UNIT THREE – It's Not Fair (Issues of Social Justice)
Lots of movements for social justice begin with people noticing small moments of personal unfairness and then noticing that they are, in fact, symptoms of a larger social problem. Choose one such problem and write an op-ed piece that describes the problem, expresses your opinion, and proposes a direction for a solution.
10/24 Introduction to the Op–Ed
We will discuss the following in class:
Read Molly Ivins, “Get a Knife, Get a Dog, but Get Rid of Guns” (Norton 405); Jo-Ann Pilardi, “The Immigration Problem Is About Us, Not Them” (Norton 406); David Brooks, “The Gender Gap at School” (Norton
After reading Ivins, Pilardi, and Brooks, think about what these three editorials share and how each differs from the others. Then, write a paragraph that describes the editorial as a prose form meant to persuade readers: what do all editorials need to do? (You might want to include a list of formal characteristics of an op-ed in your paragraph.) Your paragraph should include at least one specific reference to how an editorial (by Ivins, Pilardi, or Brooks) succeeds or fails in achieving the generic task of reaching out to readers and expressing an opinion.
Note: this exercise is about the form of the op-ed, not about the extent to which you do or do not agree with the writer.
Post your responses by Thursday, 10/23 at 7PM
HW due in class Tuesday, 10/28
Write a thorough description of the question that you plan to explore in this paper. Your description, of about 200 words, should explain the fundamental unfairness, both in its particularity (what you have noticed, an incident you witnessed) and its broader significance. It should also offer some background on what makes this problem interesting or challenging to solve. Feel free to skip a line and ask any question about how to develop your paper at the end of this description/proposal.
Please bring a copy of your description to class on Tuesday.
Also, please read Barbara Ehrenreich's Guys Just Want to Have Fun (NR 331) and Nicholas D. Kristoff's "Saudis in Bikinis" (NR 272)
10/28 Discussing Issues of Social Justice
HW: Read "Letters from Birmingham Jail" by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (NR 818)
Choose one moment where you can detect King altering his approach to his argument in order to persuade his audience and write a paragraph analyzing his rhetoric. Also, try to identify King’s tone. Your paragraph should include a well–integrated and analyzed quotation from King. Please post your response by Thursday 10/30 by 3PM
10/31 Issues of Social Justice
HW:
HW:
Read the MLK / Malcolm X handout and argue an alternate position in a brief paragraph. Do not chose one side or the other; instead, add new insight into the conversation (introduce a third claim). While you should not merely agree with Martin Luther King Jr’s or Malcolm X’s position, you may draw from either or both authors’ arguments when making your own claim. Please post your response by Monday, 11/3 at 3PM.
11/4 Issues of Social Justice
HW:
Find and annotate at least five sources for your op-ed piece
Remember, the final draft of your food and culture essay is due on Friday, 11/7
11/7 Issues of Social Justice
HW:
Read James Baldwin's "Stranger in the Village" (NR 304), and track Baldwin’s use of the word “stranger.” What does it mean? How and why does the meaning shift? Pick one especially interesting use of the word “stranger” and write a paragraph in which you discuss the nuances of this key term. Include a sentence or two on how being a stranger helps Baldwin bear witness to injustice. Please post your response by Monday 11/8 at 3PM.
Also, please email me your research question on Monday by 3PM. This question relates to your upcoming Op–Ed piece. They do not have to be terribly complicated, rather, just elucidate for yourself the topic you are researching and why you are researching it. So, if you are working on street harassment, you could say something like "What is street harassment and why is it an issue of social justice?"
11/11 Issues of Social Justice
HW:
1) Read Thomas Friedman, "America's Real Dream Team" (NR 327); Brent Staples, "Why Colleges Shower Their Students with A's" (NR 329); Jack Hitt, "The Battle of the Binge" (NR 340); and Maureen Dowd, "Lady Psychopaths Welcome" which can be accessed via this link: http://nyti.ms/1sykZto (if you cannot access it, please let me know).
After reading Friedman, Staples, Hitt, and Dowd, think about what these four editorials share and how each differs from the others. Write a paragraph in which you compare and contrast at least TWO of these editorials (you DO NOT have to tackle all four). Some questions to consider: Which one(s) do you find the most effective? Why? What is the larger issue that they tackle? How do they use particular examples or a particular scenario to address a larger social issue? Think about the list of formal characteristics of an op-ed, which you have already generated. How do these texts respond to that list? Do they add any new formal characteristics? Do they defy any formal characteristics? Your paragraph should include at least TWO specific references to TWO different editorials.
Please post your response by Thursday, 11/13 at 5PM.
Your Op–Ed piece is due on 11/18
10/24 Introduction to the Op–Ed
We will discuss the following in class:
Read Molly Ivins, “Get a Knife, Get a Dog, but Get Rid of Guns” (Norton 405); Jo-Ann Pilardi, “The Immigration Problem Is About Us, Not Them” (Norton 406); David Brooks, “The Gender Gap at School” (Norton
After reading Ivins, Pilardi, and Brooks, think about what these three editorials share and how each differs from the others. Then, write a paragraph that describes the editorial as a prose form meant to persuade readers: what do all editorials need to do? (You might want to include a list of formal characteristics of an op-ed in your paragraph.) Your paragraph should include at least one specific reference to how an editorial (by Ivins, Pilardi, or Brooks) succeeds or fails in achieving the generic task of reaching out to readers and expressing an opinion.
Note: this exercise is about the form of the op-ed, not about the extent to which you do or do not agree with the writer.
Post your responses by Thursday, 10/23 at 7PM
HW due in class Tuesday, 10/28
Write a thorough description of the question that you plan to explore in this paper. Your description, of about 200 words, should explain the fundamental unfairness, both in its particularity (what you have noticed, an incident you witnessed) and its broader significance. It should also offer some background on what makes this problem interesting or challenging to solve. Feel free to skip a line and ask any question about how to develop your paper at the end of this description/proposal.
Please bring a copy of your description to class on Tuesday.
Also, please read Barbara Ehrenreich's Guys Just Want to Have Fun (NR 331) and Nicholas D. Kristoff's "Saudis in Bikinis" (NR 272)
10/28 Discussing Issues of Social Justice
HW: Read "Letters from Birmingham Jail" by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (NR 818)
Choose one moment where you can detect King altering his approach to his argument in order to persuade his audience and write a paragraph analyzing his rhetoric. Also, try to identify King’s tone. Your paragraph should include a well–integrated and analyzed quotation from King. Please post your response by Thursday 10/30 by 3PM
10/31 Issues of Social Justice
HW:
HW:
Read the MLK / Malcolm X handout and argue an alternate position in a brief paragraph. Do not chose one side or the other; instead, add new insight into the conversation (introduce a third claim). While you should not merely agree with Martin Luther King Jr’s or Malcolm X’s position, you may draw from either or both authors’ arguments when making your own claim. Please post your response by Monday, 11/3 at 3PM.
11/4 Issues of Social Justice
HW:
Find and annotate at least five sources for your op-ed piece
Remember, the final draft of your food and culture essay is due on Friday, 11/7
11/7 Issues of Social Justice
HW:
Read James Baldwin's "Stranger in the Village" (NR 304), and track Baldwin’s use of the word “stranger.” What does it mean? How and why does the meaning shift? Pick one especially interesting use of the word “stranger” and write a paragraph in which you discuss the nuances of this key term. Include a sentence or two on how being a stranger helps Baldwin bear witness to injustice. Please post your response by Monday 11/8 at 3PM.
Also, please email me your research question on Monday by 3PM. This question relates to your upcoming Op–Ed piece. They do not have to be terribly complicated, rather, just elucidate for yourself the topic you are researching and why you are researching it. So, if you are working on street harassment, you could say something like "What is street harassment and why is it an issue of social justice?"
11/11 Issues of Social Justice
HW:
1) Read Thomas Friedman, "America's Real Dream Team" (NR 327); Brent Staples, "Why Colleges Shower Their Students with A's" (NR 329); Jack Hitt, "The Battle of the Binge" (NR 340); and Maureen Dowd, "Lady Psychopaths Welcome" which can be accessed via this link: http://nyti.ms/1sykZto (if you cannot access it, please let me know).
After reading Friedman, Staples, Hitt, and Dowd, think about what these four editorials share and how each differs from the others. Write a paragraph in which you compare and contrast at least TWO of these editorials (you DO NOT have to tackle all four). Some questions to consider: Which one(s) do you find the most effective? Why? What is the larger issue that they tackle? How do they use particular examples or a particular scenario to address a larger social issue? Think about the list of formal characteristics of an op-ed, which you have already generated. How do these texts respond to that list? Do they add any new formal characteristics? Do they defy any formal characteristics? Your paragraph should include at least TWO specific references to TWO different editorials.
Please post your response by Thursday, 11/13 at 5PM.
Your Op–Ed piece is due on 11/18