Assignment 4
Soc 201A
Due date: The day of the fourth exam
How to turn in: Turn in a copy to Canvas on the day we take exam 4.
Point value: This assignment is worth 20 points.
Considerations:
We will discuss this topic in class and you are encouraged to talk about this topic with your classmates outside of class. You can even read each other’s papers. However, simply copying and editing another person’s paper is considered plagiarism and you will, at a minimum, get a zero on this assignment. Canvas is very good at catching plagiarizers. Please do not attempt.
Resubmission policy:
Any paper that receives a score of 18 or less can be revised and resubmitted. However, the resubmit option can only be used once. And the maximum score possible for a paper that is resubmitted is 19. There is a section on Canvas where you can turn in a resubmission. You will have until the next exam to resubmit. No late resubmissions will be accepted.
Assignment:
Watch the Politics of Fear by Tim Wise. If you missed the day we watched the video in class, here is the link to the talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNBUThZsAf8. You can start watching from 0:12 and end at 1:11. You can watch the discussion at the end, but that is optional.
Answer the following questions:
Summarize the arguments made in the video.
Assess the claims made in the video. Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not?
Things to consider in your essay:
Talk about the fears that politicians stoke for the sake of political gain
Talk about Wise’s response to the email he got from someone claiming that jobs were going to blacks and Mexicans.
Talk about Wise’s response to Trump’s claim that black people in certain neighborhoods can’t leave their house without getting shot.
Why is accurate historical memory important? What is problematic about having a poor historical memory?
What is problematic about “all lives matter”?
What is Wise’s assessment of the war on drugs?
What point was Wise trying to make when talked about how the losers left Europe?
What was Wise’s point about poor whites fighting in the Civil War?
What is Wise’s opinion of the wall?
What is Wise’s criticism of the American idea that where you end up is all about your effort?
What was Wise’s point about luck?
Grading rubric:
20 -- Excellent summary of the points made in the video. Excellent analysis of the points made in the video. Excellent reference to other research. Includes a works cited page of references to other research (not just links to articles). Is at least two pages double-spaced (at least 600 words, usually substantially more). Is unusually insightful.
19 -- Excellent summary of the points made in the video. Excellent analysis of the points made in the video. Excellent reference to other research. Includes links to articles. Is at least two pages double-spaced (at least 600 words, usually substantially more).
18 -- Excellent summary of the points made in the video. Excellent analysis of the points made in the video. Is at least two pages double-spaced (at least 600 words, usually substantially more).
17 -- Very good summary of the points made in the video. Very good analysis of the points made in the video. Is at least two pages double-spaced (at least 600 words).
16 and below -- Good to inadequate summary of the points made in the video. Good to inadequate analysis of the points made in the video. Is two pages double-spaced or less.
How to read my comments after your paper has been graded
Here are instructions on how to see my comments provided by a student:
The best way to view it is to return to the page where the assignment was submitted through TurnItIn, NOT through the Grades link.
So from the main left sidebar I clicked: Assignments -> [name of assignment] -> at bottom of page click box that says 'Load [name of assignment] in new window' , which then opens the TurnItIn submission page. From TurnItIn you can click on the document submitted and the blue boxes will appear. Once you click on the blue box it expands and shows all of the professor's comments.
My comments: If you do not see the blue boxes, click on the blue quickmarks checkbox on the right side at the top. The blue box or boxes embedded in your paper are usually right at the top.