project level assignment
Project Level Objectives Assignment
This is a question by question discussion of the Project Level Objectives Assignment
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’Duck Dynasty’ and Quackery by Charles Blow
The article was published in the New York Times on December 20, 2013.
Read it and answer the following nine questions.
Express your points clearly and in the same order as the questions so that I do not have to search through paragraphs for you answers.
You must submit your assignment as a Microsoft Word.doc or .docx file.
The assignment involves reading a 2 page article and considering data in a chart at the end. The article was written by Charles Blow and published in the New York Times on December 20, 2013. The data in the chart was collected by the University of Arkansas in 2010. It includes perceptions of Southern white and black people on four dimensions.
In the article Charles Blow discusses a controversial GQ interview of Phil Robertson, the patriarch of the Duck Dynasty show. Keep in mind, Phil Robertson was born in the 1940s long after the Civil War and the end of slavery. He describes working along side poor black workers not slaves.
Answer each of the nine questions in order in a separate paragraph so that I can easily grade your assignment.
You must submit your answers as a Microsoft Word document.
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Question 1
What are two conclusions you take away from the article? Enumerate them (e.g. First and Second). Do not summarize the article – these are your “take-aways.”
Question 1 is a give away. There are no wrong answers as long as you do not summarize. What are two conclusions you came away with from reading the article.
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Question 2
Does the author believe that Robertson’s position (that he had not personally witnessed mistreatment of black workers and that they were happy) contributes to human suffering? Give one or two specific citations from the article to support your answer.
In the interview Robertson says that he did not see racism or discrimination, and that he did not witness the mistreatment of black workers, and that they were happy. Does Blow, the author, think that Robertson’s position contributes to human suffering today? Give a citation from the article where Blow expresses this.
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Question 3
Consider how the denial of racism and the role of institutional racism (e.g., in the justice system, public education, and the economy) contributes to human suffering today.
More generally, how does the denial of racism and the role of institutional racism contribute to human suffering today? For example, think about people who respond to “Black Lives Matter” with “All Lives Matter.” What are they saying, and how does this affect people?
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Question 4
The author addresses both Robertson’s denial of racism and discrimination and race relations historically. Explain which one social perspective best fits his approach to these issues?
Functional Structural which addresses how the phenomenon contributes to social integration or stability,
Social Conflict which addresses how the phenomenon generates social conflict as one group endeavors to maintain power over the other,
or Symbolic Interaction which addresses how the phenomenon creates individuals’ reality through social interaction.
Question 4 involves applying Sociological Theory to the authors approach. Refer to Chapter 1.3 to remind yourself of the three different theoretical approaches. Which ONE approach best describes how the author views Robertson’s responses in the GQ interview?
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Question 5
Does the author believe Robertson’s insensitive comments can be described as a “personal trouble” (i.e., a perspective unique to Robertson and his personal life story) or a “social issue” (i.e., a widely shared perspective, the result of historical and/or social forces?
Give one or two specific citations from the article to support your answer.
Question 5 has to do with the Sociological Imagination, which is also discussed in chapter 1. Does the author believe that Robertson’s denial of racism and discrimination is a personal trouble, a way of thinking unique to Robertson, a product of his personal life or is it a social issue, a more widely shared social perspective resulting from social or historical forces?
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Question 6
Give one or two specific citations from the article where the author clearly indicates that he finds Robertson’s position (that he had not personally witnessed mistreatment of black workers and that they were happy) difficult to believe.
The author finds Robertson’s claims difficult to believe. For question 6, provide two citations from the article where he expresses this.
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Question 7
Consider the data presented in The Southern Divide chart at the end of the article. Respond to the two questions below.
Why do you think Blow included the chart?
Pick a specific question from the chart. Why do you believe blacks and whites responded to the same question differently? Do not just give the percentages.
For question 7, read over the data presented at the end of the article. Why do you think the author included the chart? Pick one of the 4 questions, and analyze why you believe Southern white and black people responded so differently.
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Question 8
The Southern Divide survey was conducted in 2010 to gather information about life experiences because of race. It is 10 years later and a lot has happened since. What would be another question you could ask Southern Whites and Blacks to include in a survey today?
The data in the chart comes from a survey conducted in 2010, ten years ago. Think of another question about life experiences you would ask Southern whites and blacks today.
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Question 9
Based on your consideration of this article, make one very concrete recommendation for a future law or program to help reduce racism and discrimination.
The recommendation should be practical and not conflict with the Constitution or the Bill of Rights. For example: making a law about what people can or cannot say on TV or in public is not feasible because our Constitution protects our freedom of speech.
Make a concrete recommendation for a future law or program to help reduce racism and discrimination. It needs to be a concrete law or program, so saying parents should teach their kids not to be racist does not count. Likewise, saying there needs to be a law to stop people from making racist comments does not count. The first amendment allows for freedom of speech.
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Grading Rubric
Question 1 Two conclusions 10%
Question 2 Evidence the Author believes Robertson’s statements lead to Human Suffering 10%
Question 3 How the Denial of Racism and Discrimination Leads to Human Suffering Today 10%
Question 4 Social Theoretical Perspective 10%
Question 5 Personal Trouble vs. Social Issue 10%
Question 6 Author’s Evidence to Challenge Robertson’s Position 10%
Question 7 Analysis of Survey Data Presented in the Chart 10%
Question 8 Another Survey Question 10%
Question 9 One Recommendation for a New Law or Program 10%
Submitted on time 10%
The final slide is the grading rubric. Your answers will be graded following these guidelines.
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