The Social Issue Analysis Paper
MCS 105: Introduction to Multicultural Studies
This project is intended to demonstrate your learning and increased understanding of the concepts we have covered and the social issue your chose. You will be asked to give detailed description and analysis to your topic using the theories and concepts we have covered. Your goal is to show me that you understand the complexities of your issue. When you write your Post-Course Analysis Paper, your work should demonstrate your increased understanding of the course concepts and your social issue, compared to the Pre-Course Analysis Paper.
INSTRUCTIONS:
A. Download the assignment instructions & questions into whichever word-processing software you use. This document is available in Microsoft Word (.docx), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and PDF (.pdf).
B. Read the questions you’ll be answering for this assignment carefully, most questions contain sub-questions so be sure you are taking note of all the pieces. Question #3 and #4 are from your Pre-course paper. Do not cut and paste from your Initial Social Issue Paper. This is a crucial area to show what you have learned and your understanding has grown.
NOTE: For most of the questions, you’ll find sample answer text that provides a simple structure for answering the question. You are not required to use that text, but you will find the structure helpful; either way, you should delete the sample text and replace it with your own answers.
C. Answer each of the analysis questions, using complete sentences, in paragraph form. You do not need to merge all of the sections into one paper, but you do need to answer each question in paragraph form.
D. To submit your work, save a version of this document in one of the following formats: Microsoft Word (.docx), or PDF (.pdf). Then, upload your document by clicking the “Submit Assignment” button in the upper-right corner of the Canvas assignment window. Choose your assignment’s file and upload it to Canvas.
Final Social Issue Paper
Part I:
1) List the Making Contact episode’s:
1a) full title:
1b) full URL (web-link):
2) Frame the problem you will focus on in this paper.
a) Describe the problem & provide evidence of the problem.
· Unequal
b) Describe the consequences of the problem. Who is harmed? How? Who benefits? How? Provide evidence of the consequences.
·
c) What are the causes of the problem? What are the immediate causes? What are the root causes? Provide evidence to support your analysis.
·
3) Look back at your answers to the Initial Social Issue assignment. Discuss how this course has affected your analysis of your social issue. [1 paragraph or more]
4) Now that you’ve taken the course, using our materials and outside research, answer the three questions you posed about your topic in your Initial Social Issue Paper.
1.
2.
3.
5) Discuss how your problem reinforces two of the social group hierarchies (the ism’s) named in Tatum (2000). Do the following:
5a) Identify one social hierarchy relevant to the problem.
· [The problem] enacts [hierarchy 1].
5b) Identify a social group that is privileged and a social group that is oppressed by that social hierarchy.
· [Hierarchy 1] privileges [Group privileged by hierarchy 1] and oppresses [Group/s oppressed by hierarchy 1].
5c) Identify a second social hierarchy relevant to the problem.
· [The problem] enacts [hierarchy 2].
5d) Identify a social group that is privileged and a social group that is oppressed by that social hierarchy.
· [Hierarchy 2] privileges [Group privileged by hierarchy 2] and oppresses [Group/s oppressed by hierarchy 2].
6) Use a basic intersectional analysis to explain how the problem differentially affects the social groups you’ve identified.
6a.i) First, identify Social Group A, a social group that is
privileged by [Hierarchy 1] and [Hierarchy 2].
· [Group privileged by hierarchy 1] [Group privileged by hierarchy 2] are privileged by [hierarchy 1] and [hierarchy 2].
6a.ii) Then, use evidence to explain how the problem affects Social Group A.
· [The problem] privileges [Privileged by hierarchy 1] [Privileged by hierarchy 2] in the following ways…
6b.i) Second, identify Social Group B, the social group that is
privileged by [Hierarchy 1] and oppressed by [Hierarchy 2].
· [Group privileged by hierarchy 1] [Group oppressed by hierarchy 2] are privileged by [hierarchy 1] and oppressed by [hierarchy 2].
6b.ii) Then, use evidence to explain how the problem affects Social Group B.
· [The problem] affects [Privileged by hierarchy 1] [Oppressed by hierarchy 2] in the following ways…
6c.i) Third, identify Social Group C, the social group that is
oppressed by [Hierarchy 1] and privileged by [Hierarchy 2].
· [Group oppressed by hierarchy 1] [Group privileged by hierarchy 2] are oppressed by [hierarchy 1] and privileged by [hierarchy 2].
6c.ii) Then, use evidence to explain how the problem affects Social Group C.
· [The problem] affects [Oppressed by hierarchy 1] [Privileged by hierarchy 2] in the following ways…
6d.i) Fourth, identify Social Group D, the social group that is
oppressed by [Hierarchy 1] and oppressed by [Hierarchy 2].
· [Group oppressed by hierarchy 1] [Group oppressed by hierarchy 2] are oppressed by [hierarchy 1] and oppressed by [hierarchy 2].
6d.ii) Then, use evidence to explain how the problem affects Social Group D.
· [The problem] affects [Oppressed by hierarchy 1] [Oppressed by hierarchy 2] in the following ways…
7) From the perspective of the United States Master Narrative, explain your social issue. Who it benefits, who it oppresses, how it is enacted and etc. [1 paragraph or more]
·
8) For two of the four social groups you identified above, identify at least one stereotype that reinforces the U.S. Master Narrative and is used to justify the problem.
8a) Stereotype about Social Group A that reinforces the U.S. Master Narrative.
· One stereotype about [Privileged by hierarchy 1] [Privileged by hierarchy 2] is that [stereotype].
8a) Explanation of how [Stereotype about Social Group A] is used to justify the problem. [1 paragraph or more]
· This stereotype justifies [the problem] and reinforces the U.S. Master Narrative by … [explain stereotype’s relevance to the problem].
8b) Stereotype about Social Group B that reinforces the U.S. Master Narrative.
· One stereotype about [Privileged by hierarchy 1] [Oppressed by hierarchy 2] is that [stereotype].
8b) Explanation of how [Stereotype about Social Group B] is used to justify the problem. [1 paragraph or more]
· This stereotype justifies [the problem] and reinforces the U.S. Master Narrative by … [explain stereotype’s relevance to the problem].
Part III) Uncovering Oppression
Answer one of the two sections below, either the section on Institutional racism or the section on the Five Faces of Oppression. For extra credit answer both questions.
9) Explain how institutional oppression operates in your problem. Be sure to clearly explain why the oppression is institutional-level, as opposed to other levels. Do the following:
9a) Name an institution that is relevant to your problem. Justify your selection.
· [Institution]
9b) Describe one of the institution’s oppressive policies or practices.
· One of [Institution’s] oppressive policies or practices is [oppressive policy or practice].
9c) Explain how that policy or practice privileges some of the social groups you’ve identified above and oppresses some of the social groups you’ve identified above. [1 paragraph or more]
· [Institution’s] policy/ practice of [oppressive policy or practice] privileges [Social Groups A, B, and/or C] in the following ways [explain].
[Institution’s] policy/ practice of [oppressive policy or practice] oppresses [Social Groups B, C, and/or D] in the following ways [explain].
10) Use two of the Five Faces of Oppression to explain how the problem privileges and/or oppresses each of the social groups you named above. Do the following:
10a) Name one Face of Oppression and its corresponding Face of Privilege
· [The problem] is an example of [Face of Oppression/ Privilege].
10b) Summarize the general dynamics of that Face
· The basic dynamics of [Face] are that oppressed groups are [explain oppressive dynamics of Face], while privileged groups are [explain privileging dynamics of Face].
10c) Explain how & why that Face’s dynamics clearly describe the ways that your problem privileges some groups and oppresses other groups [1 paragraph or more]
· [The problem] is an example of [Face of Oppression/ Privilege] because it privileges [Group privileged by hierarchy 1 and/or 2) by [explain how the problem systematically advantages privileged group]. Meanwhile, it oppresses [Group oppressed by hierarchy 1 and/or 2] by [explain how the problem systematically disadvantages oppressed group].
10 2.a) Name a second Face of Oppression and the corresponding Face of Privilege
· [The problem] is an example of [Face of Oppression/ Privilege].
10 2.b) Summarize the general dynamics of the second Face of Oppression/ Privilege
· The basic dynamics of [Face] are that oppressed groups are [explain oppressive dynamics of Face], while privileged groups are [explain privileging dynamics of Face].
10 2.c) Explain how & why that Face’s dynamics clearly describe the ways that your problem privileges some groups and oppresses other groups [1 paragraph or more]
· [The problem] is an example of [Face of Oppression/ Privilege] because it privileges [Group privileged by hierarchy 1 and/or 2) by [explain how the problem systematically advantages privileged group]. Meanwhile, it oppresses [Group oppressed by hierarchy 1 and/or 2] by [explain how the problem systematically disadvantages oppressed group].
Part IV: Finding Resolution
12) Name an organization that is working to fix (not to cause) the specific problem you have identified. For each describe at least one of the strategies it uses to work on the problem. Explain how this strategy is relevant to solving the problem. Then describe two ways that you personally could connect with and support the organization’s work.
12.a) Organization 1
· [Organization] is working to improve [the problem].
12b) Organization 1’s current strategy or strategies for working on the problem [1 paragraph or more]
· [Organization] works to improve [the problem] using the following approaches: [describe approaches they use].
12c) Relevance of Organization 1’s strategies to solving the problem.
· [Organization 1’s strategy] helps solve [the problem] by [explain the strategy’s relevance to solving the problem].
12d) Two ways you personally could connect with and support the organization’s work.
· One way I could personally become more involved with [Organization 1] is [way you could become involved].
· Another way I could personally become more involved with [Organization 1] is [way you could become involved].