Study Guide

Please answer in essay format, 4 of the 7 essay questions presented below. Cite authors and sources to defend your reasoning in all responses. Approximate length should equal 2-3 double-spaced pages for each essay. Each question is worth 25 points (20 points for substance, 5 points for clarity).

PLEASE DOUBLE-SPACE YOUR ESSAY RESPONSES.

1. A range of interrelated factors—historical timing, push-pull migratory influences, cultural/language differences, economics, government policies, treatment based on race and phenotypic features, assimilation/acculturation, etc.—account for the experiences and outcomes of various ethnic groups in the U.S. Examine this complexity by comparing and contrasting two multicultural groups we have studied in the course. Cite authors and sources to defend your reasoning in all responses.

2. Throughout this semester, we have read how different immigrant groups view the US and its economic “riches” and social freedoms prior to emigrating (and consequently thereafter). In an integrated response, discuss how two or more groups imagined or viewed the U.S. before they made the journey to immigrate here. What was common about their views? How did these views change once they arrived? What were the realities or hardships they endured once they began their incorporation into US society? Why do you think this phenomenon is so common or prevalent (in historical and/or modern times)? Cite authors and sources to defend your reasoning in all responses.

3. Describe the immigration experiences of women in this country. Discuss two or more ethnic groups we have studied this semester (during modern or historical times), describing the factors that pushed them out of their home countries and the ones that pulled them to the US. Be sure to discuss how the local context of reception as well as the roles that family, gender, and workplace/labor opportunities played in their assimilation into the U.S. Cite authors and sources to defend your reasoning in all responses.

4. Choose one of the multicultural groups we have studied in this course. Carefully analyze the social construction of race through this group’s experiences of incorporation into the US. Utilize at least four of the following categories to support your analysis: historical context, ideology as espoused by those in power, religion, laws, politics, literature/the arts, capitalism, privilege, science, etc., in your analysis. Cite authors and sources to defend your reasoning in all responses.

5. Several of the readings we have seen this semester demonstrate how the media or corporations have portrayed different ethnic groups in the US. Write an essay where you discuss the various images used by advertising or the media of two or more multicultural groups. Be sure to mention the effects of these images and offer suggestions to counteract these portrayals. If you are an educator, consider how teachers can build critical media literacy skills in students when they encounter such images. Cite authors and sources to defend your reasoning in all responses.

6. Please review the readings and activities for one of the week’s we have completed this semester. Look carefully at the topic to be covered that week. Re-design this week from scratch by doing the following: (Please note: you are to re-design it so that it may be covered as an online week.)

a. Select 3 new readings to replace the previous ones (even if a week has more than 3 readings, for this exam, only find 3 articles or book chapters). List the name of the reading in APA style (to the best of your ability) and write a short paragraph explaining why this reading was selected. Do this for each reading.

b. Select 3 online activities that students can complete for this week that complement or enhance the understanding of the topic at hand. For each online activity you create, write a short paragraph explaining why you chose it and how it connects to the readings/topic for the week.

7. Design your own question. This is not a trick question. This is meant to be an opportunity for you to share information that you worked hard to learn and studied a great deal, but for some reason, it did not appear (or get to be used) in the responses to the above questions. In other words, you had a lot more to say or write for this exam, but were not asked to because of the topics of the questions. So, design a question with several parts—similar in style to those that I have presented on this exam—and then thoroughly answer it. I need to see both the question and your full answer to it. Cite authors and sources to defend your reasoning in all responses.