Battle of Algiers

Gillo Pontecorvo, shows the beginning of the struggle for independence in the city of Algiers. The film introduces the viewer to the French colonialism impact on society and ethnic identity; which ultimately led to the rise of the National Liberation Front lea by the Algerians. The NLF in the beginning had much negotiated with the French, but after failure to reach an agreement, the Algerians began attacks of terror. The Islamic people lived in the Casbah, a place that was segregated from the rest Algiers. The Casbah is relatively poor and is not appealing compared to the French quarters in Algiers. The police officers in the streets and governmental officials are all French man, the Algerians have very little rights running the country. The police officers at the check points, who are French, are kind to their own people, every French men or women are greeted, while every Algerian is pushed around. The French contain the Islamic nation in the Casbah, they portray every Arabic as a threat to the French, the people of the Casbahs are not treated as citizens of Algeria, the French see them as subjects.
Colonization has a negative impact on society and ethnic identity. Colonial empires come to a new land, establishing the governmental system, and imposing their culture. They expect the inhabitants of that land to follow every law handed down without representation; culture and religion are forced upon the people. The film depicts this negative impact on society and ethnic identity, the French have complete power over the Algerians and impose their views on this new country. The actions taken by the French are not justified and the Islamic nation has no rights under law, they are tortured, search without reason, and arrested without warrant. The FLN asks the Islamic nation to take a stand and go on a weeklong strike in order to make a statement to the French. However, the strike is interrupted when the French army goes into the Casbah forcing the people to open up their stores and go to work. They also arrested every Islamic man for interrogation and torture, in order to uncover the members of the FLN,
The film, The Battle of Algiers, was able to characterize colonialism and it’s impact on society and ethnic identity very well. The same way the French imposed their governmental body, culture and authority is the same way that many other colonial empires have done in the past. The same negative impact that the French had on the Algerian nation, the British had on the thirteen colonies in America. The British treated the colonist very differently than their own. The colonists were taxed without representation as well as exploited. Within every case in history, colonial empires have come to establish their rein and expand their empire with disregard to the inhabitants of that land. In almost every case, that empire has also been driven out due to that mentality of taking complete control over a land that does not belong to that empire. Although, colonial empires such as the French, have contributed to colonies during the colonial period; the establishment of a well-organized governmental system and organized society are some examples. These empires over stayed their welcome, they took something away that is held dearly by every man and woman and is an aspect of an individual’s life-freedom.

An Ethnographic Filmflam

John Jackson is an African American anthropologist exploring contemporary Harlem, NY. He starts his article by talking about a Sylvia's restaurant, a well-known location were you can find anything from hot sauce to men's colognes. Sylvia is well known; in her restaurant she has many pictures of celebrities/famous people and has been given the title of "Queen of Soul Food". This article is almost a dairy of an African American anthropologist researching African American Harlemites. And the process that he goes through in order to obtain knowledge about a culture, which is giving gifts, doing research, and videotaping the native subject/object. A friend of John's ask him if he would help her film some of her activist work in Harlem and then help her put together a short documentary. She sees this as a chance to "pool our resources. That way we all win. Harlem wins". But John sees this as a good opportunity to give a gift in order to get closer to an informant, in order for him to win as he wrote at the end of the article, "I'd love to help. Win, Win? Maybe". There are other opportunities that arise for him to help others and in exchange he hopes to gain an informant so that he can research and videotape the native subject/object. A parent asks John to tape the baptism of her son at their church so that his grandmother can see it since she could not attend. Another opportunity for John, "the first gift was their willingness to trust me with their thoughts and personal stories". John then takes the recorded video, gives one to the parent and keeps another copy for himself to use in his research. John goes on to say that all anthropologist give "gifts" as thanks, incentive, or bribes in order to come close to the subject and in return they often have a feeling of familiarity. After the exchange of the tapes John goes on to say, "this exchange has clear implications for the gift I am getting back in return: a quasifamilial relationship to my informant...these people that I study". John exploits these people, the natives he even goes says it in his article, on page 49 "As with all gifts, the potential for exploitation is endless". He doesn't care about the natives; he refers to them as subject. He wishes for nothing more then to just do his research, learn about them and be off. He says that they are his friends, but they are actually just informants passing information on. What I truly got out of this article was I, I, I, and I, in everything that he did, he looked to the future to see if he would some how benefit from that relationship/transaction.