Diversity Week 6 DQR

Discussion Question Response

So far in this course, we have explored diversity through the lenses of history, the humanities, and the natural and applied sciences. In this module, you will wrap up your draft of Final Project Part One with Milestone Four, and the social sciences lens is the last piece of the puzzle. Look back over the topics you chose to discuss in previous discussions, select one, and reexamine it now through the social sciences. In your initial post, address the following:

· Describe or summarize your previous topic.

· How has your understanding been affected by the social sciences lens?

· How does the social sciences lens support the lens you previously used?

In responding to your peers, provide feedback on their topic analysis and describe the value of the social sciences lens for understanding diversity.

Make sure you support your response with the readings from this module, and any additional resources if needed.

Kristina Murphy 

Hey Class,

Hope everyone is having a great week! I'm a bit stressed because my current two undergraduate classes (this is one of them) and my two graduate classes overlap by two weeks starting next week. I work full time, so I took an extra day off of work to help with time management but I'm still stressing about having enough time perform the way I'd like to. All I can do is try my best! Wish me luck! ☺

· Describe or summarize your previous topic.

A previous topic I wrote about before was gender discrimination. I told a story about when I was in high school and was not allowed to play on the golf team, even though I made the team at try outs, because I would have been the only female on the team. The coach stated that he thought I would be a distraction to the males on the team and he didn't want that dynamic. I wrote that I regret not fighting that decision and have never let my gender be a reason to exclude me from anything since.  

· How has your understanding been affected by the social sciences lens?

Viewing the topic of gender discrimination and my high school experience through the social sciences lens makes me glad I had that experience when I was still young. It made me angry and helped me to realize that I would fight to be included in things that I worked hard to be a part of, regardless of my gender. It also recalls the history of gender discrimination and so many current issues that women face today in society. Whether be it at work, in the home, in wellness/medicine, in sports, in media/TV/film, etc- women have an added layer of effort needed just to arrive at the starting line. Even when it comes to societal expectations of appearance, women have it harder. Kasardo (2019, para 18) writes, "Two textbooks (Enns & Williams, 2013; Ponterotto, Casas, Suzuki, & Alexander, 2010) specifically mentioned that women face more pressure and stigma regarding weight and size as compared to men." Overall, women have come a long way and continue to work towards gender equality across all measures of society. I would be remiss if I did not mention the growing category of gender. Where once the option was either male or female, now people can identify as other categories, including but not limited to cis, trans, non-binary, and gender expansive. (Wamsley, 2021) It is already and will continue to be an interesting topic to study, learn and grow from in society. 

· How does the social sciences lens support the lens you previously used?

The social science lens wraps all the other lenses together, as it is the study of how we as humans act and interact. The Four General Education Lenses Document from earlier in the class states how, " Studying society, culture, and human relationships will lead us to an understanding of how people live and how to improve our lives" (SNHU, 2021, para 5). In order to study social science, we must look at the lens of history and how we arrived where we are today. We must look at the science and technology that we have created as a society and how that impacts us now and into the future. We also need to consider the humanities lens and how we express ourselves, which is often studied in the social sciences. For example, the study of how an art exhibit made people feel and why. The social science lens is the most interesting to me because I love people and their stories of how they came to be or have overcome. I'm always ready to talk feelings, much to the dismay of my fiancé. lol

Thanks!

Krissy

References:

Kasardo, K. (2019). Size as Diversity Absent from Multicultural Textbooks, Women & Therapy, 42:1-2, 181-190, DOI: 10.1080/02703149.2018.1524069

SNHU (2021). The Four General Education Lenses. SNHU. Retrieved from https://learn.snhu.edu/d2l/lor/viewer/viewFile.d2lfile/844286/23936,-1/

Wamsley, L. (2021, June 2). A Guide to Understanding Gender Identity Terms. NPR. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2021/06/02/996319297/gender-identity-pronouns-expression-guide-lgbtq

Response –

Nicholas Davila

Good afternoon class,

 

Part of my final project uses the lens of history to look at the “Bracero” program that started during WW2. I meant to post about this in module three but due to a family emergency, fell behind.

 

The Bracero program was an agreement between the United States and Mexico that allowed Mexican migrants to work on American farms. With so many young men fighting oversees during WW2, it was essential the migrants filled the void. The Bracero program was not the first formal effort to recruit Mexican laborers for American farms. Back in 1917, Mexican laborers were needed to work on American farms because of a labor shortage caused by WW1. During WW1, Mexican farmworkers proved to be an essential part of the American economy. However, when the Great Depression caused record unemployment, Mexican farm workers were rounded up and deported in masses. Even worse, thousands of American citizens (of Mexican decent) were also deported on the suspicion of being an immigrant. Just as Mexican immigrants were essential to the American economy during WW1 & WW2, the pandemic showed us that Mexican immigrants are still essential to not only the American economy but American society overall. Here is a link to the Library of Congress, if you are looking for more information on the Bracero program.  

 

Using a social science lens causes me to examine domestic policies. Mexican immigrants have been exploited and discriminated against for the last century, even though they have proved time after time that they are essential. While some political figures may demonstrate more of a compassionate poster and attitude, meaningful legislation that addresses immigration reform is not a priority, no matter which party controls the executive or legislative branch. “The last comprehensive legislation to make it through Congress was under President Reagan in 1986.” (Felter et al., 2021) Currently, our legislatures or content to punt the responsibility of immigration policy to the executive or judicial branch. Instead of relying on executive orders or supreme court rulings, our elected officials need to do their job and pass real immigration reform as well as other reforms to fight against the exploitation and discrimination that Mexican immigrants have been facing the last hundred years.

 

Felter, C., Chetham, A., & Renwick, D. (2021, August 31). The U.S. Immigration Debate. Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved October 6, 2021, from https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/us-immigration-debate-0.

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