Global Posts

Here is the link to photos for this post!

I threw my head back into the crisp water pouring down on me, relishing the instant sense of refreshment and relief and the delicious coolness on my scalp. The sensation was so soothing it made me want to sing- and so I did. There in the hostel bathroom in Santiago, my lungs filled with air and new life- I’ve made it to the last country of this trip. I can finally feel how close I am to the finish line, to returning home. And on the nearly 16-hour flight that we took from Amman, Jordan to get here, I had plenty of time to reflect on the past three weeks and what I learned from my time in the Hashemite Kingdom.

There are two parts of our Jordan visit that will stick with me the longest, I think. The first was our excursion to the Southern Badia region of the country, during which we walked the Sikh and wandered around Petra, we rode camels in Wadi Rum, we met, spoke, drank tea with, and learned from members of the native Bedouin tribe, and we basked in the beauty and geographical significance of Aqaba- Jordan’s only coastal town. I will never forget standing on the rocky beach on the edge of the Red Sea, looking out into the dusky evening sky and being able to see a sliver of Sinai Peninsula of Egypt and a fragment of Palestine off in the distance. It was profound to stand there and to realize how deeply interconnected the Middle East has been since the dawn of time, and to be there as a student experiencing such extreme luxury (our amazing country coordinator, Dr. Majd, put us up in a five-star hotel during our stay in Aqaba) whilst existing in close proximity to such extreme suffering, just across the water. The sky weighed heavy on the sea in-between, and it was hard not to feel guilty that we had ended up as tourists on one shore simply by virtue of where we were born and who we were born to- we did not earn our privilege, just as nobody in Palestine (or anywhere, for that matter) deserves the violence that has come upon them.

I will also never forget our site visits during our excursion to the South. We made multiple visits to women-led and women-run community-based organizations that seek to help Bedouin women generate income- this is important work, because Bedouin women face serious social, economic, and geographic barriers to financial autonomy (which often acts as the catalyst for other forms of female empowerment in the home and community). The Disi Women’s Cooperative was my favorite of such organizations- it was founded by a Bedouin woman who recognized a need for income-generating activities and female social empowerment in her community. Like many rural areas around the world, Jordan’s Southern Badia is less developed, more politically and socially conservative, and more geographically isolated than Jordan’s urban centers (Potter, 2023). As such, women who reside in this region tend to face even stricter regulations pertaining to their mobility, their right to assembly, their freedom of speech, and their right to decent work than do urban women in Amman. In response to these issues, the Disi Women’s Cooperative helps teach rural women how to create and run successful in-home businesses where they sell products they learn to create at the Cooperative, such as hand-woven rugs and tote bags, dishware and sculptures made of pottery, and Bedouin medicinal remedies made from native herbs that the women grow and harvest themselves. Women also have the opportunity to advance their English skills at the center by taking language classes, and they are able to form friendships and networking connections with other women who participate in Cooperative programming (2023). It was amazing to see what these women were capable of withstanding and overcoming simply by having a space to call their own- a space to organize, plan, exchange ideas, sympathize, heal, and create together.

The second part of our time in Jordan that meant the most to me took place on our excursion to the North- to Jarash, Ajloun, and the small village of Najdeh. While in Najdeh, my peers and I were given an unprecedented opportunity. For roughly two hours, we were able to meet and speak to four Palestinians who are survivors of persecution and displacement as a result of conflict and genocide by Israeli forces in Palestine. Two of our speakers live in Gaza camp and two in Souf camp, two of Jordan’s largest refugee camps. There was one man- Majed, a slender man in his mid-50s who is a schoolteacher in one of Gaza camp’s UNRWA-funded, 2-shift schools- and three women- Betool, a photographer and writer who teaches youth photography in Gaza camp, Hanaan, a CBO organizer and the director of the Women’s Committee in Souf camp, and Lubna, who recently earned a masters in Nursing after also completing a PhD in environmental engineering.

The speakers took turns answering our questions and sharing bits and pieces about themselves- Majed was born in Gaza camp and has never even seen Palestine, but he has spent his entire life fighting for a future there and strengthening the minds of younger generations so that they might have a better chance at freedom. Betool captures the lifeblood of community, hardship, joy, and resistance in Gaza camp with her moving photographs, which she posts online and spreads around the world. Hanaan works with women in Souf camp to help them raise their voices and find comfort in the support of other women. Lubna continues to volunteer in her community to “make herself useful” while she applies for jobs- having 2 PhD’s has thus far failed to shelter her from Jordan’s unemployment crisis. Majed said something that struck me as very surprising towards the end of our conversation- after being asked, “What message about Palestine do you think it’s most important for us to take back to the U.S, as students and as ambassadors for your nation’s cause?” he said, “Remember that Palestine will never forget what the American students have done for us. There is no bad blood between Palestine and the American people- We are grateful for the awareness you have brought to our struggles.” While Majed was speaking on the behalf of many people in that moment, the others nodded along with him. A sense of awe came over me. I could not believe the emotional capacity of this man- to have seen and felt so much death and destruction at the hands of U.S tax dollars sent in twisted military care-packages to Israel and to re-iterate to us that he has love for the American people?! The strength, the kindness, the perseverance, the resilience of his spirit swallowed me whole.

The rest of our time we spent back in Amman, visiting other CBOs and CSOs and attending lectures on topics that included Islamic Feminism, the history of British occupation in Jordan, and the 1993 Israel/Palestine peace treaty in the context of all that has happened since. It was after one of our Israel/Palestine lectures that Dr. Khan stepped up and gave us a timeline of U.S involvement in the Middle-East from the Cold War onwards. Listening to him speak about this was the very first time I had ever heard about the Soviet Union and the United States’ tug-of-war in Afghanistan, the U.S’s state sponsorship of the Mujahedeen through provision of weapons, the establishing of schools that taught extremist Islamic ideals and created child armies… I fought tears of frustration as I listened to Dr. Khan speak. I felt so ashamed to have lived 20 years without knowing or understanding the depth of the violence that my country has created, funded, and inflicted on this region of the world. Later that day I wrote a poem about it, which I’ll include here.

Another American Evil I Didn’t Know About Until Last Week

It reeks of U.S…

forced entry at a vulnerable hour,

proudly cloaked in moneypower,

that we sucked out of Black others,

and then we taught you to be extreme.

In this warped institution, under the US constitution,

AKs should shoot semicolons at the ends of holy passages and holy people. 

Put down the pen and gather reams of information.

Gun-metal gleaming In the hands of angry children, 

looking for anyone to blame but God.

And when we did not love your angry 

children,

and they used the weapons given by U.S.

to try to burn U.S. down,

we trained terrier meatheads to track 

the scent of a terror that’s traced to our teachings.

Unearthed were the strings,

sewed into the soft backs of angry child puppets,

as we pulled them by their wrapped heads to the altar of US national security.

Executed for executive protection.

We know that the hearts of our men hurt

as they kill ancient brothers in the name of what we call justice, 

but justice has its fingers broken from clawing at the choppers when they leave it behind, crying

on the tarmac, knowing it will die.

And everyone knows that freedom matters 

more than human life,

when the human in question does not 

flatter U.S.

Nothing more than a poor, angry child with the gun that we hired as it’s babysitter;

It grew up to be a killer and

decided where revenge was best sought.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

I left Jordan a different person than when I arrived. I feel as though I have a significantly broader and deeper understanding of the yawning gap between what it means to be a woman in America versus a woman in Jordan versus a woman in Afghanistan, etc; What it means to be an American passport holder versus what it means not to be one, I recognize now that even with all that I have learned, there is so much I will never know. There is so much I will never understand about the suffering of others. But I must keep making efforts, each and every day for as long as I am alive, to learn more and to empathize and sympathize with more and more people from as many different contexts as possible.

I think that as Americans, we all have a duty to become global citizens- a duty necessitated by the insanely disproportionate amount of global influence our nation possesses, often at the expense of families we will never know the names of. I am extremely grateful for the freedoms that my country has provided me- I am hyper-aware of how insanely mobile and autonomous my life has been thus far, even just after 20 years of life- and at the same time, I recognize the unfairness of my nation’s historic and current actions and of my unearned advantages within and because of it all. I want to do everything I can to make room in local and global circles (to the tune of Bernice Johnson Reagon) and to continue to learn from the voices and stories of women like the members of the Disi Cooperative and Betool. I can’t wait to see what opportunities and knowledge Chile brings. Until next time.

Identity Portfolio 3.3: Synthesizing Information

In these six studies on self esteem there were two common themes between them including the role social identity and psychological factors. Social identity plays a crucial part in shaping one’s concept of self worth and can either positively or negatively influence their self esteem in ways such as a sense of belonging, validation, and social hierarchy. In the study by Wantchekon et al. they discuss the involvement of ethnic-racial identity and how identifying with these social groups can provide a positive sense of belonging or pride, but how in marginalized communities it can be more complex when faced with discrimination possibly making one feel inferior. Wantchekon et al. also discuss how psychological factors like attitudes towards identity affect self esteem. When having a positive attitude towards ethnic-racial identity can provide psychological security, having a negative attitude can cause things like internalized racism. In the study by Hoffman and Schacter examine how the transition to High School is an important moment for adolescence discovery of self identity. During this transition, adolescents are gaining more responsibilities, shaping their values, and making important decisions.This puts their self esteem at risk for either positive or negative influence. Also in this study they examine the use of psychological tools like self-affirmation coping mechanisms on self esteem. The use of these strategies in schools could improve the students’ sense of worth, confidence, and self esteem. In another study by Gao et al. they look at the relationship between gender identity with transgender identifying youth and self esteem. The study states that self-concept clarity, a clear understanding of themselves, has a direct correlation to a higher self esteem. Similar to the past study by Hoffman and Schacter they discussed the importance of affirmation on gender identity to maintain clarity. When discussing psychological Impact they write about how transgender identifying youth experiencing cognitive distortion may view their identity as “flawed” (Gao et al., 2023) causing poor self esteem. The next study by Field et al. discusses how identity alignment between peers is a common occurrence in adolescence. Identity alignment relates back to identity theory which states that an individual’s self esteem and sense of worth is derived from their status in social groups. This also relates to the psychological factor aspect because the desire to be aligned with your peers identity is driven by the psychological need of social acceptance. When observing a high status peer receiving societal acceptance it is human nature motivating individuals to mimic or conform to these standards. A study on Asian-White adults by Emily Hunt examines multiple conflicting racial identities and their relation to self esteem. Hunt writes about how multiracial people have the unique experience of struggling to identify with one particular racial group or another. This struggle can lead to feeling isolated, disconnected, or inadequate. These negative internalized beliefs can cause lower levels of self esteem. Conflicting racial identities struggles push the feelings of psychological alienation. The final study by Ashley Matthews she discusses the importance of strong cultural identity in Black students. In order to build a strong cultural identity she emphasizes the use of Racial Affinity Groups to reinforce students’ self esteem. Surrounding students with positive social connections creates a positive self concept. This encourages their emotional and psychological connections to the school.

References
Field, N. H., Choukas, B. S., Giletta, M., Telzer, E. H., Cohen, G. L., & Prinstein, M. J. (2024).
Why adolescents conform to high‐status peers: Associations among conformity, identity
alignment, and self‐esteem. Child Development, 95(3), 879–894. https://doi-
org.proxy.longwood.edu/10.1111/cdev.14038
Gao, S. (Stan), Brandt, S. A., & Stults, C. B. (2023). Internalized transphobia and self-concept
clarity among transgender and gender-nonconforming young adults: Characteristics,
associations, and the mediating role of self-esteem. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and
Gender Diversity. https://doi-org.proxy.longwood.edu/10.1037/sgd0000691
Hoffman, A. J., & Schacter, H. L. (2024). The promise of an identity-based self-affirmation
intervention in protecting against self-esteem declines at the high school transition.
Developmental Psychology, 60(10), 1842–1854. https://doi-
org.proxy.longwood.edu/10.1037/dev0001789
Hunt, E. (2024). Asian but never Asian enough: Racial identity invalidation, internalized racial
oppression, racial socialization, and self-esteem in Asian-White emerging adults
[ProQuest Information & Learning]. In Dissertation Abstracts International Section A:
Humanities and Social Sciences (Vol. 85, Issue 3–A).
Mathews, A. (2024). An exploratory study on the impact of cultural identity racial affinity
groups on self-esteem, self-efficacy, and school belonging among Black elementary
school youth [ProQuest Information & Learning]. In Dissertation Abstracts International
Section A: Humanities and Social Sciences (Vol. 85, Issue 11–A)
Wantchekon, K. A., McDermott, E. R., Jones, S. M., Satterthwaite-Freiman, M., Baldeh, M.,
Rivas-Drake, D., & Umaña-Taylor, A. J. (2023). The role of ethnic-racial identity and self-esteem in intergroup contact attitudes. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 52(11),
2243–2260. https://doi-org.proxy.longwood.edu/10.1007/s10964-023-01819-1

Two themes I will talk about are coaching and sports. Is that how athletes and coaches interact with others and approach their goals like if they want to go D1 or pro as an athlete or coach? For coaches, their identity and self-awareness play a role in how they lead and interact with their athletes. The article (Magrum, E. D., & McCullick, B. A. (2019)) talks about the purpose of the roles of emotion in coaching and the future of how identifying avenues in coaching. Also, it examines the relationships between coaches and players and the skills, effectiveness, and development of players’ talents and recruitment. This article (Griffo, J. M., Jensen, M., Anthony, C. C., Baghurst, T., & Kulinna, P. H. (2019)) also connects with the first article and utilizes the quantitative research approach in sports psychology. The article (Lyle, J., & Cushion, C. (2016)) talks about how every year the coaches update the ways they run practice and the new editions they add to their team with new players and new techniques and theory of coaching. When it comes to high performances of sport coaching and learning ways of their sport this article (Rynne, S. B., Mallett, C., & Tinning, R. (2006)) talks the most about the view that learning occurs everywhere but to different extents and with different efficiency, and the acknowledgment of the current national coach education programs that they can join to become a better coach. The article (Martin, J. J., & Whalen, L. (2014)) mostly talks about the physical activity part of everything, including how to run practice with the amount of conditioning, work ethic, and teaching. Like at the beginning, you should always teach the activity you want them to learn. Then have them try it out and if they fail to complete it they should condition for the errors and try it again to succeed. Lastly, the article (Duffy, P., Hartley, H., Bales, J., Crespo, M., Dick, F., Vardhan, D., … & Curado, J. (2011)) talks about the criteria associated with established professions, taking into account the unique features of sports coaching. Like purpose, knowledge base, organization, and ethics. Coaches also have the responsibility to create a great environment that respects how things are with their team. Making sure to shape their team with experience, great performance, that has motivation in baseball and school, and confidence in themselves.

Duffy, P., Hartley, H., Bales, J., Crespo, M., Dick, F., Vardhan, D., … & Curado, J. (2011). Sport coaching as a’profession’: challenges and future directions: challenges and future directions. International journal of coaching science, 5(2), 93-123.

Griffo, J. M., Jensen, M., Anthony, C. C., Baghurst, T., & Kulinna, P. H. (2019). A decade of research literature in sport coaching (2005–2015). International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 14(2), 205-215.

Magrum, E. D., & McCullick, B. A. (2019). The role of emotion in sport coaching: A review of the literature. The sport journal, 22, 1-10.

Martin, J. J., & Whalen, L. (2014). Effective Practices of coaching disability Sport. European journal of adapted physical activity, 7(2).

Lyle, J., & Cushion, C. (2016). Sport coaching concepts: A framework for coaching practice. Routledge.

Rynne, S. B., Mallett, C., & Tinning, R. (2006). High performance sport coaching: Institutes of sport as sites for learning. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 1(3), 223-234.

Post-Election Pedagogy

The results of the 2024 election will have varying effects on our students, colleagues, and community. In a time of heightened political polarization, these high-stakes outcomes can affect individuals in diverse ways – impacting mental health, motivation, energy levels, and more. To further complicate the learning environment, we might not know the results on November 6.

Many educators are uncertain about whether to allocate class time for learning activities—such as discussions or other low-stakes assignments—that encourage students to critically engage with the election results. This decision often involves considering students’ varied emotions surrounding the outcome (or the anticipation if results are still pending) and exploring the broader social, political, and cultural implications of the election.

To make learning-centered decisions, L.D. Fink (2013) recommends that we carefully examine the situational factors that affect teaching and learning. We have modified Fink’s situational factor analysis list to help guide your decision-making and planning for post-election teaching and learning, focusing on how to approach these activities thoughtfully, prioritizing inclusivity, educational relevance, student learning, and student and faculty well-being.

Before you begin your situational factor analysis consider the following.

• What factors are contributing to your feelings of uncertainty about incorporating learning activities focused on election results or related issues?  
• What is motivating you to incorporate learning activities focused on election results or related issues?

You can download the situational factor analysis here.  Once completed, here are a few tips on how to implement your plan.

Based on your analysis, you might have decided one or more of the following:

• to NOT incorporate learning activities related to the election results or issues.
• to delay incorporating learning activities to a later date in the semester when it seems to be more useful for student learning.
• to optional opportunities to engage in a discussion (outside of class)
• to incorporate learning activities related to the election into the course.

Regardless of your decision, it is beneficial to acknowledge the political moment and make your decision transparent. Sharing your pedagogical reasoning with students helps them understand your approach and goals. Recognizing this moment communicates to students that you are aware of and sensitive to the broader context affecting their lives and learning.

Here are some sample statements, you can use/edit as needed.

If you have decided not to incorporate learning activities related to the election results or issues.

“I want to acknowledge that the outcome (or pending outcome) of the 2024 election is likely on many of your minds right now. These results can have significant effects on individuals and communities. I have decided not to devote class time to in-depth discussions or other learning activities about the election results or related issues. Here’s why. First, the primary focus of this course is on (insert course content/skills focus), and I want to ensure we can engage with the core learning outcomes effectively. Second, I’m mindful that students in this class have a diversity of political views and lived experiences. Delving too deeply into the election could risk turning our classroom into more of a political battlefield than a space for productive academic discourse. If you would like to discuss these issues further, I encourage you to take advantage of the resources available. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.”

If you decide to incorporate or have already planned to do so, consider the following:

“I want to acknowledge that the outcome (or pending outcome) of the 2024 election is likely on many of your minds right now. These results can have significant effects on individuals and communities. Given the relevance of these issues to the content and skills (insert relevant knowledge/skills) embedded in this course, I have decided that it is important to incorporate thoughtful discussions and other learning activities about election results and related issues into our class. Understanding these outcomes will provide helpful context for analyzing the course content more deeply. I want to emphasize that my goal is not to push any political agenda, but rather to facilitate critical thinking and a better understanding of the effects of the election. I recognize that this may be a sensitive and emotionally charged topic for many of you. If you have any concerns or need additional support, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or access the resources available. I’m here to help you navigate these complex questions to the best of my ability.”

As you proceed, here are a few tips/things to consider (more tips and ideas @ Connecting Elections to Course Contentand on the CAFE blog).

Maintain self-other awareness. Continue to reflect on your own biases, political leanings, and comfort/skill level. When you design learning activities, make sure assignment expectations are inclusive of all learners; for example, some students are not eligible to vote in the U.S.

Be clear, transparent, and check for understanding.

• Clearly explain how election-related topics connect to the course material and support the learning outcomes.
• Articulate the goal for each learning activity. 
• Let students know that your assessment will focus on the quality of their work and how well it meets the grading criteria, regardless of their personal views or expressions.
• Check that they understand the why and hows.

Develop or reinforce communication ground rules.

• Encourage students to listen actively to each other and establish clear ground rules for respectful dialogue. 
• If you are facilitating a class discussion, communicate your role in the process.  The instructor should actively work to ensure all perspectives are heard.
• Be prepared for difficult moments.  

Hello, I’m Jenna McCarron and I welcome you to my site about Eating Disorders within college students. College students experience many mental health issues and eating disorders is very high ranked. Symptoms and habits of an eating disorder include of dramatic weight loss, abdominal pain, avoiding certain foods, compulsive exercise, stress, etc. Throughout this site you will find instagram posts full of information pictures, graphs, and quotes to show how important eating disorders within college students is, its not only important for college students, but important for everyone.

Duffy, P., Hartley, H., Bales, J., Crespo, M., Dick, F., Vardhan, D., … & Curado, J. (2011). Sport coaching as a’profession’: challenges and future directions: challenges and future directions. International journal of coaching science, 5(2), 93-123.

Griffo, J. M., Jensen, M., Anthony, C. C., Baghurst, T., & Kulinna, P. H. (2019). A decade of research literature in sport coaching (2005–2015). International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 14(2), 205-215.

Magrum, E. D., & McCullick, B. A. (2019). The role of emotion in sport coaching: A review of the literature. The sport journal, 22, 1-10.

Martin, J. J., & Whalen, L. (2014). Effective Practices of coaching disability Sport. European journal of adapted physical activity, 7(2).

Lyle, J., & Cushion, C. (2016). Sport coaching concepts: A framework for coaching practice. Routledge.

Rynne, S. B., Mallett, C., & Tinning, R. (2006). High performance sport coaching: Institutes of sport as sites for learning. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 1(3), 223-234.

Diez de Velasco, F. (2007). Religion, Identity and Education for Peace: Beyond the Dichotomies–Confessional/Non-Confessional and Global/Local. British Journal of Religious Education, 29(1), 77–87. https://doi.org/10.1080/01416200601037544

Hayes, B. C., & McAllister, I. (2009). Religion, Identity and Community Relations among Adults and Young Adults in Northern Ireland. Journal of Youth Studies, 12(4), 385–403. https://doi.org/10.1080/13676260902866504

International Bioethics, Multiculturalism and Religion Workshop and Conference University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center), 2016 :, & University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. (2019). Interreligious perspectives on mind, genes and the self : emerging technologies and human identity (J. Tham, C. Durante, & A. Garcia, Eds.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429456145

Losch, A. (2022). Constructive-critical realism as a philosophy of science and religion. HTS : Theological Studies, 78(2). https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v78i2.7742

Plant, R. (2011). Religion, Identity and Freedom of Expression. Res Publica, 17(1), 7–20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11158-011-9140-8

Runions, E. (2010). Religion, Identity, and Political Engagement in the United States. GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies, 16(1), 297–307. (wasn’t able to find doi)

• I am including all the photos for this post on this Google folder because this site doesn’t have the bandwidth to accommodate both my yapping and lots of pictures! Click the link for Jordan flicks!

As I bit into the flaky, crisp layers of golden phyllo punctuated with bright green pistachios, I was immediately soothed by the sensation of a sweet, nutty, buttery flavor melting in my mouth. My friends and I had sat down in the corner of a small, crowded bakery in downtown Amman, but in that moment we could have been anywhere in the world… all that mattered was the decadent pastry that clung to my fingertips and lips–I was SO. HUNGRY. As my peers and I discovered, the meal-time schedule is a little different in Jordan compared to what we had grown used to in the States and Nepal. On the Friday evening that closed out the first full day my peers and I spent with our homestays, our student group-chat was filled with messages debriefing about who had eaten when–the breakfast range fell anywhere between 9 am and 12:45 pm, and the lunch range, similarly, fell anywhere between 1:00 and 5:30 pm. Alas, my lack of a noon-sharp lunch absolutely necessitated that Emily, Peace, and I made the bakery pit-stop. It was partly in the name of quelling my dizziness, and partly for the public safety of anyone in a close proximity–my hanger is REAL.

Earlier that afternoon, the three of us ordered a Careem (Jordanian Uber) and headed out on a mission to see the ruins of the ancient Roman citadel that stands proudly in the heart of Amman. The heat was intense–the sun blazed down upon us as we toed the dusty path up to the ruins, trying to get a sense of the history of the place from whatever snippets of English we could find posted on the signs around us. Almost immediately, Peace made friends with a young family who asked her for a picture, and before we knew it, Peace had negotiated her own photoshoot overlooking the city. Emily and I looked at each other and shook our heads, laughing. In that moment, the world belonged to Peace, and we were happy just to be living in it!

After roaming around the ruins and taking some more funny pictures, Emily, Peace and I stepped inside the Citadel Archeological Museum to try to gather some more history about where our feet stood. We were able to gather that the site has a fascinatingly layered history–We had just walked among the ruins of a Roman temple, a Byzantine church, and an Umayyad palace. Walking through the museum, the waves of Roman, Greek, Ottoman, Egyptian, and indigenous tribal influence made themselves known to us through the materials, subjects, and art-styles of the sculptures, tools, cookware, and jewelry that gazed up at us placidly from behind the museum glass. I found myself thinking about how strikingly connected the world has always been, consciously and subconsciously for all of those who inhabit it. None of us lives in isolation–many hundred years ago, the artwork of an ancient Egyptian sculptor inspired another artisan who then carried the first sculptor’s influence across a huge body of water and set it in stone in the walls of a Roman temple. Walking through the museum made me think about how my actions and thoughts impact the world in ways I may never even realize.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Over the past week, my peers and I have also had the incredible privilege of learning from and listening to a diverse group of individuals involved with the administration and dissemination of human rights principles within and alongside the pluralistic Jordanian legal system, as well as from the front-liners of many Civil Society and Community-Based organizations that target issues such as women’s rights, children’s rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, worker’s rights, free speech and assembly, and refugee rights in Jordan.

Throughout our group’s inquiry during each site visit and lecture so far in Jordan, a persisting challenge has emerged for our cohort in trying to navigate 1) the universal right and obligation of all people to identify and interrogate human rights violations around the world, and 2) the cruciality that we, as Western students and guests in a foreign cultural context, remain sensitive to cultural relativity and do not assume that we have a greater knowledge of what constitutes human rights than non-Westerners. This issue has led to some high-tension, high-emotion conversations within our group cohort, and as difficult as some of these conversations have been, I’m grateful that I am being exposed to this tricky issue as an undergrad student rather than as a grad student or as a working professional. As a result of our group conversations, I have been made aware that learning to balance the push and pull of the universality of justice/injustice and relativity of each cultural context is a skill that will serve me well for as long as I continue to engage with social justice issues, professionally and personally.

I don’t have any concrete answers, but I think my two biggest takeaways from these conversations to date are 1) Tone and delivery are everything when questioning and making statements about real or perceived human rights issues and solutions, especially in knowledge-seeking contexts such as site visits, and 2) Everyone is entitled to their own opinion about what constitutes a violation of human rights, and while nobody’s opinion can ever be totally objective, they are all based in different life experiences that are real for the individual and valid to their respective positionality.

Having said all of that, the site visits that have stood out the most to me were our trips to the National Centre for Human Rights and to the Justice Center for Legal Aid in Amman. The order in which we visited these places was also important, because I think that our site visit to the National Centre–a “legal personality” that monitors Jordan’s compliance with international human rights law and receives support and funding from the Jordanian government–informed the context in which we arrived at the Justice Center–a fully independent CSO that aims to serve citizens and non-citizens who would otherwise be excluded from the judicial process in Jordan. In my opinion, our visit to the National Centre for Human Rights felt strange and stilted in a way that I was not expecting. One of our speakers was the General Commissioner of Human Rights, who opened his presentation with a warning to us all that the media can be misleading and that it “won’t always give you the right principles to achieve the truth.” He then gave us a speech about the general importance of human rights and about our duty to resist against governments who violate them. He gave the example of totalitarian governments and explained how totalitarian governments oppress their citizens and how freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are cornerstones of true democracy (I thought this was a particularly interesting thing for him to bring up, given that Jordan is a monarchy where freedom of speech is not granted in full). He also repeatedly emphasized the importance of comparison–he stated that “comparison is crucial for reaching the depth of any discipline,” and he mentioned that compared to its immediate neighbors, Jordan upholds human rights to a high degree and prioritizes doing so.

The General Commissioner was a sweet, older man with crow’s feet at the corners of his eyes and a kind gaze, and I appreciated his words of affirmation about the importance of human rights and his perspective on how Jordan set itself apart from the socio-political contexts of its neighbors. At the same time, I was struck by how much his opening message conveyed his immediate concern that the room full of American students sitting in front of him might’ve thought that his country was “backwards” or violent and extremist, as the American media so often portrays the Middle-East to be. As he went on and on about the virtues of human rights (at least 30 minutes of the presentation was devoted to this), I found his assertions subconsciously having the opposite effect on me–we came here to discuss the condition of human rights in Jordan, not to re-hash the same frequently broadcasted slogans about why these rights matter… so what was he not telling us?

Eventually, one of his colleagues entered the room and introduced herself to us. She was also an older woman, and she explained that she was a professor of law at one of Jordan’s graduate universities and a member of the Board of Trustees for the Centre. She and the General Commissioner engaged in a back-and-forth banter that involved showering each other with accolades for a few minutes, and then the professor began to give us more detailed information about the history and purpose of the Centre. The Centre runs some very valuable programs focused on spreading awareness about, and conducting government trainings based on international human rights legislation, as well as conducting myriad inspections into how human rights are being protected by various Jordanian institutions.

As the session went on, though, the professor said some things that were very unsettling to me. At one point, she told our student group that female survivors of sexual abuse commonly face shame and pushback from their family and immediate communities when they come forward. She explained that in conservative Muslim communities, a woman’s “honor” is based on her virginity/abstinence, and each woman’s duty to uphold that honor is extremely important for the social reputation of her family. Thus, being raped is seen as a detriment to her family’s “honor”.

In light of this, I asked her about how the Centre is working to protect female rape victims in Jordan, and in response to my query, she said that “rape isn’t really an issue here” thanks to the conservative Muslim culture that prevails in Jordan. What’s more, she claimed that based on her legal experience, 95% of rape cases in Jordan are likely falsified by the women who bring them forward. She said that in Jordan, women frequently use legal clauses related to rape for their own social or economic benefit. I was shocked. My first thought upon hearing this was, “There’s no f****ing way she just said that in the same breath as her previous statement about the lack of support that outspoken female survivors receive.” The professor then went on to tell a story about a female student of hers who sought her help 2 months after a widely-loved male professor at the graduate school sexually assaulted her. The professor told us about how she was suspicious as to why the student had waited so long to confront anyone, since the student “had a strong personality” and was therefore capable, in the professors eyes, of seeking immediate support. The professor then said that she discovered that the female student had recently received a bad grade from the male professor, and so she refused to take the student’s claims any further because she felt as though the student was simply trying to seek revenge for being given such a grade. When it finally came time to leave, I stepped out of the room feeling hollow and confused–I felt like I had less of a clear picture about the principles and values that the Centre stands and works for and about the overall condition of human rights in Jordan than before I had walked in.

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This narrative lies in stark contrast to the message and experience that my peers and I had at the Justice Center for Legal Aid, where our speaker was also a Jordanian woman who had received a law degree and frequently works on the front lines of women’s rights issues in civil court. When a few of us informed our Justice Center speaker about what the professor had told us at the Human Rights Centre, she said that the professor must have only worked a very small and isolated number of cases in order to come up with such an idea. Our Justice Center speaker told us that while abuse of rape legislation does sometimes occur, she put the frequency closer to 15% of the time rather than 95%. She expressed frustration that we had been given this false information, and encouraged us to think critically about why the professor might have believed that 95% was an accurate figure.

Visiting the Justice Center was also refreshing in other ways… It was amazing to be in a building staffed primarily by women (women with law degrees, no less!) who devote so much time and energy to making real, tangible change in the lives of marginalized people in Amman. The Justice Center focuses on offering legal aid and protection to women who are survivors of domestic abuse, small business owners, refugees and undocumented people living in Amman, senior citizens, and many more. We were given a tour of the main office, the legal clinic where beneficiaries have appointments with the Center’s pro-bono lawyers, the 24-hour hotline call center, and other office spaces involved with the reception, processing, and distribution of aid to the callers and inquirers who come to the Center seeking legal aid.

Our speaker informed us that the Justice Center is the only NGO/CSO in Jordan that provides pro-bono legal aid to everyone facing a 10+ year sentence within Jordan’s borders, regardless of documentation status. She explained to us that the Center focuses its legal aid efforts on the population of people in Jordan who would otherwise be barred from the legal process–the right to attorney does not exist in Jordan, and many people cannot afford to pay for this legal resource. A few of the legal issues that the Center frequently deals with involve the fact that women are not legally entitled to pass their citizenship onto their children, issues pertaining to providing divorces and financial and/or custodial justice for women who are survivors of domestic abuse, youth drug charges and other narcotics cases (youth as young as 12 can be tried as/detained alongside adults when it comes to drug cases), cases involving the neglect of the elderly, the cases of beneficiaries who have been convicted of “Cyber-Violence” for slandering other citizens or the King on social media, etc.

She also told us about the two 24-hour hotlines run by the Justice Center (one is for people who are currently under arrest or detention, and the other is for clients who need immediate physical and/or legal protection), and about the hotline staff who are responsible for providing immediate services and resources to individuals who may presently be in crisis. This job in particular sounded extremely emotionally and mentally demanding, and our speaker informed us that recently the Justice Center partnered with an external mental health provider to help ensure that the employees are able to process what they hear while working and better compartmentalize the secondhand trauma they may experience.

Overall, I felt as though the smaller, more focused Justice Center NGO was making a greater impact on the lives of individuals in the immediate community than the larger, government-funded National Centre for Human Rights. This is a pattern that I’ve been observing and grappling with since the start of our program in New York City, and while it’s really easy for me to jump to conclusions and make assumptions about the integrity of the organizations, I have to remember that they fundamentally serve different purposes because they operate at different levels of society–the gap between the federal and grassroots levels is yawning and full of various implications for the power of each to influence policy and act in the favor of marginalized people. What’s more, I also have to acknowledge that the folks at the Centre have what is essentially an impossible task–to hold the government and monarchy of Jordan accountable for protecting the human rights of its citizens while simultaneously existing under the harsh limitations of the government and monarchy in terms of free speech and what causes will/won’t be supported by the King. Not to mention, he’s where they get a huge chunk of their funding! After this week, I feel as though my brain is overflowing with new knowledge and new perspectives on the Jordanian legal system, and I am looking forward to discussing what I have learned with my academic allies back home to better understand where the American legal system stands and operates on the wide spectrum of legal systems around the world.

Sports/ Coaching

Talking about how identity/self fits in with sports/coaching. Is that how athletes and coaches how they interact with others and approach there goals like if they want to go D1 or pro as a athlete or coach. For coaches their identity and self-awareness play a role in how they lead and interact with their athletes. Also, how their identity and self-awareness play a role in how they coach practice and game. Lastly, coaches also have the responsibility to create a great environment that respects how things are with their team. Making sure to shape their team with experience, great performance, that has motivation in baseball and school, and confidence in themselves.