Running head: GENRE ANALYSIS 1

Analyzing Genres Through Border Health Issues

Joseph Bencomo

University of Texas at El Paso

GENRE ANALYSIS 2

Abstract

Analyzing Genres through Border Health Issues explores the inner workings of efficiency

between an anthology and a video found on YouTube within the discourse community of border

health issues. The analyzation goes through an introduction to genre efficiency through the topic

of border health issues, a short examination of what genre is, structure and delivery, audience and

purpose, ethos, pathos, logos, compare & contrast, and a conclusion. The compilation proved to

be the more efficient genre through the use of evidence and not having to limit information given

due to time constraints.

GENRE ANALYSIS 3

Analyzing Genres Through Border Health Issues

Genre is the categorical way of organizing art and literature. The root of the word, genre,

is gen-. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, in Latin, gen- refers to an entity or object

that has been birthed or comes from a source, therefore works of literature and art that is birthed

or created with the same subject matter can be placed into genres based on the subject matter.

However, the focus of the work is not the only method when categorizing art and literature into

genres. Characteristics of the format may also be a way of categorizing compositions. The

constraints of the formats have created categories/ genres. Genres can be organized by their

subject matter or the characteristics of their format.

Border health issues may be eye-opening to those unaware that these are problems faced

by local populations, but what is the most effective format to deliver this information to them?

The issues are conveyed in two genres, a compilation and a non-academic digital media source.

Each genre was able to fulfill their purpose; however, the compilation was found to be the more

effective as a variety of different topics were explored and the perspectives of different authors

and their research is conveyed. Two genres were chosen to aid in reviewing border health issues.

A compilation of research articles used can be found in U.S.-Mexico Border Health Issues for

Regional and Migrant Populations by J. Gerard Power and Theresa Byrd (1978). A non-

academic digital media source was also referenced; the video found on YouTube is titled Border

Health Consortium of the Californias by consorcio californias (2017). The purpose of U.S.-

Mexico Border Health Issues for Regional and Migrant Populations (1978) is to “stimulate

future interest in border health issues” (p. xvii). The Border Health Consortium of the

Californias (2017) is a video on individuals meeting to strategize on addressing health issues

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plaguing the borderland. Both genres have the same objective, but differ in their delivery and

composition.

Structure and Delivery

Structure and delivery between visual and linguistic genres allow different capabilities

and constraints. An anthology is able to provide evidence within articles to support their claim.

The use of charts and their impacts on the people of the borderland coupled with the analysis of

several scholars provides an effective foundation, without being restricted to a limit on a time/

information. A video source is confined to keeping the viewer engaged; the Border Health

Consortium of the Californias (2017) does not provide evidence for their claims, but is able to

more effectively evoke the emotions and understanding of the viewer. According to Neher,

“images and visual concepts are processed 60,000 times faster than text” (p. 13). With the

internet, videos are able to mass outreach. Youtube was able to host a video and garner “1.8

billion views” (p. 247). A video could reach more of the population, but is forced to depend on

evoking the emotions of each and every viewer; the viewer may not shift their stance or even

take a stance. The anthology is able to display the problem and minimize the attempt of refuting

by providing facts that the reader can fundamentally accept with more ease.

Audience and Purpose

The intended readers and viewers of the genres are primarily the people of the borderland

and secondarily anyone willing to take action or further interest in solving border health issues.

The compilation is written towards both academics and the general public; on the back cover,

Byrd and Power recommend the book to “course reader[s]” and as a “general update on border

health issues”. The compilation examines a number of issues that fall into border health issues

and even provides suggestions to improve success in medical-care programs (Byrd, p. 206); this
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is an implied call-to-action. The video more directly conveys their purpose with the viewer by

presenting a statement at the 7:25 minute mark. The statement reads “Your participation and that

of the entire society, is key to ensuring awareness, prevention and timely access to health

services, to reduce diseases in the region”. The purpose of each genre is to “stimulate further

interest of border health issues” (p. xvii) and persuade viewers and readers to become involved in

their community to solve border health issues with the compilation focused more on provoking

research.

Ethos

Both sources did a good job in establishing credibility in both the anthology and the

website of the video, but the credibility of the compilation is stronger. The anthology was

published by SAGE publications, a publishing house that publishes more than “1,000 journals

and over 800 books, reference works, databases, a year in business, humanities, social sciences,

science technology, and medicine”(SAGE, 2017). The compilation, itself, has a section with a

short biography of each author that contributed to the book. The compilation also cites

references. The Border Health Consortium is a group of individuals representing different non-

profit organizations, government agencies, and businesses who meet to explore addressing

border health issues. The video establishes credibility by displaying the titles of the committee

members interviewed in the video; the titles span business owners to holders of doctorates. The

video also provided the name of the website; the website contained contact information, purpose,

and their current efforts.

Pathos

Persuasion was attempted by both sources through the use of pathos. Pathological

reasoning is established in the video through imagery. While discussing their committee’s role in
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aiding the border population, images of content Hispanic citizens and a toddler are seen at the

5:58-6:00 minute mark. The video then goes on to display an interview discussing that in their

fight with border diseases they have executed “activities that are established in a strategic plan…

which is another achievement of the consortium” (Rangel), while this statement is given, pictures

of medical patients being treated are shown with the last picture being a close-up of a sick baby

(6:40-6:44 minute mark). The images are meant to evoke the emotions of the viewer by showing

the sad situation of disease in the borderland, while simultaneously showing these patients being

treated by the Consortium’s “planned activities”. The anthology attempts pathos within a section

on drug rehabilitation. The testimonies of rehabilitated drug addicts are given (pp. 190-191)

whilst only the nickname of the first former drug addict is shown, El Muerte (The Dead One).

The testimonies attempt to garner the reader’s support for rehabilitation programs by showing an

emotional testimony that starts with hardship but finds life-saving success through the program.

A minimal amount of pathos is used in the compilation with the video providing strong pathos

imagery. Both sources were able to create a stance of persuasion with the compilation focusing

more on ethos and the video focusing on pathos.

Logos

Logical reasoning is the keystone to support a claim through evidence. The author of the

compilation did a better job of reinforcing their claim with evidence than the creators of the

video were able to. The video stated that the borderland needed “a more cohesive structure for

health professionals to work together” (1:33) then informs the viewer of issues affecting the

borderland, such as “HIV, Tuberculosis, obesity, and mental health” (5:11) for the viewer to

believe that the Consortium of the Californias is the logical solution. The video does not provide

much analysis nor evidence to substantiate their claims that these issues are impacting the border
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region. The compilation heavily relies on logical reasoning as their basis of support. Throughout

the anthology, scholarly authors provide analysis of the topic at hand and occasionally display

charts, maps, and graphs (pp. 45, 92, 129-131,187, 227, 229, 237-243, Appendix B) to further

explain. The compilation also cites all references used which only further solidifies their claims.

Compare & Contrast

The differences outweigh the similarities between U.S.-Mexico Border Health Issues for

Regional and Migrant Populations(1978) and Border Health Consortium of the Californias

(2017). What these sources do share is that their purpose is to persuade viewers and readers to

become more informed on border health issues, provoking research, and action. The audience of

the sources were for the general population, but the compilation was also able to cater to

academics using the compilation as a course read. The compilation is based upon logical

reasoning by providing analyzation of border health issues and citing all references for the claims

they state. Both sources were able to establish credibility, but accessing the material establishing

the sources was much more easily found in the compilation. The compilation contained all

references cited and information on their publishing house within the book, while the video only

gave the URL of their website. The website of the video did contain information on their

credibility, but is more of a process. The video focuses on pathos by displaying powerful imagery

to emotionally persuade the viewer into taking action for solving border health issues. The

anthology is not confined to a time limit and is able to display information the authors deemed

necessary; the video is constrained by a time limit but is able to mass outreach. By being on a

convenient internet platform like YouTube, the video is able much more easily reach more

people. With the use of logos, it much easier to accept the claims of the anthology.
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Conclusion

Through analyzing anthology and digital media genres within border health issues, the

anthology was more effective in delivering the information. While each genre fulfilled its

purpose of introducing and furthering incite into border health issues, the compilation better

called the reader to action. The video was constrained by relying solely on emotion and

constrained by time for the amount of information it could deliver. The anthology discussed a

wide variety of topics within border health issues by more powerfully illustrating the impact of

these issues through providing evidence and all information necessary.

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References

[consortium of California]. (2017, January 5). Border Health Consortium of the Californias

[Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPtawgVxIBQ

Power, J.G & Byrd, T. (1998). U.S.-Mexico Border Health Issues for Regional and Migrant

Populations. Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, Inc.

Neher, K. (2014). Visual Social Marking for Dummies. Hoboken, NJ : John Wiley & Sons.

Border Health Consortium of Californias. (2014). About BHCC. Retrieved

from http://borderhealthconsortium.org/en/about-us

SAGE. (2018). Company information. Retrieved from https://us.sagepub.com/en-

us/nam/company-information