Dear Doctor Hunt,
I have an outside chance to take Inkshedding to Oman. Without going into what I do not know about inkshedding and the culture of Oman, I will try one short hypothesis and ask if you could direct me to any relevant literature from the inkshedding perspective.
Hypothesis: Inkshedding, as it is anonymous and neither the gender of the original commentor, nor the subsequent "reviewer[s]" is revealed, may lead to increased interaction [particulalry from women] in a mixed classroom in a traditional Oman setting. It would allow men and women to freely exchange commentaries, without breaching cultural conditioning. I'm not sure if conditioning is correct, or if there is some Shria legal principle involved - or - both - or - neither. My Omani colleagues, graduates of Carleton U and members of the soccer team with me will know the answers to why it occurs. If not, I studied with two men and three women and there must be a way into this question through them.
As I understand it, the classes are mixed, but the women are separated and sit in the rear. As well, a question for discussion or comment posed by the instructor may only be replied to by the men, because of cultural propriety. Women will provide consensus, but will not challenge. The situations outlined are derived from the website eof the Higher Colleges of Technology of Oman. These are meant to be a description to assist teachers in seeing if they are suited to the setting and a guide to their longer term behaviour once on-site.swer
Perhaps this is where I address Natasha's challenge of problematizing Inkshedding and showing the potential of this methodology to level gender barriers, at one and the same time re-establishing a broader community of writers, readers, collaborative and social then could have existed with traditional oral inter-change.
Best regards,
Michael Ryan
PS I am joining CASSLL again, as soon as they post where I can send my money. I missed my chance in Gimli, but then a lot of us may have been encouraged to wait.
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