Graffiti and street art have been a constant presence in the long-standing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian people, both inside Israel and the Occupied Territories (i.e., West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Golan Heights) and Gaza.
Not only have Israelis and Palestinians living in the Occupied Territories and Gaza engaged graffiti and street art (e.g., Know Hope, El Mac and Retna), but well-known outsiders like Banksy, Blue and Swoon have produced iconic and powerful images and messages on various surfaces, including border walls that separate Israel from the West Bank and elsewhere.
That being said, graffiti and street art connected to the conflict has never been confined to the war zone. We have seen all manner of this form of political communication in urban public spaces in major cities worldwide.
This brings us to the current conflict. On Sunday October 7, 2023 Hamas forces kidnapped almost 200 people (mostly Israelis) and killed another 1,400.
Almost immediately, Nitzan Mintz, (a visual poet) and Dede Bandaid (a visual artist), Israelis temporarily living in the United States (with the assistance of graphic designers Tal Huber and Shira Gershoni), quickly created posters/flyers featuring the images of the kidnapped individuals. These were rapidly disseminated worldwide. A veritable army of sympathizers downloaded this content from the web and started affixing these posters in public places in large cities. In many ways, these posters of the kidnapped Israelis, served as a compelling form of agitprop, likely to evoke strong reactions from a wider audience.
In many respects, this activity has historical precedents. For example, starting in the 1980s, American street artist Robbie Conal, regularly produced posters with unflattering hand drawn images resembling caricatures of dictators, corrupt politicians, and tyrants, accompanied by disparaging text. Numerous volunteers quickly affixed these posters to utility poles, building walls, street signs, etc. throughout the United States and around the world.
But the postering of kidnapped Israeli citizens took an immediate turn when Israeli Defense Forces started bombing of Gaza, leading to significant property destruction, injuries, and civilian casualties. While the painting of swastikas on lots of surfaces, including Jewish cemetery tombstones and properties owned by Jewish individuals have been marked with Stars of David appeared to increase, the posters depicting the kidnapped Israelis were no longer tolerated.
Despite the fact that most street art is low-level vandalism and an act of property crime, we are now seeing the posters of the kidnapped Israelis torn down not by public works departments, or ghost buffers, but by individuals who are unhappy with the Israeli response to Hamas.
What lessons can be learned from this case study? In short, it highlights the potential risks and complexities associated with street art as a form of activism. It also underscores the idea that even when street artists have good intentions and aim to raise awareness and provoke moral outrage through their work, there is no guarantee that the public’s reactions will align with their objectives. Ultimately there is an inherent unpredictability of public perception and the limitations of an artist’s control over their message. While graffiti and street art can be a powerful medium for social commentary, it comes with inherent uncertainties and challenges.
In sum, even a well-orchestrated effort to create and disseminate street art designed to raise awareness, garner sympathy, and moral outrage can backfire. Experienced graffiti writers and street artists know too well that once they have completed their work, reactions to it are beyond their control.
Photo Credit
Photographer: Oren Rozen
Title: Posters in front of the Kirya, calling for the return of Israeli hostages taken to Gaza
https://jeffreyianross.com/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2023-11-04-at-9.47.45-AM.png7151074Jeffrey Ian Rosshttps://jeffreyianross.com/wp-content/uploads/jeffrey-ian-ross-logo-04.pngJeffrey Ian Ross2023-11-04 17:17:232024-09-22 12:19:37When street art provokes moral outrage?
A great example within this genre is the 1985 comedy Tampopo, directed by Japanese filmmaker Juzo Itami.
This movie (clocking in at 115 minutes), with performances by actors who are now household names in Japan, consists of a series of vignettes that explores Japanese food culture, but mainly ramen cooking.
Although the film weaves various storylines together, delving into themes of love, power, and sexuality, its primary focus is on the central narrative of Lai Lai, who owns a struggling ramen restaurant, assisted by Goro, a good looking, relatively young itinerant trucker, to find and perfect a recipe to create the most savory ramen noodle dish.
This sets off a hero’s journey type quest.
Although Goro knows a thing or two about cooking, it’s not necessarily ramen. For example, he instructs Lai Lai on such things as sizing up the customer, or how ramen chefs analyze the customer experience, to see how they react, this kind of knowledge is not sufficient.
It’s also not completely clear why Lai Lai wants to perfect making ramen. It raises questions about whether it’s driven by Goro’s critical remarks about the quality of her ramen, or a deeper affection for him, even though their relationship lacks overt physical connection, which contrasts with other vignettes in the film.
Despite its comedic nature and the presence of various subplots, Tampopo imparts valuable knowledge about Japanese food culture and mastery of Japanese cooking. These lessons can be ranked in order of increasing significance:
In the realm of food preparation, it’s essential to uphold etiquette, but equally vital is the decorum surrounding the act of dining. This decorum often involves a deep reverence for rituals.
In pursuing a goal, like perfecting the cooking of ramen, it’s important to not only pay attention to detail (such as the ingredients that one purchases, uses, their type and quality etc.), but it’s also crucial to be highly organized.
In skill acquisition, its necessary to not only suggest and provide solutions to challenges (and not simply give up), but to also anticipate needs (e.g., proactive assistance). This is demonstrated when Goro goes out of his way to offer creative solutions to Lai Lai’s challenges.
It’s crucial to minimize mistakes as they erode trust in your audience, customers, co-workers, etc.. The movie highlights how over time when chefs and restaurants make mistakes with their cooking they lose clientele. Thus it’s essential to be thorough and committed to excellence.
In order to perfect one’s craft it’s essential to learn, be given, or discover detailed information and explanations about techniques and ingredients.
Ultimately, Tampopo encourages its viewers to prioritize skills and knowledge over faith in individuals of high status or authority. This message is embodied in Lai Lai’s (and to a lesser extent Goro’s) journey as she learns from a diverse group of individuals. Similar to Jiro Dreams of Sushi, the movie also reminds viewers that the quest is not simply to improve one’s ability to make something (in this case ramen), but to perfect it.
Although learning from a movie about ramen making has its limitations, and regardless of its subject domain, it is one extra way we can benefit from improving our craft.
Photo Credit
From the movie Tampopo
https://jeffreyianross.com/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2023-10-28-at-8.09.04-AM.png7171271Jeffrey Ian Rosshttps://jeffreyianross.com/wp-content/uploads/jeffrey-ian-ross-logo-04.pngJeffrey Ian Ross2023-10-28 15:48:522024-12-08 05:28:52The timeless wisdom of TAMPOPO
Or maybe your passion for higher learning was ignited during your undergraduate years when entertaining, engaging, or supportive criminology professors inspired you to explore the intricacies of crime and the criminal justice system more deeply.
But now, you’re faced with a dilemma: should you commit to a Ph.D. in Criminology/Criminal Justice, or should you explore an allied field like Sociology, History, Political Science, or Public Policy?
This predicament is not uncommon. Prospective graduate students, as well as those already enrolled in doctoral programs, often find themselves grappling with this question.
To help you navigate this decision, here are several questions to consider, ordered from least to most important:
1. Are you clear about the costs and the benefits of earning a Ph.D. versus other career choices?
A Ph.D. is not for everyone and unlike many of the trades (e.g., plumber, electrician, etc.) and professions (e.g., doctor, lawyer, etc.) that people train for, there is no guarantee that you are going to get a job upon completion, or that your investment is going to pay off with a good paying career and salary.
2. Will earning a PhD in Criminology/Criminal Justice make you more marketable than securing a PhD in another field?
Research the current job market for recently graduated Ph.D.’s in Criminology/Criminal Justice and try to get a handle on the supply and demand for people with this qualification compared to individuals who have earned doctorates in other fields.
3. Can you secure funding for a doctorate in Criminology/Criminal Justice or is it easier to secure funding in another field?
Assuming that you are not rich or someone (like your parents, spouse, etc.) is going to pay for your studies (plus living expenses), explore scholarship opportunities, assistantships, and grants available in both Criminology/Criminal Justice versus cognate fields.
4. Should you do your PhD. in a department where both the curriculum and the professors emphasize Criminology or Criminal Justice or both subjects are treated equally?
Although Criminology and Criminal Justice are related, they are not the same. And not all PhD programs are equivalent. They are comprised of a variety of different people with different expertise’s, strengths and weaknesses. It’s important to check this out before you enroll least you may be surprised or disappointed a few years in to the program.
5. Is there a respected Ph.D. program in Criminology/Criminal justice close to where you live?
Consider your geographical options and the quality of programs in your vicinity. Will you have to uproot your family and disrupt your social connections or is there a compromise location that you can pursue?
6. Why not earn a Master’s degree before taking the plunge with a Ph.D.?
Although your ego might be stoked by earning a Ph.D., if you don’t have a master’s degree in Criminology/Criminal Justice already then maybe you want to start with this degree first before you consider moving to the Ph.D.
7. Is there a well-respected Criminologist (who can also act as your mentor) that you want to work with in a Ph.D. program in Criminology/Criminal Justice?
In many respects, more important than the subject matter of the discipline that you want to earn a Ph.D. in is the potential advisors who align with your research interests and career aspirations.
8. Which allied field/s also aligns with your interests?
Is it possible to earn a Ph.D. in Sociology, Political Science, or Public Policy and be able to conduct scholarship on the topics that interest you most? Is the doctorate in Criminology/Criminal Justice appropriate or can you achieve the same goal in an allied field.
9. Do you want to do your Ph.D. full-time or part-time? Are there one or more respected Ph.D. programs in Criminology/Criminal Justice that will allow you to do this part-time?
Although the thought of pursuing your PhD. part-time may be appealing it is also important to realize that few programs will allow this. And many of the part-time programs lack the due diligence of others.
10. Have you considered speaking to a qualified career counsellor, and not the admissions director at the prospective PhD. program you want to enter?
Consult appropriate and qualified career advisors who can provide insights into the job market and hiring trends for both earning a Ph.D. and in the particular field/subject matter you want to pursue. Sometimes the school that you earned your bachelor’s degree, have free career counseling services that will enable you to do this.
11. Can you achieve your career goals without a Ph.D. in Criminology/Criminal justice?
This is probably a good time to re-examine the specific career path you aspire to, and whether a Ph.D. is a necessity for your goals.
12. Evaluate your personal passions
Finally, reflect on what truly drives you and where your passion lies; this should be a significant factor in your decision.
Next Steps
All in all it’s important to do your due diligence by conducting as much research as you can. This involves not simply consulting the websites of prospective Ph.D. programs, but talking to instructors, and graduate students who are currently enrolled in Ph.D. programs in Criminology/Criminal Justice (and allied fields) and with those who have graduated. This process should enable you to learn about and hopefully understand their experiences and career paths. This process might also might extend to attending one or more Criminology/Criminal Justice conferences.
In conclusion, deciding whether to pursue a Ph.D. in Criminology/Criminal Justice or a cognate field is a significant decision. You want to take a calculated risk, have a plan B if the graduate program does not work out for you, and consider the possibility of pivoting into something that interests you, adequately pays the bills, and does not force you in to perpetual debt paying off student loans.
Put another way, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, and your decision should ultimately reflect your individual aspirations and existing circumstances.
Photo Credit
Title: Sisyphus
Artist: Titian
Painted: 1548-1549
https://jeffreyianross.com/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2023-10-21-at-8.34.06-AM-e1697892122843.png227200Jeffrey Ian Rosshttps://jeffreyianross.com/wp-content/uploads/jeffrey-ian-ross-logo-04.pngJeffrey Ian Ross2023-10-21 15:25:062024-07-30 17:59:03Should You Earn a PhD in Criminology/Criminal Justice or an Allied Field?
When street art provokes moral outrage?
/by Jeffrey Ian RossGraffiti and street art have been a constant presence in the long-standing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian people, both inside Israel and the Occupied Territories (i.e., West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Golan Heights) and Gaza.
Not only have Israelis and Palestinians living in the Occupied Territories and Gaza engaged graffiti and street art (e.g., Know Hope, El Mac and Retna), but well-known outsiders like Banksy, Blue and Swoon have produced iconic and powerful images and messages on various surfaces, including border walls that separate Israel from the West Bank and elsewhere.
That being said, graffiti and street art connected to the conflict has never been confined to the war zone. We have seen all manner of this form of political communication in urban public spaces in major cities worldwide.
This brings us to the current conflict. On Sunday October 7, 2023 Hamas forces kidnapped almost 200 people (mostly Israelis) and killed another 1,400.
Almost immediately, Nitzan Mintz, (a visual poet) and Dede Bandaid (a visual artist), Israelis temporarily living in the United States (with the assistance of graphic designers Tal Huber and Shira Gershoni), quickly created posters/flyers featuring the images of the kidnapped individuals. These were rapidly disseminated worldwide. A veritable army of sympathizers downloaded this content from the web and started affixing these posters in public places in large cities. In many ways, these posters of the kidnapped Israelis, served as a compelling form of agitprop, likely to evoke strong reactions from a wider audience.
In many respects, this activity has historical precedents. For example, starting in the 1980s, American street artist Robbie Conal, regularly produced posters with unflattering hand drawn images resembling caricatures of dictators, corrupt politicians, and tyrants, accompanied by disparaging text. Numerous volunteers quickly affixed these posters to utility poles, building walls, street signs, etc. throughout the United States and around the world.
But the postering of kidnapped Israeli citizens took an immediate turn when Israeli Defense Forces started bombing of Gaza, leading to significant property destruction, injuries, and civilian casualties. While the painting of swastikas on lots of surfaces, including Jewish cemetery tombstones and properties owned by Jewish individuals have been marked with Stars of David appeared to increase, the posters depicting the kidnapped Israelis were no longer tolerated.
Despite the fact that most street art is low-level vandalism and an act of property crime, we are now seeing the posters of the kidnapped Israelis torn down not by public works departments, or ghost buffers, but by individuals who are unhappy with the Israeli response to Hamas.
What lessons can be learned from this case study? In short, it highlights the potential risks and complexities associated with street art as a form of activism. It also underscores the idea that even when street artists have good intentions and aim to raise awareness and provoke moral outrage through their work, there is no guarantee that the public’s reactions will align with their objectives. Ultimately there is an inherent unpredictability of public perception and the limitations of an artist’s control over their message. While graffiti and street art can be a powerful medium for social commentary, it comes with inherent uncertainties and challenges.
In sum, even a well-orchestrated effort to create and disseminate street art designed to raise awareness, garner sympathy, and moral outrage can backfire. Experienced graffiti writers and street artists know too well that once they have completed their work, reactions to it are beyond their control.
Photo Credit
Photographer: Oren Rozen
Title: Posters in front of the Kirya, calling for the return of Israeli hostages taken to Gaza
The timeless wisdom of TAMPOPO
/by Jeffrey Ian RossSeveral recurrent themes are present in Japanese films. One of them is references to food, cuisine, or washoku (i.e., traditional Japanese cooking).
A great example within this genre is the 1985 comedy Tampopo, directed by Japanese filmmaker Juzo Itami.
This movie (clocking in at 115 minutes), with performances by actors who are now household names in Japan, consists of a series of vignettes that explores Japanese food culture, but mainly ramen cooking.
Although the film weaves various storylines together, delving into themes of love, power, and sexuality, its primary focus is on the central narrative of Lai Lai, who owns a struggling ramen restaurant, assisted by Goro, a good looking, relatively young itinerant trucker, to find and perfect a recipe to create the most savory ramen noodle dish.
This sets off a hero’s journey type quest.
Although Goro knows a thing or two about cooking, it’s not necessarily ramen. For example, he instructs Lai Lai on such things as sizing up the customer, or how ramen chefs analyze the customer experience, to see how they react, this kind of knowledge is not sufficient.
It’s also not completely clear why Lai Lai wants to perfect making ramen. It raises questions about whether it’s driven by Goro’s critical remarks about the quality of her ramen, or a deeper affection for him, even though their relationship lacks overt physical connection, which contrasts with other vignettes in the film.
Despite its comedic nature and the presence of various subplots, Tampopo imparts valuable knowledge about Japanese food culture and mastery of Japanese cooking. These lessons can be ranked in order of increasing significance:
In the realm of food preparation, it’s essential to uphold etiquette, but equally vital is the decorum surrounding the act of dining. This decorum often involves a deep reverence for rituals.
In pursuing a goal, like perfecting the cooking of ramen, it’s important to not only pay attention to detail (such as the ingredients that one purchases, uses, their type and quality etc.), but it’s also crucial to be highly organized.
In skill acquisition, its necessary to not only suggest and provide solutions to challenges (and not simply give up), but to also anticipate needs (e.g., proactive assistance). This is demonstrated when Goro goes out of his way to offer creative solutions to Lai Lai’s challenges.
It’s crucial to minimize mistakes as they erode trust in your audience, customers, co-workers, etc.. The movie highlights how over time when chefs and restaurants make mistakes with their cooking they lose clientele. Thus it’s essential to be thorough and committed to excellence.
In order to perfect one’s craft it’s essential to learn, be given, or discover detailed information and explanations about techniques and ingredients.
Ultimately, Tampopo encourages its viewers to prioritize skills and knowledge over faith in individuals of high status or authority. This message is embodied in Lai Lai’s (and to a lesser extent Goro’s) journey as she learns from a diverse group of individuals. Similar to Jiro Dreams of Sushi, the movie also reminds viewers that the quest is not simply to improve one’s ability to make something (in this case ramen), but to perfect it.
Although learning from a movie about ramen making has its limitations, and regardless of its subject domain, it is one extra way we can benefit from improving our craft.
Photo Credit
From the movie Tampopo
Should You Earn a PhD in Criminology/Criminal Justice or an Allied Field?
/by Jeffrey Ian RossSomewhere deep inside of you, or at the back of your mind, a voice calls out, urging you to pursue a Ph.D. in Criminology/ Criminal Justice (CJ).
Perhaps you like to binge on late-night TV shows featuring handsome, charismatic police officers and drop-dead gorgeous and brilliant detectives solving complex crimes.
Or maybe your passion for higher learning was ignited during your undergraduate years when entertaining, engaging, or supportive criminology professors inspired you to explore the intricacies of crime and the criminal justice system more deeply.
But now, you’re faced with a dilemma: should you commit to a Ph.D. in Criminology/Criminal Justice, or should you explore an allied field like Sociology, History, Political Science, or Public Policy?
This predicament is not uncommon. Prospective graduate students, as well as those already enrolled in doctoral programs, often find themselves grappling with this question.
To help you navigate this decision, here are several questions to consider, ordered from least to most important:
1. Are you clear about the costs and the benefits of earning a Ph.D. versus other career choices?
A Ph.D. is not for everyone and unlike many of the trades (e.g., plumber, electrician, etc.) and professions (e.g., doctor, lawyer, etc.) that people train for, there is no guarantee that you are going to get a job upon completion, or that your investment is going to pay off with a good paying career and salary.
2. Will earning a PhD in Criminology/Criminal Justice make you more marketable than securing a PhD in another field?
Research the current job market for recently graduated Ph.D.’s in Criminology/Criminal Justice and try to get a handle on the supply and demand for people with this qualification compared to individuals who have earned doctorates in other fields.
3. Can you secure funding for a doctorate in Criminology/Criminal Justice or is it easier to secure funding in another field?
Assuming that you are not rich or someone (like your parents, spouse, etc.) is going to pay for your studies (plus living expenses), explore scholarship opportunities, assistantships, and grants available in both Criminology/Criminal Justice versus cognate fields.
4. Should you do your PhD. in a department where both the curriculum and the professors emphasize Criminology or Criminal Justice or both subjects are treated equally?
Although Criminology and Criminal Justice are related, they are not the same. And not all PhD programs are equivalent. They are comprised of a variety of different people with different expertise’s, strengths and weaknesses. It’s important to check this out before you enroll least you may be surprised or disappointed a few years in to the program.
5. Is there a respected Ph.D. program in Criminology/Criminal justice close to where you live?
Consider your geographical options and the quality of programs in your vicinity. Will you have to uproot your family and disrupt your social connections or is there a compromise location that you can pursue?
6. Why not earn a Master’s degree before taking the plunge with a Ph.D.?
Although your ego might be stoked by earning a Ph.D., if you don’t have a master’s degree in Criminology/Criminal Justice already then maybe you want to start with this degree first before you consider moving to the Ph.D.
7. Is there a well-respected Criminologist (who can also act as your mentor) that you want to work with in a Ph.D. program in Criminology/Criminal Justice?
In many respects, more important than the subject matter of the discipline that you want to earn a Ph.D. in is the potential advisors who align with your research interests and career aspirations.
8. Which allied field/s also aligns with your interests?
Is it possible to earn a Ph.D. in Sociology, Political Science, or Public Policy and be able to conduct scholarship on the topics that interest you most? Is the doctorate in Criminology/Criminal Justice appropriate or can you achieve the same goal in an allied field.
9. Do you want to do your Ph.D. full-time or part-time? Are there one or more respected Ph.D. programs in Criminology/Criminal Justice that will allow you to do this part-time?
Although the thought of pursuing your PhD. part-time may be appealing it is also important to realize that few programs will allow this. And many of the part-time programs lack the due diligence of others.
10. Have you considered speaking to a qualified career counsellor, and not the admissions director at the prospective PhD. program you want to enter?
Consult appropriate and qualified career advisors who can provide insights into the job market and hiring trends for both earning a Ph.D. and in the particular field/subject matter you want to pursue. Sometimes the school that you earned your bachelor’s degree, have free career counseling services that will enable you to do this.
11. Can you achieve your career goals without a Ph.D. in Criminology/Criminal justice?
This is probably a good time to re-examine the specific career path you aspire to, and whether a Ph.D. is a necessity for your goals.
12. Evaluate your personal passions
Finally, reflect on what truly drives you and where your passion lies; this should be a significant factor in your decision.
Next Steps
All in all it’s important to do your due diligence by conducting as much research as you can. This involves not simply consulting the websites of prospective Ph.D. programs, but talking to instructors, and graduate students who are currently enrolled in Ph.D. programs in Criminology/Criminal Justice (and allied fields) and with those who have graduated. This process should enable you to learn about and hopefully understand their experiences and career paths. This process might also might extend to attending one or more Criminology/Criminal Justice conferences.
In conclusion, deciding whether to pursue a Ph.D. in Criminology/Criminal Justice or a cognate field is a significant decision. You want to take a calculated risk, have a plan B if the graduate program does not work out for you, and consider the possibility of pivoting into something that interests you, adequately pays the bills, and does not force you in to perpetual debt paying off student loans.
Put another way, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, and your decision should ultimately reflect your individual aspirations and existing circumstances.
Photo Credit
Title: Sisyphus
Artist: Titian
Painted: 1548-1549