Papers by ELISABETH SERVELLO
This essay will examine Hildegard von Bingen, the woman and the nun (1098-1179) born in Böckelhei... more This essay will examine Hildegard von Bingen, the woman and the nun (1098-1179) born in Böckelheim, West Franconia, Rhineland, Germany (Newman, 1989). It asks one fundamental question, did Hildegard's religious writings give her unique authority in a masculine world? The world of 12 th century Europe. In order to understand the question, one needs to have an understanding of the woman, her writings and a background to her life. The question then can be understood within the backdrop of the religious and patriarchal confines of Hildegard's life. By all accounts this was an extraordinary person (Maddocks, 2013; Newman, 1989). Hildegard was
Galileo the Greatest of All Italians, 2023
When thinking meets ignorance you get an explosion by accident, perhaps, by design, maybe. This e... more When thinking meets ignorance you get an explosion by accident, perhaps, by design, maybe. This explosion of ideas the greatest since the ancient Greeks and Romans, brings to life the power of one man to change the world.
Darwin and the Power of his Research, 2023
As Darwin's curiosity and dedication to research and questions gave him insight and understanding... more As Darwin's curiosity and dedication to research and questions gave him insight and understanding to where we as a species came from; it also gave us a glimpse into our own extinction as a species as well as our evolution. When and how the end comes this is and will be always for debate.
What was life like at a residential school, 2022
When a people finally refuse to continue being part of the structural oppression and begin to tak... more When a people finally refuse to continue being part of the structural oppression and begin to take back their past and culture whomever they are and where ever they are in the world, it begins the long process from the darkness into the light of day. For as Martin Luther King so eloquently expressed, only light can illuminate the darkness. It is after all trauma at the collective level that becomes so unbearable that resistance and defiance is the only way of freedom whether at the collective or individual level, in a quiet way or in a loud way. All people have a right to free determination to become that which they seek, freedom from oppression and enslavement from a larger power. We see it now, history is littered with the remains of the young in pursuit of that which the older generation force upon them thus continuing a violent progression in a way to collective nihilism. However, when a people refuse any longer to be part of this system, then change will come. The narrative begins to change. For change as Heraclitus, an ancient Greek philosopher believed is the only stable reality of our lives and our human condition. It is what the Latins would say, "Carpe Diem", seize the day, for the day must be met full on.
Causes of Gender Inequality, 2021
The increasing gender inequality and violence towards women is a global and perpetual problem tha... more The increasing gender inequality and violence towards women is a global and perpetual problem that is getting worse especially in failed and failing states. Without change the problem will only get worse.
How the Execution of Elisabeth 1 mother impacted her, 2021
Elizabeth 1 (1533-1603) was Queen of England, Ireland and Wales for forty-five turbulent years. S... more Elizabeth 1 (1533-1603) was Queen of England, Ireland and Wales for forty-five turbulent years. She ruled alone, unwed as the absolute monarch of her subjects. The daughter of King Henry VIII and Queen Anne Boleyn. Elizabeth 1 has been described as a girl of extraordinary intelligence, wit, humour and leadership as well as a brilliant linguist. She lived as a young child in a hard patriarchal world, She made sure no one could harm her as her father King Henry VII had harmed her mother
The ideas of love, sex and loss in the Epic of Gilgamesh as shown through the Friendship Between Gilgamesh and Enkidu, 2021
The lessons from the past always catch up the present. Lessons of love lost and love regained in ... more The lessons from the past always catch up the present. Lessons of love lost and love regained in the story of Gilgamesh and Enkidu.
Critical social theory, 2019
Gender, Culture, Globalism, 2019
The theme which resonates strongly with me is the concept of global citizenship within the paradi... more The theme which resonates strongly with me is the concept of global citizenship within the paradigm of an examination of gender and its role in international education. From a critical eye, it seeks to better understand how definitions of global citizen and the gender divide influence the participation of one gender over another. It attempts to pull the curtain of the inequities between the genders in international education and show how this climate creates and maintains the gender division within this field. The division of gender is a worldwide anthropological reality and as such manifests itself in all institutions and areas of life. Its influences are felt in the international educational arena as well. The composition of the genders within the walls of an institution or school is reflective of the gender divide in society and often this divide is reinforced and maintained. It is reflective in how it receives and treats both genders and how it conceives of the global citizen within the gender debate. When looked at within a global citizen lens this tradition is not kind to women, in many instances, for example, women were not and are not considered full citizens or persons in many countries (Tate, 2012, Wilkinsen, D & Veronica, Wilkinsen, 2011; Tarc, 2011). This reminds us how fragile the concept of citizenship is, and how it is at the mercy of whomever controls the narrative of what constitutes a citizen and what constitutes a non-citizen and the gender equation always hangs over the situation. From this, it follows that legal protections for the global citizen is virtually non-existent for it has few or no legal or political protections or unified definitions per se. Females are very much at risk of becoming caught in a web of
Challenging the language of oppression against the intellectually challenged: Language for change... more Challenging the language of oppression against the intellectually challenged: Language for change: A critical theoretical reflexive examination of how language frames perception and perception frames language." Public spaces, are often dangerous places, physically, intellectually and emotionally for the most vulnerable of our society. The focus of my research centers around the discriminatory and prejudicial way in which everyday, common language is used to describe, demean, confine, define and or oppress consciously and unconsciously the intellectually challenged amongst us and offers alternative views. Encapsulated within the critical theoretical reflective lens, that takes in the narrative perspective in challenging long held views on language, and how it adversely impacts the disabled, combined with a review of the literature, the research takes direct aim at dismantling disempowering language when speaking to and about the intellectually challenged and aims to enlighten and motivate. The body of research has lagged in regards to how socio-cultural-linguistic definition of intellectual disabilities influences how one views oneself, how one's family interacts with them and how society and its institutions deal with this group. Language wrapped around the deficit and flawed medical model that had/does view intellectually challenged people as less than, (Lalvani 2013), alongside socially accepted prejudicial views, has created a disempowering linguistic model for this marginalized group. Language can oppress, can liberate, can create or destroy, and is tinged with the reality that it discriminates relentlessly and arbitrarily. In the context of the reality of the Intellectually challenged, language has only been oppressive and limiting.
Finland a nation ignored and made invisible and near the artic circle, is a nation that puts its ... more Finland a nation ignored and made invisible and near the artic circle, is a nation that puts its children and teachers first. It is a nation to immolate with its unique approach and success in this vis a vis a school system with sanity.
A cautionary tale of how persistent political interference in a nation's educational system, erod... more A cautionary tale of how persistent political interference in a nation's educational system, erodes trust, stability, funding and university of access. Russia, a very literate nation, whose fundamental educational system is in crisis in the contemporary world it finds itself.
This paper will briefly examine the realities of Islamic female students who find themselves wear... more This paper will briefly examine the realities of Islamic female students who find themselves wearing head and body coverings within a Canadian classroom and in society generally. It seeks to sociological understand the prejudices and discriminatory taunts and bullying Islamic women experience and are exposed to especially in a Canadian classroom and school. The underlying belief in the paper is that prejudices can be fought through education and sensitivity to lived experience of these females. That through the lens of race and gender a greater understanding of underlying cultural practices can be appreciated and accepted. From a western perspective and in many quarters, the visual sight of females wearing head covering, veils or clothing that hides all their body, is the quintessential definition of oppression " (Oslm, E. Emilie, 1985). It represents and is symbolic of female oppression within a patriarchal paradigm. Perception is a very powerful reality in the eyes of people who hold views of the cultural practices of people who come from countries other than the West. The practice of female body covering is a fact of life for many Islamic female students who make personal choices on what they should wear and how this choice impacts their school experience. (Rezai Rashti, 2005; Rezai, Rashti, 1994; Esposito, J. 1995). The power of perception in the imagination of the westerner, is born of the colonialist past that gave these distorted perceptions breath. The voice of the conquered people was subdued, for the narrative of the colonial power's interest. Islamic females were part of this colonial past and we have yet to understand its ramification on Islamic thinking. (Rezai-Rashti, 1994). The representation of female body covering as subjugation and sexual repression is born out of a colonial mentality that sees women as helpless and in need of saving. The fabric of Islamic society under colonial subjugation, was altered in ways that are still not understood. Females under this system were worse off in regards to establishing their own reality as the colonial masters had little time or inclination to understand the social dynamics at play. Rather than help women who needed to be helped, the colonial powers, founded on paternalistic, patriarchal ideology, echoed their Anglo-Mentality that women were chattels of males and not independent of them. Colonialism created the seeds of Islamic female helplessness for generations, and this inaction or actions destroyed the family units of conquered Islamic territories. (Rezai-Rashti,1994). If women needed to be saved, the colonial powers were not interested and payed lip service to the everyday lives of Islamic women. Rezai Rashti, 2005, rightly points out that;
The focus of this paper is to bring forward a greater understanding of how gender equality and de... more The focus of this paper is to bring forward a greater understanding of how gender equality and democratic principles can be brought forward in the classroom to make it a place of acceptance for transgenders and others who identify outside the binary model. As such it looks at various concepts that will allow the evolution of equality in the classroom and in time make this part of the classroom model and paradigm that exists alongside others. It will suggest various ways that teachers can make classrooms more inclusive when looked at from the lens of the various theoretical concepts concerning fundamental rights of transgender and others to an education free from prejudice, discrimination and bias. A place where teachers are taught in the concepts of inclusion as a right and not as something that needs to be feared. Democracy and equality, fragile concepts always under attack by forces that would see their demise are gardens, that need to be tended to, that need to be watered and in that vein, students, are to be tended to, and helped to grow in clarity to their rights and responsibilities in a democracy. The teaching of democracy and equality in the classroom very much promotes conceptual frameworks that promote gender equity in schools and universities. When we understand that hundreds of thousands of students look to us as educators to promote the very concepts enshrined in our documents, then it is very clear that as teachers we must not let them down if our democracy is to survive the test of time. It is the ideas of sexual equality of persons who express as other than the dominant binary model, which requires us to evolve models of education that bring forth democratic principles. The classroom, as a microcosm of the society at large is woefully lacking in the democratic and equality rights enshrined in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (1982) the United Nations Declaration of the Human Rights of the Person, (1948) and other ideals. There has yet to be a national inquiry on the reality of LGBTQ students and others who find themselves living in fear, violence and harassment in the Canadian classroom. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, recently apologized to the LGBQT community for the human rights violations they have experienced at the institutional hands of governmental agencies and others. Green (2010) writes that, " As transgender people become more visible in our society they become subject to further discrimination and violence " (pp.3). It is this violence and discrimination that the current Prime Minister was addressing as visibility becomes ever more present, the need to address this lack of protection in the classroom becomes ever clearer. The current model of not addressing homophobia in the classroom is a form of sexual harassment, in that no one dares to approach this topic and tackle it as a blight on our educational reality. Teachers, either too afraid or quietly homophobic themselves, see no reason to address the toxic environment because administration neither has the inclination or the go ahead to do so from other top political leaders. If there is no leadership at the top, the bottom usually follows this lack of
This paper critically examines the systemic existence of homophobia in Catholic schools. It will ... more This paper critically examines the systemic existence of homophobia in Catholic schools. It will delve into the current issues that students and schools are experiencing and exposed to and offer some insights and suggestions as to the how and whys of Homophobia in Catholic schools and ally it as part and parcel of Catholic dogma and doctrine. If " religion is the opioid of the people " (Karl Marx, Communist Manifesto, 1848) as Marx maintained, then how far do the people take the opioid. Where, in this intoxicated state of religious dogma and catechism do students, who experience homophobia go to feel safe. In a Catholic school system, where religious doctrine fuels so much of the misunderstanding in regards to sexual expression and sexual identity, students genuinely feel unsafe. If, we are as a country and people believe in freedom of choice, constitutionally guaranteed certain rights, how can Catholic schools meander their way through the labyrinth of religious dogma and personal choice in a constitutional democracy. If one attends a Catholic school the likelihood of homophobia is quite real and sometimes what is written on a charter of freedoms does not and often cannot protect people from a systemic ideology that is in every facet of our lives. The roots of homophobia run deep and are historical. Often violence against individuals is in the shadows and often underreported. If we as a nation are going to go forward, we need first to go backwards and try to understand and then find a way to do the right thing and put effort to stamping this from our midst.
Drafts by ELISABETH SERVELLO
There is a problem at Agawa and it is the pictograph that is not right here.
Teaching Documents by ELISABETH SERVELLO
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Papers by ELISABETH SERVELLO
Drafts by ELISABETH SERVELLO
Teaching Documents by ELISABETH SERVELLO