Paper Sample on English Professor at UC Fullerton, Environmental Humanities, Queer and Affect Theories

Introduction

Nicole Seymour is an English professor at the University of California, Fullerton. Seymour specializes in Comparative Literature and Linguistics at the institution. Nonetheless, Seymour indicates that her interests include environmental humanities, queer and affect theories. Alternatively, Seymour qualifications include an undergraduate degree in Literature and Culture from the UCLA and a Masters and Postgraduate degree in English from the University of Vanderbilt. Additionally, Seymour has worked at the University of Louisville and Arkansas.

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Thesis Statement (s)

Seymour work is hugely based on the documentation by the western media from the 1970s. The scholar's research work is hugely hinged on the environmental movement evidence collected and presented through media in America. This unique perspective ignores the criticism by other scholars from other regions of the world. The role of existing dissident texts influenced by these preexisting evidence on mainstream American environmentalism forms a central facet in Seymour’s studies.

Seymour overrules the lack of action due to ignorance, citing that western environmentalism resulted from alternative factors such as “guilt, shame, didacticism, prescriptiveness, sentimentality, reverence, seriousness, sincerity, earnestness, sanctimony, self-righteousness, and wonder”.

Important Questions

• Some of the questions raised by Seymour’s studies include:
• What is the definition of sarcasm, irony and comedy?
• Why does Seymour prefer sarcasm in comedy as opposed to ridicule in books?
• What kind and harmful types of environmentalists have you encountered?
• What affective connotations do environmentalist and their movement have on you?
• How does Seymour conduct her research and studies?
• What are the contributions of Seymour in the 4-4 education system?
• How does the work and research led by Seymour impact the education system?
• How does the work of Seymour resonate with the movement of dissidents across the United States of America?
• How does eco-criticism and white supremacy influence the findings published by Seymour?

Methodologies Addressed/Utilized

Seymour’s research utilizes the media to make much of her assertions and assumptions. The scholar uses the American press, both written and movies, to explore the issues of environmentalism. The use of Boondocks Cartoon to show the impacts of racism and white supremacy in the United States is elaborating on her works and application with media. In this particular episode, the effects of environmentalist migration on families and their co-existence with relatives. She indicates that whereas relatives might feel welcoming, overstaying one’s visit further stretches the resources of the fellow dissident groups.

Seymour explores how dissidents and minority groups are exploited by the white supremacy powers impacting their migration to new places. Alternatively, Seymour uses eco-criticism to make her deductions on the intersect between bad and good environmentalism, especially with regards to queer, economically unstable and social misfits.

Key Themes

• Queer theories and ecologies.
• The Affect theory.
• Literary analysis and rhetoric.
• Eco-criticism and environmental humanities.
• Cultural studies based on race, indigeneity, sexuality and economic classes.
• Theoretical Frameworks Addressed.
• The theoretical frameworks addressed by the writer include:
• Literature and performance arts through films, music and books.
• Theories of environmentalism and ecological approaches.
• American literary landscape.
• Native American literature.
• Literature works on environmental ecology.

Summaries of Each Section

The leading tone adopted by the scholar is gloom and sad perpetrated by the mainstream media. She argues that assuming that the general public is merely ignorant and unable to act is a violation of the basic postulations around environmental theories. Furthermore, she blames the media for this state of affairs in the community. Most importantly, the lack of neutrality and open exaltation of masculinity is responsible for the adverse effects of capitalism and colonialism. Most importantly, the deployment of irony in media is useful and strategic in culturing a sense of mutual vulnerability between the different classes in society. Notably, the scholar states that the use of irony in the western media is contradictory and thoroughly implicating to the speaker and main act.

Seymour notes that the American community has always portrayed queer relations and inclinations as unnatural. The same view has been painted on the socially and economically vulnerable in society. Additionally, the minority groups composed of immigrants also face this form of discrimination. The scholar indicates that the use of irony and sarcasm have been deployed to ease the hard conversation about the impacts of white supremacist view and beliefs about these groups of people. Additionally, the scholar notes that researchers and scientists have an impact on implementing environmental justice in a rapidly deteriorating American community.

Seymour portrays the western cultures as rooted heavily on moralistic and bourgeois environmentalism. The scholar is quick to approach a neutral tone when stating her arguments about the hegemonic and righteous American society. Nonetheless, the scholar is keen to point out that members of the LGBT community thrive in protesting their rights and freedom. This identity has not been adopted by the scholar who happens to come across as arrogant and hedonistic in articulating her arguments.

Critical Discussion Questions

The main three questions about Seymour’s publication includes:

• Would you sacrifice your rights and freedom for sexual enjoyment?
• Is the American media effective in perpetrating environmental justice?
• Are the arguments made by Seymour justified and acceptable?
• What are the applications of genealogy on politicized scholarships?