Essay

Prompt 3

Choose one of the primary sources we have read in this unit and identify 2 or 3 points in the story that are most salient for identity construction. You may choose from primary texts including 1 Enoch and either the Martyrdom of Polycarp or the Passion of Perpetua and Felicitas. You may not use the Gospels or the Qur'an for this assignment. Briefly summarize the story of the text, with an emphasis on the 2 or 3 points you isolate as most significant for your argument, and present what kind of identity it promotes for its community of followers. This identity may be something that concerns in-group values (i.e. resilience, pride, nationalism, etc.) or inter-group comparison between “us” and “them” (i.e. we’re smart and you’re not, we’re strong and you’re weak, we’re right and you’re wrong, etc.). There is some room for interpretation in regards to identity. You do not need to argue the same points we have made in class, but you must effectively explain how the 2 or 3 topics you have noted contribute to the specific sense of identity construction you are presenting.

To conclude your essay, use a couple hundred words to provide a modern-day example of identity construction that is similar to what you are arguing in regards to your primary source. For example, if you argue that an ancient discourse is promoting nationalism, tell me of a modern-day person/group that is constructing a similar sense of nationalism and what kind of rhetoric they use. There will be preference given to papers that use examples containing religious discourse, but this is not a requirement.