Instruction
Question 1/Page 1 (Please do not use any outside sources, only respond to this discussion using the reading provided): How did Christopher Columbus perceive and describe the land and people he encountered when he arrived in the Western Hemisphere? Based on the information provided by Lockhart, Cook, and others, what is so peculiar about Columbus’ misconceptions of the native inhabitants of the island that came to be known by the Spanish as “Hispaniola?” How do his ideas, and even the notion of him “discovering” the so-called “New World,” relate to the concept of the social construction of race and culture in the Americas? Has this discussion affected your understanding of Columbus and the idea of celebrating his legacy?
Question 2/Page 2: Find an image from popular media (social media, memes, websites, TV, cable, streaming programs, movies, etc.) that for you suggests a particular or peculiar image and representation of whiteness in contemporary American or Latinx popular culture today. Upload an example (a photo or image file under 100MB) and provide a description touching upon the peculiar, ironic, or satirical aspects of your image's whiteness. In describing and reflecting upon your contemporary media example, consider the historical dimensions of the privileging of whiteness in relation to other ethnic, racial, or marginalized groups in the U.S.