Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Confronting the Past (Slide Show)
The NYTs ran stories today about the 15th anniversary of the massacre at Srebrenica, and, (in its coverage of the World Cup), South Africa's ability to reconcile after apartheid. Both stories address the role of accounting for the past, as a society creates its future in the aftermath of mass atrocity.
The NYTs claimed that South Africa's support of the Dutch team represented reconciliation with apartheid's masters. A Truth and Reconciliation Commission held hearings from 1996-1998 to investigate the violence of apartheid.
In Srebrencia, Bosnia, an estimated 7000-8000 Muslim men and boys were massacred in mid July 1995. As Serbian forces over-ran the UN- sponsored 'safe area,' Dutch troops (part of a UN Peace keeping mission) withdrew. Tens of thousands of civilians were left helpless before an armed force bent on 'cleansing' the area.
Every year, the massacre is commemorated in eastern Bosnia, although in different fashions by Muslims and Serbs. A UN-sponsored war crimes court at the Hague is prosecuting those most responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in the former Yugoslavia.
Below please find photos from my field work in these areas. All of the photos were taken by others, noted in the presentation.
Photos #1-11 are images of hearings I attended of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission in RSA in 1997. I shot the slides of the TRC posters and promotional material, the photographs in the hearings were provided by the TRC.
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Sarajevo---photo by Ana Petrovic, circa 2006.
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13) Grave at Pilice collective farm near Srebrenica, Bosnia, 1996---photo by Gilles Peress, Magnum Photos.
Photos 14- 19 by Ana Petrovic, Bosnian Muslim commemoration and burial of Srebrenica victims, July 2006.
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Photos 20-33 by Peter Frey, at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, The Hague, The Netherlands 2006.
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The NYTs claimed that South Africa's support of the Dutch team represented reconciliation with apartheid's masters. A Truth and Reconciliation Commission held hearings from 1996-1998 to investigate the violence of apartheid.
In Srebrencia, Bosnia, an estimated 7000-8000 Muslim men and boys were massacred in mid July 1995. As Serbian forces over-ran the UN- sponsored 'safe area,' Dutch troops (part of a UN Peace keeping mission) withdrew. Tens of thousands of civilians were left helpless before an armed force bent on 'cleansing' the area.
Every year, the massacre is commemorated in eastern Bosnia, although in different fashions by Muslims and Serbs. A UN-sponsored war crimes court at the Hague is prosecuting those most responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in the former Yugoslavia.
Below please find photos from my field work in these areas. All of the photos were taken by others, noted in the presentation.
Photos #1-11 are images of hearings I attended of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission in RSA in 1997. I shot the slides of the TRC posters and promotional material, the photographs in the hearings were provided by the TRC.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
11)
Sarajevo---photo by Ana Petrovic, circa 2006.
12)
13) Grave at Pilice collective farm near Srebrenica, Bosnia, 1996---photo by Gilles Peress, Magnum Photos.
Photos 14- 19 by Ana Petrovic, Bosnian Muslim commemoration and burial of Srebrenica victims, July 2006.
14)
15)
16)
17)
18)
19)
Photos 20-33 by Peter Frey, at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, The Hague, The Netherlands 2006.
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Saturday, July 10, 2010
Final-ly!
The Netherlands and Spain play for the Championship Sunday, July 11th.*
We are for the Orange in my house---even if you lack the actual agency to be 'for' a team. If, for instance, you can hardly distinguish between Iberia and the Low Countries, between Picasso and Van Gogh, between Sneijder and Villa, (if, for instance, you are a dog) --in my house you root for Holland.
He enjoyed the dress up at first:
But then he started to sulk, when he realized we were going to move him all around the house, like a chess piece, shooting photos:
And add props---further affronts to his dignity:
Enjoy the game. For me, the World Cup really ended when The Netherlands beat Brazil.
*As I predicted after the December 2009 drawing of the pots in Cape Town, and organization of the groups and fixtures.
We are for the Orange in my house---even if you lack the actual agency to be 'for' a team. If, for instance, you can hardly distinguish between Iberia and the Low Countries, between Picasso and Van Gogh, between Sneijder and Villa, (if, for instance, you are a dog) --in my house you root for Holland.
He enjoyed the dress up at first:
But then he started to sulk, when he realized we were going to move him all around the house, like a chess piece, shooting photos:
And add props---further affronts to his dignity:
Enjoy the game. For me, the World Cup really ended when The Netherlands beat Brazil.
*As I predicted after the December 2009 drawing of the pots in Cape Town, and organization of the groups and fixtures.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Octopus and Fifa predicted Spanish Victory
Apparently an octopus has guessed correctly on most World Cup matches, including today's Spanish defeat of Germany.
Remember--serious people, grown-ups, have organized this:
Remember--serious people, grown-ups, have organized this:
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
dropping the ball
I give up--- I'm just too satisfied from the Dutch victory today to write anything about geography, or the social-construction of rank, or gender apartheid or neoliberal soccer stars.
For now, enjoy the evening, watch a little Tour de France and look forward to Sunday.
This is Holland's year---Uruguay can keep 1930:
For now, enjoy the evening, watch a little Tour de France and look forward to Sunday.
This is Holland's year---Uruguay can keep 1930:
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Shock and Awe
The quarterfinals have me stunned.
The roster for the upcoming semi-finals is somewhat to be expected: three of the four teams were top-ranked coming into the tournament. The way that it happened, however, was full of surprises, drama and intense ethical debates.
Friday, I was elated with the Dutch victory over Brazil, and enjoyed every minute of the game. My adrenaline was perhaps too high to handle the Uruguay v. Ghana drama later that day.
Saturday, I could hardly watch as Germany pummeled Argentina. Paraguay and Spain traded frantic penalty kicks. It felt like the ball, the ref's calls, the entire game, could go either way. It wasn't until Spain scored in the final seven minutes that I felt myself begin to calm down.
Eight teams entered the quarterfinal and four teams are left. Ghana, Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay are out. The Netherlands plays Uruguay on Tuesday (July 6) and Germany plays Spain on Wednesday (July 7th). The winners of those games will play the final, championship game on July 11th. Hup Holland!
The major upset is the defeat of Brazil, followed by the destruction of Argentina. What has everyone really disturbed is the handball by Uruguay's Luis Suarez.
In the final minutes of a tied game, a Ghanaian player had a clear shot on an open goal (the keeper was on the ground). Suarez, a Uruguayan defender on the goal-line, reached up and intentionally block the ball from entering the goal--with his hand.
It was an intentional handball in the penalty area. In addition to the ESPN cameras, the referee saw the foul and red-carded Suarez. Ghana was awarded a penalty kick with just seconds left on the clock.
All was right in the universe, until Ghanaian forward Asamoah Gyan missed the penalty kick. Ghana lost in the penalty shoot-out that followed.
Sometimes the wrong team wins. We all know that. (I’m still outraged about Bush v. Gore). It is even more upsetting when the wrong team wins through cheating, and then has the bad taste to gloat about the appropriateness of stealing victory.
Suarez is reportedly unrepentant. After all, his foul gave Uruguay another chance, which was used to win the game and avoid elimination.
French Captain Thierry Henry faced a similar ethical interrogation. Henry committed an intentional handball in the penalty box in a World Cup qualifying game against Ireland. The handball, passed to a French teammate, resulted in a goal as the referee missed the foul. France defeated Ireland and was rewarded a spot in FIFA 2010.
Henry insisted that his job was to win the game; it was the referee who had failed to perform his duties. Suarez, reportedly, was treated as a hero in the Uruguayan locker room (although Fifa has suspended him from the semi-final game against the Netherlands.)
Is an intentional foul, a red card in the box, the appropriate strategy if it is the only way to avoid defeat? It may be good strategy but I think it is poor manners.
The roster for the upcoming semi-finals is somewhat to be expected: three of the four teams were top-ranked coming into the tournament. The way that it happened, however, was full of surprises, drama and intense ethical debates.
Friday, I was elated with the Dutch victory over Brazil, and enjoyed every minute of the game. My adrenaline was perhaps too high to handle the Uruguay v. Ghana drama later that day.
Saturday, I could hardly watch as Germany pummeled Argentina. Paraguay and Spain traded frantic penalty kicks. It felt like the ball, the ref's calls, the entire game, could go either way. It wasn't until Spain scored in the final seven minutes that I felt myself begin to calm down.
Eight teams entered the quarterfinal and four teams are left. Ghana, Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay are out. The Netherlands plays Uruguay on Tuesday (July 6) and Germany plays Spain on Wednesday (July 7th). The winners of those games will play the final, championship game on July 11th. Hup Holland!
The major upset is the defeat of Brazil, followed by the destruction of Argentina. What has everyone really disturbed is the handball by Uruguay's Luis Suarez.
In the final minutes of a tied game, a Ghanaian player had a clear shot on an open goal (the keeper was on the ground). Suarez, a Uruguayan defender on the goal-line, reached up and intentionally block the ball from entering the goal--with his hand.
It was an intentional handball in the penalty area. In addition to the ESPN cameras, the referee saw the foul and red-carded Suarez. Ghana was awarded a penalty kick with just seconds left on the clock.
All was right in the universe, until Ghanaian forward Asamoah Gyan missed the penalty kick. Ghana lost in the penalty shoot-out that followed.
Sometimes the wrong team wins. We all know that. (I’m still outraged about Bush v. Gore). It is even more upsetting when the wrong team wins through cheating, and then has the bad taste to gloat about the appropriateness of stealing victory.
Suarez is reportedly unrepentant. After all, his foul gave Uruguay another chance, which was used to win the game and avoid elimination.
French Captain Thierry Henry faced a similar ethical interrogation. Henry committed an intentional handball in the penalty box in a World Cup qualifying game against Ireland. The handball, passed to a French teammate, resulted in a goal as the referee missed the foul. France defeated Ireland and was rewarded a spot in FIFA 2010.
Henry insisted that his job was to win the game; it was the referee who had failed to perform his duties. Suarez, reportedly, was treated as a hero in the Uruguayan locker room (although Fifa has suspended him from the semi-final game against the Netherlands.)
Is an intentional foul, a red card in the box, the appropriate strategy if it is the only way to avoid defeat? It may be good strategy but I think it is poor manners.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
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