Weblog Journal Assignment 1

I was initially attracted to this course due to its format. I am a firm believer that education's future will be tied to the emergence and increasing availability of instant connection technology. The syllabus indicates that this course contains numerous aspects that I hope soon become norm - direct communication and interaction (and thus, knowledge exchange) between culturally and geographically diverse students. First hand interaction with real, live "sources" is extremely valuable. This interaction, combined with our class' active use of internet tools is a hopeful beacon for future education.

Of course, any first time class will have ripples as it is adapted to a new environment. I expect problems to arise; however, I do not think they will inhibit progress. Individuals not well adapted to online community norms may have difficulty initially. There exists the obvious obstacle of mastering a new technology. Additionally, some students may find it difficult to engage in discussion (and criticism) through digital means; the "facelessness" of the internet changes the dynamic of interpersonal relations.

There also exist difficulties with the course's subject matter itself. As noted in the Suad Amiry readings, the nature of Jerusalem raises difficulties in its study. Jerusalem is very much a battered city. Decades of recent war and occupation have altered the city's fabric; research sources have been displaced, unwilling to cooperate or are, in extreme cases, no longer living. Furthermore, Jerusalem is immensely symbolic and important, for innumerable reasons. Individuals have a very "set" perception of Jerusalem and are unwilling to explore new "truths" or dialogue if conflicting with previously held notions. These difficulties express themselves in the representation of Jerusalem. The cultural and political fabrics of Jerusalem are intertwined and overlap, conflict and, depending on who one asks, contradict each other. Thus, one must have to tread quite delicately to represent Jerusalem with parity and equality. These difficulties were apparent in the Folklore festival's cancellation. The group, against all odds, managed to generally pull together a representative Jerusalem honoring the various political and cultural fabrics; however, available funding generally was on behalf of a specific (unequal) representation of Jerusalem. Furthermore, logistics were hampered by the issues effecting research, as mentioned above.