Instruction
Our country is currently in the midst of a watershed moment in dealing with its long history of racial inequality and systemic racism that has been tightly interwoven throughout the fabric of our society. The discipline of anthropology has long been front-and-center in debates surrounding these issues. This essay is an opportunity to critically reflect on the value of anthropological insights in helping to understand the current crisis our country is dealing with.
My goal is to allow you to explore aspects of race and racism that are currently being exposed in our society more than ever before. You must do this through the lens of anthropological knowledge on the subject. You will have latitude on which aspects you are most personally interested in gaining more knowledge on. This is not, however, a personal “reflection” essay. It is an anthropological analysis of the issues. As such, while this assignment may evoke strong emotions and/or opinions, it should be written in an objective, analytical style. If you are thinking about another theme, please contact me for approval. The above are just a few themes that could possibly be explored anthropologically. Keep in mind, however, that they should be relevant and applicable to some aspect of what we are witnessing today.
The essay will require that you research and apply anthropological insights as you explore your chosen theme as it applies to the current crises. You will be required to find and cite at least three (3) academic sources from anthropologists. One source can and should be our textbook (Chapters 4, 7, 8, 10 and 14 in our text all contain relevant information that might apply to your theme). The other two must be from other anthropological sources such as peer reviewed articles, anthropological books, or other related academic sources. If you are uncertain if a source will meet this requirement, please contact me for approval. You will also need include citations to reputable, objective news reports on the current events in our society you are exploring.
Your grade will be determined using the following rubric:
34%
Does the essay meet all the requirements above?
33%
Is the essay an anthropological analysis or is it more of a summary and statement of facts?
Is the essay objective and free from judgment?
Is the essay sufficiently deep in its analysis? Or is it too superficial and lacking critical thought?
33%
Is the correct formatting used?
Is it relatively free of spelling and grammar issues?
Is the essay clear, logical, and easy to understand?
Does the essay efficiently present the relevant information required? Or is there too much included that is not relevant or needed?