Commodification

Throughout the novel, Acosta exercises his self-imposed male privilege through his constant objectification of women. An example of Oscar’s commodification of women is shown through his sexual attitude towards female bodies. During a trip Oscar’s favorite bar JJ’s he refers to two women as his ‘sister;’ however the encounter becomes sexual. “Bertha removes his hand from around her waist. She throws…

in support of the asymmetry thesis. Satz argues that the market in women reproductive labour is problematic because of the gender inequality that it promotes in society. She thinks that “it is the background gender inequality that makes the commodification of women’s attributes especially objectionable” (Satz, 2010). Firstly, Satz raises the worry of the market in women’s reproductive labour encouraging women to give up their control over their own body in a contract pregnancy. In contract…

The genre of portraiture has a rich history revolving around the empowerment of the white body, while simultaneously disenfranchising the black body. The artistic canon has set a precedent that favours Masterpieces with European tendencies and aspects. Kehinde Wiley, an African-American artist, employs the apt use of the appropriation of historical pieces to challenge the traditional art historical canon that defines masterpieces. When replacing the usual white male subjects who appear in…

When Shawn “Jay Z” Carter and Kanye West proclaimed their membership to the new black elite, they were being modest in their declaration because the Hip Hop echelon had arrived long before 2011. Many of them had not only accumulated a vast amount of wealth a decade prior, but took part in the shift in qualities that determined ones elite status. This alteration from the previous black elite during the fourth wave first emerged when the Hip Hop generation was born. It ultimately came full circle…

“liberation” appeared signifying that third-wave ideals of girl power are related to consumer power. Rather than use girl power as a true political stance, Disney Channel used it as an industrial strategy to cultivate their audience and justify the commodification of young females and the prioritization of consumption over substance. Having now established the feministic atmosphere that would allow for this decade of programming to thrive, this chapter addresses how the network spoke to young…

Driving along the baron, dusty expanse of Texas Interstate 90, the mundane scenery is pleasantly interrupted by something unexpected, a high-end boutique; a Prada store in the middle of nowhere. Boasting posh stilettos and handbags, patrons will never be able to get their hands on these luxury Italian goods, as the site is, in fact, not a functioning store the work of Berlin-based artists Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset. Erected in 2005, Prada Marfa functions as a site-specific, permanent…

entertainment and other commodities begins to exert influence, basic changes in human values may occur. Sacred sites and objects may not be respected when they are perceived as goods to trade” (Unep.org, 2014, pg.1)” This quote illustrates not only how commodification of pacific cultures can not only affect the way tourists view traditions and natural resources, but also how tourism can negatively alter how the locals view and interact with their own culture. In regards specifically to Pacific…

In her essay Development, Ecology and Women, Vandana Shiva describes maldevelopment as “the violation of the integrity of organic, interconnected and interdependent systems, that sets in motion a process of exploitation, inequality, injustice and violence”1 (6). Notably, her criticism of maldevelopment does not present it as the opposite of development, but rather the same process merely viewed under a different paradigm. Specifically, while development and globalization are typically depicted…

1. Setting the scene: social purpose as business driver During the last decades the social purpose of business has gained a prominent role in profit and accumulation strategies worldwide. Corporations invest more money and human resources in the development of social strategies as a key element for economic success. Between 2004 and 2013 the corporate social responsibility investments of the 261 world leading companies increased from US$7,6 billion to US$25 billion, roughly a growth of 328%…

America (or should I say...Turtle Island), pre 1492, was a very different time in history. It was a time of gratefulness for mother earth and all that she provided. The air was clean, the water was pristine, and the land and animals were respected by the country’s inhabitants. There was a mutual understanding of this respect for mother earth and the Natives were well known for this philosophy of life. Things took quite a turn for the worse once Christopher Columbus sailed to America in 1492…