Before applying to Law School, I researched many schools through the Internet. I noticed that different websites focused on different aspects. Some schools’ websites were more colorful with links to study abroad opportunities or Bar passage rates. Others had all of the regular links such as applicants, students, and alumni; however, there were also links to awards won by students or professors. The differences between the Law School websites were very interesting. I wanted to know why some schools focused on aspects such as color, statistics, or awards and recognitions while others did not. My main question was how were the schools using the web to market themselves? Did they really have to market themselves depending on national rankings? Basically, what is the ethos of the Law Schools that I am looking at, how do they project that ethos through their websites, and what does the audience determine from seeing this projection online?
For this project I intend to compare and analyze four different law schools. I will study a top tier, middle tier, and bottom tier school from the USNews.com 100 Top Law Schools of America. I will also look at a website from a school that is not ranked in the Top 100 Law Schools. My top tier school is Yale Law. It is currently the number one Law School in the country. The next school website I will analyze is University of Houston Law. It is currently ranked sixtieth in the country. I chose this school for my middle tier because I have applied for admission to University of Houston Law. The bottom tier school that I am analyzing is LSU Law. Being a current student at Louisiana State University prompted my research into the Law School here. I have applied to this school as well and it is ranked in the ninety first spot in the rankings. The last school that I will compare is South Texas College of Law. Although this school is not ranked, I have also applied to attend this school in the coming school year.
The theory that I have decided to use to study this concept is web design and marketing theory. I want to look at how law school web designers use web design theory to market the school. For example, is the information you need easy to locate? Does the look of the website appeal to the audience? What colors did the school use and do they add personality to the site? I will also use Rhetorical Theory and Rhetorical Criticism to analyze the idea of ethos in Law Schools and the use of text to attract potential students.
My primary sources are the websites of the Law Schools. These include: www.law.yale.edu, www.law.uh.edu, www.law.lsu.edu, and www.stcl.edu. My secondary sources include USNews.com America’s Best Graduate Schools 2008 (Top Law Schools), Covino, William and David Joliffe, Eds. “What is Rhetoric?” Rhetoric: Concepts, Definitions, Boundaries. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 1995; Liestol, Gunnar, Andrew Morrison, and Terje Rasmussen, Eds. Digital Media Revisited. Cambridge: MIT Press, 2003; Morris, Steve. Wired Words: Language is the New Identity. London: Pearson Education, 2000; Gehrke, David and Efraim Turban. “Determinants of Successful Website Design: Relative Importance and Recommendations for Effectiveness.” Proceedings of the 32nd Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, 1999.
My argument will be based off of the idea that Law Schools know who their audience is and what their ethos is. I believe that if the school is in the top or middle tier rankings, then the website will not be as developed as the schools in the lower tier levels.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Living among other cultures.
Our conversation about ethnographers and culture sparked my interest. Having taken some Linguistic Anthropology classes in the past, ethnography is a fascinating subject matter to me. However, I never thought of myself as someone who had been a participant observer in a different culture until yesterday. Some of you know that I lived in Germany for a very short while. Although I can not say that I was a full participant because I never mastered the language or even the culture, I did notice that I was more willing to relinquish my cultural ideas while abroad.
In many cases when one is an observer of a culture, the culture is extremely different than one's own. The European/Germanic culture has many differences, but the worldview of many Europeans/Germans does not differ so much from our (American) worldview. Most of the moral issues of today are those that European immigrants brought with them while emmigrating from Europe to the US in the 18th and 19th centuries.
I did not have as many cultural hangups as I thought I would have even though the other American students often had more issues with the differences in culture than I did. I attribute my lack of cultural problems while in Germany to the idea that I always expected things to be different. I was more aware than usual of how I acted and spoke while abroad and tried to blend in as much as possible. Although I wanted to explain my culture to those who did not understand it, I also knew that I did not understand German culture. I learned to understand the culture more by participating in converstations and spending time with other German students.
That being said, I do not feel that I could explain the German culture to those who do not understand it in the US or elsewhere. I have tried to explain minor issues, but I can really only say what is said or done and never really why. I am not a scholar and therefore do not try to write from the perspective of the culture that I enjoy being a part of, but I think that in some cases it is important to try to speak for those who are not there to explain things for themselves. For instance, a co-worker of mine has made references to Nazi Germany in a humorous tone. Knowing how offensive it would be for someone of German nationality to overhear him, I have mentioned that he should not say things such as that because he does not understand the implications of it in today's world culture. His understanding is that it is over and they (Germans) should get over it. Although I cannot fully explain why this is an issue with Germans, I know that it is a huge problem. Many Germans are very proud to be from their country, and when people constantly refer to something that occurred many years ago and had no correlation to many of the people living in Germany today, although not forgotten, it can be quite offensive. My German friends see statements such as my co-worker's as ignorant.
Part of the problem with the situation above is that 1)my co-worker does not understand the German culture nor does he care to; therefore, he does not watch what he says and 2)some Germans do not understand Americans and our sense of humor. Another example of this situation is that Tigermanor Condos used Nazi-based humor from the movie Animal House in their newest ads. This is just funny to many American college students, but for someone who has lived in Germany and has friends that are German, it is an ad that can and is offensive.
There is no full solution to these issues, but we as an informed culture can do just as we said we should in class. We should be open to different cultures and their worldviews as much as possible. We should be aware of issues that are important to them as well. My question is, how far does it go? Even if we as an informed culture try our best to understand, will we be understood? I think it depends on the context, but only time will tell.
In many cases when one is an observer of a culture, the culture is extremely different than one's own. The European/Germanic culture has many differences, but the worldview of many Europeans/Germans does not differ so much from our (American) worldview. Most of the moral issues of today are those that European immigrants brought with them while emmigrating from Europe to the US in the 18th and 19th centuries.
I did not have as many cultural hangups as I thought I would have even though the other American students often had more issues with the differences in culture than I did. I attribute my lack of cultural problems while in Germany to the idea that I always expected things to be different. I was more aware than usual of how I acted and spoke while abroad and tried to blend in as much as possible. Although I wanted to explain my culture to those who did not understand it, I also knew that I did not understand German culture. I learned to understand the culture more by participating in converstations and spending time with other German students.
That being said, I do not feel that I could explain the German culture to those who do not understand it in the US or elsewhere. I have tried to explain minor issues, but I can really only say what is said or done and never really why. I am not a scholar and therefore do not try to write from the perspective of the culture that I enjoy being a part of, but I think that in some cases it is important to try to speak for those who are not there to explain things for themselves. For instance, a co-worker of mine has made references to Nazi Germany in a humorous tone. Knowing how offensive it would be for someone of German nationality to overhear him, I have mentioned that he should not say things such as that because he does not understand the implications of it in today's world culture. His understanding is that it is over and they (Germans) should get over it. Although I cannot fully explain why this is an issue with Germans, I know that it is a huge problem. Many Germans are very proud to be from their country, and when people constantly refer to something that occurred many years ago and had no correlation to many of the people living in Germany today, although not forgotten, it can be quite offensive. My German friends see statements such as my co-worker's as ignorant.
Part of the problem with the situation above is that 1)my co-worker does not understand the German culture nor does he care to; therefore, he does not watch what he says and 2)some Germans do not understand Americans and our sense of humor. Another example of this situation is that Tigermanor Condos used Nazi-based humor from the movie Animal House in their newest ads. This is just funny to many American college students, but for someone who has lived in Germany and has friends that are German, it is an ad that can and is offensive.
There is no full solution to these issues, but we as an informed culture can do just as we said we should in class. We should be open to different cultures and their worldviews as much as possible. We should be aware of issues that are important to them as well. My question is, how far does it go? Even if we as an informed culture try our best to understand, will we be understood? I think it depends on the context, but only time will tell.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Back to Harry and ownership
I read an interesting article today about J.K. Rowling filing a law suit to stop a fan fiction writer from publishing a Harry Potter book. It made me think of the chapter in Convergence Culture where Jenkins writes about authorship and fan fiction. Take a look at the article: Lawsuit
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Ethos and Law schools
*This blog is mainly for me to write about topics I am already thinking about for the project so bear with me.
Ethos is the perception that an audience has of the speaker. When it comes to law schools or any university for that matter, ethos is very important. The perception of Harvard as a top school is well known. Most of that perception comes from Ivy League schools being top notch regardless of which school it is. These schools are the oldest and most prestigious so they are known to be the best.
For universities such as LSU, the defining ethos has been one of change. In the early years, LSU was known as a military institution, and the law school has not been around as long as those of Ivy League schools. In order to change the perception of both the university and the law school, the university uses campaigns to inform the audience of the achievements of the university's students or faculty. One way to do this is a website. For instance, LSU Law's website boasts being a top school for graduate studies in law. They are currently ranked 15th overall and 2nd in public schools. They are redefining their ethos as a school that offers top of the line education.
Going back to the subject of Harvard law, their website has no in your face boast about the accomplishments of students. Instead, there is a small section to the right of the page that is titled "Spotlight." This spotlight does not highlight the fact that Harvard Law was ranked as the second best school in the country behind Yale Law or that the average Bar passing rate is among the top in the country. There is no need for them to boast these accomplishments. They already have a definitive ethos as being the best and therefore have no need to establish that perception to the public.
Ethos is the perception that an audience has of the speaker. When it comes to law schools or any university for that matter, ethos is very important. The perception of Harvard as a top school is well known. Most of that perception comes from Ivy League schools being top notch regardless of which school it is. These schools are the oldest and most prestigious so they are known to be the best.
For universities such as LSU, the defining ethos has been one of change. In the early years, LSU was known as a military institution, and the law school has not been around as long as those of Ivy League schools. In order to change the perception of both the university and the law school, the university uses campaigns to inform the audience of the achievements of the university's students or faculty. One way to do this is a website. For instance, LSU Law's website boasts being a top school for graduate studies in law. They are currently ranked 15th overall and 2nd in public schools. They are redefining their ethos as a school that offers top of the line education.
Going back to the subject of Harvard law, their website has no in your face boast about the accomplishments of students. Instead, there is a small section to the right of the page that is titled "Spotlight." This spotlight does not highlight the fact that Harvard Law was ranked as the second best school in the country behind Yale Law or that the average Bar passing rate is among the top in the country. There is no need for them to boast these accomplishments. They already have a definitive ethos as being the best and therefore have no need to establish that perception to the public.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Fairytale Feminism
Although all fairytales can be read with feminist criticism in mind, I would like to address what Hart and Gilbert refer to as "mythic conventions." (3) This semester I am taking a Grimm fairytale course, and we have recently read the Grimm version of "Sleeping Beauty." The Disney version that most of us saw as children is what I believe Ruthven is referring to when saying the typical story line of a fairytale is one with a passive princess who awaits her prince to awaken her. Here she is represented as symbolically dead without a man in her life.
However, in the Grimm version that theclass just read, it is questionable that the young woman even needed the young man to awaken her. There is no mention that a kiss is needed to wake her, and the young man does not arrive to bring her back to life before the designated time before her awakening is scheduled. She is to sleep for 100 years and he arrives just at those 100 years are up. I am not sure what to make of this. Jack Zipes believes that Disney saw women as helpless without men (comatose) and wrote his versions with that in mind. My question is, did Disney's versions portray women as more reliant on men and was it because of the culture of America at the time, or have fairytales always portrayed women as creatures that are living in comatose state without a male figure? (think about evil characters that were women as well)
However, in the Grimm version that theclass just read, it is questionable that the young woman even needed the young man to awaken her. There is no mention that a kiss is needed to wake her, and the young man does not arrive to bring her back to life before the designated time before her awakening is scheduled. She is to sleep for 100 years and he arrives just at those 100 years are up. I am not sure what to make of this. Jack Zipes believes that Disney saw women as helpless without men (comatose) and wrote his versions with that in mind. My question is, did Disney's versions portray women as more reliant on men and was it because of the culture of America at the time, or have fairytales always portrayed women as creatures that are living in comatose state without a male figure? (think about evil characters that were women as well)
Monday, February 18, 2008
The Nature of Rhetorical Criticism
Concepts: What is rhetoric and the process of studying rhetorical criticism
In the study of rhetorical criticism, one must begin with understanding what rhetoric is. Most think that rhetoric means "empty, bombastic language" or "ornamental speech that constains an abundance of metaphors."(p.4) Foss describes rhetoric here as "the action humans perform when they use symbols for the purpose of communicating with one another." (p.4) There are four important dimensions in visualizing rhetoric: 1) rhetoric is an action, 2) rhetoric is a symbolic action, 3) rhetoric is a human action, 4) rhetoric functions to enable us to communicate with one another. (p.4)
Rhetoric as an action is the conscious choice that we as rhetors make to communicate and how to do so from our communicative options. Foss explains rhetorical action with an example of a man who does not exercise regularly and plays tennis for the first time in a while. The man chooses to inform his opponent that he is out of shape. This was his choice to communicate this information, but his red face and labored breathing are not conscious choices made by him to communicate his condition. They are communicating to the other player that he is out of shape, but the changes in his bodily condition are not concious choices. (p.4)
Rhetoric as a symbolic action refers to the symbolic sign that is a human creation. It is indirectly connected to what it refers to, i.e. "chair" invented by someone to describe the object that one sits in. (p.4-5)
Rhetoric as a human action is when humans use non-rhetorical or natural objects to communicate something. Another aspect of rhetoric as a human action is that animal communication is not rhetoric. The term "rhetor" here is a human designer, creator, or producer of rhetoric, i.e. speaker, writer, architect, or filmmaker. (p.5)
Rhetoric enables us to communicate with each other through a variety of ways for a variety of reasons. We can use rhetoric to persuade others, as an invitation to understanding, and as self- discovery. Rhetoric is the process by which our reality comes into being. "Reality or knowledge of what is in the world is the result of communicating about it." (p.6)
So what is rhetoric limited to? According to Foss, rhetoric is any message, regardless of which form of communication it is, and may be studied critically. He lists examples of rhetoric such as architechture, dress, and furniture. Do you agree or disagree? What are other examples of rhetoric that he does not list?
Process of rhetorical criticism:
Process of investigating and explaining symbolic acts and artifacts in order to understand rhetorical processes.
3 primary dimensions:
1. Systematic Analysis- engaging in the natural process of encountering symbols and trying to understand how they affect us in a more systematic way
2. Symbolic Acts and Artifacts- act- "executed in the presence of the rhetor's intended audience"
artifact- "the text, trace, or tangible evidence of the act"(p.7)
The object of rhetorical study is often the artifact because the act is not something that can be easily studied.
3. Understanding Rhetorical Processes-understanding how symbols or artifacts are used rhetorically
What does the rhetorical artifact teach about the nature of rhetoric?
Rhetorical criticism contributes to rhetorical theory.
Rhetorical theory- theory-"tentative answer to a question posed by someone seeking to understand the world" (p.8)
Final outcome to the process of rhetorical criticism is not theory but the "contribution to the improvement of our abilities as communicators and consumers of symbols." (p.8)
In the study of rhetorical criticism, one must begin with understanding what rhetoric is. Most think that rhetoric means "empty, bombastic language" or "ornamental speech that constains an abundance of metaphors."(p.4) Foss describes rhetoric here as "the action humans perform when they use symbols for the purpose of communicating with one another." (p.4) There are four important dimensions in visualizing rhetoric: 1) rhetoric is an action, 2) rhetoric is a symbolic action, 3) rhetoric is a human action, 4) rhetoric functions to enable us to communicate with one another. (p.4)
Rhetoric as an action is the conscious choice that we as rhetors make to communicate and how to do so from our communicative options. Foss explains rhetorical action with an example of a man who does not exercise regularly and plays tennis for the first time in a while. The man chooses to inform his opponent that he is out of shape. This was his choice to communicate this information, but his red face and labored breathing are not conscious choices made by him to communicate his condition. They are communicating to the other player that he is out of shape, but the changes in his bodily condition are not concious choices. (p.4)
Rhetoric as a symbolic action refers to the symbolic sign that is a human creation. It is indirectly connected to what it refers to, i.e. "chair" invented by someone to describe the object that one sits in. (p.4-5)
Rhetoric as a human action is when humans use non-rhetorical or natural objects to communicate something. Another aspect of rhetoric as a human action is that animal communication is not rhetoric. The term "rhetor" here is a human designer, creator, or producer of rhetoric, i.e. speaker, writer, architect, or filmmaker. (p.5)
Rhetoric enables us to communicate with each other through a variety of ways for a variety of reasons. We can use rhetoric to persuade others, as an invitation to understanding, and as self- discovery. Rhetoric is the process by which our reality comes into being. "Reality or knowledge of what is in the world is the result of communicating about it." (p.6)
So what is rhetoric limited to? According to Foss, rhetoric is any message, regardless of which form of communication it is, and may be studied critically. He lists examples of rhetoric such as architechture, dress, and furniture. Do you agree or disagree? What are other examples of rhetoric that he does not list?
Process of rhetorical criticism:
Process of investigating and explaining symbolic acts and artifacts in order to understand rhetorical processes.
3 primary dimensions:
1. Systematic Analysis- engaging in the natural process of encountering symbols and trying to understand how they affect us in a more systematic way
2. Symbolic Acts and Artifacts- act- "executed in the presence of the rhetor's intended audience"
artifact- "the text, trace, or tangible evidence of the act"(p.7)
The object of rhetorical study is often the artifact because the act is not something that can be easily studied.
3. Understanding Rhetorical Processes-understanding how symbols or artifacts are used rhetorically
What does the rhetorical artifact teach about the nature of rhetoric?
Rhetorical criticism contributes to rhetorical theory.
Rhetorical theory- theory-"tentative answer to a question posed by someone seeking to understand the world" (p.8)
Final outcome to the process of rhetorical criticism is not theory but the "contribution to the improvement of our abilities as communicators and consumers of symbols." (p.8)
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Overview sort-of
As I was reading the Conclusion chapter to Jenkins's Convergence Culture, I couldn't help but relate certain aspects of media to some of Jenkins's references. He writes about what Chris Anderson calls "The Long Tail" (252). This is basically when entertainment companies make a greater profit by keeping more diverse titles in circulation and offering them for reasonable prices through the Web where web users can compare prices and get the better deal. I read this and thought of companies such as Netflix and Blockbuster where you can order a movie or tv series DVD online and have it delivered to your home. Most of these online renting websites offer a wider variety of shows. Amazon.com is also a great place to find a wide variety of hard to find shows that one can buy. Just the other day, a friend of mine was searching for the old Zelda series on DVD. She found them through Netflix. This is a great example of what Jenkins calls a "savvy media consumer, who will actively seek out content of interest" (252). You aren't going to walk into Target or Best Buy and find this series, you have to go to the internet and search for it. These companies allow you to find what you are looking for through media systems, and they are also making a profit off of those who are taking advantage of the ability to buy these shows.
Another thought I had was about fanfic with the same concept of older television shows. For instance, a friend of mine wanted to see the beginning of Salute Your Shorts, a show that aired in the 90s on Nickelodeon. He went to YouTube and found entries from fans that enjoyed Nickelodeon's shows from the 90s so much, they made tribute videos for them. Fans of these shows weren't completely happy with the original productions, they wanted to create something based off of what there was available. (256)
Some links to fan sites:
http://johnnorrisbrown.com/classic-nick/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c71iRvyJdzE&feature=related
http://www.netflix.com/
Another thought I had was about fanfic with the same concept of older television shows. For instance, a friend of mine wanted to see the beginning of Salute Your Shorts, a show that aired in the 90s on Nickelodeon. He went to YouTube and found entries from fans that enjoyed Nickelodeon's shows from the 90s so much, they made tribute videos for them. Fans of these shows weren't completely happy with the original productions, they wanted to create something based off of what there was available. (256)
Some links to fan sites:
http://johnnorrisbrown.com/classic-nick/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c71iRvyJdzE&feature=related
http://www.netflix.com/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
