English week 5

Choose one of the three readings below. Read the text, then write a five-paragraph argumentative

essay on the prompt given in Application, which appears below the reading. Make sure to use

research when making your arguments and counterarguments. Be reminded that this is an

argumentative essay, which means that in addition to your arguments, you also need to present the

counterarguments. When presenting the counter-arguments provide examples of logical fallacies

commonly used; explain the type of logical fallacy. Do not forget to add the rebuttal after the

counterargument. Do not quote; instead, paraphrase.

You need to type the essay in a Word document and follow APA style.

Theme: Ways of Seeing

1. Glamour and the Art of Persuasion

Application:

Postrel mentions military recruitment videos and Barack Obama as a presidential candidate in

2008 as two contemporary examples of glamour. Choose another present-day example of glamour

and describe it, providing specific details about this glamorous person, object, place, or event. Do

some research about the history of this glamorous person, place, or thing and use that research to

offer an explanation for the source of its glamour. (For example, Postrel talks about associations

between Barack Obama and John F. Kennedy, and about the fact that Obama had a relatively

unknown national political profile, as two explanations for his glamorous appeal in 2008.) Also

discuss why the example that you’ve chosen is glamorous to you. What is it that makes you drawn

to this glamorous person, place, or thing? If you happen to be writing about a person, place, or thing

that used to be glamorous but no longer is perceived as glamorous, explain why public (or your)

perception changed.

2. Theme: Places and Spaces:

2. Smelling the Coffee :

Application: Cobb’s article appeared in 2018, two years prior to the unrest, protests, and riots of 2020. Part of

the strategies Cobb mentions to mitigate these implicit biases against people of color includes

formal training undertaken by Starbucks. Other attempts to draw attention to these implicit biases

have occurred in 2020, with multiple scholars and activists encouraging us all to read a variety of

texts on the issue and become more informed on these implicit biases and systemic racism. Do you

think this is the best approach to fight implicit bias and racism? Develop a curriculum, including at

least one book source, that could be used to increase awareness of these issues and perhaps help to

solve them. Then write an essay defending your curriculum.

3. Theme: Places and Spaces:

3. Cities for People or Cars?

Application:

Do some Research to learn a little more about New Urbanism. (Some possible sources include

Suburbam Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream, by Andres Duanny,

Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, and Jeff Speck, and Walkable City by Jeff Speck.) Make a list of some of the

key principles and ideas that form the basis of New Urbanism civic design-what it have to say about

"walkable" streets, about proximity of houses and shopping, about sidewalks and public spaces, and

so on? Choose a town or neighborhood that you know and where you spend time (perhaps even

your college campus), and make a proposal for a specific change to the public space of that town,

neighborhood, or campus in keeping with the principles of New Urbanism. Make a case for the

change that you are proposing. How would it enhance public life and make a public space work

better for local residents, local businesses, and local governments? What are the possible challenges

or problems that would have to be overcome in order to implement this change to the public space?