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c. alcohol abuse and/or drug addiction
d. unemployment and no health insurance
7. No other industrial nation tolerates _______ according to Jacobs and Morone.
a. wide gaps in health insurance coverage
b. universal health insurance
c. high taxes to cover health costs
d. a welfare state
Essay and Discussion Questions:
1. Jacobs and Morone argue that most people have misconceptions about why people die
younger in Harlem than in Bangladesh. What are these misconceptions? What are the real
reasons, according to the authors?
2. How, according to Jacobs and Morone, does United States public policy lead to the
population suffering more illness and dying younger than people in other industrial
countries? What ‘paths to good health’ have other countries taken that the United States has
failed to take, according to these authors?
1. Consider the ‘vision for quality health care for all’ as put forward on this site. How does
2. What types of policies do you nthink are needed to improve the health of people in the
United States, after reading this article and viewing this site?
Economic Research Service, United States department of Agriculture, Readings
1. What populations in the United States are most severely hurt by the problem of food
insecurity, according to this site?
2. What types of policies have had a positive effect on food security so far?
16. “Is This A White Country, or What?” Lillian Rubin
Lillian Rubin demonstrates the links between economic competition, racial prejudice, and the
anti-immigration sentiments expressed by working class whites. Rubin points out that while
there is a long history of racial hostility toward immigrant groups in America, the limited
employment opportunities and the darker skin tones of recent immigrants have intensified these
hostilities. Racism and nativism, according to Rubin, is apparent in Whites’ views of recent
immigrants and people of color. The visibility of and the demands for recognition expressed by
these groups are seen as threats to whites’ economic livelihood and their understanding of
America. Rubin’s interviews with working class Whites illustrate this point, as well as two
contradictions evident in Whites’ attitudes toward immigrants and people of color: Whites resent
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the unity of these groups, yet they exclude them from dominant society. Whites criticize
members of these groups for their perceived failures as well as their successes. Rubin asserts
that Whites have begun to reclaim their ethnic heritage as a way to secure what they see as their
hard earned position of privilege in American society.
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. As noted in “Is This A White Country, or What?” early Irish, Italian, and Jewish immigrants:
a. experienced racial prejudice and were viewed as able to assimilate by the dominant group.
b. were welcomed to America as an additional labor force.
c. never experienced racial prejudice and were viewed as able to assimilate by the dominant
group.
d. were always considered to be White by the dominant group.
2. According to “Is This A White Country, or What?” the visibility of immigrant groups
and people of color has:
a. been well-received by most Whites.
b. led Whites to consider their own racial identity.
c. meant an end to racism in the U.S.
d. created unity of all races in the struggle against racism.
3. As noted in “Is This A White Country, or What?” which of the following contributes
to the anti-immigration sentiments expressed by Whites?
a. cultural pluralism.
b. nativism and economic competition.
c. the ethnocentrism of immigrants.
d. the fact that no Whites have never been immigrants.
4. According to “Is This A White Country, or What?” Whites:
a. resent the unity of immigrants and people of color, yet they exclude them from
the dominant society.
b. recognize the racial hostilities their ancestors faced.
c. view immigration as culturally enriching.
d. welcome immigrants who remind them of their ancestors.
5. According to “Is This A White Country, or What?” being White no longer automatically
assures dominance in the politics of a ___________________society.
a. racialized
b. multiracial
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c. gendered
d. corporate
7. What reason does Lillian Rubin give for Whites wanting to “reclaim their ethnic roots?”
a. They can recount the struggles that their ancestors went through when arriving in the
United States.
b. They want to learn more about the cultures of their ancestors.
c. They want to be a powerful force against minorities.
d. They want to be able to identify the struggles new immigrants are facing.
Essay and Discussion Questions:
1. Compare and contrast the experiences of past and present immigrants.
2. According to Rubin, how has the visibility of immigrants and people of color affected
Whites?
3. Explain the paradox in Whites’ views of immigrants as identified by Rubin.
4. Why have Whites begun to reclaim their ethnic heritage? In your opinion, how will
this affect racial/ethnic relations?
17. “Must-See TV: South Asian Characterizations in American Popular Media,” Bhoomi
K. Thakore
Thankore examines the changing role South Asian and Indians have had in American popular
culture, and the rather rapid increase in TV characters of this background. The surprise
popularity of Slumdog Millionaire is cited as a possible reason for this, as well as the ability for
Indian characters to act as a token minority in place of Arab and Muslim characters in a post-
9/11 society. Along with this though has been a racialization of South Asians and the associated
stereotyping in society. Thakore examines the evolution of Indian characters, from dangerous
savages in India to cab drivers and convenience store owners in urban areas, and increasingly as
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high achieving students. The stereotype of the low-earning service employee is one not
consistent with the academic and economic achievements of Indians and South Asians, while the
more modern presence as scientists and doctors is more realistic.
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. According to Thakore, South Asian and Indian characters began appearing as minor or not
speaking characters in American TV and media?
a. 1960s
b. 1970s
c. 1980s
d. 1990s
2. ______________ tend to be portrayed in American media as being from either highly
educated backgrounds or low skilled employment, with little in-between
a. East Asians
b. South Asians
c. North Africans
d. Middle Easterners
3. What is largely considered to be the main reason that South Asians are subject to “forever
foreigner” status?
a. Skin color
b. Lack of educational opportunities
c. Lack of employment opportunities
d. Religious discrimination
4. According to Thakore, the United States has evolved a ____ tier system of racial hierarchy
a. Two
b. Three
c. Four
d. Five
5. Even though they were most often portrayed as low prestige service industry workers, about
_____ of South Asians who entered the US between 1966 and 1977 had background in the
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields
a. 35%
b. 58%
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c. 73%
d. 83%
Essay Questions:
1. How has the presentation of South Asians and Indian Americans in popular culture been
limited historically?
2. What are the two archetypes of South Asians most commonly presented on television? Give
examples.
3. What is the three-tiered hierarchy of race that was discussed in your text?
4. Explain the racialization process that Indians and South Asians experience in the United
States
Internet Sites and Questions for Further Study:
View the text and videos linked at the following website regarding Indian stereotypes in
American popular culture. Do you think this group is subject to more or less stereotyped
imagery than others in American society?
18. “Optional Ethnicities: For Whites Only?” Mary C. Waters
Mary Waters explores the difference in ethnic identities experienced by White and non-White
ethnic and racial groups. Waters asserts that White ethnics are able to decide if, and what part
of, their ethnic ancestry they want to claim. For White ethnics, theirs is a symbolic ethnicity, one
which is individually designed and only serves to benefit White ethnics. Non-White groups do
not have the same choice regarding their ethnic identities because the physical distinctions of
these groups denies the choice. As a result, Waters argues, non-White ethnic group members are
unable to avoid the negative experiences associated with being a member of an ethnic/racial
minority group. Because White ethnics view their own ethnicities as voluntarily acquired and
since those aspects of their ethnicity which are not beneficial to them are ignored, White ethnics
do not recognize the involuntary nature of non-White ethnicities, nor do they identify with the
racial oppression experienced by these groups. Waters points out that this understanding results
in problematic race relations which can be seen on college campuses around the country. Waters
argues that a cultural pluralistic society can only be achieved once the dynamics and
consequences of ethnic identity are recognized by individuals and within social institutions.
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. According to “Optional Ethnicities: For Whites Only?,” social scientists consider ethnicity
primarily a:
a. belief in a common ancestry.
b. social phenomenon.
c. biological phenomenon.
d. matrilineal phenomenon.
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2. As noted in “Optional Ethnicities: For Whites Only?” White Americans have options
regarding their ethnic identities, including:
a. the choice of which of their European ancestries to claim and whether to claim any specific
ancestry.
b. what holidays they will observe.
c. what religion they will practice.
d. genetic testing.
3. As explained in “Optional Ethnicities: For Whites Only?” symbolic ethnicity refers
to an:
a. ethnicity that is individualistic in nature and without real social cost for the
individual.
b. ethnicity that is socially determined and without real social cost for the individual.
c. ethnicity that is biological in nature and without real social cost for the individual.
d. ethnicity that is socially determined with real social cost for the individual.
4. According to “Optional Ethnicities: For Whites Only?” identifying as Irish on St. Patrick’s
day is an example of:
a. symbolic ethnicity.
b. oppositional identity.
c. socially determined ethnicity.
d. racialization.
5. According to Mary Waters in “Optional Ethnicities: For Whites Only?” White ethnics fail to
recognize:
a. the difference between individualistic symbolic ethnic identity and a socially enforced
and imposed racial identity.
b. the similarity between individualistic symbolic ethnic identity and a socially enforced and
imposed racial identity.
c. that some ethnicities are more important than others.
d. that all ethnicities are merely symbolic in today’s worlds.
6. According to “Optional Ethnicities: For Whites Only?” as a result of the exclusion they
experienced at college, Black students may form:
a. militant defense groups.
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b. oppositional identities.
c. inhibited identities.
d. symbolic ethnicities.
7. Black Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, and American Indians do not have
the option of a _________________at present in the United States.
a. symbolic ethnicity
b. symbolic necessity
c. symbolic interaction
d. symbolic reality
Essay and Discussion Questions:
1. What is “symbolic ethnicity”?
2. How does ethnic identity formation differ for White and non-White groups?
3. How does symbolic ethnicity affect race relations?
4. What is “oppositional identity”?
5. What comparisons does Water make between pluralism and capitalism?
6. Can you identity racial tensions on campus similar to the examples Waters talks about? How
can these tensions be resolved?
Internet Sites and Questions for Further Study:
1. In what way does this article challenge the optional nature of claiming whiteness among
2. In what way do White Americans claim white ethnicity?
3. What is the relationship between whiteness and racism?
1. What is the position of Race Traitor? What is your reaction to this message?
2. In your opinion, is anti-racist work compromised by recognizing a White identity?
19. “Living ‘Illegal’: The Human Face of Unauthorized Immigration”, Marie Friedmann
Marquardt, Timothy J. Steigenga, Philip J. Williams, and Manuel A. Vásquez
Marquardt, Steigenga, Williams and Vásquez focus on the way “illegal aliens” were portrayed
during the 2010 midterm elections. The focus on perceived dangerousness and claims of social
security benefits and economic perks that these groups receive was used to build public opinion
against them. Four broad claims are outlined that are made regarding unauthorized immigration:
they flood across the U.S./Mexico border to take advantage of public benefits, they are a burden
on the economy, they are closely connected with crime and drugs, and they cannot be integrated
into our society. The concern of local law enforcement often being at the front lines of enforcing
immigration policy is also discussed, focusing how this is a problem in an increasingly privately
run penal system.
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. Which of the following claims are often made to criticize “unauthorized immigrants”?
a. They largely come from Mexico to take advantage of social services
b. They are a burden on the US economy
c. They are closely associated with criminal behavior and violence
d. All of these choices are correct
2. The use of terms such as _________ allows politicians to objectify and dehumanize
populations in an attempt to persuade voters.
a. “illegals”
b. “undocumented”
c. “unauthorized”
d. “immigrants”
3. Current policies often result in the problematic fact that __________ are the ones enforcing
immigration policy.
a. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
b. Border Patrol
c. Federal Bureau of Investigation
d. Local Law Enforcement
4. The majority of unauthorized immigrants who are detained in Cobb County, Georgia were
there for
a. Violent crimes
b. Traffic violations
c. Fraudulent documentation
d. Property crimes
Essay and Discussion Questions:
1. How are unauthorized immigrants dehumanized in political rhetoric?
2. What claims are made about unauthorized immigrants in the United States. Are these
accurate?
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3. What are the major concerns about immigration policy often being enforced by local law
enforcement agencies?
Internet Sites and Questions for Further Study:
The article Fear and Loathing in Prime Time examines the use of “illegal” as a term to paint
20. “A Dream Deferred: Undocumented Students at CUNY,” Carolina Bank Munoz
Carolina Bank Munoz argues that contemporary immigration policy ignores structural conditions
that force people to migrate to the United States. These policies, she argues, seek individual
solutions to structural problems, thereby unfairly denying college education to undocumented
students. Many undocumented students came here as children with parents who obtained visas
that eventually expired. Under current policies it is difficult for these students to obtain
documentation. The author advocates for passage of the Dream Act, which would make it easier
for students to obtain documentation. Documentation would not only increase the life chances of
the students, but would also assure that this country does not lose “a generation of extraordinarily
bright and talented students…”
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. Why do undocumented high school students often drop out?
a. They see that they have no opportunities for upward mobility.
b. They want to return to their home countries.
c. Their parents want them to earn wages instead of getting an education.
d. They don’t value education as a means to upward mobility.
2. College recruitment of undocumented students is essential to increasing their:
a. income.
b. life chances.
c. aspirations for success.
d. chances of returning to their home countries.
3. The Dream Act would:
a. permit undocumented students to stay in school.
b. permit undocumented students to obtain school loans.
c. make it easier for some immigrant students to obtain temporary legal status and become
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eligible under certain conditions for permanent legal status.
d. punish undocumented parents for not obtaining legal status for their children.
4. Currently our immigration policy is sending the message that undocumented students who
have been raised in the United States are:
a. welcome to stay and become permanent citizens
b. welcome to stay if they finish college
c. welcome to stay if they turn their undocumented parents in to authorities for deportation.
d. disposable.
5. Undocumented college students have _____________________ access to federal and state
student aid, work study programs, and many scholarships.
a. little
b. greater than average
c. no
d. easy
6. Our immigration system has its roots in:
a. a shared belief in equal opportunity for all
b. institutionalized racism
c. family law
d. the historical open-door policy
7. Immigration policy is flawed because:
a. it fails to keep out undocumented workers
b. it seeks individual solutions to structural problems
c. it seeks structural solutions to individual problems
d. it creates too easy a path to legal citizenship
Essay and Discussion Questions:
1. What are the consequences of current immigration policies for undocumented students?
2. What factors have contributed to the number of students who are undocumented?
3. What is the Dream Act and why does the author advocate for its passage?
4. What limitations does the author find in the Dream Act?
Internet Sites and Questions for Further Study:
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1. What is happening now with the Dream Act according to the student activist running this
blog? How does the perspective on this site compare to the article in our reader?
1. How is the Dream Act presented on this White House blog? What factors are emphasized to
gain support for the act?
1. Consider the longevity of this association’s support of the Dream Act. Why do you think this
group supports the act?
1. Why do these documented workers oppose the Dream Act?
21. “Sex and Gender Through the Prism of Difference,” Maxine Baca Zinn, Pierrette
Hondagneu-Sotelo, and Michael Messner
Maxine Baca Zinn, Pierrette Hondagneu-Sotelo, and Michael Messner present a new framework
of the study of gender. The “prism of difference” they describe broadens the traditional view of
gender by recognizing the influences of social locations other than gender, and hierarchical
systems other than patriarchy. This new perspective encompasses the experiences of all women,
not just those defined as middle class white women, new views on men and masculinity, and the
consideration of gender within a global perspective. The authors argue that by looking at gender
through a “prism,” instead of a patchwork of other factors, such as class, race, national identity,
age, etc., the differences and inequalities recognized among both women and men will serve to
expand our understanding of gender.
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. In “Gender Through the Prism of Difference,” Maxine Baca Zinn, Pierrette Hondagneu-
Sotelo, and Michael Messner present:
a. an argument for the polarization of men and women.
b. a new framework for the study of gender.
c. an argument against the inclusion of men in the study of gender.
d. an argument against a consideration of race and class as part of gendered experience.
2. The authors of “Gender Through the Prism of Difference,” argue that traditional women’s
studies ignored the experiences of women who:
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a. were homemakers.
b. were married.
c. were not white and from the middle class.
d. were middle class and educated.
3. According to Maxine Baca Zinn, Pierrette Hondagneu-Sotelo, and Michael Messner in
“Gender Through the Prism of Difference,” what factor(s) other than gender affect women?
a. class
b. race
c. age
d. all of these answers are correct
4. According to “Gender Through the Prism of Difference,” the study of men and masculinity
includes:
a. the view of masculinity as a fixed biological essence.
b. the role of sex in defining masculinity.
c. the recognition of more than one “male sex role.”
d. the recognition of how a normal male should act.
5. According to Maxine Baca Zinn, Pierrette Hondagneu-Sotelo, and Michael Messner, the
experiences of which of the following groups need to be considered under the “prism of
difference”?
a. international companies
b. immigrant women and refugee women
c. schools
d. civic organizations
6. The “prism of difference,” set forth by Maxine Baca Zinn, Pierrette Hondagneu-Sotelo, and
Michael Messner, illustrates the fact that:
a. no one is defined by gender alone.
b. we are blind to differences.
c. women do not perform as well as men in math.
d. the relationship between women and men is defined within the confines of an oppressive
system.
7. Maxine Baca Zinn, Pierrette Hondagneu-Sotelo, and Michael Messner argue in “Gender
67
Through the Prism of Difference,” that an emphasis on differences and inequalities will result
in:
a. separation of groups.
b. unity of groups.
c. empty pluralism.
d. greater gender disparities.
8. Maxine Baca Zinn, Pierrette Hondagneu-Sotelo, and Michael Messner argue it is possible to
make good generalizations about women and men. But these generalizations should be
drawn carefully, by always asking the question(s):
a. Why? How?
b. Which women? Which men?
c. Why not include children?
d. How important is biology in determining the differences between genders?
9. Maxine Baca Zinn, Pierrette Hondagneu-Sotelo, and Michael Messner believe the study of
women in society offered:
a. a new approach.
b. a balanced approach.
c. new ways of seeing the world.
d. new masculine ways of seeing the world.
10. In the 1970s, riding the wave of a resurgent feminist movement, colleges and universities
began to develop women’s studies courses that aimed first and foremost to make women’s
lives:
a. tolerable.
b. visible.
c. acceptable.
d. interesting.
Essay and Discussion Questions:
1. What is the “prism of difference” as presented by Maxine Baca Zinn, Pierrette Hondagneu-
Sotelo, and Michael Messner in “Gender Through the Prism of Difference”?
2. Describe the framework of early women’s studies. How did it limit the study of gender?
3. How has the study of men and masculinity changed?
4. Why is it important to study gender in international contexts?
5. What are the criticisms of the “prism of difference”? How do the authors respond to these
arguments?
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Internet Sites and Questions for Further Study:
1. What type issues are identified on the Men’s Issues Page? How do these issues relate to
2. How can the information presented here help to create a “prism of difference”?
22. “Seeing Privilege Where It Isn’t: Marginalized Masculinities and the Intersectionality
of Privilege”, Bethany M. Coston and Michael Kimmel
Coston and Kimmel take a different approach to studying intersectionality and privilege, in this
case the way in which a class with privilege (males) intersects with one without (disabled, gay,
and working class). They theorize that the reason for this intersectional marginalization is that
all three classes remove some element of masculinity: physical prowess for the disabled, the
dominant role in sexuality for gay men, and expendability in the case of working class men. The
primary focus becomes that privilege too is not a dichotomous, black and white issue, but also
one subject to intersectionality.
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. According to Coston and Kimmel, expectations for men in US society can be summed up as
a. “hegemonic masculinity”
b. “toxic masculinity”
c. “machismo”
d. “hegemonic dominance”
2. According to Coston and Kimmel, men are often preoccupied with ________ gender to
others
a. displaying
b. performing
c. proving
d. doing
3. Which of the following is NOT a way in which disabled males may cope with their
marginalization?
a. Reject their own masculinity
b. Promote certain hegemonical ideals
c. Reformulate their idea of masculinity
d. Reject mass societal norms and deny their importance
4. The pathologicalization of homosexuality during which century closely aligned it with
demasculinization.
a. 18th Century
b. 19th Century
c. 20th Century
d. 21st Century
5. According to a survey by Levitt and Klassen (1976), a majority of Americans felt
homosexual males were only appropriate for which of the following careers
a. artist
b. judge
c. doctor
d. lawyer
6. A way in which working class males are marginalized is the fact that society sees them as
a. not masculine enough
b. expendable
c. they are not marginalized
d. not hard workers
Essay and Discussion Questions:
1. What are examples of marginalized White men discussed by Coston and Kimmel?
2. In what ways are disabled men marginalized? How do they compensate for this status?
3. Why are gay males marginalized with regard to their masculinity? What is the dynamic that
leads to this?
4. What is “effeminism” according to Coston and Kimmel?
5. In what unique ways are working class males marginalized? How do they differ from other
marginalized classes?