Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Arts and Humanities

Major Realist Theories in International Relations

Classical Realism

• Key Thinkers: Thucydides, Machiavelli, Morgenthau, E.H. Carr.
• Objectivity: Weak.
• Core Concepts: Anarchy, proto-scientific knowledge. IR viewed as a zero-sum game focused on power distribution.
• Dynamics: Security dilemma and relative rather than absolute gain. States are seen as arrogant and benign.
• Focus: National Interest and power distribution.
• Intervening Variables: Ethics, values, and domestic politics.
• Theory Type: Explanatory, predictive (limited normative).
• Outcomes/Interests: Hegemony, balance of power, bandwagoning. Survival, security, power. Mixed outcomes likely for war; history tends to repeat itself.
• Examples: Peloponnesian War, Peace of Westphalia, Concert of Europe.

Structural

Common Professions and Occupations

• Accountant (Contable): A person whose job is to keep or inspect financial accounts.
• Architect (Arquitecto): A person who designs buildings.
• Astronomer (Astrónomo): A person who studies the moon, planets, stars, and the universe.
• Bricklayer (Albañil): A person trained or skilled in laying bricks.
• Butcher (Carnicero): One who kills animals and prepares the meat for food.
• Carpenter (Carpintero): A person who practices carpentry.
• Designer (Diseñador/a): A person whose job is to plan the form or structure of something.
• Dustman / Refuse Collector (Basurero): A person whose job is to collect domestic refuse.
• Engineer (Ingeniero/a): A person who designs, builds, or maintains engines, machines, or public works.
• Factory Worker

Electronic Dance Music Concert (EDM)

Electronic Dance Music (EDM) is a set of percussive electronic music genres produced primarily for dance-based environments, such as nightclubs (e.g., Swedish House Mafia).

Example: Swedish House Mafia is a group made up of three Swedish musicians: Axwell, Sebastian Ingrosso, and Steve Angello.

What motivates people to visit these concerts?

Attendees go to enjoy music and dance, interact with people, and have a sense of belonging.

What is different about this concert?

• Music is mixed and experimented with as the show progresses.
• Typically no live singing or use of traditional instruments; instead electronic drums and synthesizers are used.
• The focus is on beats and musical progression to build excitement.

Stage sound

Victorian Novel Characteristics

Defining Features of Victorian Novels

• Referred to as "Large Loose Baggy Monsters" (Henry James)
• Often published as serials or "three-deckers"
• Driven by commercial success and the novel's popularity
• Episodic, multi-plot narratives, panoramic scope
• Voracious in thematic appetites

Realism in Victorian Fiction

• Characterized by "detailism" and empiricism
• Reflects an image-based culture
• Focus on individual consciousness
• Moral realism (e.g., George Eliot)
• Utilizes free indirect discourse versus omniscience

The Comic Form of Realism

• Explores the tension between innocence and worldliness
• Contrasts dream versus reality
• Examines the role of money in society

Key Forms of Victorian Novels

Industrial Novels: Social Commentary

• Prominent authors:

The Main Goal of Feminist Criticism

The main goal of feminist criticism is to make visible and erase women’s oppression in a patriarchal society by drawing attention to its representation in literature.

French Feminism: Basic Principles

French feminism seeks to define an écriture féminine on the basis of the psychological “politics” of language itself. If language belongs not to women but to a masculine social order, the distinctive female literary strategy will be to subvert it.

French vs. British Feminist Criticism

• British Feminist Criticism: Although drawing upon both American and French approaches, it has usually been more historical and sociological.
• French Feminist Criticism: It is primarily based on the psychological “politics”

The Evolution of Human Communication

Cave paintings, hieroglyphics, and pictograms have been used to communicate thought pictures throughout history. Emoticons were originally invented by a mobile phone company to attract teenagers. We are crazy about emoticons because when we speak face-to-face, we use much more than words; for example, our tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language. However, when we communicate by messaging, all these parts are lost, and as a consequence, people can misunderstand us. Through emoticons, however, we can get our message across effectively.

Personal Growth and Living Abroad

In today's global world, communication is more important than ever. It is a huge advantage to speak different languages and understand... Continue reading "Modern Communication and Personal Growth Abroad" »

Exam Review

Class #1: That's Entertainment!

"That's Entertainment!" – a 1974 film that got me hooked on the movies.

Brief background on the studio system: MGM, Warner Bros., Paramount, Universal, Columbia.

"Boy, do we need it now" was the slogan during the Vietnam War and Watergate.

It was the 50^th anniversary of MGM.

Road Show Picture: overtures, intermission, souvenir program.

Musical film: an original American art form.

"La La Land" drew inspiration from "Begin the Beguine," "Dancing in the Dark," and "American in Paris Ballet."

An era when movie stars could be singers and dancers, such as Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, and Judy Garland.

Esther Williams starred in "Aqua Musicals."

Blackface: an outgrowth of Minstrel Shows – more later.

Lena Horne and... Continue reading "Classic Hollywood Cinema: Musicals and Comedians" »

Filming

Continuity: ensuring that the details of a scene (e.g. hair style and length, clothing details, prop positions) match and make sense when moving from one shot to another.

What is an Audio Mixer?

An audio mixer combines an array of inputs into a few controllable outputs. It features a variety of controls.

The channels are laid out in strips. The signal comes in physically through the back of the device, then passes through that channel's various controls from top to bottom, with the gain or trim at the top and the fader at the bottom.

Step 2: Gain/Trim

The gain knob sets the "input volume." Because of the way a sound signal is composed of several different sounds at different volumes mixed together, the gain will naturally eliminate some of the very quiet signals unless it is set very high.

Using Gain: Gain should be used just like any other control knob: to set the kind of sound you want and its quality. Any gain... Continue reading "Audio Mixer Basics: Understanding Controls and Signal Flow" »