“SOCIAL HOMELESSNESS ON U.S. CAMPUSES” by Ahn and Jin
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- SOCIAL HOMELESSNESS ON U.S. CAMPUSES
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Abstract:
Asian women faculty on US campuses may experience the highest levels of isolation, marginalization, exclusion from decision-making and networks, and disrespect. It is a multidisciplinary design project to raise awareness of the marginalization of Asian women faculty on US campuses. It consists of a series of generative selfie by Being Ignored 1.0, site specific art installation, public speaking, Asian Female Scholars, social group to support Asian female faculty on US campuses in predominantly white academic institutions, and mobile application, Social Homelessness 2.0, with public participation. Being Ignored 1.0, as site specific installation, expresses the moment being brushed off. The computer screen displays real-time images captured through the web camera installed invisibly. As viewers move toward the screen, the web camera captures the viewer’s self-portrait and display it on the computer screen. The computer code eliminates the viewer’s facial expression to convey the concept of being avoided and rejected. The author co- founded the group, Asian Female Scholars, with Mary Szto, a law professor at Syracuse University. It is a social group consisting of around 40 Asian female faculties from northwest Indiana, USA, where white populations are relatively dominated in the academic world. The group provided regular workshops and social gathering for mentoring, connection, networks, and, resources such as pedagogical strategies for Asian female faculty to survive and succeed on US campuses. It was held at Valparaiso University and Purdue University Northwest since 2015. The Being Ignored 2.0 is a visual documentation to portray Asian female on US campuses by using generative selfies. The updated version, Social Homelessness 2.0, presents more elaborate visual expressions and styles by using diverse visual elements such. as lines, circles, curves, and text. It can be downloadable at http://www.socialhomelessness.com.
