AIMPUS NEWS — sonmousesie0r THE VOICE, THURSDAY, NOV. 8, 2012 3 Alienation = gang violence: Instructor Sociology professor Indira Prahst will be hosting a seminar about what leads people to illegal activity By ANNIE ELLISON hen two students went to their YYisrecr and asked her how to make a safe exit from gang life, she did not have an answer. Sociology and anthropology depart- ment chair Indira Prahst’s search for a way to answer is now a multi-disciplin- ary project tackling the connection be- tween student alienation and gang vio- lence. She presents her work at the Langa- ra Philosophers’ Jam dialogue series on Nov. 15. “T was disappointed with the way the issue of youths joining gangs was being treated,” said Prahst. She fights to dispel overly simplistic stereotypes of why youths from the South Asian community join gangs. “The cultural argument is a very simple explanation for a complex expe- rience,” says Prahst. Social media also contributes to alienation and gang violence. Technology numbs our connec- tions, meaning youth are not de- veloping care or empathy, says Prahst. For example, we INDIRA PRAHST are more likely to Sociology and use harsh words anthropology via Facebook than in person. Social alienation leads young people to join gangs for two reasons, says Prahst’s research as- sistant Prabhsharanbir Singh. “They possess the dire need to be ac- cepted and the dire need for power,” said Singh. Business administration student Ken Khangura has watched his friends join gangs searching for a sense of be- longing. “They see their friends throwing money around and want a piece of it,” said Khangura. But the visible fallout keeps him away from that lifestyle. “One of my friends got his parents’ house shot up,” said Khangura. “Now he’s chilling somewhere in Saskatchewan so no one can find him.” Singh says by romanticizing gang- life -- even killing and being killed -- youth get disoriented to the point that shoplifting brings less shame than gang affiliation. Event-moderator and Langara phi- losophy instructor Alex Boston says the organizers look for topics like this one that will stir a bit of controversy and get people talking. Philosophy teaches people to keep open minds and move beyond initial disagreements. Discussing big ideas with strangers, just for the sake of it, benefits even the most career-minded students. “Philosophy doesn’t get you the job,” says Boston. “It gets you the promo- tion.” The Philosophers’ Jam is free and open to everyone. The event will be held in the faculty and staff dining room located in the A building from 7 p.m. to 9p.m. department chair ay By MICHAEL LETENDRE mokers at Langara are asking for more smoking areas, as the current designated areas are frustrating some students. Langara has two designated smok- ing spots in front of the main entrances to the A Building, which many students have to walk through on their way to class. Psychology student Ali Hejri said he has to walk through the smoking areas regularly. “It bothers me,” he said. “It would be better if there wasn’t any smoking here.” Langara’s director of facilities Wen- dy Lannard said in an email that the smoking areas were chosen because they follow Vancouver’s smoking by- law. The bylaw states smoking has to take place at least six metres from any entrance, opening, window or air in- take vent. Despite the restrictions, many stu- dents ignore them and smoke in non- designated areas. The west side of B Building is one of those spots. It is covered, and many students smoke just outside of the en- MICHAEL LETENDRE photo Arts and Science student Larry Li smokes outside of the library by the picnic tables. He thinks it will be good idea if the college added more designated areas for him and other smokers. Smokers on campus Not all people are lighting up in designated areas and some students are now taking notice trance doors. Curtis Leblanc, a photography stu- dent, said he smokes outside of B Build- ing with fellow classmates because it is too far to go anywhere else. “We don’t have much time between classes,” he said. He said people normally don’t mind, and he tries to be accommodating. “If there’s people around, I usually walk away.” Lannard said the school would con- sider adding another smoking area as long as it met the city bylaws. Arts and science student Larry Li would like to see more smoking spots on campus “T think it would be good for people who need a place to smoke.” Loni Fay, a psychology student, be- lieves smokers should stick to assigned areas around campus. “You shouldn’t smoke where people don’t want to smell it,’ she said. “I think about people like my mom and grandma who both have asthma.” Not everyone is bothered, like pho- tography student Michael Gill. “T don’t mind. Just walk away if you don’t like it,” he said. “As long as you’re not blowing smoke in my face, it’s fine.” VAN CITY a 1 A person must not smoke: in public buildings; 2 on public transit or in vehicles for hire; 3 near places where people wait to board transit/ vehicles for hire; 4 within six metres of any opening of buildings {ie doors, windows, air intake vents); 5 in or near customer service areas. Source: vancouver.ca Education council gets two new student reps Rute Xu and Max Yang will help shape Langara academic courses & policy By GILLIAN HAMES new representatives to the educa- tion council. Female representative Rute Xu and male representative Max Yang vow to be accessible to students and address concerns they might have regarding their college experience. The education council is an elected body that has a mandate to approve or reject any proposed academic changes at Langara. This includes decisions on new courses, changes in courses and academic policy. Gerda Krause, education council chairwoman, explained the student representatives are expected to read proposals submitted by departments, discuss them and make sure they are appropriate for the college. “And then [they] either approve it or not, as the case may be,” she said. The student representatives each have a vote on council, and essentially represent the interests of the student body. “They are bringing a student per- spective [to the council],” said Krause. Neither candidate could be reached for comment. Both candidates have relevant expe- rience representing students at previ- ous institutions. Xu was the education commissioner at her high school. In her candidate statement, she promised to strive for a bigger budget from the college. Xu also vowed to organize more fun- draising events to help the council be able to offer more services to students. Xu’s term will be from Nov. 2012 to Sept. 2013. Yang has previous experience serv- ing students as vice-president of his student union in high school . In his statement, Yang pledged to “work with other Langara depart- ments to serve as an advocate for dif- ferent groups, voicing students’ con- cerns.” Each student representative is elect- ed to serve a one-year term, but Yang’s term will only be from Nov. 2012 to Jan. 2013. He was elected in a by-election re- placing Dean Tsatouhas. Treasurer is at UBC Continued from page 1 Li students just elected two duties as treasurer should he take this leave. Li explained that he was initially en- rolled in a class at Langara but dropped in early in the term. He says that he will “take two classes at Langara next term.” Li doesn’t believe that his enroll- ment at UBC has any impact on his per- formance as treasurer but would not say how many classes he is enrolled in at UBC. “If there are any big events or other union business happening, I come to help or accomplish my duties for the LSU instead of attending my classes,” said Li. Li further claimed that he is in the LSU office “frequently” on Monday, Thursday and Friday. Li was late to the board meeting on October 29 and absent from the board meeting on November 5. The LSU media liaison did not re- spond to repeated requests for com- ment by press time.