Undergraduate Research Day Projects
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Organized by the University of Houston Office of Undergraduate Research and Major Awards, Undergraduate Research Day is an annual event showcasing exceptional scholarship undertaken by the UH undergraduate community.
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Browsing Undergraduate Research Day Projects by Subject "Black people"
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Item Investigating the link between ideals of masculinity in Ancient Greek and Roman society and the ideals of masculinity in the American Black community(2023-04-13) Johnson, DeaunteMany scholars have studied Greek and Roman mythology and come to conclusions about the ideals of masculinity. However, there has never been an attempt at understanding a possible connection to modern times and the Black community. My research focused on this possible connection and if there was enough grounding evidence to state how internal problems surrounding masculinity in the black community started. My research was also to not only establish this connection existed but also find out how it came to be. To find this connection, I looked at research already conducted on masculinity within ancient Greek and Roman society through myths and studies on the society. I also looked at research done on the black community and formed conclusions on ideals of masculinity within the black community in America. After examining the different viewpoints of masculinity in ancient Greek and Roman society and the black community in America, I noticed that there were clear similarities when it came to power and how it influenced men's behavior in society and within their own families. From there I searched to see if there was any way that Greek and Roman society could have influenced American culture and specifically black culture. This is when I found many sources that stated the direct influence that Greek and Roman society had on the foundation of America and then made the connection that these ideals were forced onto the community by white Americans. These ideas now pose many problems to the black community.Item The Harder They Fall and the Importance of Contemporary Black Storytelling(2023-04-13) Allen, ArreonI explored Black exposure and identity within film, and highlighted the importance of authentic, genuine expression of marginalized voices. I sought to unravel the revitalization of Black consciousness through pop culture in the digital age, as representation is integral for the cultivation of historically underrepresented artforms. American cinema has played a significant role in upholding a certain vision of the country's history, and for a people who've been so vehemently forced into the margins of society, the process of cultural reclamation is vital. Black cinema serves as an avenue for creative expression, cultural affirmation, and a redefinition of liberty in the face of racial discrimination. It has forecast, critiqued, and documented the ever present societal violence of today, while simultaneously challenging America's deeply ingrained prejudices. I closely analyzed Netflix's The Harder They Fall, as it combats otherness and embraces Black exceptionalism. Its art attempts to alleviate the pain from the echoes of oppression in a postcolonial world, shattering barriers placed by a dreadful history of stereotypes. The film is a Black Western: a fantastical revamp sporting a primarily-Black cast, with many of the characters based off of real historical figures. Under the direction of Jeymes Samuel, the film unapologetically bends and reassembles genres within a late 19th century setting. The Harder They Fall and other films of its ilk can't reverse the damage done by the removal of blackness defined by mainstream cinema, though their stylistic freedoms reflect the defiance of contemporary storytelling that is so desperately needed today.Item The Implications of the Criminality Spectacle on Marginalized Groups(2023-04-13) DeSilva, DaraIn a time where racism is rightfully decried, criminality serves as a convenient veneer for continued racism, systemic injustice, and violence. My research explores how our discourses about criminality can trivialize Black mourning and death, bolster racist stereotypes, and weaponize innocence as a prerequisite for dignity. I examine the murder of George Floyd and Henry Glover. While both murders have different circumstances, my research finds consistent tropes that negatively affect Black and Brown communities. Despite Michel Foucault's argument in Discipline and Punish that public executions and its spectacles disappeared, police killings and hate crimes demonstrate how the spectacle has merely taken a new form within social media. The public execution spectacle, which historically demonstrated the government's power, offers a way to understand the pernicious history of state violence against Black and Brown communities. My research then turns to tropes that arise out of the spectacle. Through my analysis of Michaelis Lianos and Mary Douglas' “dangerization,” I examine how one might justify violence against Black and Brown people under the arbitrary notion that they are more “dangerous.” Lastly, I expand on Diana Myer's victimhood paradigms to explain how people weaponize innocence as a prerequisite for dignity and compassion.