City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works The Advocate Archives and Special Collections Fall 2015 Advocate, Fall 2015, Vol. 27, No. 2 How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_advocate/16 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] aadvocate Volume 27 Fall no. 2, 2015 A genealogy of VIOLENCE Understanding the Massacre in Ankara pg.23 aadvocate Contents Opencuny.org/gcadvocate EDITOR’S NOTE FEATURES [email protected] pg. 3 Raising the Flag of Palestine pg. 17 How to Fly High Without Moving Editor in Dadland CUNY NEWS Chief Maye Forward: The Continued Drug War Waged by Prohibitionists PSC calls for Disruptive Action and Bhargav pg. 20 Managing Strike Authorization Vote Editor Rani pg. 5 A Genealogy of Violence: Understanding the Massacre in Layout Paul L. Wake Up Chancellor Milliken!: Ankara Editor Hebert Photos from the PSC’s October pg. 23 Protest Publication Information pg. 6 The Advocate is the student pub- REVIEWS lication of the Graduate Center, What the Union Wants: PSC CUNY’s Contract Demands CUNY. It is published six times a Book Review: year. Publication is subsidized by pg. 8 student activity fees and the Doc- Agaisnt All Odds: Voices of Popular toral Students’ Council. Struggle in Iraq DEBATE pg. 28 Submissions The Advocate accepts contributions Book Review: of articles, illustrations, photos and Not a Woman’s Issue: Gender Parity Word Warrior: Richard Durham, letters to the editor. See the website in the Workplace Radio and Freedom for submission guidelines. pg. 12 pg. 32 Articles selected for publication CONVERSATIONS will be subjected to editorial revi- Theatre Review: sion. We pay for all contributions Hamilton with the exception of letters to the Two Letters to Chancellor Milliken pg. 39 editor. pg. 15 Art Review: Juan Hinojosa advocate pg. 43 Volume 27 Fall no. 2, 2015 Page 2 — Volume 27 Fall no. 2, 2015 EDITOR’S NOTE Dadland Maye In the last editorial, I questioned Indeed I struggle with the speculate that the editorial does President Chase Robinson’s and questions of what diverse not prioritize their issues or that the English department’s com- themes, voice/s, and writing it is not consistent in returning to mitment to resisting institution- structure should occupy this issues previously addressed. For al and careerist strategies that privileged space. No doubt, the this issue, therefore, the limited profit from trafficking in black- editorial’s third-page position in space sheds light on a variety of ness. I mentioned the names the Advocate’s print copy and its concerns, such as the need to of the Doctoral Student Council marked placement on the web- participate in pressing political (DSC) members in order that site’s menu bar denote efforts conversations in order to locate our community recognize and to prioritize its significance. Like the Graduate Center’s successes appreciate the student laborers most other publications, the and struggles within a global in the CUNY field. I introduced Advocate understands that the framework. myself by referring to the bag- editorial, as a substantive ana- Importantly, it is the paper’s gage and beauties that cultivate lytic genre, is also a one-stop goal to regularly feature trans- my diverse identities and their information shop for some read- national conversations that usu- relationship to my editorial ers who rely on the publica- ally occupy the peripheries of US approach. I referred to a featured tion’s expertise, credibility, and media discourse. In deference article that discussed attitudes to integrity to present them with to that need, this issue features sexual harassment on campus. an astute, informed discourse. Eylul Fidan Akinci’s “A Genealogy I encouraged the submission Bearing this amazing burden of Violence in Turkey,” a report of articles rather than support that ensures that this small space on the ongoing struggles against judgmental and non-proactive provides for the needs of diverse an oppressive regime in Turkey. practices. Certainly, I would like readers, I worry whether the edi- The problematic political frame- to more deeply address some of torial choices involved in such work the article exposes reminds those issues. Yet the future has an endeavor truly align with the us to never grow overly comfort- to reflect a diversity of issues paper’s goals. Specifically, this able with those we empower to out of awareness that it appears concern emerges out of the need serve us because histories have inequitable to solely vocalize to reassure certain readers of the shown how the entrusted often concerns around a select num- consciousness and care woven erect the greatest barriers to ber of issues. into this textual production— success. In consideration of this particularly those who might recurrent subjugation of the www.OpenCUNY.org/gcAdvocate — Page 3 EDITOR’S NOTE people’s interests by the empow- and reflect on the concerns raised within a certain timeframe has ered, I leave it you to contem- by its Executive Committee in dis- narrowly focused on the admin- plate on the reasonableness of cussions with the administration. istration’s ineffectiveness in drawing contrasts to the events These include a space for student securing economic opportuni- of 4 November, which led to the prayer and meditation and more ties. The bulk of concerns point unfair arrest of several dozen gender-neutral bathrooms, con- towards what is widely known faculty members. The protest sequences of the budget shortfall but rarely noted in open forums, responded to the demands of on academic affairs and non-aca- that students, in many cases, the Professional Staff Congress’ demic services, possible tuition face more roadblocks from the (PSC’s) 27,000 membership remissions, exploring whether to faculty mentoring process than that has been denied a con- increase the number of Master’s from the administration itself. tract since 2010. Several hun- students or the tuition for out-of- Yet, while the problem of facul- dred faculty and staff members state students, instituting a dis- ty inaccessibility is a critical one, gathered outside 205 East 42nd ability services office, and fund- many students accept that it is too Street, CUNY central office. ing issues that affect the Dean risky to engage with integrity— PSC President Barbara Bowen K. Harrison awards, GTFs, and that is, with the same strategies stood among those arrested undocumented students. used to confront the administra- with signs demanding, “Stop the In addition to the focus on tion. This is particularly the case War on CUNY,” “CUNY Needs a the role of the administration in when considering that the faculty Raise,” and “No More Excuses, enabling and disabling student names most floated around are Chancellor Milliken.” lives, it is also imperative that among the most distinguished Further addressing university we foreground the increasing at the Graduate Center. At the concerns that need the chancel- student concerns about a criti- same time, one should bear in lor’s attention, Todd Fine’s let- cal institutional problem – the mind that some of these faculty ter to Chancellor James Milliken general inaccessibility of many laborers secure their prominent condemns the surveillance faculty members. From engag- status from working like mules practices of the New York Police ing students’ emails and private for a system that penalizes those Department targeting Muslim conversations, it has become who prioritize student-service students in CUNY. The current clearer that faculty inaccessibility duties. In other words, names and past chancellors have tac- is one of the most serious issues mentioned of some of the most itly endorsed these troubling confronting students. This is also appreciated advisors and men- practices. To date, more than true of many research universi- tors included faculty members one hundred CUNY faculty mem- ties, but it doesn’t mean it should who do not boast of the most bers have supported Fine’s letter be accepted at the Graduate distinguished departmental pro- as signatories. While consider- Center. Students complain that files. As I close, I wish to encour- ing Fine’s letter, the Chancellor certain faculty members rarely age you to submit articles that should also take note of Jennifer return emails, they do not thor- further examine the problem. Tang’s letter, which calls atten- oughly read dissertation chap- While the paper doesn’t glorify tion to the learning-access dis- ters, and they are inaccessible anonymity, it will consider pub- parities between disabled and during office hours. Their failure lishing anonymous writers in able-bodied students. to effectively mentor students this case. However, such writ- Sustaining the focus on the has so often disrupted students’ ers—whether Graduate Center inner-workings of the university, graduation goals and emotional students, faculty, or staff—must it is necessary to return to the wellbeing. Yet, any discussion on identify themselves to the edito- highlights of the last DSC meeting the students’ failure to graduate rial team. Page 4 — Volume 27 Fall no. 2, 2015 CUNY NEWS PSC calls for Disruptive Action and Strike Authorization Vote The Professional Staff without a raise,” as they chanted, the union’s Executive Council to Congress, the union that repre- “No contract, no peace,” and call a strike if necessary. Barbara sents over 27,000 CUNY faculty “Education is a Right! Fight, Fight, Bowen, the President of the and staff, has called for a disrup- Fight!” PSC, in a letter from 15 October, tive mass action rally at CUNY’s In addition, the PSC also held a asserts that, “A strike authoriza- central office on 42nd street on series of teach-ins at its various tion vote is not a step the union 4 November to support the PSC chapters over this month to raise leadership takes lightly, even team as it sits down for another awareness of the state of CUNY though it is many steps away round of negotiations with the funding, the increases in student from actually calling a strike.” CUNY management.