Part I: Definitions and Ideas
What is “race”? Has that definition changed over time? What is “multiculturalism”, and how
do people (governments, their constituents, media) view the increasingly diverse
communities in the US? Are they a threat? An asset? What does any of this have to do with
“social justice”? What do our texts propose about this?
Part II: Race, Culture, Media
What does media “teach” us when it comes to identity markers like race, gender, social class,
or nationality? What kinds of critiques are made of news media, and of entertainment media?
How do our texts respond? How do characters in our stories/novels/films deal with the
oppression they face because of their identities? Is the text being analyzed advancing a
“message” or critique about oppression, human rights, or power structures?
Part III: Migration / Assimilation
What are the psychological impacts of people immersed in two cultures at the same time (old
country/new country; rural/urban; traditional/modern)? What complications do
first-generation Americans and their immigrant parents face? How do gender roles and
sexism complicate the immigration/assimilation process? What do characters from the
fictional works do to address these tensions?
Sample Solution
