Year: 2016

On America’s Two Major Political Parties

Dr. Celucien Joseph Uncategorized

On America’s Two Major Political Parties

Most Americans are a two-party people. I suppose the party system is designed to reflect the present binary opposition and clash of worldviews between the democrats and the republicans. These current political parties in America are too decisice, centric, and tribal. 

Why do they even exist?

How are these current two political parties–Democratic and Republican– in the United States contributing to democratic progress and advancing American democratic ideals?

They should be abolished and declared unconstitutional. If certain  supposedly-democratic structures cease to be meaningful to “the people” and effective in carrying out the promise of democracy, what’s the use to safeguard them?

 If certain supposedly-democratic structures have failed to make society, human interactions, social interactions, and the political and civil societies more democratic and civil, why shouldn’t the people demand their abolition?

What are these two political parties currently doing to alleviate human suffering and poverty in the American society?

How are they helping the American poor and underprivileged American families to dream about future possibilities and realize those dreams?

Are they pursuing justice and equality  for the oppressed and minority?

If the current Democratic and Political parties symbolize America’s democratic sytem and life, then the American democracy is in deep crisis. 

To a certain degree, given the crisis of clear  consciousness and cogent thinking in American Evangelicalism, American Evangelical Christianity has made American politics less democratic and less effective. After Donald Trump gets elected on Tuesday, November 8,  U.S. Historians would inevitably reflect on that critical moment in American politics and will probably write this memorable line about American Evangelicalism:

The era of Donald Trump was the nadir of American Evangelical ethics and Evangelical polical consciousness.

The Sky is Your Limit: A morning conversation with my sons

Dr. Celucien Joseph Uncategorized

​The Sky is Your Limit: A morning conversation with my sons

Here’s how the conversation went this morning while I was on my way to drop the boys off to school:

Josh: Daddy,  I want to be a doctor or lawyer, or I will be a civics teacher.

* Josh wants to get a PhD in Government and Political Science. He also said that he wants to work for CNN and replace Anderson Cooper. Sorry, Anderson. You won’t have a job in a few years.lol

Terrence: It is hard to get a good career.

Me: Yes, it is hard; but, if you work hard and have the commitment, you can do it.

Me: your limit is the sky.

Josh: That’s not true, daddy. Astronauts have surpassed the sky. They have gone to the moon. 

Me: Well, “the sky is your limit” is a metaphor. It simply means no one can stop your dream.

You can even be the next President of the United States.

Josh: Okay, daddy.

*Metaphors and figures of speech are dangerous communication techniques for the little minds. Be careful when you use them. Lol

U.S. Aid Is Disastrous to Haiti’s Economy!

Dr. Celucien Joseph Haiti, Social Justice, The poor, U.S. Imperialism, Uncategorized , ,

U.S. Aid Is Disastrous to Haiti’s Economy!

Six years ago, Dr. Dambisa Moyo, an internationally-known Nigerian economist , published a brilliant and well-researched book entitled, “Dead Aid: Why Aid Is Not Working and How There Is a Better Way for Africa” (2010). Her main thesis was this : International Aid has worsened the human condition in Africa and correspondingly decreased the economic progress in Africa.

While we encourage temporary Aid relief Efforts in time of emergency, people in Africa and Haiti cannot be sustained on permanent economic dependency. If the Euro-American NGOs take the financial aid, which they amassed from different sources, back to their respective countries and do not invest in the respective countries they claim they’re assisting, the ensuing result of their work will inevitably lead to “failure” and the “destruction” of Haiti’s economy, for example. The profit is theirs, and not ours.

In this respect, Euro-American-based NGOs have become economic-booster agents, that is their work contributes enormously to the economic inflation of their countries of origin. American-based NGOs have failed Haiti in this respect.  While many NGOs (i.e. Red Cross, U.S. AID, etc.)  have helped many people in Haiti and transformed their living conditions, the general conclusion is that U.S. aid is disastrous to Haiti’s economy and not contributing substantially to social and economic justice and human flourishing projects in the Caribbean nation!

Take a look at this video to get a better understanding of my argument:

 

Should we classify the current American Presidential Election a Third-World Class-Election?

Dr. Celucien Joseph Uncategorized , , ,

Should we classify the current American Presidential Election a Third-World Class-Election?

Giving all the scandalous reports and misgivings, frauds, sexual scandals, deceptions, and the mismanagement of high-sensitive public and governmental data or information, this current presidential election in the United States of America reminds me of “traditional” presidential elections in Haiti and is comparable to many presidential elections in the so-called Third World. Perhaps, we are the Third World.

We have to classify this present American presidential election as a Third World class-election. The controversy surrounding Hillary Clinton’s stewardship of public leadership, trust, and responsibility, the Republican Party’s choice of Donald Trump’s presidential nominee, and Trump’s disregard for human dignity, justice, and human rights issues are irrefutable examples of the bankruptcy and demise of American democracy and governance.

What’s going on, folks?

Call for Papers: Approaches to Teaching the Work of Edwidge Danticat

Dr. Celucien Joseph African American Literature, Uncategorized , ,

Call for Papers

Approaches to Teaching the Work of Edwidge Danticat

Suchismita Banerjee, Marvin E. Hobson, and Celucien L. Joseph (editors)

The goal of this book is to provide a pedagogical approach to teach Edwidge Danticat’s collection of works. The project has a twofold objective. First, it will explore diasporic categories and postcolonial themes such as gender constructs, cultural nationalism, cultural and communal identity, problems of location and (dis) location, religious otherness, and the interplay between history and memory. Secondly, the book will investigate Danticat’s human rights activism, the immigrant experience, the relationship between the particular and the universal, and the violence of hegemony and imperialism in relationship with society, family, and community. We envision this book to be interdisciplinary and used in undergraduate and graduate courses. We are particularly interested in the teaching of her major works including but not limited to the following:

  • Krik? Krak!
  • Breath, Eyes, Memory
  • The Farming of Bones
  • The Dew Breaker
  • Claire of the Sea Light
  • Brother, I’m Dying
  • Create Dangerously: The Immigrant Artist at Work

If you would like to contribute a book chapter to this important project, along with a brief bio, please submit a 300 word abstract by Monday, December 19, 2016, to Celucien Joseph @ celucienjoseph@gmail.com and  Suchismita Banerjee @ banerjeesuchi@gmail.com

Contributors will be notified of acceptance on Monday, February 13, 2017. We are looking for original and unpublished essays for this book.

About the Editors

Suchismita Banerjee is a Professor of English at Indian River State College. Her teaching and research interests include Postcolonial literature and film, Third World Feminism, British Literature, and South Asian Diaspora.

 

Marvin E. Hobson is a Professor of English at Indian River State College. His teaching and research interests include British Literature, Modernism, and African American Literature.

 

Celucien L. Joseph is a Professor of English at Indian River State College. His teaching and research interests include African American Literature, Caribbean Culture and Literature (Francophone and Anglophone), African American Intellectual History, Comparative Black Literature and Culture, African Literature (Francophone and Anglophone), Postcolonial Literature, Critical Theory, Religion.

 

On the growth of Christianity in Africa

Dr. Celucien Joseph African Christianity, Uncategorized ,

On the growth of Christianity in Africa

Nine years ago, Thomas C. Oden, in “How Africa Shaped The Christian Mind: Rediscovering the African Seedbed of Western Christianity” (2007), wrote about the tremendous growth of Christianity in Africa toward a half billion African Christians:

“There soon may be almost a half billion Christians in Africa. Now estimated at over four hundred million (46 percent of the total African population of 890,000, according to the Pew Forum), and rapidly growing, a significant proportion of global Christian believers at this time are residents of the continent of Africa. David Barrett projects the continuing growth rate to 2025 as 633 million Christians in Africa.”

Interestingly, as Christianity is/has declined in Western societies, Christianity is growing exponentially in African societies. I’m wondering about the contributing factors to this “Christian increase” in continental Africa. Many thinkers believe that Africans are going back to their “Christian roots.”

I, too, am Human!

Dr. Celucien Joseph Human solidarity, Humanism, Uncategorized ,

I, too, am Human!

I have met many PhD holders in conferences, workshops, and other venues. Some of these individuals are very arrogant and boastful about their academic achievements and publications.

While one should be proud of any kind of personal or group achievement, academic achievement should never be the intellectual compass to measure and vindicate one’s humanity. While trophies can boost someone’s self-esteem, they can’t humanize a person. Humanity simply means existence.

Do not define and associate your humanity with success, wealth, power, influence, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, or race.

The mere fact that you are and you exist is what it means to be human–nothing else.

Updates about Hurricane Matthew Relief Efforts

Dr. Celucien Joseph Uncategorized
Updates about Hurricane Matthew Relief Efforts
 
I thought I would give you guys an update about the support you have provided for the Hurricane Matthew Victims in Southern Haiti.
 
I want thank everyone for the contributions you made. Although our goal is/was to provide 1000 rechargeable solar lanterns to 1000 Haitian families in Les Cayes, with your donations, we purchased 510 lanterns. We will also bring basic care supplies to the victims such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, bathing soap, shoes, and clothes (most of the victims have nothing to wear; they lost their clothes and household items in the hurricane.)
lamp
 
Once again, we thank you for your contributions. We will take lots of pictures after the distribution!
You still can make a donation by clicking on the link below:

Presidential Election and Friendship: Some Words of Advice!

Dr. Celucien Joseph Uncategorized
Presidential Election and Friendship: Some Words of Advice!
As we continue to experience this very sensitive topic we call “Presidential election” and the battle for the White House between Mr. Donald Trump and Mrs. Hillary Clinton, allow me to quickly share a few words of advice with you on the subject matter: Presidential election  and friendship.
  1.  It is okay (Should I say tolerable) for you and your friend to hold competing perspectives about politics.  All of us hold different ideologies and ideas about  social, economic, and political issues–even cultural and religious ones. We are firm about our beliefs and will not let them go. Some of them are helpful and human uplifting; others are unhealthy and unconstructive.
  2. Do not unfriend your friend on Facebook or stop following him/her–on whatever social media:twitter, wordpress, blogger, instagram, what have you?-because you just found out on a  post that he/she will vote for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton in this year’s presidential election. Mrs. Hillary Clinton or Mr. Donald Trump will be elected as our next President for only 4 yrs, if lucky, 8 yrs in reelection. Good and genuine friendship endures and lasts a little bit longer than the temporary presidential post.
  3. Watch your tongue! Keep your heart pure! Have I said to control your temper too?
  4. Do not demonize your friend or shame him or her on a public post! Be respectful and kind to all, especially your friends. After all, he/she is your friend. Donald or Hillary is not and probably will never befriend you.
  5. You have been trying to persuade your friend to vote for Hillary or Donald for a while now. It is not working. Give it up! Let the person choose and vote according to his or her conscience to the glory of God.
  6. Do not let your friendship with someone you love and care for fall apart because of  political difference or over this year’s presidential choice. It takes a lot of time to nurture and cultivate genuine friendship.
  7. It is okay to be a Christian and  be a democrat. Remember your faith is in no one or nothing else but in Jesus Christ.
  8. It is okay to be a Christian and be a republican. Remember your faith is in no one or nothing else but in Jesus Christ.
  9. It is okay to be a Christian and be an independent voter. Remember your faith is in no one or nothing else but in Jesus Christ.
  10. If your conscience is not clear about a particular presidential candidate, it is not unbiblical if you decide not to vote  in this year’s presidential election. There’s no biblical mandate that you have to vote in order to fulfill your civic duty as a christian of the Kingdom of God and citizen of the United States. God will not send you to hell nor will he disown you as his child.  In the same line of thought, always remember God is not a republican or a democrat.
 * This essay has previously been published elsewhere. This  is a re-post. For propositions 5-10, I take for granted most of my readers are followers of Christ.