De Avonturen van Rebecca

Breathtaking Ocean

2006-09-06T17:19:00.000-07:00

Ah, it is nice to be home! Here are some photos I took on Labor Day weekend near Cannon Beach, Oregon.

2006-09-04T19:04:00.000-07:00

Inside the Castle of Chillon

More photos

2006-09-01T06:43:00.000-07:00

Important Links

2006-08-30T20:01:00.000-07:00

You can view the following important links to learn more about our experiences:
Daily Diary is a group blog where we took turns posting commentary and photos.
Our Flickr page has combined photos from various students in the group.
Our research wiki shows each group's final research project. Mine is called the Dutch Muslim Community

Presentation Photos

2006-08-30T19:42:00.000-07:00

Presentation and Coming Home

2006-08-28T02:53:00.000-07:00

Our presentation on Saturday morning was very successful; we had probably fifteen audience members not associated with our group coming in and out- about half a dozen stayed for the entire session. Considering there were twelve other sessions going on at the same time, and that it was at 8:30 a.m. in the morning on the final conference day, we felt good about that. Each group presented a really focused talk about their research, experiences, and findings. I will post the link to our powerpoint slides and research wiki sometime when I get home. One audience member talked about this type of interdiscipinary/cross-cultural research as spreading "seeds of peace" and said it was "moving". In my mind, that was the highest compliment as many of us were discussing controversial issues (our group presented on Dutch Muslim relations). It feels great to be done, and I will be coming home in a day!

And then there was cheese...

2006-08-26T08:11:00.000-07:00

I am writing about Friday, Aug. 25. I woke up and had breakfast of coffee, juice, and a fresh apple tart from the corner Boulangerie. Then Chris, Engy and I walked to the train station to catch a train to Veytaux-Chillon to tour the Castle of Chillon. On the way to the train station, I stumbled upon a "G-string stand" which was new to me (and very funny), but I guess normal in this different culture...anyway, the castle environment was stunning...Lake Geneva was clear and expansive, surrounded by mountains and vibrant flowers. The castle, from the 12th and 13th century, was very cool to see as it was my first one. The tour was well organized and I enjoyed exploring, especially seeing the crypt and climbing around between each chamber. It felt surreal, like a movie set. Several paragliders were visible in the sky during our time there, doing somersaults in the air. We saw a couple of swans and a really cute miniature brown lizard on the way out- of course, hitting the ultra-touristy shop there before our departure!

And then, there was cheese...we headed to Gruyeres on a fancy train with plush green material on the seats, gold trim, and tables that folded down so we played a game of "Go Fish" on the way. Beautiful scenery from the train! I felt like there were about ten different shades of green among all the hills, trees, and little lakes we saw. The landscape was ripe with brown, black and white cows. We arrived at Gruyeres and immediately purchased a late lunch of fresh bread, cheese, and salami. One of the best cheeses I have ever tasted in my life! We went on a cheese tour which was actually geared toward young children ages 6-12 (nice of them to leave that piece of info out)...the audio tour was told from the perspective of a very silly female British cow named Cherry. One of my favorite bits was her saying "Hot, isnt it? Just like when the milk comes out of my udder- all warm and frothy! It takes 400 liters of milk to make a 35 kilo cheese!!" I did learn that cows have four stomachs, so I guess the tour was worth it(?)

Finally we headed back to Lausanne for the group BBQ with Paul. On the way, I found an interesting beverage- iced tea with Swiss cannabis flavor- which I quickly consumed without any unfortunate side effects (or any pleasant ones, for that matter!). The group dinner was fun, and we gave Paul a card and bottle of scotch with our thanks and appreciation. Went to bed early to get enough rest. What a lovely day in Switzerland!

Switzerland

2006-08-21T08:27:00.000-07:00

Tonight is my last evening in Amsterdam before heading to Lausanne, Switzerland for the conference where we're presenting the research projects. I plan to eat at a favorite restaurant, an Italian one around the corner from my dorm, which serves delicious food at cheap prices. I have been there the past couple days so they recognize me!

We leave at 6:15 a.m. to get to the airport and catch an Easy Jet flight to Geneva, then take a train from there to Lausanne. The conference begins Wed or Thurs, and we have to present on Saturday morning. We did a "dress rehearsal" this morning, and it went very well. It's amazing how much progress we have made in only three weeks time. Last night my group went to have dinner with an Iraqi woman and her two wonderful teenage daughters in their home. The homecooked traditional meal was very tasty and we talked education, politics, etc- Engy did much translating from Arabic to English. The woman had been a high school science teacher in Iraq and now cannot even volunteer here because she wears a headscarf. It seems ridiculous to me. I've learned much about what the "Dutch tolerance"means in reality vs. on paper...and from this perspective, many things re: ethnic populations & prevalence of discrimination here echo the U.S. environment for African Americans during the 50's and 60's.

Time to go. I am really looking forward to visiting Switzerland before heading home. I miss everyone and wish you could all be here to directly share the experience!

View of Utrecht

2006-08-21T00:32:00.000-07:00

Visit to Utrecht

2006-08-21T00:24:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, we traveled to Utrecht, which is a half hour away by train. We visited the Dom, an beautiful church with a bell tower...went on a guided tour, climbing over 400 steps to get near the top. What a stunning view of the city!

Dinner with Trish

2006-08-18T03:13:00.000-07:00

Last night I met up with Trish and we had a delicious dinner at an Argentinian steak house- had a big steak with bleu cheese topping, a baked potato, salad, and a Hoegaarden beer. It was lekker (delicious)! It felt so good to have a break and spend a few hours with her. The evening was beautiful and as I walked home to my dorm, I felt like I am just starting to feel more comfortable here. Today I plan to sightsee and RELAX as much as possible! Tomorrow we are going to Utrecht for a day excursion.

Group Dinners

2006-08-17T14:35:00.000-07:00

Every Wednesday we have had a group dinner at a different restaurant in Amsterdam- this photo shows about half of the participants in the trip, there are four graduates (all in LIS) and about twelve undergraduates, plus the two instructors, Julie and Clifford. We have a Dutch University of Amsterdam advisor who answers our questions about culture, politics, etc. and keeps us from getting really lost.

More pics

2006-08-17T04:16:00.000-07:00

Church in The Haag
Guy dressing the window dummies
Chris, Kathleen & Engy
(Here are a few more in The Haag!)

Photo attempt

2006-08-17T04:10:00.000-07:00

Hopefully you can view these photos from The Haag day trip!

Update

2006-08-17T02:25:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a gorgeous sunny day and I got to do some shopping and walking around. We met with the lecturer who presented last week on Islamic extremism and he was very helpful to discuss our resesearch issues with. We had coffee/tea in a very nice student cafe which had canal side seating and plenty of comfortable space inside as well. Today I hope to spend some time with Trish, who I have hardly seen since I arrived here due to our busy schedule!

Photos from the last week

2006-08-16T09:19:00.000-07:00

Fun in The Hague! Note: after trying to upload these photos 3x I gave up!

Updates

2006-08-15T12:07:00.000-07:00

It has been extremely difficult to find time to blog here. Everything- lecture, transportation, meals, etc takes about twice as long as expected. It is very hard to find enough time to do the research although we have had success with meeting subjects through a snowball technique and have really been enjoying learning about the culture here through their eyes. We hosted three Dutch Morrocan Muslim guys last night at the dorm, feeding them Mexican and Egyptian cuisine (I did the clean-up!) and discussing pop culture and political issues. They are taking us to another mosque tomorrow and showing us around their neighborhood, which is a non-touristy area in North Amsterdam.

Engy and I have merged our research focus to study the information needs and patterns of the Muslim community. (Much more information science based!) Our instructor from the iSchool, Trent, was here for a week and really helped us to figure out a new direction. We had a great time hanging out with him and eating an amazing Indonesian meal one night.

One of the biggest frustrations here is the rain. Other than a few mostly sunny days, we have had PDX winter type weather and going out into it and getting drenched is getting old! Today has been beautiful though so maybe a change is coming...

Gay Pride

2006-08-09T04:48:00.000-07:00

Here are some lively photos of the Gay Pride parade!

More photos

2006-08-08T00:36:00.000-07:00

Gay PrideDinner for Engy's b-day
Interesting architecture in Amsterdam Statue in Brussels
My Breakfast

More photos

2006-08-08T00:27:00.000-07:00

Yum- my first Belgian waffle! Kathleen and IHome Sweet Home

Hi, I am finding myself very busy so for now here are some more photos of my adventures in Amsterdam.

First pics

2006-08-02T01:13:00.000-07:00

Here are my first pics of Amsterdam!

Hoi

2006-08-01T08:41:00.000-07:00

Hoi (hi) from Holland! It is my second full day here, and I am having a great trip so far. The flight went smoothly, although I didn't sleep a wink...Lufthansa has tasty airline food and high quality service (i love those hot steamy towels they give you to clean your hands)! I admit I did have a few moments of being overwhelmed upon arriving, thinking 'what have I gotten myself into'? But thanks to Trish- who picked me up at the airport, gave me my first Strippenkart (bus ticket) helped carry my luggage and got me to my dorm (she even made up my bed!)- I felt very welcomed. It is great to re-connect with an old friend.

Kathleen, Engy and I got up early this morning and walked to a cafe- very cool, cozy atmostphere, kind of a cafe/thrift store-with used dishes, light fixtures, and records around- I had a cappacino and croissant with strawberry jelly. It is true that everyone is fluent in English and it's challenging to practice Dutch since immediately when you begin speaking they switch to English. I have learned just to say "U.S." when people ask where I'm from- being as specific as Portland, OR results in puzzled looks. It's also true there are bikes everywhere- you see parents wheeling two kids around in a passenger bin attached to the front of the bike. I haven't seen one bike helmet, as compared to home where almost everyone has one.

The main challenge of my research at this time is finding contacts to interview. We have some professors to talk with so hopefully they have good suggestions for us. I am surprised not to see more women with headscarves walking around town, but it seems to be a lot of Dutch and then the tourists. I have heard there is a large Morroccan population in East Amsterdam so we may venture there soon. Well, almost time for dinner, so I will sign off for now...

Almost

2006-07-27T09:18:00.000-07:00

I am (almost) on my way to the Netherlands! I am so fortunate for this opportunity; many in my family have never travelled outside the U.S., except for periods of military service. This is part of my life goal to be more globally aware and educated and to challenge myself by "stepping out" of my comfort zone. I really haven't learned much Dutch, but hope to absorb some while I'm there. Here is a glimpse of my schedule:

Tuesday, August 1
9:30-12:00 Lecture on Pragmatic Tolerance:
Geert de Vries
12:00 Lunch
13:00 Walking through the city center to the Amsterdam Historical Museum
(guided tour)
14:30 free time for research

Wednesday, August 2
Morning is free time
14:00-17:00 Paul Wouters, VKS Introduction and Tour, “e-research methodology”
19:00 Group Dinner with guest (TBA)

Thursday, August 3
9:30-12:00 Lecture on EU policy: expanding the borders: Ries Rowaan
12:00 Lunch
13:00 Leave for Brussels
15:00 Free time
19:00 Dinner with Brussels Program students

Friday, August 4
11:00-16:30 Tour European Parliament
11:30-16:30 Tour EU and Lectures
17:00 Dinner with EU Representative (TBA)
21:00 Depart Brussels

Saturday, August 5 (weekend to explore and research)

14:00 Gay Pride Parade

Sunday, August 6
Gay Pride Weekend in Amsterdam

Week 2
Monday, August 7
Morning is free time
14:00-17:00 Paul Wouters, “Web Archiving”

Tuesday, August 8
9:30-12:00 Lecture on sex work as an example of pragmatic tolerance: Jan Visser
13:00-15:00 Visit to Prostitution Resource Center
15:00-on Freetime

Wednesday, August 9
9:30-11:30 Paul Wouters and colleagues lecture on “The Role of Academic Conferences
in Scholarly Communication”. Richard Rogers, UvA Communications Faculty
11:30-19:00 Free time
19:00 Group dinner

Thursday, August 10
9:30-- 12:00 Lecture on islam and migration by Atef Hamdi
12:00-15:00 By public transport leaving for a visit to the mosque including lunch
Evening is free

Friday, August 11-Sunday, August 13
Free three-day weekend to explore and research!

Week 3

Monday, August 14
9:30-12:00 Possible Excursion to “Cave” (virtual reality lab)
Afternoon is free time

Tuesday, August 15
9:30-12:00 Lecture on youth culture: Simone de Bruin
12:00 Lunch
13:00 trip to the Bijlmer with Leon Deben
16:30 back in city center

Wednesday, August 16
a.m. ---VLS: Anne Beaulieu-Virtual Ethnography. Individual Group Meetings with instructors Julie, Clifford and Paul (approx. 1 hour per group. Times are TBA).

19:00 Group Dinner with guest lecture on culture and arts of the Netherlands

Thursday, August 17
9:30-12:00 Lecture on Drug Policies in the Netherlands: Jan huib Blans
12:00 Lunch
13:30—on Free time

Friday, August 18
9:30-13:30 KNSM-eiland visit
13:30- on Free time

Saturday, August 19
Train to Utrecht (leave in a.m.). Biking in Utrecht and around countryside. Optional overnight stay.

Sunday, August 20
Free day/prepare for Lausanne trip and conference

Monday, August 21
Free time to prepare for Lausanne. Practice presentations (UW/VKS will provide comments)

Tuesday, August 22
7:00 a.m. Leave for airport. Amsterdam to Geneva
08:30 depart for Geneva (flight 956) 10:00 Arrive Geneva
11:00 Train to Lausanne (takes 45 minutes)

12:30 (approx) Check in to Hostel. Relax and free time to explore.

Wednesday, August 23 (please attend minimum of two sessions on two different days of the three day conference) .
10:45-12:30 Conference welcome, University of Lausanne
12:30-13:30 Group picnic lunch
13:45-17:00 Free time at conference to visit sessions

Thursday, August 24
8:00 a.m. Conference sessions begin

Friday, August 25
8:30 a.m. Conference sessions begin

Saturday, August 26
8:30 Presentation: “Paradox and Progress” 8:30-10:15 a.m.
15:30 Conference ends
19:00 Final Group Dinner/Program wrap-up

Sunday, August 27
Easyjet Flight Geneva to Amsterdamflight 957; dep. Sun 27 Aug 19:10arr. Sun 27 Aug 20:45 (8:45 p.m.)

Voorwinde lecture

2006-05-31T20:56:00.000-07:00

I was surprised that Reinier Voorwinde linked economics so closely with the immigration policy- probably because I don't know much about economics and sometimes fail to see the bigger picture. It makes sense though. Another interesting thing he said about Dutch tolerance was that in the past, the diverse populations of people, including immigrants, didn't really interact with one another. This makes tolerance much easier. So now people are interacting- not in positive ways- and it seems Muslims are the scapegoats when discussing immigration policies. The events of 9-11 and the murder of Van Gogh in Amsterdam perhaps made this more acceptable. Finally, it was refreshing to hear someone who grew up in Amsterdam tell us more about it in a down-to-earth way, practical way.

Domain Analysis

2006-05-16T22:08:00.000-07:00

I must admit although the readings on this method make sense, I was a bit confused when applying it myself. I chose to look at a virtual interaction, on the Understanding Islam discussion forum. I looked at a string of discussion posts under "Muslim Women and their Rights" for the analysis. The following were some words used in the discussion: noble, rights, Allah, authority, misused, taken advantage of, true males, work together, equal respect, honor, mercy, faith, courage, degradation, beautiful, taken advantage of. I noticed this discussion centered around the kinds of values or beliefs many Muslims have regarding women, as it contrasts with values and beliefs a "true Muslim" should have based on scripture regarding women. The discussion of Muslim women's rights focuses on abuses women face, but only one person made the distinction that abuse of women should be viewed as a separate issue from religious values and the Islamic belief system. The major domain represented here was "values". My experience with this assignment was frustration, mainly. It was an unfamiliar method and felt really basic on paper but complex during the actual process. I think one advantage of choosing a virtual interaction is it is already written down and I can go back to it repeatedly. A disadvantage is that sometimes it is hard to express things and communicate online, and sometimes meaning is lost. I would like to try this method again, perhaps when I feel more clarity about it, as it could be useful in my research.

2006-05-08T17:48:00.000-07:00

(Photos courtesy of Flickr.com)

My observation at Portland's Central Library yesterday resulted in some themes: value of learning, rules and security, and aesthetic space. There were many people around- seniors, students, kids, parents- and as I was standing outside a woman with a guitar walked up to me and asked "Are you interested in being in a play in the role of Maid Marion?" I told her "Probably not". Later inside I observed twp men exchanging vegetables; one of them had a poster board sign saying "The bottom line is Jesus". Both of these experiences emphasize the library as an important community space used by diverse groups of people. The value of learning was clear: the library, which was renovated in 1997, holds 1.5 million books and other materials. The exterior of the building and benches along the sides are carved with names of writers and philosophers, such as Dickens, Tolstoy, Thucydides, Alexandre Dumas. The black granite stairs are carved with single words like explore, hope, and imagine. The children's section has an enclosed story theater with windows, computer stations, shelves of foreign language picture books written in Arabic, Russian, Chinese, Spanish, and more. One feature in that section is a poem called HOME by Franta Bass, written on a set of miniture book spines:

"I look. I look into the wide world. I look to the south, to the north, to the east, to the west toward my home, the city where I was born. City, my city, I will gladly return to you."

There was an unspoken yet very present emphasis on security here. Library rules for patron behavior were posted in each area, and a few security guards were placed at various posts. I also noticed security cameras in each room. I wonder what prompted all this? Finally, the entire library was beautifully designed with rich color, with a good balance of wood and marble. The atmosphere is very spacious and clean, with lots of natural light flowing in the large, arched windows. Big marble columns on every floor separated the space into smaller areas. The majestic, winding, open staircase leads up to the upper two levels. The children's space is friendly and has a life-size bronze tree sculpture reaching up and out toward the ceiling. One has the overall feeling of being a small person in a large and important universe of knowledge.

I learned that spending time observing a place- even a familiar one- is informative and valuable. It prompted me to think about the values the city of Portland has for its public, and what I'll find in Amsterdam. I took a very systematic approach in my observation, purposefully moving from room to room and working my way up to each floor. Another approach would be to randomly choose spaces within the larger environment, or focus on spaces where more people were gathered in order to interact with them.

Having a heightened sense of place or an ability to carefully observe an area will allow me to discern values and identity issues of various communities in Amsterdam. As I am studying the Muslim women's community, the environment will be a good start, but I will likely focus more on dialogue with others. One issue I will keep in mind - do the values reflected in the physical environment align with the values held by the community I am interacting with?

Urbanity, tolerance and public space

2006-05-08T12:23:00.000-07:00

I read Lyn Lofland's chapter called "Urbanity, tolerance and public space: The creation of cosmopolitans". It begins with a worthy question- how are diverse groups of people from various races, religions, origins and beliefs to successfully live together in a city? When thinking about Amsterdam, my initial answer: pragmatic tolerance. Lofland doesn't really give us an firm answer here, but discusses the concepts of positive versus negative tolerance. Positive tolerance recognizes differences, appreciating and enjoying them. Negative tolerance is based on the reality that "the different other" is not perceived or interacted with. Lofland states this happens due to self-segregation, among other things. Positive tolerance happens when diverse populations are forced to settle conflict, have a high degree of "psychic safety"; when community is non-threatening, and people have control over contact with others...he notes positively tolerant people tend to be single, of high status and highly educated (148-49). Hmmmm. Is this because poor families are just trying to survive and have to stick together to help each other cope with a harsher reality? (This opens up a whole dialogue I don't have time to begin) Basically, this article goes on to say that urban spaces, despite our best intentions, cannot be designed to transform a whole city of people to practice positive tolerance (that is, behave with positive tolerance, not just verbally express it!). There are other implications, but I suggest reading the complete article. One last point, though is that to become a tolerant city, one must live with things like fear of urban crime and other "unDisneylike" features. I'm wondering, would Lofland find any city in the U.S. where positive tolerance is truly occuring? How do we measure whether a city truly exhibits positive or negative tolerance? One thing that comes to mind is an absence of hate crimes. When I return from Amsterdam, will I have a different perspective on what tolerance means, as well as a deeper understanding of my own personal level of tolerance?

Looking at Cities: Allan Jacobs

2006-05-03T20:15:00.000-07:00

Jacobs suggests specific elements to notice while wandering around a city, from architectural style to local residents; from sidewalks to scale and size of city blocks. His piece, although a bit lengthy for my taste, illustrated his skill at using clues during long walks around Testaccio, Rome and Bologna, Italy to determine key characteristics of each place. In Observing the Unknown, he reminds us to keep the context of a place in mind- for example, clues in India are different from clues in America.

Working directly with residents in low-income housing for almost ten years, many of the concepts were familiar, especially the discussion of substandard housing conditions. In Portland, there are many downtown SRO (single room occupancy) buildings that are falling apart, and especially unsafe for vulnerable populations. Many buildings are going through condo conversions this spring, so the character of the neighborhoods will change along with the residents who live there. One example of gentrification in Portland is the North Mississippi Avenue area in North Portland- once a predominately poor African American community, in the past five to ten years it has gradually transformed into a hip, artsy, "up and coming" place. I didn't live in PDX until four years ago, but it would have been interesting to witness the change. Apparently, my neighborhood, the Hawthorne District, had previously gone through the same process years before I came here.

After reading the Jacobs text, I find myself looking at my surroundings differently, and paying attention to details I may have overlooked pre-Jacobs. I see that the building across from my bus stop downtown looks like the whole top half reaching into the sky was an addition; the pale pink and grey (they might call in salmon) City Hall I pass every day on my route to work is dwarfed by much taller, flashy, modern looking buildings in the heart of downtown. Some of the older fountains, which were probably pretty snazzy and sophisticated when built, look a bit sad and worn as traffic swirls around them each rush hour.

Will I be able to notice these same issues in Amsterdam, a city I am unfamiliar with? Are Dutch people going to be willing to discuss the transformations that have taken place around them? Will the low income housing units be substandard on a similar level as the ones here in America?
What historic clues are waiting for my eyes? Will I get more of a sense of history there while walking around than I do in my own country, or is it just different?

Humanities Methods

2006-05-01T17:25:00.000-07:00

In thinking about verifiable and nonverifiable stories, I came up with questions regarding crimes affecting the Muslim community within Amsterdam (perhaps it was Professor Reddy's example of U.S. asylum seekers that prompted this train of thought). The murder of Theo Van Gogh is a well known/well publicized crime related to the tension between the non-Muslim and the Muslim community in Amsterdam. I began wondering how to combine the issue of crime and media with a population whom I haven't read much about with regard to hate crimes- Muslim women. It seems most of the literature I've found so far regarding Muslim women focuses on 1) their relationship to Muslim men or 2) the wearing of the headscarf. I'm wondering about hate crimes against Muslims and Muslim womens' perceptions of personal safety here:

Verifiable: How often has the Dutch media in Amsterdam reported on hate crimes against Muslim women in the past ten years? This question can be answered if one were to research it and count the number of reports in the past ten years; it is quantifiable.

Nonverifiable: Do Muslim women believe they are more, or less safe in Amsterdam today? Do they feel the media plays a role in this belief? This question is subjective, based on individual or group beliefs and opinions.

I liked Professor Reddy's explaination of Humanist versus Social Scientist- if I understand it correctly, Humanists ask question after question, while Social Scientists ask a question, then try to answer it/solve it. It seems that Humanists can then focus their energy on generating questions for the Social Scientist to solve? Or perhaps these questions just generate more questions, which aren't really meant to be solved.

Reading Amsterdam: A Traveler's Literary Companion

2006-04-27T22:35:00.000-07:00

I read several stories from this collection- my first (and perhaps favorite so far) is “Amsterdam” by Cees Nooteboom. It contains strikingly beautiful words offering a physical description of the land and water so essential to Amsterdam’s identity. I love the concept that a city consists of “everything that has been said there, dreamed, destroyed, undertaken...A city is all the words that have been uttered there, an unceasing, never-rending muttering, whispering, singing...” (p. 3) On page 4, “The city is a book to be read; the walker is the reader”...it really speaks of this almost spiritual experience of walking around a place with an awareness and understanding of the history, culture, people- an experience I hope to have while I’m wandering around Amsterdam.

Another favorite-“The Light at the End of the Tunnel” by Gerrit Komrij- a coming of age story about a boy named Jacob who journeys to Amsterdam There he discovers suede shoes, glowing cafes, face powder, and comes to terms with his gay identity. I really liked the imaginative description of the “light-up bookcase” and his struggle to find others he could relate to in the city. One of the best sentences is at the bottom of page 132, it made me giggle...

“A Pounding Heart” by Marion Bloem is about a small-town “good girl” who visits her Aunt Sissy in the Jordaan, and gets to know a restless, alive, vibrant Amsterdam while adventuring around the city with her badly behaved cousins. The image of the boys pushing the unlocked bicycles into the canal was entertaining; but the underlying theme that travel opens one up and forever changes your perspective and identity resonates deeply with me. The girl ends up buying a home in the Jordaan and ends her story by saying “I can’t live any longer without a pounding heart”. Some of the most transformative life experiences are ones that have been challenging or scary and new. But to push through that fear is so valuable and necessary.

Finally, “Rambling Around Centraal Station” by Geert Mak connected me to the same issues of poverty and homelessness here in America. It reminded me that some things are the same no matter where you go. The mention of condescending charitable services surprised me- I just assumed that it is more common in America. It will be interesting to directly face some of these subtle assumptions I have made about the culture and society there. I look forward to reading more from this collection.

Internet Research Methods

2006-04-27T20:33:00.000-07:00

Strengths:

Time efficient
Access to Digital Resources
Greater opportunity to collaborate with global partners

Weaknesses:

Risk loss of meaning
Lack of control over data/data sharing
Faulty technology systems

Internet Resources

2006-04-23T21:50:00.000-07:00

Here are some internet resources I may find useful in my research project on Islam, Information, and Media:
1. Peaktalk.com: This is a blog by Pieter Dorsman of the Netherlands (along with occasional contributions by friend Ginna Dowler), discussing international topics, news, and issues, and more. It is conveniently divided by topic, so clicking on "Van Gogh" for example will yield all blog posts related to Van Gogh. The blog posts seem very connected with many of the research topics I'm exploring, and may help me to narrow my research as well. I would contact Dorsman himself at Peiter@peaktalk.com

2. Euro-Islam.info: This is a helpful site with information about Islam & Muslims in Europe, which includes "Country Profiles" (various countries in Europe incl. the Netherlands) and contains information about Islam for each country such as demographics, education, bias/discrimination, public perception, media coverage, etc. It also has links to the latest news connected with Islam and the Netherlands as well as other Euro countries. The site is maintained by a group of professors and researchers representing a variety of backgrounds. I would likely contact Mallory S. Purdie, a researcher at University of Fribourg, Switzerland, via her email: Mallory.Purdie@unifr.ch because she is doing research on similar topics.

3. Understanding Islam is an online community discussion site where a couple hundred members discuss aspects of Islam. This would be helpful for me to familiarize myself with the Muslim community and be able to ask questions and get a variety of perspectives from different people. It allows me to put in subject keywords to search and will retrieve discussions based on the subject, such as "Tolerance in the Netherlands". I would begin by becoming a member and posting a topic for discussion, or by contacting the moderator, Aasem, at asembuxi@hotmail.com

Howard and Tatum Readings

2006-04-23T16:30:00.000-07:00

One of the interesting points Howard makes about online ethnography is the lack of connection or active participation between a researcher and the community they are studying, due to a lack of "physical entry into or exit from the community" (559). Last night, along with several co-workers and friends, I watched a documentary called Century Plaza, about the decaying Century Plaza Hotel here in Portland, that closed down in 2003. The film was an honest and brilliant snapshot of the lives of the low-income people who lived there until it closed. To make the film, Eric Lahey lived there for seven months, and he states, “Making a documentary is very much an exploratory process,” he says. “You don’t know at first where things are going. You find layers, and you wait for the moment that reveals how the story will unfold.” I imagine Lahey trying to study the same thing through online methods and cannot imagine how it would ever work. At least not with this particular community. Lahey's research and approach to interviewing the residents involved asking a question, and then, sitting, observing, and listening. This example illustrates that good research methodology will embrace whatever techniques are appropriate to the community being studied and the reading reflects that any approach, such as the social network analysis approach discussed by Howard, has both positive and problematic elements. The specific suggestions in the conclusion of this piece- such as applying network ethnography in stages and trying to get a "rough sense of community boundaries" before identifying a sample population- are helpful to keep in mind.

The Tatum article was interesting in terms of studying how Google bombs can help define or contribute to a social movement. When I first heard about the "miserable failure" Google bomb earlier this year, I was extremely excited because I felt that this clearly IS a way to make one's collective voice heard in an online environment, and that it is very powerful. Yet I am quite aware that I only felt this way about the ones I personally agree with! I think if the Google-bombing act becomes more of a regular practice, information on the Web will gradually lose its meaning and therefore, its power or validity unless search engines like Google are willing to implement some kind of action (as Tatum mentions) to block its effects. So although I find the humor in Google-bombing at the moment (again, only with the ones I agree with), and although I think it's important to find ways to support free speech and build social movements, I believe at a deeper level it probably does more harm than good.

Quote from Brilliant Orange

2006-04-18T13:31:00.000-07:00

Brilliant Orange by David Winner is an insightful read- not only into the history and dynamics of Dutch football- but it also gives an in depth view of the culture and the tradition of tolerance. Here is an interesting quote:
"When people think of Amsterdam, they think of our downtrodden "coffee shops" where you can buy many things but not coffee. They think we are very tolerant and multicultural. But Dutch tolerance was developed in order to keep the peace, to avoid trouble. It has never been a laissez-faire tolerance. The Netherlands I know is a rather disciplined, conformist, society...Our tolerance is always in the context of something highly organised and on the theme of consensus-building. Dutch culture is about being separate from each other. We created cultural difference and separation where physical separation was not available. We should not confuse this tradition with the image of a free-floating, carnivalesque, open-minded society. Of course, the image is part of the reality too. But it's only a small part." Interview with Paul Scheffer, pg.261

Pragmatic Tolerance, Films, and Rick Steves

2006-04-16T19:55:00.000-07:00

I'm responding here to a few different articles, as well as the films "Submission" and "Soldier of Orange".....
After reading the Pragmatic Tolerance article by Bert Gordijn, I feel that this approach is valuable but obviously challenging to achieve. I feel that Amsterdam is unique in the ability to establish an environment in which things are illegal but can be tolerated. As the author notes, this policy "can only be successful in a society in which certain historical and cultural conditions are given" (231). I cannot imagine the U.S. ever adopting this policy in the future- we operate in such a police state and spend so much time, energy and money trying to dictate morals to each other via the legal system. And the fabulous Rick Steves echos this in his articles, with examples illustrating the astounding amount of resources we put into our prison system. What if we could agree to spend our resources elsewhere, such as providing housing or food or higher wages for low income individuals and families? Would I even have a job as a social worker trying to assist elderly homeless people? Perhaps not. As I get older, I find myself getting greatly disenchanted with the U.S., and feeling that broadening my perspective by travelling abroad is less of a luxury and more of an essential need. I feel that even if I actively resist being an egotistic and "proud American" by living in a community that reflects my liberal values and beliefs (one reason I moved from the midwest to the west coast), even if I read literature from Africa or Cuba or learn other languages, even if I access alternative press that accurately reflects international issues, I still risk remaining immersed in my own little egotistic perspective- I hope that I will experience, like Rick, "life-changing travel"...
I thought the film "Submission" was very intense to watch, as it was meant to be. It was extremely powerful and brave. It's difficult to verbalize a reaction, almost. Why do we (the universal "we") put our safety and well-being below a belief system that allows abuse? Or is it that we misinterpret or manipulate the system so we can do what we want? We look at situations such as this film presents and immediately judge the woman, her abuser, the belief system that allows it. Can we look beyond, suspending our judgement for a moment, and have a real dialogue about the issues? What did the filmmaker hope for?
The film "Soldier of Orange" was powerful as well, and it successfully delivered a close perspective on the events of WWII and the German occupation of Holland. The group of friends in the film symbolized various choices one could make when faced with war- joining, avoiding, hiding, fighting, etc. (although the women seemed a bit stupid or ignorant at times). I always wonder what I would do in this situation. I've never been able to figure it out; reality is quite a different thing than speculation. Of course I would like to think I'd resist- but to what extent, how loudly?

Interdisciplinarity

2006-04-11T21:35:00.000-07:00

Julie T. Klein notes that “boundaries shift and overlap because ideas and techniques do not exist in fixed places” on pg.8 of the Interdisciplinarity reading. This reading was helpful; I now visualize interdisciplinary science as multiple spheres of data, ideas, knowledge and resources overlapping one another so that the middle sections (or shared spaces) form a new, fresh “whole”. (In my mind, traditional models appear as sturdy, separate boxes containing each field). Both have advantages and disadvantages, but I believe interdisciplinarity is a valuable approach in the Amsterdam seminar- not only because multiple perspectives and expertise add to the learning experience, but because it will generate new (and hopefully exciting) ideas in the process of the research. I think the challenge is, like Klein mentions, to continue this process; to continue generating and incorporating interdisciplinary methods throughout the process, even if this just means retaining “common interests and problems” etc. One question I have is- do we naturally use interdisciplinary approaches to solve problems, even if we don’t call it interdisciplinarity? Are there examples of situations we can think of where interdisciplinarity (oh, I love typing that!) has failed? Are there certain areas or disciplines in which it is more successful? I’m looking forward to understanding this concept on a deeper level throughout this course.

Final Abstract

2006-04-09T23:20:00.000-07:00

TITLE "Information politics and the information seeking behavior of the Dutch Islamic community in Amsterdam"

AUTHOR 1> NAME: Demi Antzoulatos
INSTITUTION: University of Washington
TEL: 360-472-0570
EMAIL: demia@u.washington.edu

AUTHOR 2> NAME: Engy Fahmy
INSTITUTION: University of Washington
TEL: 425-941-9130
EMAIL: efahmy@u.washington.edu

AUTHOR 3> NAME: Rebecca Martin
INSTITUTION: University of Washington
TEL: 503-235-5739
EMAIL: rjm13@u.washington.edu

ABSTRACT: With an increase in migration, the Netherlands has become the home of a large and influential Islamic community. The Dutch model of immigrant integration is based on the premise of all immigrants’ rights to “socioeconomic equality”, “inclusion in the political domain” and “equity in the domains of culture and religion”; meaning the right to have their own identity and authenticity within the Dutch environment. Given the current cultural clash between the West, and Islam; it is important to understand the underlying factors behind the success/failure of co-existence between the Dutch and the Muslim communities in Amsterdam. How and what information is made available to the Dutch people is instrumental because information directly affects people’s views, and their understanding of the world.The effect of information politics on the Dutch Islamic community in the Netherlands is the focus of this research study, with three overlapping components. First, the politics behind the choice of which information (newspapers, TV, and internet) is made available by information dispersing organizations. Second, the effect of information politics on the Muslim population , their general understanding of their own image as an immigrant group, as well as the native Dutch views on political media portrayal of Muslims. Third and final component is the Dutch Islamic community’s information seeking behavior.Data collection will combine a variety of research methods including interviews with the Muslim student community in the University of Amsterdam, preliminary online surveys, field observations in academic and public libraries in Amsterdam, and internet research. Using sound recordings, video recordings, and internet tools like wikis, blogs and the University of Washington catalyst tools, will facilitate and enhance our research. The main research goal is to understand the reasons behind the clash of cultures through efficient study of the role of information, communication and media politics.

Research Abstract

2006-04-05T16:42:00.000-07:00

(Credit and thanks to Engy and Demi for the abstract here)
Our research will address the effect of information politics on the information seeking behavior in the Dutch Islamic community in the Netherlands.
Addressing the global dichotomy between fact and generated media about Islam is the focus of this research study, with three overlapping components. First, the politics behind the choice of which information is made available by information dispersing organizations (back-end information politics), will be studied. Second, the effect of information politics on the Muslim population information seeking behavior, their general understanding of their own image as an immigrant group, as well as the native Dutch reaction and views of political media portrayal of Muslims will be observed, studied, and assessed. The final component is the Dutch Islamic community and its culture in Amsterdam.

With an increase in migration, the Netherlands has become the home of a large and influential Islamic community. Current events show that there is a cultural clash between the civilizations of the West, and Islam. Therefore, it is important to try to understand the underlying factors behind the success/failure of co-existence between the Dutch and the Muslim communities in the Netherlands. The Netherlands is a political model for the rest of the world as well as a social model for much of the western world because of the success of their liberal social policies. How and what information on this situation is made available to the Dutch people, and therefore the rest of the world, is relevant because information directly affects people’s views and their understanding of the world.

Data collection will combine a variety of research methods including interviews, online surveys, general field observations, and internet research using a variety of digital technologies. We will attempt to clarify the reasons behind the current clash of cultures through efficient study of the role of information, communication and media politics.

1. What, if any, information politics are involved in the availability of information (on the Islamic community) in the Netherlands?
2. What is the information seeking behavior in the Netherlands?
3. What information is available on the Islamic community in Amsterdam?
4. How accurate is the information that is made available to the public on the Islamic community?

Reflecting on Chps 9-10: Geert Mak's Amsterdam

2006-04-02T20:28:00.000-07:00

This reading, along with some similar themes in Brilliant Orange by David Winner, was incredibly insightful for me. I was mostly unaware how the Holocaust specifically affected Amsterdam. I have read about the Holocaust and walked the Dachau concentration camp grounds in Germany in 1999. Like others, I knew the Anne Frank story and even own The Diary of Anne Frank but was still shocked to know that 75-80,000 Jewish citizens were taken from Amsterdam, leaving only 5,000 in the area. One of the interesting stories within the history was the story of Gijs Van Hall, the courageous hero of one era who became an enemy from the youth perspective in a new era, the 1960’s. This story illustrated the value in processing traumatic events after they occur on many levels- national, community and personal levels- and the importance of both learning the history and grieving for the losses after such a trauma. It seems the youthful hatred of Van Hall was possible with a lack of understanding about his role in the resistance, with no desire to learn from the past. He was symbolic to the youth, standing for “inflexible authority” (p.292).

I remember in my visit to Dachau being shocked to witness young Japanese tourists playfully posing in front of the life-size photos of concentration camp prisoners, imitating their expressions and poses for the camera. It seemed to dishonor everything the place stood for; everything it was trying to say. So I don’t know that being told the history is enough. It must take a personal connection to make a difference. It seems that there was little process of learning, reflecting, and grieving; instead the focus was surviving, then rebuilding. Perhaps this is why in the 1974 World Cup football finals against Germany- about 30 years later- it was so heartbreaking for Amsterdam to lose, as Winner describes in Brilliant Orange. Some questions for reflection: How could the tragedy of losing so many Jews who were a significant part of Amsterdam life and culture been addressed differently after the war? Is it important to hold passive Amsterdammers (those who didn’t have direct roles in the Final Solution) accountable for what happened? Does Amsterdam, in 2006, still have steps to go through in order to heal from the Holocaust?

Introduction to Me

2006-03-24T20:21:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,
Here is an introduction to me- enjoy!

I was born in July 1975 in the small midwest town of Hutchinson, Kansas, and I am one of three children. My older bro, Jeff, is a jazz musician in the DC area and younger bro, Danny is a wildlife biologist in CO. My parents, now divorced, still live in KS. I grew up in Newton, KS and attended the University of KS from 1993-1998 studying music (piano and clarinet) and social work. I earned a degree in social work in 1998. I lived in Ft.Collins, CO from 1998-2002, working at a bookstore and then as a housing counselor for low income single moms. I adopted two cats, Aslan (from Chronicles of Narnia, a favorite book series) and Sabine (a German name I liked). They are quite a pair- very affectionate and entertaining.

In 2002, my boyfriend Mark and I and our cats moved to Portland, OR to pursue work and a dream of living on the West Coast near the ocean. Mark is a civil engineer in water resources and I do social work, specifically Information and Referral service for a small nonprofit in downtown PDX that helps low income seniors. In August, 2003 we got married on the beach in the small coastal town of Oceanside. It was an amazing experience. I love Portland, living in the SE area, walking to cafes, shops, the grocery store, movies, and my favorite browsing place, Powell's Books! Some other favorites of mine include reading novels, making jewelry and cards, hiking, listening to jazz, traveling, writing, and yoga. Words that describe me include: funny, sensitive, compassionate, introspective, idealistic, clumsy, impulsive, and creative.

I am a first year distance student in the Masters of Library and Information Science (dMLIS) program. I do most of my graduate work online, and also work 30 hours/wk at my job. I am interested in public librarianship, including children/youth and reference, and I plan on doing research regarding digital reference services. I am very interested in social/cultural issues in Amsterdam. I have a good friend Trish, who lives in Amsterdam and can offer a more "up close and personal" perspective on the culture there. I look forward to getting to know everyone, and will try to come to Seattle when I can.

Welcome

2006-03-10T11:29:00.000-08:00

Hallo and welcome to my blog, aka De Avonturen van Rebecca!

("The Adventures of Rebecca") I will head to Amsterdam at the end of July for a month-long experience immersed in Dutch life and culture. I hope to do research on digital reference, or something related. I applied for this research opportunity on a whim, thinking WHY NOT?

Since I couldn't think of a reason why not, I applied and well, here I am! I admit I'm a bit nervous, but mostly excited. I hope this website will become bilingual as I learn Dutch.

Mei het avontuur begint (may the adventure begin)!