Karen Pennesi | Western University Canada (original) (raw)

Papers by Karen Pennesi

Journal of Belonging, Identity, Language and Diversity, 2024

Obligatory interrogations are opportunities to reinforce and challenge ideologies of Canadians as... more Obligatory interrogations are opportunities to reinforce and challenge ideologies of Canadians as polite and white. Obligatory interrogations are microaggressions involving politics of belonging, arising from a white interrogator's perception that the target's identity is ambiguous or marked. Interrogations begin with a request for self-disclosure like "Where are you from?" or "What's your real name?" I analyze metadiscourse surrounding obligatory interrogations from 57 interviews with residents of two cities in Canada: Montreal and London, in addition to first-person narratives published by people of colour in North America. Bridging scholarship on politeness, belonging and critical race theory, I examine conflicting evaluations of politeness in obligatory interrogations. The analysis considers unequal power distribution, agentive moves in metadiscourse, and the effects on identities and relationships of repeated microaggressive encounters. White interrogators believe their questions to be polite. Some targets answer politely, finding the questions annoying but normal. Others interpret the interrogation as rude or racist, refusing to respond or imagining alternative questions and answers. Challenging hegemonic white politeness, they stake their claim to belonging as Canadians and point toward a more genuine politeness. This research demonstrates how racialization and marginalization work through mundane linguistic practices and suggests that understanding politeness requires a critical approach.

Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the... more Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.

Anthropologica, 2021

In times of social upheaval, people create and engage with verbal art for entertainment and a fee... more In times of social upheaval, people create and engage with verbal art for entertainment and a feeling of connection. While millions of people were forced to stay home to reduce the spread of COVID-19 from March to July 2020, verbal artists posted recorded performances online and viewers had more time than usual to watch and share them. COVID verbal art refers to songs, poems, and comedy skits that mention social and physical distancing, quarantine and isolation, hygiene and cleaning practices, everyday experiences during the pandemic, as well as social and political critiques of policies and practices that explicitly mention COVID-19 or coronavirus. An examination of 227 verbal art performances posted on YouTube and TikTok provides an ethnographic record of how everyday life has changed over time during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how the focus shifted from initial confusion to political critique.

Language and Communication, 2019

This article illuminates the social structures and relations that shape agency for members of two... more This article illuminates the social structures and relations that shape agency for members of two marginalized groups in Canada and examines how individuals respond differently to constraints on their power to name themselves and their children. Constraints on spelling, structure and choice of name are framed according to the particular positions of indigenous peoples and immigrants in relation to European settler society as either ‘original inhabitants’ or ‘recent arrivals’. These historically unequal power relations are manifest in intertwined ideologies of language, identity and nation, evident in ethnographic interviews, media reports and online commentary. Differential responses include resistance, endurance and assimilation.

Journal of Belonging, Identity, Language and Diversity, 2017

There is great diversity in the names and naming practices of Canada's population due to the mult... more There is great diversity in the names and naming practices of Canada's population due to the multiple languages and cultures from which names and name-givers originate. While this diversity means that everyone encounters unfamiliar names, institutional agents who work with the public are continually challenged when attempting to determine a name's correct pronunciation, spelling, structure and gender. Drawing from over a hundred interviews in London (Ontario) and Montréal (Québec), as well as other published accounts, I outline strategies used by institutional agents to manage name diversity within the constraints of their work tasks. I explain how concern with saving face and being polite can involve micro-aggressions which contribute to exclusion and disadvantage for people with certain kinds of names. Repeated mistreatment of names, whether intentional or not, negatively affects the integration of immigrants and their sense of belonging in the new society. I argue that the respectful treatment of names is a small but meaningful step toward making multilingual and multi-ethnic societies more welcoming and inclusive. Informed by the principles of Universal Design for Learning, I offer a set of recommendations for normalizing name diversity in work and social life. RÉSUMÉ. Il est possible de constater une grande diversité de noms et de pratiques de dénomination au sein de la population canadienne ceci en raison des nombreuses langues et cultures d'où proviennent ces noms et ceux qui les donnent. Alors que cette diversité a pour effet que chaque personne aura éventuellement à faire face à des noms peu familiers, on note en particulier que les agents institutionnels, qui travaillent avec le public, sont constamment mis à l'épreuve lorsqu'ils tentent de déterminer la prononciation, l'orthographe, la structure et le genre corrects d'un nom. En se fondant sur plus d'une centaine d'entrevues réalisées à London (en Ontario) et à Montréal (au Québec), ainsi que sur des comptes rendus ayant fait l'objet de publications, nous présentons des stratégies utilisées par des agents institutionnels dans leur gestion de la diversité des noms en tenant compte de leurs contraintes professionnelles. Nous expliquons que, par souci de « préserver les apparences » et de se montrer poli, ces attentions peuvent donner lieu à des micro-agressions menant à l'exclusion et à une iniquité envers les personnes portant certains types de noms. La répétition de mauvais traitements, qu'ils soient intentionnels ou non, a pour effet de porter atteinte à l'intégration des immigrants et à leur sentiment d'appartenance à la nouvelle société d'accueil. Nous soutenons que le traitement respectueux des noms représente une étape modeste mais significative pouvant mener à l'établissement de sociétés multilingues et multiethniques accueillantes et inclusives. En se fondant sur les principes de la conception universelle de l'apprentissage, nous offrons une série de recommandations pour normaliser la diversité des noms dans le travail et la vie sociale.

Newcomers to Canada whose names index identities other than “white” and “English” face pressure t... more Newcomers to Canada whose names index identities other than “white” and “English” face pressure to alter their names to facilitate integration. Some immigrants oppose the forces of conformity and refuse to assimilate their names. In interviews, they explain this stance using discourses of agency centring on a belief in true names, a moral obligation to get names right, and a need for a strong self. Focusing on ideologies of identity and language in their meta-agentive discourses, I argue that the act of immigrants keeping their ethnic names is a political move to redistribute responsibility for the integration of newcomers into the host society.

This is a review of NameCoach, a cloud-based web service that provides a platform for c... more This is a review of NameCoach, a cloud-based web service that provides a platform for collecting and organizing voice-recordings of users’ personal names so others can hear the preferred pronunciation.
Full text is available following the link in the tab above or here: http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/tJuncegyCGDqgkqHQ4ff/full

Traçamos as origens e o desenvolvimento do Encontro dos Profetas da Chuva, que ocorre no municípi... more Traçamos as origens e o desenvolvimento do Encontro dos Profetas da Chuva, que ocorre no município de Quixadá, Ceará, demonstrando como a invenção dessa tradição depende da circulação de discursos populares, acadêmicos e midiáticos
para realizar o objetivo primário de “resgatar a cultura”, que é imaginada existir na zona rural do sertão nordestino. Examinamos a interseção entre cultura e folclore,
analisando a colaboração dos indivíduos, da mídia, de estudiosos (inclusive antropólogos) e outros na produção da cultura relacionada à previsão de chuvas. Dessa maneira,
simultaneamente inventamos e resgatamos uma tradição. Mostramos como os textos produzidos pela mídia e pelos pesquisadores entram no discurso público sobre os profetas da chuva. Ao olhar de perto a intertextualidade dos discursos midiáticos, acadêmicos e populares sobre os profetas da chuva, contribuímos com os debates sobre a infl uência que nosso trabalho tem nos saberes e fazeres que estudamos.

Journal of Latin American Studies 47 (4): 781-809

Anthropological analysis elucidates how discourses about agriculture in one North-east Brazilian ... more Anthropological analysis elucidates how discourses about agriculture in one North-east Brazilian community reflect relational roles of citizens and the state, the position of farmers in society, and the relationship of individuals to their work. In these discourses, farmers are positioned as moral, hard-working, autonomous citizens, justifying their participation in low-paying activities. The declining numbers of agricultural workers is explained as a result of individual laziness or government irresponsibility. In using these discourses to take stances publicly on agricultural issues, speakers assign responsibilities and moral status to agents. In constructing rural identities, such moral discourses emphasise the symbolic value of subsistence agriculture as its economic value declines.

Names: A Journal of Onomastics 62(1):37-48, 2014

"At a Canadian university with a diverse population, orators at convocation ceremonies follow a p... more "At a Canadian university with a diverse population, orators at convocation ceremonies follow a protocol to facilitate the correct pronunciation of names. I describe the protocol and analyze one name-announcement segment, incorporating data from interviews with faculty and students. I argue that
linguistic ideologies influence and reflect the way names are used in institutional interactions. In an institutional discourse of multiculturalism, names are seen as symbols of persons, and efforts to say names correctly are demonstrations of respect. This can be undermined by orators’ practices, which focus on names as words and mark some non-English names as “difficult,”
such as repeated verification and halting pronunciation. For students with these names, this may contribute to negative feelings about being treated as outsiders in the dominant society. Attention to linguistic ideologies reveals that the university’s protocol is as much a mechanism for reducing
uncertainty among orators as for treating students respectfully."

Anthropological Quarterly 86 (3):759-790, 2013

An examination of the interplay of cultural models of prediction and lie helps explain why climat... more An examination of the interplay of cultural models of prediction and lie helps explain why climate forecasts are negatively evaluated by subsistence farmers in Ceará, Northeast Brazil. Analysis of linguistic differences between farmers and meteorologists reveals underlying conceptual differences that
result in farmers interpreting the forecasts as false statements. Distrust of government, the unmet expectation of optimistic predictions, and the existence of alternative forecasts by traditional “rain prophets” create a context in which state meteorologists are called liars. Material context and emotions
are shown to be crucial components of the models.

The Weather and Society Integrated Studies Project Compendium, 2011

Journal of Ecological Anthropology, 2011

Anthropologists often have interesting and valuable data that remains ‘hidden’ because it does no... more Anthropologists often have interesting and valuable data that remains ‘hidden’ because it does not fit easily into
conventional academic publishing formats. This article suggests that it is worthwhile to make use of this hidden
data for the benefit of other researchers and the study communities. To illustrate, the article describes initial efforts
to create an online database of traditional weather prediction indicators derived from observations of the
ecosystem. The database was started with descriptions of more than a thousand prediction indicators used in
Northeast Brazil, which were collected as part of a survey of farmers and ‘rain prophets’. It is argued that such
a database is important not only as part of the anthropological record, but also for the preservation of cultural
heritage, and as a baseline for studies of environmental change. Some of the theoretical, practical, and ethical
issues that have emerged in developing the database include: determining how much contextual information to
include, obtaining translations, recruiting contributors, and properly acknowledging intellectual property. While
there seems to be a great deal of enthusiasm for the idea from various sectors within and outside of academia,
difficulties in securing funding for this interdisciplinary project and establishing a group of collaborators have so
far presented significant obstacles.

Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, 2012

As the climate warms, stressors are developing that challenge the adaptive capabilities of Arctic... more As the climate warms, stressors are developing that challenge the adaptive capabilities of Arctic peoples. In Nunavut, one of Canada’s Arctic territories, increased weather variability and changes in physical and climatic conditions are having profound
effects on residents. One problem is that while these changes have magnified risks associated with travel and land-based activities, individuals lack sufficiently reliable and useful
information on which to base decisions. In this paper, we argue that weather-related risk assessment can be improved by integrating local and scientific weather knowledge and
making this information accessible to residents through the creation of weather hazards impact advisory groups. We present a qualitative case study of Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut, using data from participant observation and semi-structured interviews conducted with indigenous and non-indigenous long-term residents in summer 2009. We examine how long-term residents of Iqaluit acquire, perceive, and use both local and scientific weather knowledge. We find that various barriers, such as a lack of land-based experience, cultural and linguistic differences, and an absence of social networks, prevent most people from
obtaining all the information required to make fully informed decisions about the risks associated with land-based activities at different locations. Experienced hunters are perceived
to be a reliable source of weather-related information, while scientific weather knowledge is not as accessible or informative as it could be. Increasing the potential use of traditional and scientific hazardous weather knowledge, by making both more universally accessible, can enhance strategies for adapting to climate change in the Arctic.

Polar Record, 2012

In June 2008, the community of Pangnirtung, Nunavut, Canada experienced a rainstorm that caused ... more In June 2008, the community of Pangnirtung, Nunavut, Canada experienced a rainstorm that caused
structural damage to the community’s bridge and extensive permafrost erosion along the Duval River. The local
government characterised the event as ‘severe’ and focused their attention on the bridge collapse, in contrast to the
residents, who described this particular consequence as inconvenient at worst and at best, exciting. Instead residents
expressed greater concern for the permafrost erosion and the uncertainty this posed for community well-being. This
article follows an 11 week anthropological field trip to Pangnirtung in the summer of 2009 and is based on 31 semistructured
interviews, two focus group discussions, and participant observation. We explore how social processes
influence subjective constructions of what constitutes ‘severe’ weather in the community, and attempt to explain
how such constructions lead to differing perceptions of vulnerability to ‘severe’ weather events. Contributing factors
including the normalisation of threat, local beliefs regarding change and uncertainty, as well as the communication of
risk information are discussed along with the different coping strategies used by government and residents in managing
their perceived levels of vulnerability. The research shows the importance of understanding the role social processes
play in shaping local conceptions of ‘severe’ and perceptions of vulnerability to ‘severe’ weather events. This study
enhances understandings of difference within populations and adds to the growing body of literature that demonstrates
the need to incorporate locally relevant indices when conducting vulnerability assessment.

Horizontes Antropológicos, 2012

We trace the origins and development of the annual Meeting of the Rain Prophets, held in Quixadá,... more We trace the origins and development of the annual Meeting of the Rain Prophets, held in Quixadá, Ceará, demonstrating how the invention of this tradition depends on the circulation of public, academic and media discourses in order to achieve the goal of preserving the culture imagined to exist in the rural Northeast. We examine the intersection between culture and folklore, analyzing the collaboration of individuals, media and researchers (including anthropologists) in the production of culture related to rain prediction. We show how texts produced by the media and researchers enter into public discourse about the rain prophets. In these ways, we are simultaneously inventing and preserving a tradition. Taking a close look at the intertextuality of media, academic and public discourses about the rain prophets, we contribute to debates about the influence our work has on the knowledge and practices we study.

Weather, Climate and Society, 2011

This study illustrates the need to consider the multiple interpretations and experiences that inf... more This study illustrates the need to consider the multiple interpretations and experiences that influence how climate forecasts are evaluated in local contexts when assessing how useful forecasts can be for increasing the resilience of rural communities. Video clips of predictions made by scientific and traditional forecasters were shown in interviews and focus groups to elicit explanations for why the predictions are sometimes judged to be inaccurate, not useful, or inappropriately communicated by different sectors of the rural population in Ceará , Northeast Brazil. Results indicate that climate forecasts are not simply a decision-making tool that provides information in a one-way transfer from forecaster to user. The meanings and values of predictions are jointly created by both forecasters and their audiences. Predictions and the discussions that surround them are also an important part of expressing social identities and ideas about how the world works. Ineffective predictions are explained here in terms of religious beliefs, environmental change, forecaster identity, interactional context, and cultural practices.

Bulletin of The American Meteorological Society, 2007

Drafts by Karen Pennesi

Este artigo considera que a previsão climática deve ser interpretada dentro de contextos sociais,... more Este artigo considera que a previsão climática deve ser interpretada dentro de contextos sociais, culturais e linguísticos. Dentro de uma perspectiva antropológica baseada em entrevistas, observações e um questionário, será investigado como mudanças no meio-ambiente são entendidas por diferentes indivíduos, e transformadas em previsões que são comunicadas a diversos públicos. A linguagem utilizada e a maneira como a previsão é comunicada depende da experiência e dos objetivos do previsor, enquanto que a interpretação e a avaliação da previsão por outros são influenciadas por seus diferentes objetivos, atitudes, conhecimento e práticas. Esta etnografia da comunicação enfatiza o processo da comunicação das previsões para entender melhor a relação entre os seres humanos e o clima, e entre a linguagem e a cultura.

This article considers how climate predictions should be interpreted within social, cultural and linguistic contexts. Taking an anthropological approach based on interviews, observations and a survey, the investigation centres on how environmental changes are understood by different individuals and transformed into predictions, which are communicated to diverse publics. Language use and the way in which the prediction is communicated depends on the experiences and the goals of the forecaster, while the interpretation and evaluation of the prediction by others are influenced by their different goals, attitudes, knowledge and practices. This ethnography of communication emphasizes the process through which predictions are communicated to better understand the relationship between humans and climate, and between language and culture.