing by the script of the mainstream.
Instead, we need to think of ways
to define resistance work on our
own terms; to make it fit the shift-
ing needs and nuances of our every-
day realities.
If we want to survive in sys-
tems where our numbers are few
or where there are many external
restraints against us, we need to
imagine resistance thatc
tion in spaces that aren't w
or conducive of tradition
of activism. This requires
more proactive in what
to invest our energy in, a
ways to be subversive in
where activism isn't deem
priate. By doing so, we can
ples of resistance that in
us to hold back or, if we
engage, we find spaces th
and exhaust us.
In rethinking resists
can start by refusing re
activism. While it is imp
hold others accountable
our voices heard when
atic issues come up, we
allow "call out culture" to
ter of our activism. Doing
us from ever coming up
agenda. Instead, we pass
out someone else's scril
largely dictated by m
sources that choose to
issues based on their n
prospects. These source
and hope that we will re
news they put out.
We can resist reactio
only in relation to po1
and media, but also in
tings we're part of. Ofte
class, at work or in meeti
expected to react to thing
of my views and
identity. There
are moments Disi
when I can lit-
erally feel gazes 1 Oi
shifting toward
me, waiting
for "that girl"
to respond 1
because she
always seems to
have something
to critique in response to
ing, to someone's commer
on.
I've had to ask mys
do I gain or benefit by
Why am I constantly plat
defense in this space? V
expected to always respot
never signed up to playn
or be a show for someon
forward to watching?
There's power in refus
reactionary in such spa
being silent when react
the only way your voi
comed. Instead, let's slt
do things at our own pa
can func- them on our own terms. Let's learn
welcoming through imagining and cultivating
nal forms instead of responding and calling
s us to be out. As one activist, Mauro Sifuen-
we want tes, put it, "If the dominant forces
nd to find are providing us with the majority
situations of our material to critique, they are
ed appro- essentially formulating our resis-
form rip- tance forus."
ncentivize of course, it is okay and often nec-
choose to essary to voice our disapproval for
at exploit what's in front of us. In some cases,
it's crucial to intervene and respond.
ance, we While in other cases, refusing to
actionary respond may be just as important.
ortant to But sometimes, a mix of the two is
and make most effective: responding - just not
problem- in the ways expected of us.
shouldn't In many spaces, it can be diffi-
take cen- cult to directly intervene - maybe
g so keeps becauseyoucan'tafford to do so (per-
with the haps in certain professional settings)
ively play or just that you don't feel like teach-
pt - one ing today. Find ways to make resis-
ainstream tance fit whatever situation you're in.
highlight Sometimes that means walking out
arketable altogether and refusing to dialogue
es expect or entertain triggering and problem-
act to the atic conversations and settings.
If we can't afford to remove our-
nism, not selves entirely, sometimes resistance
p culture means disrupting the situation. It
daily set- means making sure your discomfort
ntimes in and disapproval are felt and known
ngs, I am evenifyoudon'twanttoexplainwhy.
;s because Whether it's through repeatedly
sighing heavily,
loudly rummag-
ruptive behavior ing through your
bookbag, or com-
ppressive settings pletely derailing
conversations
can be just as - do what you
)actful as radical need to do to lit-
erally disrupt,
resistance. bend and desta-
bilize oppressive
frameworks.
the read- While such subversive behav-
nts and so for may seem passive aggressive or
something that doesn't address the
elf: what "root of the issue," remember that
engaging? resistance comes in many forms.
ed on the Fortunately, it comes in ways that
Vhy am I allow us to preserve ourselves. It
nd when I shouldn't always be on usto react in
mock trial the name of anti-oppressive work.
ne to look Disruptive and subversive behavior
in oppressive settings can be just as
sing to be impactful and can save us energy
ces - in on days where we need it for some-
ionism is thing else or just don't have it.
e is wel-
ow down, - Zeinab Khalil can be
ce and set reached at zkha@umich.edu.
dents to compare courses.
As it stands, rates of completion for the
course evaluations is low with only 56 per-
cent of students participating at any course
level during Fall 2012. This rate tends to stay
consistent from year to year - increasing by
only 1.66 percent from Fall 2011.
An obvious disconnect exists between stu-
dents and faculty about of the importance of
these evaluations. Professors and graduate
student instructors need to make it explic-
itly clear how essential students' feedback is
to improving the course. Professors should
set aside time at the end of the final class to
give students the opportunity to complete the
evaluation, which would highlight the impor-
tance of student opinions.
Faculty should also ensure that stu-
dents can ,see how their feedback may
affect instruction changes in the future. For
instance, professors should e-mail students
after responses have been read, acknowledg-
ing common criticisms and praises for the
course, and describing planned improve-
ments. Providing students with informa-
tion about how their evaluations are utilized
demonstrates that their opinion is actually
considered. Obviously, an increase in stu-
dent participation would be more useful to
instructors;because they would have more.,
opinions and feedback to draw from.
Evaluations also need to be documented in
an online database that is easily accessible
to students. A consolidated resource would
allows students to consider the evaluation
of their peers when they navigate classes on
Wolverine Access. The average student per-
spective offered in these evaluations would
provide a more trustworthy opinion than
websites like Rate My Professor, which lends
itself to participation bias and creates unreli-
able information. To assist students ih select-
ing courses, professors should be required to
upload past or tentative syllabi to one central
website - allowing students to compare the
workload and structure of different courses.
The syllabus archive on the LSA's course
guide site does notcontain all courses, leaving
students without an adequate understanding
of what their future class may look like.
Providing better transparency in the course
review system will ultimately demonstrate to
students that it is in their best interest to con-
tribute to the mutually beneficial program. In
the meantime, providing students with time
in class and feedback about changes based on
their responses will increase participation -
ultimately leadingto improved instructor per-
formance and better courses.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
Kaan Avdan, Sharik Bashir, Barry Belmont, James Brennan, Rima
Fadlallah, Eric Ferguson, Jordyn Kay, Jesse Klein, Kellie Halushka,
Melanie Kruvelis, Aarica Marsh, Megan McDonald, Victoria Noble,
Adrienne Roberts, Matthew Seligman, Daniel Wang, Derek Wolfe
L ETTER '10 1111 lE 0l SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@MICHIGANDAILY.COM
I
STUDENTS ALLIED FOR FREEDOM AND EQUALITY1
Dorm room demolitions
Court dismisses citation
with no policy action
street - therev
Arbor ordinance
park a vehicle...
portion of the hi
TO THE DAILY: property lines an
In October, a University of Michigan law urally, it seems ri
student represented himself in court and a highway. Inter
successfully argued that the judge should Michigan and th
dismiss his $25 parking citation. The city of have different de
Ann Arbor did not have the proper author- Two months la
ity to ticket him. Unfortunately, you probably Judge Christoph
did not hear about this epic victory because parking ticket b
the media didn't cover it and the judge didn't nance justifying
issue a written opinion. Despite a judge ruling vagueness as app
that parking on lawns and lawn extensions is citizens should n:
not illegal, Ann Arbor still issues these park- nances will be ap
ing citations. Jason represente
On August 18, 2013, Law School student cessfully dismiss
Jason Zolle, received a $25 parking cita- Ann Arbor declin
tion for parking his car on his "lawn exten-
sion." Jason parked on the seven-foot strip Jeremy Keeney
of grass next to the road on his side of the Law student
was no sidewalk. The Ann
states that "no person shall
(1) on a sidewalk; or, on that
ghway located between the
d the curb or curb line." Nat-
diculous that Jason's lawn is
estingly enough, the state of
e city of Ann Arbor actually
finitions for a highway.
ter Jason appeared in court.
er Easthope dismissed the
ecause the municipal ordi-
the citation was "void for
lied." The judge stated that
ot need to guess at how ordi-
plied. At the end of the day,
d himself in court and suc-
ed his $25 parking citation.
ed to appeal-the decision.
iheod
The Feminine Critique: Do you agree that raising the
minimum wage requires a change in culture as well as
policy? Erin Kwederis analyzes how low wages
contribute to the oppression of women.
Go to michigandaily.com/blogs/ThePodium
Ifyou do not vacate the premises by
13 DEC 6 PM, we reserve the right to
demolish your premises without delay.
We cannot be held responsible for
property or persons remaining inside.
Charges for demolition will be applied
to your student account.
This is the message thousands
of University of Michigan students
awoke to Tuesday morning. Fortu-
nately, the eviction notice was a tool
of political satire intended to recreate
a situation thousands of Palestinians
confront on a daily basis. Even while
this parallel was created on our cam-
pus, it's impossible to understand the
violent trauma associated with the
uprooting and displacement of fami-
lies and homes. We can only begin to
imagine the physical, emotional and
psychological lossthathappens when
homes and communities - embed-
ded with memories, dignity and live-
lihood - are reduced to rubble.
Since 1967, the Israeli government
has demolished more than 27,000
Palestinian homes. Last month,
Israeli authorities posted eviction
orders on 200 residentialbuildings in
East Jerusalem that will leave more
than 15,000 Palestinians homeless.
No alternatives are left for these soon-
to-be displaced populations. While
University of Michigan students who
received the mock eviction notices
can rest assured knowing that they
will not be forcibly uprooted from
their cozy quarters, they also will not
be subjected to the $19,400 fine Pal-
estinian families are forced to pay if
they refuse to demolish their homes
themselves and leave the humiliating
task to Israeli authorities.
The discrimination against Pales-
tinian and Israeli Arabs from their
Jewish counterparts is disturbing.
While Palestinian homes are unlaw-
fully demolished, illegal settlements
in East Jerusalem and the Westbank
continue to be built. While Palestin-
ians are forced to pay hefty fines
if they do not demolish their own
homes, Israelis are paid to live in ille-
gal settlements. In fact, most Israe-
lis move to settlements not because
of religious, ideological or political
reasons, but for the sake of economic
convenience due to subsidies that
make living in illegal settlements
cheaper than in Israel.
Of course, all of this is in gross
violation of human rights. Under
the Geneva Convention, any forcible
population transfer is strictly forbid-
den. But the Israeli government does
not have to answer to international
law or human rights. Its blatant dis-
regard for human dignity and sur-
vival is supported and made possible
by us - the United States - who have
vetoed a total of 41 Security Council
resolutions that indict Israel over its
numerous war crimes.
So, what now? The so-called
"peace process" has proven only as
a way to buy time and protect the
expansion of settlements that make
a just resolution unlikely. Israeli
settlements and their expansive
network of checkpoints and segre-
gated road systems fragment Pal-
estinian land, break apart families
and take huge tolls on the Pales-
tinian economy. What Palestinian
state can we speak of when 82 per-
cent of the West Bank is under
Israeli military rule and 61 percent
of it is under full Israeli control?
The miserable futility of the peace
process is too. evident by recent
developments: While U.S. Secretary
of State John Kerry tries to renew
"peace talks," the Israeli ministry
announces the construction of 300
new settlement homes in East Jeru-
salem. The U.S. State Department
described the move as "counterpro-
ductive."
In view of Israel's legal and politi-
cal impunity and the absence of real
dialogue, it is time for us as students
at the University of Michigan to
take the stand that our government
has yet to make. In 2005, Palestin-
ian civil society called for a -global
citizens' response to these injustices
implementing boycott, divestment
and sanctions against Israel until it
complies with international law. In
doingso, Palestinian civil society has
proposed a morally consistent, effec-
tive and nonviolent method to resist
the continued colonization and eth-
nic cleansing of their lands.
The Boycott, Divestment, and
Sanctions movement has been
endorsed by prominent figures,
such as South African liberation
leaders Desmond Tutu and Nelson
Mandela, and is beginning to devel-
op into a truly global movement.
Just last week, the American Stud-
ies Association passed the academic
boycott of Israeli institutions. Sev-
eral American university student
bodies, including University of Cal-
ifornia, Berkeley, have passed reso-
lutions asking their universities to
divest from all companies profiting
from the Israeli occupation. The
time is now for us to do the same.
At its core, BDS is about adherence
to human rights. It asks nothing con-
troversial - only that we uphold our
moral standards and practice what
we preach. Divesting from Israel
would mean divesting from compa-
nies that have explicit ties with the
Israeli occupation - companies that
engage in the likes of selling military
technology that aids in the killing of
civilians, managing racially segre-
gated bus systems and providing ser-
vices to illegal settlements.
Our University has an established
tradition of dissent and activism.
This campus has historically been
a space for students to raise their
political and global consciousness
and become harbingers of social
change whether it was through pry-
ing open the doors of higher educa-
tion to minority students, protesting
the war in Vietnam, or divesting
from South African Apartheid in
1983. By remaining neutral on the
"Israeli apartheid," we're complicit
in a system of oppression.
As Martin Luther King Jr. said,
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to
justice everywhere." Our demand is
that you recognize this injustice and
divest from all companies that profit
from the Israeli occupation.
This article was written by
members of Students Allied
for Freedom and Equality.
4
Because they restrict the pay,
there's exploitation. Players
are worth more than the
compensation they receive. That's
the bottom line."
- Professor of economics at California State University, San Marcos, Robert Brown
said in his paper on the marginal revenue of NFL-caliber college football players from
2011. The Michigan Daily recently analyzed wthe direct revenues
Devin Gardner made for the University at $5.5 million.
I
1 4