can you Answer the questions based on the course readings ?

PS355 Civic Literacy and Engagement

Spring 2019

Take Home Final Exam

Instructions: Write a three-to-four-page paper that answers the questions below. The Take Home Final is worth up to 100 points.

The writing style should follow the Political Science method (double space your pages, add a cover sheet with your name, number the pages, use parenthetical citations with an additional bibliography page). You may use any resources necessary to answer the questions, but need to cite/document your sources. You do not need to use any sources outside of what has been assigned and discussed in the class. If you work with another class member, write your own answers. Using someone else’s words and/or ideas without credit will be considered plagiarism.

The process of civic engagement in a democracy should promote “civic literacy,” as “the knowledge and ability capacity of citizens to make sense of their political world” [emphasis added] (Milner 2002, 1). Milner argues that there are “two aspects of citizenship as measurable dimensions of civic literacy: ability manifesting itself in the form of political knowledge, and willingness in the form of political participation” (ibid, 1). His statement implies that knowledge acquisition is not sufficient; a will to act is required as well. Members of a democracy must gain democratic agency to promote and protect the political process.

Answer the questions below based on the course readings (in particular the Levine and Vance books) and course assignments.

Vance, J.D. 2016, Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis, New York: Harper Collins Publishers.

Discuss the legitimacy of the quotes above. Do you agree with the quotes? Why or why not? As part of your answer include (a) references to at least three chapters in each book (Levine and Vance), (b) two of your classmates’ presentations as examples, and include (c) a discussion of why and how you would increase Civic Engagement and Renewal in the United States today.

Reference:

Milner, Henry (2002) Civic Literacy: How Informed Citizens Make Democracy Work, Hanover, NH: University Press of New England.