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I guess this is just one more step in the 'human zoo' tradition on UK/USA TV. The format where viewers get entertainment from seeing (preferably as incompatible as possible) humans stuck together in a confined space for as long as possible, 24/7 monitored by CCTV, until they all but tear each other to bits (I'd be interested to see the first lawsuit arising from a serious physical injury acquired this way, bet even now the US lawyers are itching for something like that). Sadly we see these formats all the time on the schedules, Celebrity Love island, Big brother, Wifeswap, - maybe the logical conclusion of this is a real life 'Battle Royale', that was the film where delinquent Japanese schoolkids are thinking they are going on a school trip, in fact they end up on a remote island where only one will survive, rules say all must try and killl each other (if they don't, collars fitted to them will blow them all to bits at the stated time of end of the game, or if they try and swim off the island). For now, we must be content with emotional slaughter and tearing to bits, has anyone done a study on the long term effects on their ability to form / maintain relationships of the competitors taking part in Big Brother etc. Hillary Shaw, Geography, University of Southampton In a message dated 04/06/2005 12:16:53 GMT Daylight Time, [log in to unmask] writes: > And just to prove I'm not entirely a cantankerous old bloke, this should > intrigue at least some of you... > > Jon Cloke (Durham) > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Marika Sherwood > To: [log in to unmask] > Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 9:19 PM > Subject: Fw: Afro-Germans Protest African Village in the ZOO > This is difficult to believe. Please email your protest!!!!!!! > > From: Norbert Finzsch [mailto:[log in to unmask]] > > I am a German scholar of African American History and member of H-Net > Afro-Am. Today I would like to direct your attention to something that is > going on in Germany which, in my opinion, requires the consideration of the > international scholarly community. It is with utmost indignation that the > African German community has taken notice of the plans to open an "African > Village" within the zoo of Augsburg, Germany. The opening of this exhibit is > > scheduled for July 9 - July 12. 2005. "Artisans, silversmiths, basket makers > > and traditional hairdressers are situated in an unique African steppe > landscape" according to the leaflets handed out by the organizers of the > show. The conveners obviously are oblivious of the fact that exhibits like > the one planned in Augsburg are organized within the German tradition of > racist "ethnographic shows" (Völkerschauen). A letter of reply by Ms. > Barbara Jantschke, PhD, from the Augsburg Zoo, directed to an African Swiss > citizen underlines the intention, to put Africans on display in the zoo > within "an atmosphere of exotism". > > It is obvious that the conveners do not understand the historical > implications of their project. Even in Germany the impact of colonialism and > > racism on African societies are nowadays debated in public. The way Africans > > and African Americans in Germany are perceived and discussed, the way they > are present on billboards and in TV ads prove that the colonialist and > |racist gaze is still very much alive in Germany. This is the direct result > of forty years of German colonialism and twelve years of National Socialism. > > People of color are still seen as exotic objects (of desire), as basically > dehumanized entities within the realm of animals. This also explains why a > zoo has been selected as site for the exhibit. It is necessary to remind the > > organizers that in the history of "ethnographic shows" African and German > African individuals were used as object for anthropometric tests and > ethnological investigations of highly questionable scientific benefit. Many > of the artists who performed in these shows in the 1920s and 1930s died from > > malnutrition and as a consequence of bad living conditions. The Nazis > employed a policy of eugenic control, resulting in forced operations to > limit the biological reproduction of African Germans or in downright > incarceration in concentration camps. Survivors of this policy had to gain a > > living as performers in exotic shows. The Augsburg exhibit thus fails to > acknowledge the political and social history of persecution in Nazi > Germany. The African German community and concerned individuals like myself > call to your attention the need to protest against the opening of the > exhibit in the Augsburg Zoo. > > Please direct your personalized letters of protest to Frau Dr. Barbara > Jantschke (Director Zoo Augsburg) at > [log in to unmask] > > Thank you > Norbert Finzsch > Professor of History and > Provost of the University of Cologne > Anglo-Amerikanische Abteilung > Historisches Seminar > Universität zu Köln > Albertus-Magnus-Platz > Philosophikum > D 50923 Köln > Tel. ++49-221-470-2307 > Email: [log in to unmask] > URL http://www.uni-koeln.de/phil-fak/histsem/anglo/ > >