Abstract This paper examines how through a group of seven native women, Tomson Highway's "The Rez Sisters" portrays themes of empowerment and community development. It looks at how a group of six native women, all sisters in one way or another, develop from the animosity of bickering "bitches" to a close community, tied together by their gender, circumstances and ancestry. It explores how through their journey to The Biggest Bingo in the World the women are empowered to achieve a common goal, taking responsibility for themselves and for each other.
From the Paper "United with a common goal they are then faced with a common problem. Emily points out they "are all welfare cases" and have no money (58,59). They turn to Pelajia, who does have some money, to help (59). Pelajia suggests they apply to the band office to ask the chief for a loan to fund their trip because the winnings could go towards paving the roads and solving all the problems of the band (59). The "grand and ridiculous march" to the band office that encompasses the entire stage, is the women's first surge of communal energy and self-empowerment (60, Pell paper). Again, Nanabush, the spirit of Native Culture, trails merrily along with the women as they march (60). Elated by their newfound empowerment the women are shocked at the chief's refusal (60)."
Abstract This paper analyzes two related articles, which discuss the use of community collaboratives in conflict management: W. Potapchuk's "Moving From Collaborative Processes To Collaborative Communities Building Our Agenda" and J.F. Weiss' "You Never Can Tell", both from Mediate.com. The author points out that both writers note that when people cannot see any similarities on a personal level, they tend to ignore the other person's dispute; however, Weiss's solution is for people to ignore who is presenting an argument and to focus on what the argument is. The paper concludes that this approach seems to be lacking in Potapchuk's focus because he is trying to solve problems basic to human nature instead of accepting these problems and finding a way for community collaboratives to be successful despite personal differences.
From the Paper "While Potapchuk does not consider the differences between community collaboratives, he does consider traits that unsuccessful collaboratives share. He notes that "unaddressed racial, cultural, gender, and class issues palpably beat just below the surface, hampering honest interaction and collaboration." He also describes how members bicker, how public institutions ignore the collaboratives, and how collaboratives compete against each other. One thing that is not clear from this description is whether Potapchuk is identifying the real problems or the symptoms of that problem."
Abstract This paper looks at how the President of the United States is restrained from pursuing bold economic policy initiatives. The paper discusses the bickering interest groups who can successfully thwart economic policies that offer hope to large segments of the American population. The paper also discusses fears about electoral defeat and the frustration engendered by grappling with other branches of government as contributing factors to why elected officials always seem to do less than they should for America's poor. Copies of sources are appended to the paper.
From the Paper "In his excellent 1997 text, Politics and Economic Policy in the United States, Jeffrey E. Cohen writes that political pressures - interest groups, public opinion and even political action committees - all contribute in various ways to the economic policies that Presidents will enact or feel themselves compelled to enact. Seen in this light, it is clear that economic policy can very easily degenerate into the White House merely offering to Congress economic policies that are insubstantial and cosmetic - and which advance a political agenda rather than a progressive economic course of action (Cohen, 86-132). Arguably, a good example of this may be found in economic policies which focus chiefly upon income redistribution and not upon tackling the systemic or structural factors which are widening the gulf between rich and poor and contributing to high unemployment or underemployment levels."
