Coursework ideas: Band Aid

Band Aid (1984) - Do they know its Christmas? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjQzJAKxTrE
Band Aid II (1989) - Do they know its Christmas? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83xYDazJavE
Band Aid 20 (2004) - Do they know its Christmas? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5vMdmajxFY
Band Aid 30 (2014)- Do they know its Christmas? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1jeiC-JEsI

It can be argued that the evolution of 'Band Aid' is to reach new audiences in younger generations, spreading the message to everyone. The use of You-tubers such as Zoella and young pop-sensations such as One Direction and Olly Murs mean that the message can reach larger audiences in western culture. (Evolution of Band-Aid - http://www.webwombat.com.au/entertain/pages/entertainment/music/band-aid-do-they-know-its-christmas-history.htm) -Mode of address

http://news.sky.com/story/1374910/bob-geldof-denies-adele-band-aid-song-snub - Bob Geldof interview with Sky News, interviewer states that if  "People like Bono paid their taxes correctly then there would be no need to rehash the song". - Marxism

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/ebola/11236278/Why-Adele-was-right-to-ignore-Bob-Geldof-and-Band-Aid.html - arguing Adeles side on Band Aid 'snub'. Adele was snubbed for not attending the Band Aid recording, yet as she has a toddler to care for she privately donated money to Oxfam. This is apparently 'not done' in celebrity world. Post-colonialism (the expectations of people with higher power)

Angela Barry: The Other - Songs like Band Aids' provide stereotypes to the 'Other', such as them being the 'dependant', shown as victims. -Post-colonialism

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/band-aid-30-ditched-the-only-halfdecent-line-it-had-9867716.html - the changing of the lyrics from "Well tonight thank god its them, instead of you" to "Tonight were reaching out and touching you". It could be argued that this is because we live in a postmodern society in the west, where the original line could be under-analysed and seen as selfish, even though it is pinpointing the selfishness of not giving to the cause, not the selfishness of the lyric itself. The article states that the reason for this may be to not cause a 'twitter' rage over the line, which can easily be done in this mislead post-modern society. - Postmodern

Campaigns first started with Telethons and celebrity filled rallys to gain awareness. Band Aid has grown with Technology to a certain extent, now moving to iTunes and purchasing the track via mobile etc. http://www.cbc.ca/m/touch/news/story/1.2840715 - This link shows quotes from Caroline Riseboro, a VP in marketing for Addicts and Mental Health. She says "I would say the celebrity telethon for charity is dead," and "Compared to 30 years ago, accessible information and travel has allowed the public to educate themselves, and challenge some of the statements that celebrities can make.". This is where more campaign methods have been created, such as the Ice-Bucket Challenge for ALS Research, No-makeup Selfie for Cancer Research UK and Movember for Mens Health. These are more 'democratic efforts' of raising awareness and giving to charity that Band Aid haven't quite tapped into yet. Technology, Mode of Address and Post-modernism - Global Village/Electronic Village

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/band-aid-30-you-know-it-must-be-christmas-when-everyones-shouting-about-a-charity-single-9881668.html - Fuse ODG turns down chance on "Do they know its Christmas?" because of the skewed representation on Africa, refusing to sing “There is no peace and joy in West Africa this Christmas”, when he says: “For the past four years I have gone to Ghana at Christmas for the sole purpose of peace and joy.” -Postcolonialism, Angela Barry and the Other

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/band-aid-30-emeli-sande-says-lyrics-for-do-they-know-its-christmas-need-to-be-rewritten-and-admits-her-own-edits-were-rejected-9878221.html - Emeli Sande and Angelique Kidjo also challenged this stereotypical view of Africa by attempting to change the lyrics in the song, although Bob Geldof did not allow the original song to be 'changed with the times'. Emeli says she is "so proud of my Zambian heritage. No offence or disrespect to the beautiful and prosperous continent was ever intended. In my eyes, this song is specifically addressing a medical crisis, which is very real and in urgent need of awareness and support.", yet still agrees that some less offensive lyrics should have been incorporated into the song to give a more positive representation on Africa and rid of the negative connotations surrounding the continent. Post-colonialism, Anglea Barry and the Other

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/nov/18/band-aid-30-becomes-fastest-selling-single-of-2014 - Band aids sales figures in the first weeks and Sir Bob Geldofs quote on the 'digital age'. - Postmodernism


http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/bob-geldof-hits-back-at-band-aid-critics-they-can-fck-off-9912594.html - Nick Dearden who is the director of the World Development Movement, argues in an interview at London Live that Bob Geldof is "ignoring the fact that Africa is in a political crisis caused by the western world", and that he is portraying an "ignorant vision of Africa" through his lyrics such as "a world of dreaded fear", "how can they know its christmas time at all?" - yet the majority of Africans are christian and celebrate christmas.
Plan:
Title: Are Band-Aids efforts in raising awareness truly
Intro - Link to Wondrous Stories, factual information (record label, when it was released, sales figures)
Para 1 - Postcolonial
Para 2 -
Para 3 -
Para 4 -
Para 5 -
Conclusion -

Dapper Laughs:

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/nov/17/dapper-laughs-itv-turn-off-vine-vlogger

Dapper Laughs was a 'vine' star, known for his short vine and Facebook clips which the comedy featured usually revolved around the sexualisation and objectification of women, showing younger generations that it is okay to treat women disrespectfully.

The show Dapper Laughs: On the Pull, which aired on ITV was shut off after the first series as it received 10x more criticism than his vines.

Postmodernity: Description

Postmodernism is largely a reaction to the assumed certainty of scientific, or objective, efforts to explain reality. 'Looking for meaning in a meaningless world'

Links for postmodernism: 

http://www.sparknotes.com/history/european/enlightenment/summary.html 

http://www.essortment.com/definition-postmodernism-20903.html - an in depth description on post modernism

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0DwRAVJZ4A - This definition is not accurate. Dadaism is more 'weird for the sake of weird'. Postmodernism is just playing with what has gone before, and self-reflexivity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFrhZhyf2_Q&feature=channel&list=UL - song about postmodernity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3ymGcDskys&feature=related - hungarian animation about postmodernity

Coursework ideas

Are Disney Princesses in actual fact role models to younger generations?

http://www.ranker.com/list/7-disney-princesses-that-make-the-worst-role-models/molly-mahan?format=SLIDESHOW&page=1 - analysis as to why the princesses aren't feminist and are bad role models.

http://micechat.com/71968-feminism-and-disney-princesses/ - an analysis as to why they are role models and very feminist.

-                      Ask a little girl if the scene where they sing “A Girl Worth Fighting For” where Mulan says “a girl who speaks her mind” and the men respond “Nah!” is supposed to be taken seriously, 99.99% of them will look at you like your crazy. 

-                    Oh, Mulan. She’s meant to be non-offensive, and she ends up being not-anything. Despite claims to the contrary, she’s not a feminist hero. She has to dress as a boy to achieve selfhood, and refuses political influence in order to return to the domestic constraints of her father and husband-to-be. The movie itself doesn’t even pass the Bechdel test, if you consider that the only topic the other female characters discuss is Mulan’s marriageability – a hypothetical relationship with a man. The final defeat of the antagonist is achieved by the male Mushu riding on a phallic firecracker, as Mulan flails helplessly at his feet. Positive female role model? Case closed.

-                 For my final piece of analysis I wanted to look at the ending after Mulan saved the entire city from the Hun’s. She is offered a job by the Emperor as the Emperor’s consul in which she refuses so she can return home and be with her family. This was the most shocking moment because she had the chance to be empowered beyond many men and yet she decided to return home. This gave me the speculation of her in the end playing into the stereotype of what women should be like: homemakers.

http://thesnarkwhohuntsback.wordpress.com/2013/08/20/things-feminists-hate-disney-princesses-mulan/ - feminists issues on the movie 'Mulan'.

http://feministtruths.blogspot.co.uk/2008/11/disney-princesses-capitalism-and.html - against capitalism of disney

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZyVNDti2Fg - video on deconstructing disney 'happily never after'

http://rmonaleza.wordpress.com/2012/04/28/the-paradigm-of-the-disney-princess/ - very in depth article of the change from oldto new disney, taking on issues such as ethnical and feminist views.


-         Men want girls with good taste

Calm

Obedient 

Who work fast-paced 

With good breeding 

And a tiny waist 

You'll bring honor to us all (youll bring honor to us all lyrics)
-        Did they send me daughters when I asked for sons? (make a man out of you lyrics)
-        How 'bout a girl who's got a brain 

Who always speaks her mind? 

Nah! (a girl worth fighting for lyrics)
http://www.fpx.de/fp/Disney/Lyrics/Mulan.html - mulan lyrics

https://sites.google.com/site/disneyprincessproject/home/how-gender-is-constructed - blog posts on disney princesses affecting self esteem and gratifying gender roles

http://www.scoop.it/t/the-effects-of-the-feminist-movements-on-the-disney-princesses - list of articles all relating to disney princesses and feminism

http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2012/05/30/the_merchandising_for_brave_breaks_the_mold_of_the_disney_princess_while_still_appealing_to_girls_.html - how brave is marketed in shops

http://ldeare1.wordpress.com/2011/06/20/38/ - a whole new world of consumerism

Marxism and Market Liberalism revision questions:

Which particular form of inequality are Marxists interested in?
Social and economic inequality - this inequality can be seen in society in contexts such as wages, where the politicians get £80k+ a year and the reserve pools of labour are on minimum wage or 0 hour contracts. Also it can be seen when there is a hierarchy in social classes such as higher classes who penalize the lower classes.

How does Marxist thought divide society?
Marxist thoughts can divide society into two roles, proletariat and bourgeoisie. 
Bourgeoisie: Those who have an effective and active role in governing society, controlling those lower than them. These people have the upper hand in the production.
Proletariat: Those who do not have an effective and active role in governing society, controlled by those higher than them (the bourgeoisie). Need to sell their labour for the people with higher power.

What is an example of what a Marxist would see as exploitation?
Marxists would see the selling of products for profit an exploitation of the working force who sell their labour to the company's and receive nothing back.  An example of this is Cadburys, where all the profit from the chocolate sold goes to the company and not the loyal workers that have been there 30/40 years. Suddenly all of the workers were made redundant so the company could make more profit from employing cheaper staff members in Poland, which a Marxist would see as an exploitation of the original work force.

In what ways does Marxist thought suggest we are in false consciousness?
Marxist thought suggests that we are in false consciousness as we are distracted by the false needs placed on us through capitalism. Marxists state that equal society is not a Utopian ideology, but an achievable goal if we open our eyes to recognize that capitalism is making us consume more than we need to. Russell Brand touches on this in his Revolution book, asking how are we allowing this to happen? Upgrades on phones and everyday appliances are seen as false needs which capitalists force us to buy into.

What benefits might a market liberal (capitalist) system bring to the population?
Escaping poverty through working, earning and saving for your living. Also, it allows people to buy labour saving devices through the market price(a fair price in a capitalists eyes), such as dishwashers, washing machines, microwaves and so forth, making life easier for us westerners.

How are false needs reinforced, according to Marxist thought?
False needs are reinforced to society through basic agents of socialization, which capitalist markets target to address the widest audience and get the biggest profit from. These agents of socialization are things such as the media and our peer groups, where if one person has a trend, everyone must have a trend, otherwise we are deemed 'uncool' or we don't fit in. This false need imposed on us by capitalism is links with the Pygmalion effect or self fulfilling prophecy.

Illustrate Baumans ideas about the 'perpetual non-satisfaction' of consumers?
Baumans ideas on perpetual non-satisfaction basically mean that as long as consumers are not satisfied with a product for a long time (as the product does not last), the consumer will repeatedly have to put money into the large companies to replace their items, a cycle purposely placed by the capitalists that run the large companies, such as the first light bulbs ever made, which were given 1500 less hours of light so that customers would have to buy more. 
Definition: Perpetual - never ending or changing, reoccurring. 

Explain why we might pay more for a product than we think it is actually worth?
We may do this to increase our self-esteem, part of the self-fulfilling prophecy touched upon in the AS year of the course. It could be argued that we are not actually aware that we are paying more for something than its worth, as it could be said that we are falsely conscious and not aware of what capitalism is doing to us.

What do critics of late capitalism such as Paul Moore and Bill Gates suggest is needed to make capitalism more acceptable?


What does market liberalist thought suggest when it criticizes Marxism as promoting a 'utopian ideal'?

Iggy Pop on John Peel Lecture

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04lcj6z

Polly Toynbee with John Lydon

Polly Toynbee speaking to John Lydon on Russell Brands opinions for change in his call for Revolution:
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/video/2014/oct/15/john-lydon-russell-brand-revolution-video?CMP=twt_gu

Polly Toynbee is a writer for the guardian, who is known for her opinions on political matters written in her articles. She is in an interview here with John Lydon, singer of the Sex Pistols, who is much like Russell Brand in the fact that he is trying to redeem himself in the medias eye by taking on political issues.

In the interview, Toynbee states that "The time in history we were most equal was in 1977"
Former Sex Pistol John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten, tells Polly Toynbee that comedian Russell Brand's call for people not to vote is ignorant, flippant and liable to 'make you all homeless'. Lydon also explains why he'd never vote Conservative, labels Ukip 'morons' and calls anarchy a 'mind game for the middle classes'
Russell Brands response to their criticism:
 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/russell-brand-occupies-wall-street-and-calls-for-revolution-again-9798218.html