Working with theoretical sources

Jack:

My theoretical source comes from an academic journal written by a professor of African Studies at the University of South Florida in 2015. It's main focus is arguing how freedom songs transcend socio-economic and political boundaries in the wake of the liberation of South African natives. Its relevance appears in the argument that freedom songs continue to influence and affect all citizens of South Africa even after the apartheid movement. The author, Omotayo Jolaoshao argues how the freedom songs and dance present in past and current South African protest contribute to identity in the form of political intervention. The aforementioned argument is similar to linking freedom songs to the collective identity of South African natives which is the topic of my analyzing the rhetoric of freedom songs. A key term that can be drawn from the text is "Rhetoric of the music." This is to say how music and dance in South Africa contributes to a persuasive message as well as a national identity.
It is a known fact among South Africans, that song and dance is ubiquitous throughout their culture. An expression of music is so prominent, that during a "silent" protest in 2010 by the Freedom of Expression Instiutute the activists couldn't stop themselves from breaking out in song. (Jolaosho 444) Music, in South Africa, and throughout the world acts as a tool to unify those going through similar experiences. The identity prevalent throughout all genres of music, is exclusive to explicit groups of people but through freedom songs, South African natives are allowed to explain and fight against their collective struggle. Rhetoric shown through freedom songs includes both joyful and heartfelt ballads sung in the traditional South African language, "Afrikkans" about slavery, hardship, and triumph. Further analysis of individual freedom songs reveals native feelings toward apartheid and oppressive supremacist regimes.

Micah:

Jasper focusing on the form protests take on to meet the demand of their situation, and he takes into account and develops terms on the cultural and individual level. Whereas scholars use to take into account the ‘objective’ features of protests (namely strife over resources or political climate) that were more easily measurable, Jasper points out that there has since been an increase in literature of the cultural perspective of rhetoric, and claims that the findings of this literature should be applied in rethinking prior theories rather than attempting to reduce the newly discussed cultural factors into variables to take into account alongside the objective data.
For cultural terms, some chapters have indexes to give a more reliable definition for the purposes of the discussion. It seems like a useful resource to add structure to terminology that I will use in my paper to discuss relevant cultural factors in the animal rights movement in the U.S and / or Israel. There are a few theoretical concepts that may be employable in my paper.

Anthony:

Cantonese Protest, Invasion of Linguistic Rights

Perry, Elizabeth J. Challenging the Mandate of Heaven: Social Protest and State Power in
China. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 2002. Print.

The term “Confucian moralism,” in the context of protest described by Perry, is best illustrated
by protestors in China sacrificing “their very lives for their beliefs” (316). Such demonstration
was seen in the Tiananmen protests for democracy of 1989 where ‘by fasting [protestors] hoped
to contrast the moral righteousness of their behavior with that of the corrupt and despotic
government against which they protested’ (316). It is by this structure, in which workers and
students came together that future protests have been modeled after. “In their style of
remonstrance (presenting petitions and banners and demanding dialogue with the authorities),
their search of political patrons... and above all their stress on moralism... the students evinced a
brand of political behavior and belief replete with the stigmata of the imperial past (324). In
other words, there could not have been any other way for the rhetoric of this protest to form. It
was inevitable due to the historical context and influence. This section also gives a criterion for
protest in China including remonstrance, a search of political patrons, and a stress on moralism.
This provides guidance on how protests following were conducted. For example, the Taipei
protest in 1990 over direct elections for the presidency of the Republic of China “borrowed
directly form the repertoire of the Tiananmen Uprising: students occupied the central political
square in Taipei where they undertook a hunger strike, donned headbands…” (324).

According to Perry, the modern protest rhetoric of China is characterized by dramatic expression
inspired by 40 years of socialism (326). The 1989 demonstration was characterized as “a
morality play done in Beijing opera style” per David Strand (317). As such, the nature of protests
following this model are spectacular in appearance: physical presence, signs, slogans, and
symbols.

This source is a base for explaining why demonstrations protecting the Cantonese Language in
Hong Kong and Guangzhou have mostly been in-person, physical demonstrations with people
gathering and throwing a spectacle to portray their message.

Hope:

Gould, Deborah B.. Moving Politics : Emotion and ACT UP's Fight against AIDS. University of Chicago Press, 2009. 24 October 2016. <http://www.myilibrary.com?ID=244560> Theoretical. Scholarly Source.

• Explain what the source is: This source is a book called Moving Politics: Emotion and ACT UP's Fight against AIDS. It was written my Deborah Gould, published by the University of Chicago, and published in 2009. The book articulates the theoretical strategies utilized by ACT UP to fight the AIDS pandemic. The book develops the rhetorical context by explaining why ACT UP waiting until the late 1980's to begin the fight against AIDS. The target audience is a scholarly audience looking to further understand the fight against AIDS.

• Throughout the first part of the novel Gould discusses emotion and how it led to the mobilization of ACT UP. Emotion how it relates to the fight against AIDS is a framework that describes why ACT UP mobilized the way it did. 

 When discussing ACT UP's movement it is imperative to identify why ACT UP began mobilization when they did. After thousands of people had already passed away from HIV/AIDS, and Ronald Reagan waited years before he even addressed the pandemic, ACT UP mobilized in the streets. In Moving Politics: Emotion and ACT UP's Fight against AIDS Gould argues that what mobilized, or gave motion, to the ACT UP's fight against AIDS was a commonly felt emotion: despair. The amount of death seen by the gay community became very personal. Lovers, friends. and whole communities were diminishing. The pain felt by the gay community was seemingly unbearable, and the lack of representation instilled anger in the LGBT community. In 1987, something had to be done.