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Instructor Resource Manual and Test Bank for Race, Class and Gender: An Anthology, 9th
edition by Andersen/Hill-Collins
PART II: SYSTEMS OF POWER AND INEQUALITY
Margaret Andersen and Patricia Hill Collins
RACE AND RACISM
6. “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack,” Peggy McIntosh
Peggy McIntosh explores the invisibility of racial privilege. She argues that Whites tend to be
unaware of the privilege they have as members of the dominant group. To illustrate this point
she compares her own experiences with denied male privilege to her own limited perception of
the privilege she enjoys because she is White. In an effort to challenge this lack of awareness,
she lists forty-six examples of the invisible privilege she experiences in her everyday life that
people of color do not. She points out that these daily benefits of being white make her life
easier. For example, the ability to shop without being followed, to count on her skin color not
causing suspicion of her financial reliability, or even the ability to find blemish cover to match
her skin tone reflects her white privilege. She argues that for Whites these occurrences are
largely taken for granted. They are expected, assumed to be the normal experiences of everyday
life. For people of color, however, they are constant reminders of the struggle involved in all
aspects of life when one’s position in society is reflected as outside of the norm.
McIntosh identifies positive and negative aspects of privilege; unearned advantage and conferred
dominance. The advantage experienced by the privileged group can be unearned, merely as a
consequence of their position, or it can be created through dominance yielded because of their
position. Both aspects challenge the notion that one’s experience in society is based solely on
one’s merit, and recognizing this challenges the denial surrounding systems of privilege and
oppression. McIntosh contends that once the privileged can no longer deny the benefits intrinsic
to their position, they must then decide to either destroy or maintain the system from which they
benefit.
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. In “White Privilege and Male Privilege: A Personal Account of Coming to See
Correspondences Through Work in Women’s Studies (1988),” Peggy McIntosh:
a. is more interested in developing separate institutions for Blacks than raising the
consciousness of Whites.
b. points out that Whites tend to be unaware of the privileges they have as
members of the dominant group.
c. challenges the belief that minority group members are as prejudiced as members of the
dominant group.
d. points out that White privilege no longer exists.
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2. McIntosh defines as an invisible package of unearned assets.
a. White privilege
b. Black privilege
c. class
d. being a woman
3. McIntosh argues that men:
a. accept their privileged position in relation to women.
b. accept their privileged position in relation to people of color.
c. deny their privileged position in relation to women.
d. deny their privileged position in relation to people of color.
4. Peggy McIntosh argues that recognizing White privilege challenges:
a. the notion that an individual’s experience is based solely on his or her own
merit.
b. the notion that an individual’s experience is based on unearned advantage.
c. the notion that an individual’s experience is based on entitlement.
d. the idea that racism is still a problem in the U.S.
5. McIntosh argues that for White people:
a. sexual identity is the only area where a system of advantage can be found.
b. gender is the only area where a system of advantage can be found.
c. race is the only area where a system of advantage can be found.
d. systems of advantage can be found in several aspects of one’s life.
6. McIntosh acknowledges that running through a matrix of White privilege were a pattern of
__________________ that were passed on to her as a White person.
a. assumptions
b. attitudes
c. behaviors
d. actions
7. The author believes Whiteness protected her from many kinds of:
a. adjustments, fears and actions
b. hostility, distress and violence
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c. fears, violence and adjustments
d. depression, anxieties, and self defeating behaviors
8. McIntosh says the word “privilege” now seems misleading. Its connotations are too
__________________to fit the conditions and behaviors that “privilege systems” produce.
a. negative
b. positive
c. ambiguous
d. guilt inducing
9. McIntosh believes race and sex are not the only advantaging systems at work. We need to
similarly examine the daily experience of having other advantages such as:
a. age, work, money or experience.
b. age, ethnicity, physical ability, nationality, religion or sexual orientation.
c. age, behavior, attitude or privilege.
d. beauty, wealth and fame.
Essay and Discussion Questions:
1. How does McIntosh define White privilege?
2. Create a list of the privileges you experience based on your racial, gender, or sexual identity.
Is it difficult for you to identify your privilege? Why do you think this is the case?
3. In what way do men deny their privileged position? In what way do Whites?
4. Why do you think people deny their privilege?
5. Can you identify the positive and negative aspects of your privilege?
1. What barriers do women of color in corporate management face? How are these barriers
unique to the experiences of women of color? What can be done to address the barriers
women of color face in corporate management?
7. “Color-Blind Privilege: The Social and Political Functions of Erasing the Color
Line in Post Race America,” Charles A. Gallagher
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Gallagher argues that a new form of racist thinking, an ideology called color-blind racism, has
become dominant among whites in America. Media and popular culture have created an illusion
of equality by reducing race to cultural symbols that are marketed to everyone. Symbols of racial
equality are embodied in the images of successful personalities in politics and sports, as well as
in commodities as diverse as music, clothing, condiments, and cars. This focus on race as
merely symbolic allows a majority of whites to believe that racial harmony prevails, institutional
racism has been eliminated, and race no longer shapes life chances. This myth buttresses the
deeply held belief that America is a meritocracy and that therefore any advantages that whites
have now relative to racial minorities are earned advantages, achieved through individual effort.
White privilege is thus rendered invisible, and support for programs that address problems
caused by institutional racism is undermined.
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. Color-blind ideology:
a. ignores race
b. creates equality
c. encourages racial harmony
d. disregards racial hierarchy
2. In color-blind thinking, race is reduced to:
a. cultural symbols
b. products for sale
c. differences in style
d. structural inequalities
3. A color-blind perspective insinuates that ____ are responsible for racial inequality:
a. social institutions
b. individuals
c. laws and policies
d. women
4. National polls indicate that a majority of whites now believe that racial discrimination:
a. explains the persistence of racial inequality
b. is systematic
c. has been eliminated
d. is still a problem, but only in the south
5. A social system that awards socio-economic success solely based on the effort of individuals
is called a(n):
a. class hierarchy
b. meritocracy
c. racial hierarchy
d. ideology
6. Watching television is a form of ____ between whites and people of color that encourages
whites to believe that little, if any, socio-economic difference exists now between races:
a. passive interaction
b. active exchange
c. education
d. illustration
7. Gallagher believes that ____ is responsible for racial inequality today:
a. cultural diversity
b. class consciousness
c. institutional racism
d. laziness on the part of individuals
Essay Questions:
1. What is a meritocracy? How does a color-blind perspective buttress the deeply held belief
that America is a meritocracy? Why do you think Gallagher uses “OPPORTUNITY HAS
NO COLOR” as one of his subtitles within this article?
2. On what evidence does Gallagher build his argument that a belief in color-blindness and a
belief in meritocracy are both myths? What are some of the policy implications and social
consequences of these related ideologies?
3. How do media images affect the way that whites think about race and racism, according to
Gallagher? How can depictions of racial harmony be racist? How can media images of
successful politicians, celebrities and sports figures contribute to racism? What important
sociological concepts – and social realities – are missing from the picture in the color-blind
perspective?
4. What does Gallagher mean when he says that “The new color-blind ideology does not ignore
race: it acknowledges race while disregarding racial hierarchy…” What happens when media
defines “race only as cultural symbols that are for sale”? Do consumers of all racial groups
‘see’ race the same way, according to Gallagher? Why might media have a different
influence on the thinking of whites than on the thinking of racial minorities?
Internet Sites and Questions for Further Study:
1. See the following website about a debate in California regarding the continued use of racial
classifications. How has the American Sociological Association responded to the proposed
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8. “What White Supremacists Taught a Jewish Scholar about Identity,”
Abby L. Ferber
Abby L. Ferber examines the interdependence of systems of oppression. Her research on white
supremacy reveals the connection white supremacists groups make between anti-Semitism and
racism in their efforts to maintain the dominant position of Whites in society. Ferber asserts that
the changing racial classification of Jews, as revealed in their history, demonstrates the social
construction of race. Ferber contrasts her own experience as a Jewish woman, who racially
identifies herself as White, with that of her ancestors who experienced discrimination based on
their designation as an inferior, non-White race. The variability of racial classifications directly
challenges the white supremacists view of innate, and undeniable, White supremacy. Ferber
contends that in order to maintain their position of racial superiority, white supremacists target
Jews in an attempt to deny their evolved racial classification, thereby denying the relativeness
and ambiguity of race.
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. Abby L. Ferber’s research reveals that White supremacists view Jews as:
a. threats to racial purity.
b. supporters of their cause.
c. white.
d. a religious group, not a race
2. Abby L. Ferber’s experience researching white supremacists led her to reflect on her own
racial identity because:
a. she did not want to be a member of their targeted group.
b. she recognized her own views of white superiority.
c. although she largely identified as White, she recognized herself as a target of these groups
because she is Jewish.
d. she had always considered herself to be a member of a racial minority group.
3. According to “What White Supremacists Taught a Jewish Scholar about Identity” by Abby L.
Ferber, the history of the Jewish experience:
a. has followed a consistent path.
b. demonstrates the social construction of race.
c. represents the value of white supremacy.
d. is the history of freedom from racism.
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4. Social construction of race refers to:
a. the undeniable hierarchy of racial superiority.
b. the changing classification of race within society.
c. the justification behind anti-Semitism.
d. the biological foundations of racial identity.
5. According to “What White Supremacists Taught a Jewish Scholar about Identity,”
which of the following groups reflects the social construction of race?
a. Jews
b. Irish
c. Whites
d. all of these answers are correct
6. Ferber points out the identity of white supremacists, and the white racial purity
they espouse requires the:
a. maintenance of secure boundaries.
b. maintenance of open boundaries.
c. maintenance of closed boundaries.
d. maintenance of protected.
7. White supremacist literature, according to Ferber, describes Interracial sex as the:
a. ultimate abomination.
b. ultimate betrayal.
c. ultimate fear.
d. ultimate dislike.
8. Contemporary white supremacist define Jews as non-white: “not a religion, they are an
Asiatic race,
a. locked in a mortal conflict with mortal man.”
b. locked in a mortal conflict with Aryan man.”
c. locked in a mortal conflict with Asian man.”
d. locked in a mortal conflict with Black man.”
9. According to Ferber, Caucasian Jews today are a:
a. small group in the United States.
b. strong group in the United States.
c. privileged group in the United States.
d. fiction, because ‘Caucasians’ are one race and ‘Jews’ are another.
10. Ferber reveals white supremacy is not a movement just about hatred, but even
more about fear:
a. of the strength and courage reflected in Black identity.
b. of the vulnerability and instability of white identity and privilege.
c. of the deceptiveness of white identity and privilege.
d. of newcomers.
Essay and Discussion Questions:
1. Describe the white supremacists’ view of Jewish people. How does Ferber explain their
perspective?
2. What led Abby L. Ferber to reflect on her own racial identity?
3. What conclusions did Ferber draw regarding white supremacy and the social construction of
race?
4. Explain the fear of ambiguity Ferber talks about in her essay. How does Ferber address the
issue of ambiguity?
1. Briefly explain two anti-Semitic myths addressed on the site. Why were these myths
developed and what has been their effect on ant-Semitism?
2. Are you familiar with the myths listed on the site? If so, in what context have you
experienced them?
Anti-Defamation League: “Stop Hate: Identity Church Movement”
1. Briefly summarize the ideology of the Identity Church Movement.
2. What are the goals of this movement?
1. What does Leonard Zeskind say about the affect world events, past and present, have on the
2. What role does white nationalism and scientific racism play in the white supremacist
movement?
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9. “Are Asian Americans Becoming ‘White’?” Min Zhou
Zhou discusses the way that, officially and unofficially, Asian Americans are more and more
often being combined with Whites as having similar experiences. Unofficially they are
considered the “model minority”, with some achieving successes consistent with the American
Dream, and officially the fact that the two groups are combined when it comes to equal
opportunity programs. Zhou first criticizes this for the fact that Asian American is a designation
that includes people from a multitude of different countries of origin, each having different
experiences both in the past and during their time in the United States. The “model minority”
label is seen as being problematic for reinforcing the stereotype that racism no longer exists: that
any other racial or ethnic group should be able to achieve the same. It also ignores the fact that
different Asian American groups have achieved different levels of assimilation and social class
standing, and are not a heterogeneous group that can be described with a singular label.
Zhou describes that most Asian Americans are not seeing to become “White”, but see that as the
standard norm for American society, and their own identity is more nationalistic (American) than
racial. However, the perspective that Asian Americans would be able to achieve “Whiteness”
would also minimize and ignore the impact of anti-Asian discrimination and racism that is still
present in American society.
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. The term “Asian American” was created in the
a. Early 1940s
b. Late 1950s
c. Late 1960s
d. Early 1970s
2. In a study of Vietnamese youth in San Diego, most identified themselves as being
a. Asian American
b. Vietnamese
c. Vietnamese American
d. American
3. The majority of Asian-origin populations in the United States are
a. First Generation
b. Second Generation
c. Third Generation
d. Fourth Generation
4. Which of the following Asian American groups are overrepresented with lower education
and lower skilled employment?
a. Taiwanese American
b. Filipino American
c. Indian American
d. Laotian American
5. Which of the following Asian American subgroups are the largest in the United States?
a. Japanese American
b. Chinese American
c. Korean American
d. Indian American
6. A study by David Lopez found that in Los Angeles, about ______ of second generation
Asian Americans speak only English at home?
a. 10 Percent
b. 30 Percent
c. 45 Percent
d. 75 Percent
Essay and Discussion Questions:
1. What are major concerns with stereotyping Asian Americans as the “model–minority”?
2. What does Zhou mean when she asks if Asian Americans are becoming White: What are the
3. How do experiences differ significantly from people who are all considered Asian American/
4. What differences between first and second generation Asian Americans are discussed by
Zhou?
Internet Sites and Questions for Further Study:
Look at the articles posted at Asian Nation’s website about the Asian experience in the United
States. Are the perspectives shared on this site consistent with what Zhou discussed in her article
See this article regarding the connection between Asian Americans as the “model minority” and
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10. “Race as Class,” Herbert J. Gans
Noting that most biologists argue that scientifically there can be no human ‘races’ and that
sociologists argue that concepts of race are socially constructed, Gans links the persistent lay
definition of ‘race’ to the hierarchy of social class in the U.S. The laity, he claims, notice
variations in select physical characteristics and ‘see’ these variations as markers of individual
races. The lay public then uses their definitions of race to place individuals in hierarchal
categories that correspond to social class locations. Gans further claims that many immigrant
groups were ‘blanched’ or ‘whitened’ in the lay imagination once those groups experienced
upward mobility. This was not the case, he says for African Americans. While the reasons for
this exception are a ‘mystery’ to Gans, he expects it to persist unless class hierarchies finally
disappear “in some utopian future.”
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. Sociologists argue that race is:
a. innate
b. biologically determined
c. socially constructed
d. a universal category
2. Biologists argue that human races:
a. have different DNA
b. cannot interbreed
c. scientifically cannot exist
d. were once biologically determined but are now weakened by intermarriage
3. Gans argues that the lay public uses a perception of select physical variations to define:
a. biology
b. social construction
c. individual races
d. strangers
4. Scholars trace color differences in human skin to:
a. different racial ‘tribes’
b. climatic adaptations
c. intermarriage
d. immigration
5. When descendants of European immigrants began to move up economically and socially
their skin color:
a. darkened
b. lightened
c. appeared lighter to ‘whites’
d. Was overlooked by ‘whites’
6. Attitude surveys indicate that over the years White prejudice has:
a. declined
b. increased
c. become the only reason that racism persists
d. been limited to ideas about new groups of immigrants
7. The only population whose social features are not automatically perceived differently with
upward mobility is:
a. Asian Americans
b. Native Americans
c. South Americans
d. African Americans
Essay and Discussion Questions:
1. What is “African American ‘exceptionalism,’” according to the author?
2. What is meant by “the social construction of race”? How does this construction become
reconstructed according to Gans?
3. On what basis do biologists argue that “scientifically there can be no races”?
4. How do scholars explain differences in skin color and other physical attributes that have been
used as ‘markers’ of race?
5. How are race and class correlated, according to Gans? What will it take for “race to
disappear as a category in his opinion?
Internet Sites and Questions for Further Study:
See this website regarding the Census Bureau’s intentions regarding their use of racial categories
in the future. What might be some of the consequences of eliminating racial categories in the
See “The Power of an Illusion” presented by PBS. Does the fact that other nations have more
and/or different racial categories than the U.S. support or challenge the idea that race is socially
constructed?
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11. “Is Capitalism Gendered and Racialized?” Joan Acker
Capitalism has been dominated by white males and built by a subordinated gender and race
segregated labor force. It has been buttressed by a largely unpaid force of caregivers who are
primarily female. These gender and race divisions of labor still exist and are global in scope.
Furthermore, capitalist endeavors are gendered in that hegemonic masculinities define dominant
values in the norms of corporate conduct.
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. What kind of labor has been viewed as outside the main business of capitalism?
a. domestic labor and care giving
b. white collar jobs
c. industrial labor
d. teaching
2. Masculinity is:
a. toughness
b. strength
c. violent
d. a contested term
3. Hegemonic masculinity is:
a. the form of masculinity attributed to those men who hold power.
b. the way men naturally act.
c. the way all men learn to act.
d. the way men in subordinate positions are supposed to act with men who have power over
them.
4. Cutting jobs to raise profits is a form of:
a. violent and hegemonic masculinity.
b. marginalized masculinity.
c. subordinate masculinity.
d. communism.
5. _________________ has been an essential component of power within capitalist history.
a. Compassion
b. Violence
c. Fairness
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d. Kindness
6. Aggressiveness, decisiveness, competition, a focus on winning and defeating the enemy, and
taking of territory from others are characteristics of:
a. successful CEOs.
b. successful capitalist organizations.
c. hegemonic masculinities.
d. all of these answers are correct.
7. Masculinities:
a. are stable images and ideals.
b. shift with other social changes.
c. are universal.
d. are simply individual choices that men make.
Essay Questions:
1. How are hegemonic masculinities played out in the conduct of economic enterprises?
2. On what basis does the author argue that industrial capitalism emerged in the U.S. as a
gendered institution?
3. On what basis does the author argue that industrial capitalism emerged in the U.S. as a
racialized institution?
4. How does unpaid caregiving and domestic labor figure into the gendering of capitalism?
Internet Sites and Questions for Further Study:
12. “The Great Divergence: Growing Income Inequality Could Destabilize the U.S. So
Why Isn’t Anyone Talking about It?” Timothy Noah
Examining the historical status of income inequality in the United States, Timothy Noah paints a
picture that shows just how much worse economic disparity has become. In 1915, Willford I.
King was troubled by the fact that the top 1% of earners possessed 15-18% of American wealth.
Today, that figure is closer to 24%. Income equality was more consistent following the Second
World War and into the 1950s and 1960s, but the following decades saw the separation begin to
grow dramatically. Noah argues that income inequality is ignored by most of the population due
to a long-standing belief in social mobility, and that hard work and intelligence can allow anyone
to move to a higher income bracket. He also illustrates the point how with the “Great
Divergence”, American economic inequality is more significant than in Latin American nations
where it is always assumed to be a long-standing problem.
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. According to Timothy Noah, income equality became dramatically more equal in the
a. 1930s
b. 1940s
c. 1970s
d. 1980s
2. Today, the richest 1% of Americans account for how much of the nation’s income?
a. 12%
b. 19%
c. 24%
d. 29%
3. According to the CIA, income in the United States is more unequal than it is in
a. Guyana
b. Nicaragua
c. Venezuela
d. all of these choices are correct
4. According to Noah, one that that continues to allow drastic economic disparity in the U.S. is
a. social programs
b. prejudice
c. geographic distance
d. none of these choices are correct
5. Economic historians Goldin and Margo named the income distribution stability of the 1950s
and 1960s the
a. Great Compression
b. Great Divergence
c. Great Recession
d. Great Sustaining
Essay and Discussion Questions:
1. What are reasons why most Americans do not pay attention to the ever-expanding level of
income equality?
2. What changes and trends have been observed in income inequality in the United States over
the past 100 years?
3. According to Noah, what are the similarities and differences in income inequality between
the United States and Latin America?
4. Explain what Noah means when he writes about the “Great Divergence”
Internet Sites and Questions for Further Study:
Explore inequality.org, a project of the Institute for Policy Studies. Besides the shifting trends in
Examine the information found at the Census website regarding income inequality. The site
provides tables and charts further in depth than Noah’s article. What sort of future trends do you
see based upon this information?
13. “Closing the Wealth Gap: A Review of Racial and Ethnic Inequalities in
Homeownership,” Meghan Kuebler
The American Dream of wealth has been historically closely linked to the ability to own a home.
Kuebler discusses how owning a home (and yard or associated property) has long been the
symbol of achieving the American Dream in society and as a symbol of success. The benefits,
including investment in tangible wealth, text breaks, and a chance for assimilation for minorities
have been touted for a number of years. The reality is, however, that minorities have had fewer
opportunities to become homeowners. The effect of “White flight” on what property is owned
by Blacks has a detrimental effect on homeownership, receiving less of the benefits that Whites
receive. Hispanic homeownership differs from group to group, but is still subject to
discrimination as far as ability to receive mortgages, and thus their level of home ownership is
low. Asian Americans have higher rates of homeownership than other ethnic and racial groups
(though still less than Whites), but up to 20 percent of them reported suffering from
discrimination when attempting to purchase a home.
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. As of 2010, which of the following groups had the lowest level of homeownership in the US?
a. Whites
b. Blacks
c. Hispanics
d. Asians
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2. Compared to Whites, Blacks
a. earn home equity slower
b. earn less overall home equity
c. have a greater risk of returning to renting
d. all of these choices are correct
3. Small numbers of ______ in neighborhoods increases home values compared to those
without.
a. Whites
b. Blacks
c. Asians
d. Hispanics
4. While _______ have higher incomes than Whites, they are less likely to own their own
homes.
a. Asians
b. Blacks
c. Hispanics
d. None of these choices are correct
5. Asians have been found to experience discrimination approximately how often when
purchasing homes?
a. 10%
b. 15%
c. 20%
d. 25%
Essay and Discussion Questions:
1. What are the benefits of homeownerships in the United States that puts minority groups at a
disadvantage?
2. What has been the historical importance of homeownership in the United States?
3. What hurdles do Black Americans face specifically with regard to owning a home?
4. What are the similarities and differences experienced by Hispanic homeowners when
compared to Black homeowners?
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Internet Sites and Questions for Further Study:
Examine the Housing and Urban Development website regarding low-income home ownership.
Do you believe the suggestions made are reasonable and feasible given what you know about the
American economy?
Is the perspective regarding Black homeownership on this site (and the associated video)
consistent with what you learned in Kuebler’s article? How does the outlook look for the
situation becoming better in the coming years?
14. “The Intersection of Poverty Discourses: Race, Class, Culture, and Gender”, Debra
Henderson and Ann Tickamyer
Henderson and Tickamyer focus on the stereotyped image of welfare as being synonymous with
African Americans, and how that is not accurate. The work of Moynihan (1965) began linking
welfare with poverty as a function of Black culture, broken families, and a “tangle of pathology”,
blaming the poverty issues on a lack of personal responsibility rather than systemic
discrimination. Welfare reform has then been consistently tied to racial politics and remains a
controversial issue. As a point of comparison, they turn the focus to rural welfare recipients in
Appalachia, and find that due to their geographic isolation, women especially suffer from
hardships due to the lack of resources that are more available in urban settings.
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. Proponents of welfare reform have historically blamed problems on
a. A lack of personal responsibility
b. Structural constraints
c. Institutionalized racism
d. Strong family values
2. Moynihan’s often criticized work on the “culture of poverty” was heavily utilized by welfare
policy developers, but rejected by
a. Police departments
b. Social service agencies
c. Politicians
d. Social scientists
3. Welfare reform policy largely ignores the role of racial discrimination in
a. Ability to secure employment
b. Ability to attain safe and affordable housing
c. Ability to obtain childcare
d. All of these choices are correct
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4. ____________ women often suffer from a lack of economic assets like childcare,
transportation, and healthcare
a. Urban
b. Suburban
c. Rural
d. Urban and Suburban
Essay and Discussion Questions:
1. How has Moynihan’s work on the culture of poverty affected the perceptions of
impoverished Blacks in the United States?
2. According to Henderson and Tickamyer, what role has racism played in the perception of
welfare? Are these perceptions correct?
3. What has been the negative perception of immigrants and welfare policy? Are these
perceptions correct?
4. Discuss the Appalachian experience as it relates to welfare.
Internet Sites and Questions for Further Study:
Read this report from the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act
15. “Health and Wealth: Our Appalling Health Inequality Reflects and Reinforces
Society’s Other Gaps,” Lawrence R. Jacobs and James A. Morone
Jacobs and Morone address the relatively low ranking of the United States relative to other
countries on issues influencing life chances, particularly those relevant to health and longevity.
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. Which of the following is NOT included by Jacobs and Morone as one of the “three
interrelated causes” of health troubles in the United States:
a. poverty
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b. inequality
c. personal choices, like poor eating habits and drug and alcohol abuse
d. the organization of the health care system
2. A male born in some sections of Washington D.C., according to Jacobs and Morone, has a
life expectancy _________________ years lower than a woman born in many wealthy
neighborhoods.
a. 40
b. 15
c. 10
d. 25
3. According to Jacobs and Morone, people in Harlem die younger than people in Bangladesh
because of:
a. drug and alcohol abuse
b. homicide rates
c. AIDS
d. stress, cardiovascular disease, cancer and untreated medical conditions
4. According to Jacobs and Morone, the United States population “suffers more illness and dies
younger” because of which type of public policy:
a. universal health care
b. tax cuts, deregulation and unmediated markets
c. too much government
d. tax hikes that cut into profits leaving corporations unable to provide health insurance
5. Which of the following is NOT included by Jacobs and Morone as one of the “three paths to
good health” followed by other industrial countries?
a. universal health care
b. investment in education
c. tax cuts
d. maintaining taxes, instead of cutting taxes
6. According to Jacobs and Morone, 33 million people in the United States live with:
a. food insecurity & homelessness
b. untreated AIDS