Resisters Research Notes - Annika Damstedt and Mia VonLunen

Relationships Between USA, China, and Russia

● Our presentation, so we won’t take notes :)

The Relationship Between Sports and Politics

● Importance of sports and politics mean they become connected

● People own different teams- political polarization

● Ex: Black Lives Matter: People protested during sports for better rights

● Sports and nationalism

○ Bring people together

○ In-group out-group mentality

● In the Resisters

○ Sports will challenge class disparity

○ Show divides and similarities in different classes

The Olympics

● Develop strong relationships through sports and contribute to world peace

● Modern Olympics revived late 19th century

● Until 1971, athletes had to pay their way to the Olympics

● Mental health challenges come with athletics (sometimes)

● $15,000-$40,000 for training each year

○ Time commitment

○ Need to have money

● Boycott Olympics due to political reasons

● Started as men only, now men and women

● Tension between countries- nationalism, propaganda, manipulation

○ Russia v. US, China v. US

○ Country’s success determines national pride

 ● In the Resisters

○ Nationalism may increase conflict between AutoAmerica and ChinRussia

○ May break down class barriers

Stasi DDR East Germany

● Stasi- political and intelligence faction of East Germany

● Existed from 2/8/1950-6/30/1990

● “Shield and sword of the army”

● Collected smells (?) of dissidents and compared

● The west was considered the enemy

● Preserve communist regime- constant spying

● In the Resisters

○ Gwen target of Stasi

○ Deals with harsh environment

○ Vanquishes Stasi

Rules of Baseball

● Goal: get the most runs

● 9 innings in a game

○ Each inning split into two

● 9 players per team

● Striker zone from mid torso to knee

○ Influenced by umpire’s perspective

● Fields require actual ground!!!

● In the Resisters

○ Baseball will exist, but not influence the plot greatly

Effects of Technology on the World

 ● Technology - the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes

● Led to industrial revolution, advancements in medical technology, ecological decline, etc

● Transportation through cars, planes, rockets

○ Speed up travel - connect the world

● Medical advancements lengthen average human lifespan

● Technology leads to pollution in our air

○ Climate Change

● Information available online - expanding knowledge

● Makes communication and transportation easier

● Globalization because of new technology

● Cons: weapons, obesity, wealth disparity, mental illness

NSA

● Created to protect people from terrorism and other dangers

● Cryptology

● Surveillance in home and foreign countries to maintain national security

○ Present day - some restrictions put in place

● Optimize cybersecurity

● Founded in the cold war to get information on Russian communications

○ Advise the president

● 9/11 changed the NSA- made more of an effort to protect against terrotism by increasing

surveillance

● In the Resisters

○ AuntNettie uses surveillance

Apartheid

● Apartheid was sanctioned by the South African government, whereas it was just allowed

to exist in the US
 ● Apartheid - segregation in South Africa

● By 1950 interracial relationships were prohibited

● Systematic racial segregation remained even after Apartheid policies were removed

● Land act (1913)- forced black Africans to live in reserves

● 1948- The Afrikaner National Party win under slogan ¨apartheid¨

● Opposition- demonstrations, violent protests, Nelson Mandela

● 1990-1991- repealed most of the apartheid laws

● In the Resisters

○ Separation based on class and race

Class Disparity

● Class disparity - the difference between social classes due to discrepancies in wealth

● Caused by unequal opportunities

○ Sometimes based on race, religion, or beliefs

● Class status of your ancestors affects your current class status

● 1% of America has 40% of America’s wealth

● The poorest parts of America barely have any money, and are barely scraping by

● 1970s- economic growth is slowed and class disparity increases

● In the Resisters

○ Main characters have low income

○ Impacted by class disparity

Climate Change and its Impact

● Change in the average conditions like temperature and rainfall, in a region over an

extended period of time

● Rising sea levels and shrinking of glaciers

● More wildfire, flooding

● Causing $100 billion in damages this year

 ● 800 million people vulnerable to climate change

● Global temperatures have risen 1.2 degrees

● Arctic ice levels have lowered by 12%

● In the Resisters

○ Building up for war leads to climate change- industrial pollution

○ Surplus live on water - climate change has occurred

○ Use baseball as a distraction from the disastrous environment

Racial Integration in Baseball

● Jim Crow laws (1877-1954)- racial segregation in everyday life

● 1945 - Jackie Robinson first colored man to play pro baseball

● WWII caused people to question segregation practices

● Some people thought colored players would increase revenue (controversial = money)

● Sports abolishment of segregation supported abolishment of segregation as a society

● Moses Fleetwood Walker was the first person of color in the MLB who openly had black

heritage

○ Faced racism from teammates

● In The Resisters

○ Culture of baseball will bring people together

○ Conflicts of who gets to play

Negro League Baseball

● Started in 1920 and stopped in late 1940’s when MLB became integrated

● Jackie Robinson was a former Negro League player

● Proved African-Americans could play just as good as white players

● Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige, and Cool Papa Bell were all notable players

● In The Resisters

○ Discrimination will play a large role

 ○ Sexism may also play a role

Big Brother

● Surveillance society

● Totalitarian government creates Big Brother

● 1984 written two years into cold war

● Worship for Big Brother substitutes organized religion

● In the Resisters

○ Indirectly reference Big Brother through AuntNettie