Project 4

For our project, we chose Alden Library because it is a public space on campus. Alden Library was constructed between 1866 and 1869. The designer is the 16th president of Ohio University, Vernon R. Alden, who served as president from 1962 until 1969. He planned this place as a public space for all the students. The library serves the Athen's campus as the central library facility: the building can seat 3,000 students. The main purpose of the library is to provide a place where people can read, study, and do research. The Ohio University library contains over two million printed volumes, 2.3 million units of microfilm materials, and 13,500 current periodical subscriptions. Electronic resources of the library include ALICE, the online catalog, OhioLINK, a statewide library and information network, and a wide variety of networked databases in many subjects and disciplines. All of these are accessible from within Alden and many of them are linked to the library home page and other campus networks. Special collections within the library are the Fine Arts Library, the Health Sciences library, the University Archives and Special Collections, a Map Collection, and the Southeast Asia Collection. Instructional Media and Technology services supports instructional technology across the Athens campus and houses video and other multimedia collections. Alden Library is OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, as well as to students and faculty seven days a week during the academic year. ALden Library also houses the Learning Commons (2nd floor) and the Academic Advancement Center, which offers study skills instruction, tutoring programs, and a computer lab.

Alden Library is a busy pseudo-public building that serves many people everyday. Students and sometimes other members of the community use the building as a place to do work and use resources. The whole design reflects its main purpose, which is to cater to the university. As soon as you enter the building all you can see is college students bustling about. It is not uncommon to see professors using the space, but everyone seems to notice when an outsider to academia is in the library. Although, the library is supposed to cater to "the public" it clearly serves college students first and foremost. This would make it very unwelcoming to anyone who is not a part of Ohio University.

This particular public space contains many aspects of representations of space. In order to remain an efficient and well-used building, many rules must be followed. Every floor and area within floors has specific rules to be followed. Each floor has a specific purpose and is divided into areas of use for the students. These rules are put into place in order to create an atmosphere that functions well for the majority. For example, organizations and special events posters are prohibited from being posted in the restrooms of the library. Despite this rule, the library itself posts many fliers advertising help sessions and tips for library use. The nature of the material that's approved and posted in the main arreas of the library has 100% to do with university sponsored events. This un-Democratic action excludes opportunities that may be offered by students and community members.

Although there are many regulations that must be maintained, Alden is a well-used place. In many aspects it functions very well as representational space. It has become a successful meeting place for organizations and even groups of friends. Many people spend a good portion of their time at the library due to its comfort and resources. The 3rd floor is the Fine Arts floor, it's probably more representational than most of the library because the staff encourages work to be exhibited. This creates an opportunity for people who are not part of the art scene to be exposed to what their peers are doing. The 2nd floor is the "customer service" oriented floor because that's where the IT department and cafe are located. The 4th floor is where most of the books and DVDs are help for pick-up. The 1st and 5th floors are archives. Most of the library inventory and collections are sifted through on the 1st floor and the 5th floor is where the administrative offices are. The 6th and 7th floors are the stacks.

Each of the floors is designed to appeal to a certain group of students. the 1dt floor-anthropologists, 2nd floor-everyone, especially the international students because of the writing center and OPIE program and business students because of the group study rooms, 3rd floor-art students, 4th floor-everyone but mostly film students because it's where the materials can be rented, 5th floor-political science and journalism majors because it's where the government papers and archives are located, and 6th and 7th floors cater to graduate students because theyre the ideal environment for researching. The fact that although each floor isn't labeled as the "anthropologist floor" and so on shows that certain groups carve out places for themselves and we see this as a space of representation.

Here are the rules that must be followed when in Alden Library:

-Alcohol cannot be consumed anywhere in the building

-Smoking is absolutely forbidden. Smoking as allowed 10 ft away from the building

-Crunchy food is not allowed in the quiet study area. Talking is not allowed in the quiet study area. People should turn off their cell phone or turn them to mute before entering the quiet study area.

-Elevators in the library are used by library users to go up and down, and are used by librarians to transport books.

-Animals, other than animals trained for service purposes for the disabled, are prohibited in the Library.

-Library users in the library are responsible for their own personal property.

-Disturbing or unseemly behavior is prohibited, including abusive or threatening behavior to the librarians or other library users.

-Library users who are studying have the priority to use the computers in the library.

-After using or moving furniture (chairs or tables) people must place them back.

-Noise levels shall remain within the norms of typical library activity. If there are groups of people studying or meeting together, they should reserve a group study room.

-Children are not permitted in the library except under the direct supervision of a parent or other responsible adult. Children should conform to all library rules. Children are not allowed on the balcony unattended.

Here is a floor plan of Alden Library

For our project, we decided to challenge the social norms not only of the library, but of the elevator too. Dani made some wonderful cucumber sandwiches, and Jia brought tea. We set up a small table and a chair in the elevator, and invited travelers to eat a sandwich and have a drink. The reactions were what we expected. Most people seemed to be quite confused as to why there were girls handing out food not just in the library, but in the library's elevator. Some people inquired as to why we were doing what we were, while others got off on the first floor they were able to. Some even decided not to enter the elevator once they saw the strange set-up inside. Here are some pictures we took of our project that redefined social norms.

Many people would ask why we were giving away food, and once we replied it was for a school project they seemed to be much more at ease. So it seems that if you have an agenda is still academic, then the socially abnormal behavior was "ok". But, if we were to reply that we just wanted to give away food, I'll bet the reactions would have been different.

First part

First part- feel free to edit cause I do not know if I reach the goal you guys want or I may misunderstand the questions
We choose the library which is public place space on campus. Alden Library was constructed between 1966 and 1969. The designer is the 15th president of Ohio University, Vernon R. Alden, who served as president from 1962 until 1969. He planed this place as public place for all the readers. Vernon R. Alden Library serves the Athens campus as the central library facility; the building can seat 3,000 readers. The mainly usage for the library is to provide the place which people can read, study, and find research in. The Ohio University libraries' collections contain over two million printed volumes, 2.3 million units of microfilm material, and 13,500 current periodical subscriptions. Electronic resources of the Libraries include ALICE, the libraries online catalog; OhioLINK, a statewide library and information network; and a wide variety of networked databases in many subject disciplines. These are accessible from within the Alden Library and many are linked to the Library Home Page and other campus networks. Special collections within Alden Library are the Fine Arts Library, the Health Sciences Library, the University Archives and Special Collections, a Map Collection, and the Southeast Asia Collection. Instructional Media & Technology Services supports instructional technology across the Athens campus and houses video and other multimedia collections. Alden Library is open to the public, as well as to students, faculty, and staff, seven days a week during the academic year. Alden Library also houses the Learning Commons (on the second floor) and the Academic Advancement Center, which offers study skills instruction, tutoring programs, and a computer lab.

Some Public Spaces on Campus

Bicentennial Park is located on West Green. The most prominent part of this park is the earthwork installation designed by artist and architecture Maya Lin. The piece is entitled "Input" .

The use of this area is restricted to activities that will not interfere with adjacent office and classroom activity

But, throughout spring and fall quarters, it is very common to see sunbathers, people throwing frisbees and footballs, and people playing music in this large grassy area. Rules state that a sound system may be used with permission, but it is subject to the standard restrictions stated in subsection 1, sub-subsection B of Policy #24.016

Any individual or group associated with OU can use this space for free. It is also stated that outdoor space is available for use in accordance with university policy.

University Policy of outdoor space: http://www.ohio.edu/policy/24-016.html

Use of the Baker University Center First floor entrance (where we often see tables set up for different organizations to advertise, sell, or recruit) is restricted to activities that are small in nature and will not disrupt the flow of pedestrian traffic. You can reserve a space for 3 consecutive days, but no longer than 6 days for quarter per organization. A max of one activity is permitted at any time. No sound system is permitted. And, this space must be reserved.

Alden Library Learning Commons Study Rooms must be reserved. They can be reserved for a max of 3 hours in a 24-hour period. They can be used by groups of only 2 or more. They can be used only by members of the OU academic community. A valid OU ID is required. BUT.... nothing is said about what kind of activities are permitted in these rooms. I assumed the list of rules would say academic activities only. But, if a group were to, lets say, do manicures and massages, would this be acceptable?

The Message of Home

Our campaign is about the depictions of home are in reaction to what we see around us in this quaint college town. As we began to construct ten aspects of home we realized that the way the home was presented metaphorically was also they way it manifested in the “artifacts” which we separated into functions of the households and appearance of the household.

Certain objects around the house are symbolic of what they represent about our ideals. Starting with the outside, the fence symbolizes security and also distinguishes our space from your space. The landscaping of the yard is a reflection of personal taste and the amount of work you are willing to put into it. Your neighbors can build perceptions about what you are like based on your property management. The porch is an area where the transition from private to public occurs, from this point and beyond we choose what to display. The fireplace is the nucleus of the house; it’s where the family gathers to be together to do nothing. The room it’s located in has no affiliation with a particular family member and it contains photographs and other relics of the family that inhabits the house. These main artifacts are your expressions of yourself or your family and customize these areas to how you see yourself.

The other aspects of the house have more to do with the idea of home and what it means in mainstream America. Social events like barbeques, birthday parties, and athletic events give the host house a chance to showcase their ideals through their physical house. Holidays are competitions between neighbors, they’re filled with traditions that unify people celebrating, but also separate people based on their economic capacity to compete in the festivities. Consumption is an important aspect of the mainstream home, the home today is wired to media more than ever before which means that the family unit is constantly racing to carve out a spot for itself among all of the stimuli being targeted at it. Home décor, car make, and your family pet are examples of the charm bracelet that’s home. Others judge you based on how well you fit this mold.

Maria Jose Alvarez-Rivadulla talks about how people in gated communities said decided to move for reasons of safety, but in reality this excuse was a “modifier”, for them truly wanting to “maintain and improve cultural, economic, and social capital”. They people who she interviewed talked about how they wanted to provide their children with the access to things they (supposedly) had or things that they deemed as utopian. We came to the conclusion that the conformity offered by artifacts of the physical house is what holds the model of the nuclear family together. Our add campaign is about how two separate variations of American mainstream home exist side by side. The classic houses on Elmwood which fit our American model not far from the college shanty towns which completely alter it- the images of couches on porches, fires in the front yard surrounded by people you probably don’t know, bikes instead of cars, and the police as your security. Despite these differences both houses represent a family. Our commercial aims to create an understanding of separate needs and cooperation between the nuclear families and the college students because both are needed to form a worthy community. A college student’s utopia may not be a nuclear family’s utopia both sides have to respect each other.

Respect Athens

YouTube links

Heres the youtube links to my videos so you can access them

commercial trial 1

Alright, bare with me. this is pretty silly so far. I need suggestions... i need better rhyming words/phrases as well as better content in the second half, but im out of ideas for the night. So we can discuss tomorrow

project update

I still need to go back and fiddle with the intro before its official, but i just wanted to post something. Also, just so everyone is on the same page, I am working on the commercial.
Hopefully i will post it by later tonight. I have most of it figured out but i need a closing campaign line.... some thing like "respect yo town!" or "keep athens beautiful" but more creative. haha any suggestions are more than welcome bc those examples are SUPA lame.

Athens as a HOME

When considering the ideal of homes within mainstream America, Athens exemplifies many categories and also many meanings attached to these living accommodations. Due to the diversity of age, class, race, and education levels many types of housing can be found within this small town. There are dormitories, apartment buildings, apartment housing, college housing, residential homes, halfway homes, trailer parks, etc. All of these buildings serve as places with meaningful attachments to the individuals who live within them. One significant difference that seems to define to amount meaning one attaches to their home depends on the permanence of these living conditions.

The town of Athens serves as a home for many people. About half of the residents think of Athens as a somewhat permanent setting where they live, work and possibly even raise a family. The other half of the population are college students who live here temporarily. The four years that the average student spends in Athens in a much shorter amount of time, and often is broken up by trips back to their original towns. Many students show little regard for their homes in Athens. It is a beautiful town with many things to offer, however the abundance of trash, graffiti, and hazardous living conditions are evidence that some of the temporary residents feel a lack of responsibility to the community.

Meadow

All the houses on this street looked the same. I thought it was interesting

Schafer St

I think at least every other one of these houses had a "for rent" sign.

Elmwood houses

Sorry about the skaking guys... it was a brick road and i was trying to drive and take a video haha.

Good design house

Another ideal house I could think out is good design house.

People would like to spend so much money and time to design their house. It not only can present their good taste(show off), but also can make people have good emotion everyday when they actually live in a good design house.

Organised and clean

Versus























Which one you like?

I do not know if it is right, but I think the ideal house is organised and clean. No one wants their houses messed up and dirty. Also, it directly affects how other people think about you. If your yard is messy, people will assume you are this type of person. No one wants to have dirty neighours. These pictures above show organised house and yard VS. dirty neighbours.

palmerfest trash everywhere

For temporary residents, a lot of students do not take care of their house. I took this in Palmerfest. I do not like it. You could smell haevy alohol and their trash+drink everywhere.

porches

The porch as an architectural concept has existed since prehistoric times. It developed throughout history, revealing itself at certain points in time through various cultures, disappearing, and then reappearing again. Yet, at no time or in any culture did the porch take on such structural and cultural importance as in the form of the American front porch


A front porch can be welcoming and inviting. I think they serve not only as a representation of status, but as a place for social gatherings.

The dinner table

The idea of the family dinner table is very important to the image of a good home and happy family. what close-knit family doesn't meet every evening to enjoy dinner and socialize with eachother? in reality though, i think most families only use the dinner table during important holidays. i know my own mom goes to great lengths to make our dining room look warm and inviting. an outsider would get the impression that we spend a great deal of time there. in reality, it's more for show than anything else.

Physical Accomodations

Keeping up with the Joneses requires not only consumption of a number of specific goods but also access to the newest and most sought after products. Having as many machines as possible doing household chores are necessary to keep an even playing field with you and your neighbor.

We always have all a fireplace in our house. We used to use this fireplace to keep us warm. But, nowadays, we have central heat system in our house. We keep the fireplace for decoration purpose, also on behalf our status.

Privacy

Ideally, Home is considered to be a private place where people can feel free to express themselves.

Safety

The idea of safety has always been an important American ideal. Fences and security systems are frequently used to keep certain "dangers" out of the household realm.

In a traditional American home, we need maintenance our house regularly to keep our house like nice. Obviously, this just limits to the nicer neighborhoods. For examples, people have the rules in mind that they need to maintenance their lawn, and keep a nice landscape of the plants in front of the house. A nice landscaping of a house indicate the people's social status, the characteristics of a home. This is a particular culture in the US.

Social Accommodations

Social events like parties, picnics, and family gathering held at the home are important artifacts about lifestyles in mainstream American homes. These gatherings offer an opportunity for interaction with other families which accommodate the host family's social needs.

Group Synthesis

A Geographic Look at the Identity of Middle-Eastern Women and its Ramifications




We decided to look at the identity of Middle Eastern women because their lives are so different from ours. In Middle Eastern society the roles of each individual is distinctly cut out. This mostly has to do with the Islam and the authoritarian rule which seasons it with such intensity. We will look at how these roles are played out and altered at the global level using three different lenses or approaches.

The Empiricist Approach

Background: While Muslims are found on all five inhabited continents, more than 60% of the global Muslim population is in Asia and about 20% is in the Middle East and North Africa. However, the Middle East-North Africa region has the highest percentage of Muslim-majority countries. More than half of the 20 countries and territories in that region have populations that are approximately 95% Muslim or greater.

Here are some basic rules that Middle Eastern Women have to adhere to:

1. Women cannot drive- single and all female families need to hire drivers.
2. No integration of sexes in school- different buildings, classrooms, and sides of the room for each sex required.
3. Women must marry, and cannot not live by themselves.
4. You must marry someone who believes in Islam.
5. There absolutely no romantic same-sex relations.
6. Women cannot talk to other men after they marry unless it's a member of their family.
7. Women cannot wear clothing which shows their figure.
8. Women have a specific uniform, fashion is discouraged.
9. No gossip or overly social behavior is tolerated.
10. Smiling to much is promiscuous.

Critical Theory Approach

The Muslim Religion within the realm of the world is a huge topic. It could be broken down into many different categories such as location, gender or even nationality. When considering Muslim women in America, it is important to consider how American society affects the identity of this group of people. Due to the fact that the Muslim religion is usually associated with Middle Eastern Countries, much of the Muslim population is relatively new to America. For example, many immigrants were drawn to the opportunities allotted by the auto industry in Dearborn Michigan. Now, Dearborn has the largest Arab-American population in the US, and is heavily influenced by the Muslim religion. Even though Dearborn has many comforts that cater to Muslim people, such as mosques and restaurants with traditional foods, Muslim women still have a very difficult time adjusting to the western world. American culture allows more opportunities and freedoms for these women, which makes it more difficult to be a “good Muslim woman” (Ravve, p.1). Here, they are allowed to drive cars, go to school, be in public by themselves, and even uncover their face and hair if they wish to. Many women feel uneasy about accepting these freedoms even though they are allowed to. One reason for their unease can be attributed to the guilt of not being true to their religion. Husbands of these women have been known to enforce the laws of their religion despite the laws of the nation. Another factor that affects Mulsim women is differences between themselves and other women within our society. Most places in the country are not as Muslim-oriented as Dearborn, and therefor creates a dissonance between the woman and the rest of society. This situation is different from most other religions, because the women wear hijahs that distinguish them as being Muslim. The differences that have been created because of a lack of knowledge about diversity and contrasting view point creates tension.

In France they have attempted to “fix” the segregation and negative associations with religion by creating a secular culture. Since 2004, France has placed a ban on head scarves in their public schools. This was part of a larger movement to outlaw all religious symbols and clothing. As one can imagine, This has been a controversial and very difficult rule for young Muslim women to deal with. On April 11, 2011, A new French law currently prohibits the wearing of burqas and any other forms of face veils. Women who arecaught wearing these and men who are caught enforcing women to wear them can be arrested on the spot. The reasoning behind this law is to create more "tolerance" for all citizens of France. The government says they hope to discontinue any pressure that women face to wear these oppressive clothing. Muslim women, on the other contrary, feel very invaded by these laws. They wear the veils because they are a part of something bigger, and it is part of their identity within that group. They also see the headscarves and veils as a sign of strength and empowerment that sets them apart from the scantily clad women of society. Modesty is an important part of the Muslim traditions, and many women feel that this law is an invasion of their religious rights.

The Constructivist Approach

In the globalized west women generally see the identity of Middle Eastern women are reciprocal to their own. They see the veils that Middle Eastern Muslim women have to wear as a red flag for the lack of Independence and individuality. The rules that adhere to women are there to implicitly state and confirm on an every day basis that women are second rate citizens. The reason they have to cover up their individualism to promote masculine authority (Fernea). Because there is so much more freedom of expression in the "western world", we tend to view the Middle Eastern women living outside their geographical setting as oppressed even though they may view themselves as having a balanced approach to their religion and goals as independent women.

oops

sorry, i dont know waht i did, but the critical theory approach is all in my comment under the title. Its ok tho bc i still need to do some editing and concluding....

Critical Theory Approach

pictures from movie Persepolis

She bravely speak out how unfair about girls and boys in school (veil, clothes, different rules...This is the time after she study abroad and more knowledge)

Earlier when she is a child. so many rules.....

After she grow up, she studies abroad and take off her veil.....become a modern woman

(normal for others, but unusual for muslim)

pictures

Just post some pictures in case if you guys need to use

(1)Muslim women (They separate girls and boys in school and other place)

Sign for girls and boys building in different ways

(2) Muslim men (Only men can go to mosque. You can clearly see those prayer are all men)

(3) Muslim wedding and girl with veil