Minority Group Experiences

Minority Group Experiences: Research Paper

Overview: This assignment is designed to help you explore and develop a deeper understanding of the experiences of a specific minority group.

Length: 8-10 pages of content, double spaced. Abstract and Cover page are not required. Works cited do not count toward page requirement.

Total Score: 150 points

Citations: At a minimum, you should use your textbook as a source for this assignment. Please ensure you cite appropriately both in text and in the works cited, using an accepted format (APA preferred but MLA, Chicago, etc. are accepted).  This assignment is submitted through Turnitin which checks your paper against sources for instances of uncited use of source material.  Please be sure to cite properly (I do and have failed students for using uncited direct quotes of source material as this is academic dishonesty, even if unintentional).  If you don’t know how to cite, email me and I can help or you can make use of the tutoring service linked in the Moodle course.

Detailed Instructions:

NB:  This is a research paper and so you are expected to present your discussions in an academic manner, using more formal writing (i.e., not conversational) and sources.  All your points should be grounded in evidence, supported by articles, books, and other sources.  Your personal observations are not evidence.  There are opportunities for discussion of your own beliefs and experiences in other assignments.

Select a minority group on which to focus your discussion. Your discussion in this paper will need to use the same selected group throughout. If you have any questions about your group selection, please be in touch with the instructor.

Your paper is to give a discussion and critical analysis of this group’s current, and historical, experiences as a minority group in the United States. I want you to develop your critical understanding of what it’s like to be a member of this group and membership in this group may impact someone and their life experiences and life changes. You should include the following (headings are required):

History of the group: Discuss the push/pull factors that brought this group to the US. For all groups, discuss this group’s history and experiences in the US. (NB:  This is only part of your paper, please resist the temptation to provide pages and pages of history for this group.  Provide a concise and focused discussion of the most important points).

Structural/institutional racism: Provide at least two examples of structural racism that impact this group. How is their access to quality education, safe neighborhoods, affordable grocery stores, transportation, etc. different from the dominant group?

Intergroup Relations: Discuss how this group has related to the dominant group. Use our course concepts, such as assimilation, amalgamation, etc.  What factors have contribute to this?  What are the benefits and consequences to the group, and society as a whole, of the way this group and the dominate group relate?

Cultural Institutions: Discuss how this group is perceived by the dominant group, and by other minority groups.  In what ways do the cultural institutions (i.e., media, entertainment, art, education/textbooks, everyday language, religion, law) influence how this group is perceived by the wider society?  How does this influence how this group sees themselves?

Life Chances: Discuss how this group if faring, in comparison to the dominant group.  You may include average earnings, percentage to complete certain levels of education, representation in various employment sectors, likelihood of incarceration/drug abuse/poverty, access to education/health care/services.  How do you think what you’ve discussed in sections a-d have affected this groups’ life chances?

Bridging the Gap: What needs to happen for this group to be treated more equitably?  Your discussion should focus on specific things that can happen on the macro level (i.e., policy, legislative, systemic responses) and the meso level (i.e., programmatic, service responses).  Micro level (i.e., individual) responses are explored in other assignments.