How intersectional identities can transform intersectional Dissertation

How intersectional identities can transform intersectional disadvantage into public appreciation through sports - Dissertation Example It is argued that there is a public romance with sports in which black athletes such as Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan and Pele together with homosexual Carl Lewis have challenged stereotypical attitudes toward homosexuals and racial minorities.4 In other words, there are opportunities for minorities in sports to penetrate intersectional boundaries and to not only gain acceptance, but to also be admired. This research study will demonstrate the opportunities according competitive sports for transcending intersectional boundaries by reference to South Africa’s Rugby League. South Africa, a country that has transitioned from apartheid to democracy in the late 20th century provides an example of both extremes: oppression and equality in sports. This study will therefore be divided into four parts. The first part of this study defines intersectionalities and provides an analysis of sports generally. The second part of this paper provides an intersectional analysis of sports in South Africa’s Rugby league during apartheid. The third part of this study conducts an intersectional analysis of sports in post-Apartheid South Africa’s Rugby League. The final part of the paper analyses intersectionalities in sports today. Part I: Introduction Davis defines intersectionality as: †¦the interaction between gender, race, and other categories of diffiference in individual lives, social practices, institutional arrangements, and cultural ideologies and the outcomes of these interactions in terms of power.5 The term intersectionality was introduced by Kimberle Crenshaw in 1989 as a means of providing more profound insight into the experiences of non-white women. Crenshaw felt that feminist studies did not adequately address the special circumstances that women of diverse racial minorities experienced. Crenshaw argued that there was a need to demonstrate how both gender and race interacted to inform the experiences of women of colour.6 Today, intersectionali ty theory is understood as a means of analyzing the intersection between gender, race, class and ethnicity and how these interactions are manifested in community settings, institutions and the daily lives on individuals and their interactions with others.7 Essentially, intersectionality takes the postion that different social entities are made up of different identities. For example black people are comprised of black heterosexuals, black homosexuals and my other identities. Intersectionality theory argues that the different status identities of members of a social group will correspond with the extent to which the individual will likely be discriminated against.8 Over the last ten or so years there has been an intensifying growth in intersectional analyses as a result of an appreciation for the realization that identities are multidimensional and are constantly changing and formed by â€Å"power† through â€Å"additional categories as social class, sexuality, and

Japanese Tea ceremony Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Japanese Tea ceremony - Research Paper Example The cult of drinking tea in Japan quickly spread during 794-1185 (Heian period) to the Imperial Court and soon transformed into the simple pleasure. The tea that was used at the time was referred as ‘black tea’ that was made by pounding the tea leaves into the paste and then molding it into the shapes that resembles the dumplings (Mori, 1991). The gatherings that were gathered for these tea drinking sessions sat on the folding stools that were prepared specifically for these events. The characteristic and mood of the tea drinking during the Heian period can be compared to the modern tranquil coffee shop. The powdered green tea that is the focus of the Japanese tea ceremony today and in the ancient times in japan was not introduced until during the 12th century in the Kamakura period (1185-1336) where Eisai (priest) introduced the use of the powder green tea referred as matcha (Mori, 1991). The matcha is whipped in the boiling water with the bamboo whisk and it was the mainstay of the Zen Buddhism meditation as well as acting as a stimulant for helping to keep the monks awake. The match emerged from the confines of Zen Buddhist in the early 14th century owing to its high popularity for the taste and its increased demand, leading to its spread to the rural communities and the Samurai class. This method of the tea drinking advanced and become popularly known as the cha yoriai (tea gatherings) and it has a sharp contrast to the peaceful and quiet pleasure that was enjoyed by the Heian nobility. Additionally, the cha yoriai can be compared to the wine-testing competitions that are conducted in the Europe today. The tea ceremony in japan underwent quick transformation under the leadership of the Takeno Jo-o (1502-1555). Takeno Jo-o brought the tea drinking into the newly established and flourishing merchant class in the native city of Sakai, Nara and Kyoto. While the Shuko’s tea aesthetics largely involved the creation of the harmony