“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.
____________ women often suffer from a lack of economic assets like childcare,
transportation, and healthcare
a. Urban
b. Suburban
c. Rural
d. Urban and Suburban
“Affirming Identity in an Era of School Desegregation,” Beverly Tatum
Tatum examines the unintended side effects of school desegregation in the United
States, with an emphasis on the differences in identity between Black students and
White teachers. With the growth of affirmative action programs, Black college students
saw the education field as dwindling in opportunities and began to focus more on
business administration programs, resulting in a low number of Black school teachers.
The effect is most pronounced in urban schools, with White female teachers comprising
between 65 and 76 percent, while students of color total around 76 percent. Tatum
expresses concern at the disconnect between the two groups, and fears that resentment
and mistrust between them severely undermines both education and allowing students
to maintain their identity. At the same time, Tatum discusses that White children with
largely White teachers are unable to gain a deeper understanding of students of color.
Besides a more diverse workforce, she suggests better training to develop a richer
understanding of the students of color they will work with.
Tatum defines a “White ally” as everything but someone who
a. understands privilege can be used to make a more equitable system
b. points out privilege in others
c. that privilege has been historically used for such, and to recognize it
d. they can align themselves with that history
“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.
Today, the richest 1% of Americans account for how much of the nation’s income?
a. 12%
b. 19%
c. 24%
d. 29%
“The Color of Justice,” Michelle Alexander
Michelle Alexander examines the racial disparities in our criminal justice system,
finding that
“rates and patterns of drug crime do not explain” the fact that “although the majority of
illegal drug users and dealers nationwide are White, three-fourths of all people
imprisoned for drug offenses are Black or Latino.” Alexander identifies two stages in a
structural process that results in the unjust disparities she finds in the system of
“racialized social control” that passes itself off as criminal justice.
Alexander finds that despite the popular belief that _______________ is on the rise, it
is actually at historically low levels and NOT responsible for the “prison boom.”
a. theft
b. violent crime
c. drug use
d. drug conviction
“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.
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
“A Different Mirror,” Ronald T. Takaki
Through personal reflection and historical summaries, Ronald T. Takaki explores
multicultural America. As a Japanese American, Takaki argues that the historical and
cultural influence of the Japanese, as well as other racial and ethnic groups, on
American culture is largely unrecognized. The contributions of racial and ethnic groups
must be acknowledged to fully appreciate the true essence of American identity.
Takaki illustrates how despite historical similarities, racial and ethnic groups have been
pitted against one another, and their historical presence denied. Yet, he points out, their
influences and contributions to society are evident everywhere. He argues that
recognizing the value of their experiences allows for an enlightened understanding of
our common history and the tensions and struggles evident among racial and ethnic
groups today.
Takaki points out that the Irish were denied acceptance by dominant society because of
their:
a. political activity.
b. whiteness.
c. religion.
d. late arrival
“Label Us Angry” Jeremiah Torres
Torres is still angry, years after an incident that he describes as “the most painful and
shocking event” of his life. Growing up in Palo Alto California, he and his friend Carlos
had not experienced overt racism until they had a confrontation with a speeding driver
who cut them off as they were leaving their high school parking lot. The events that
followed ” from the meanness of the people in the other car to the reactions of police
officers and the different ways in which the author and his friend handled their anger ”
illustrate some dramatic consequences of racist assumptions and racist labeling.
From the author’s viewpoint, which “assault with intent to hurt” caused the most
lasting damage to its intended victim?
a. the spraying of mace
b. the hurling of the quarter
c. the use of racial labels
d. the court proceedings
“Our Mothers’ Grief: Racial-Ethnic Women and the Maintenance of Families,”
Bonnie Thornton Dill
Bonnie Thornton Dill broadens the dominant perspective of American families through
this historical analysis of racial-ethnic women and their families. She demonstrates how
the establishment of the “modern American family” ideal and expectations of racial and
ethnic groups as sources of cheap labor created distinct familial experiences among
women of various racial-ethnic groups in early America
According to Bonnie Thornton Dill which of the following reflects the double bind
experienced by racial-ethnic women of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries?
a. Their required participation in the labor force denied them the status of socially
acceptable women, wives, and mothers.
b. Their equal status in the labor force did not result in egalitarian relationships with
their husbands.
c. The sacrifice they made by participating in the labor force was looked upon as
admirable by dominant society.
d. Because they worked in the paid labor force they had to hire other women to care for
their own homes and children.
“How a Scholarship Girl Becomes a Soldier: The Militarization of Latina/o Youth
in Chicago Public Schools,” Gina Perez
Gina Perez explores the complicated relationship between young Latina/o students in
Chicago and the U.S. military. Perez argues that in addition to limited economic
opportunities, gendered understandings of autonomy, family obligations, honor and
respectability influence, how young people respond to the increasingly militarized
educational context.
Young Latinas are particularly vulnerable to military appeals to their sense of:
a. self
b. family obligation
c. sexual propriety
d. femininity
“Movement Intersectionality: The Case of Race, Gender, Disability, and Genetic
Technologies,” Dorothy Roberts and Sujatha Jesudason
Roberts and Jesudason shift the issue of intersectionality to examine issues of genetics
and reproductive technologies. They do this by examining the work of Generations
Ahead, a social justice organization that protects human rights as related to reproductive
justice. Their perspective is that differences between people should be acknowledged
and respected, not to separate but to recognize the heterogeneity that exists in society
amongst marginalized groups. The concern that reproductive technologies, as well as
genetic screenings, may be implemented in ways that punish some groups more than
others, such as the perception of Black and Latina women as being hypersexual and
hyperfertile. They conclude that reproductive autonomy should apply to anyone looking
to have children, including children who may have disabilities. Policy advocacy should
also be focused upon providing support to all women, families, and communities, and
not argue about when life begins or who can become a parent.
Since its inception, intersectionality has been applied to
a. theory
b. empirical research
c. activism
d. all of these choices are correct
“From the Achievement Gap to the Education Debt: Understanding Achievement
in U.S. Schools,” Gloria Ladson-Billings
Ladson-Billings addresses the “achievement gap”, a catchphrase to describe the
difference in academic performance between White, minority, and lower
socio-economic status students. This gap has been found to be most significantly
affected by race and ethnicity, with a brief review of some of the potential causes.
Ladson-Billings suggests avoiding too much focus on the gap, because most of the
solutions are short-term in nature, and instead to look at the longer standing
“educational debt” akin to the financial national debt. This debt is seen as the
underlying cause of much of our national problems with regard to achievement, and
that addressing it is necessary to truly have desegregated schools, as well as to come
closer to fully realizing equality in the United States.
Chicago public schools spend about _________ per pupil in a city school that is 87%
Black and Latino
a. $6,232
b. $8,482
c. $9,299
d. $11,627
Keep Your “N” in Check: African American Women and the Interactive Effects of
Etiquette and Emotional Labor”, Marlese Durr and Adia M. Harvey Wingfield
Durr and Harvey Wingfield first begin with an examination of negative perceptions of
Michelle Obama, and how the stereotype of the “angry Black woman” reinforces a lack
of femininity and self worth. This is then extrapolated to experiences of Black women
in the modern office workplace, and the role they have been forced into as a side effect
of affirmative action policies. The authors discuss the need for a specific form of
presentation, titled emotional labor, as a way in which they must present specifically in
a largely passive manner. The focus then is to appear as quiet and non-intrusive as
possible, leaving them without any identity of their own and undermining the
superficial push for diversity that many organizations are highly focused upon.
The ways Black women in the workplace had to engage in self-presentation was closely
tied to the fact they were working in largely ________________ roles.
a. supervisory
b. administrative
c. support
d. executive
“”Dude, You”re a Fag:” Adolescent Masculinity and the Fag Discourse,” C. J.
Pascoe
Pascoe examines the relationship of the use of the epithet “fag” amongst boys in an
American high school. Contrary to the often cited argument that the term has nothing
specifically to do with sexuality (and therefore homophobia in general), Pascoe
discusses how the use of term as a synonym for “stupid”, and as an insult for males who
are not meeting the perceptions of what sound be considered masculinity, further
perpetuates homophobia. The double standard present in the perception of gay males
(negative) and lesbians (neutral to positive) is examined, as well as the gender specific
use of the slur. The racial nature is also examined, as it was used far more often
amongst White male students compared to African Americans.
In the study of River High, the word “fag” was found to be most often synonymous
with
a. homosexual
b. stupid
c. lazy
d. none of these choices are correct
“Age, Race, Class and Sex: Women Redefining Difference,” Audre Lorde
Lorde discusses the experience being marginalized in American society on multiple
levels. She discusses the role of art, and especially poetry as a means in which women
of Color have been able to historically express themselves and share the experiences of
their marginalization. The issue of the poetry and prose by women of Color and their
exclusion from college curriculums are addressed as a way in which these past
difficulties and issues are allowed to continue and repeat in our society.
Lorde also discusses the importance and need to recognize human differences to fully
understand each other, but that these differences need not lead to further
marginalization. Instead, they can be used to help develop understanding of each other,
and that these understandings can be what helps to reduce marginalization amongst
persons of different race, ethnicity, class, and sexual orientations.
According to Lorde, we tend to speak not of human difference, but human
a. aggression
b. frustration
c. similarity
d. deviance
“Rape, Racism and the Law” Jennifer Wriggins
Wriggins argues that the legal system’s treatment of rape has furthered racism and has
denied the reality of women’s sexual subordination. She illustrates how the history of
rape in the U.S. has focused on the rape of White women by Black men, ignoring both
White men as rapists and Black women as victims of rape.
The criminal justice system continues to take the rape of Black women less seriously
than the rape of White women.
a. true
b. false
c. true, but only when the accused rapist is White
d. true, but only when the accused rapist is Black
“Inequality and the Growth of Bad Jobs”, Matt Vidal
Vidal takes a more nuanced look at the shifting inequality in America, specifically how
the job market perpetuates it. He points out that more than a quarter of employed
Americans work in a low-wage job, and that this segment of the jobs market has
increased faster in recent years when compared to other, higher paying ones.
Comparatively, low-skill jobs have decreased, meaning that more skilled jobs are
paying less money. Due to the fact that large corporate entities have focused on
outsourcing as a way to cut costs, the job market for low skilled employees is not
expanding, with increasing poverty due to a lack of a living wage.
According to Matt Vidal, low-skill jobs account for about which percentage of
employment?
a. 20%
b. 35%
c. 40%
d. 43%
“Gender Matters. So Do Race And Class: Experiences of Gendered Racism on the
Wal-Mart Shop Floor,” Sandra E. Weissinger
Sandra Weissinger examined complaints made in the Dukes v. Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
class action lawsuit to understand the specific ways that individuals who are targeted
for mistreatment experience mistreatment in raced, classed and gendered ways. She
documents the unequal treatment that women receive in comparison to men, but shows
that some women hold contradictory positions. A given woman who is targeted for her
gender may be given some privilege linked to her race, thus yielding different outcomes
for different women. She argues that discrimination based on sex alone does not explain
the variation in women’s experiences.
She concludes that discriminatory work atmospheres are maintained in multiple and
complex ways, contributing to the persistence of “a web of intersecting and relational
inequalities.”
Uma Jean Minor noted that her Wal-Mart wages were not sufficient to:
a. purchase a home
b. pay for higher education
c. lift her out of poverty
d. pay her legal fees
“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.
Masculinities:
a. are stable images and ideals.
b. shift with other social changes.
c. are universal.
d. are simply individual choices that men make.
“Interpreting and Experiencing Anti-Queer Violence: Race, Class and gender
Differences Among LGBT Hate Crime Victims,” Doug Meyer
Doug Meyer uses an intersectional approach and a qualitative methodology to explore
how victims of violence in the LBGT community experience victimization differently
according to race, class gender and sexuality. Meyer finds that multiple intersecting
oppressed statuses make the identification of hate crime more complicated for all but
middle and upper class White gay men. Those statutes may then serve primarily the
interests of those White men, not the interests of lesbian and bisexual women, and
particularly not LGBT people of color.
_________________ makes possible some forms of homophobic violence and
_______________ makes possible some forms of racial violence, according to Meyer.
a. racism/homophobia
b. hate/misunderstanding
c. prejudice/discrimination
d. sexism/racism
“Globalization and Its (Mal)econtents: The Gendered Moral and Political
Economy of Terrorism,” Michael S. Kimmel
This article by Michael S. Kimmel examines the heavily gendered nature of terrorist
groups of varying locations and ideologies. The role of globalization and its associated
egalitarianism is cited as a major motivator for American right wing extremist groups
such as White Aryan Resistance. Leaders create and spread propaganda to target
disenfranchised young males who feel their opportunities have been restricted by the
growth of immigration and women entering the workforce. According to them, this is
perpetrated both by the feminist emasculation of men, and the control of the Jews. This
emphasis on anti-Semitism and masculinity is seen in Scandinavian extremist groups as
well, with the addition of a fear of homosexuality growing to undermine masculinity.
The attention shifts to Al Qaida and the Taliban, Islamic extremists who recruit
significantly amongst young men who have dwindling career opportunities. The rigid
gender politics of the Taliban are theorized to be the result of women entering the
workforce and to counteract they use a literal interpretation of the Quran to
remasculinize men (hence the mandatory growth of beards), and the refeminization of
women (removing them from the public sphere). The so-called “mastermind” of the
9/11 hijackings, Mohammad Atta, is presented as a man who failed at attaining
employment, which was more disturbing to him next to his sisters, one of whom is a
professor and the other a doctor, and thus attracted to this fundamentalism as a way to
counteract his shortcomings.
Which of the following groups is NOT a Scandinavian hate group?
a. Posse Comitatus
b. Bootboys
c. Green Jacket Movement
d. National Front
“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 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.
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
“Brown Body, White Wonderland,” Tressie McMillan Cottom
McMillan Cottom addresses the attention Miley Cyrus received for a “twerking”
performance on the MTV Video Music Awards, but rather than focusing on the overt
sexuality and cultural appropriation of her dance, she turns to the backup dancers that
Cyrus used in the performance. She argues that her use of less glamorous, but
exclusively Black dancers, that she is reaffirming the stereotype of the sexualized black
woman as a novelty, something she herself has experienced.
McMillan Cottom’s biggest concern in her article regarding Miley Cyrus focused on
a. ethnicity of dancers
b. appearance of dancers in performance
c. cultural appropriation of her dancing
d. none of these choices are correct
“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.
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
“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.
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.
“Rethinking Cyberfeminism(s): Race, Gender, and Embodiment,” Jessie Daniels
Jessie Daniels outlines the concept of cyberfeminism, a multifaceted interaction
between technology and gender. Two major areas are discussed, the first being the
globalization of feminism that the Internet allows, and the second is the ability to
engage in “identity tourism” in an online capacity. For the first, access to the Internet
may be heavily affected by the ability to access technology based upon socioeconomic
status, but beyond that it is able to cross racial and ethnic lines. It also allows for a safe
space for women who may be experiencing a multitude of oppression based on their
gender, and the ability to interact with others they would never be able to meet
otherwise. Identity tourism, on the other hand, is the ability for people on the Internet to
adopt a different gender or identity overall. Research shows, however, that people are
less likely to adopt a different identity when online, but instead use the resources and
interactions as a way to affirm and strengthen their own “real world” identity.
Cyberfeminism is
a. a monolithic entity
b. a wide array of theoretical and political stances
c. largely unestablished
d. a singular utopian vision
“The Prison and the Closet,” Patricia Hill Collins
Patricia Hill Collins considers the intersecting relationship between racism and
heterosexism. She argues that the assumption that these two hegemonic ideologies
represent separate systems of oppression obscures the fact that racism and sexism rely
upon each other for meaning. Without sacrificing the acknowledgement of differences
in the way that racism and heterosexism manifest, the author shows that the two
systems converge and that both systems affect the everyday lives of all people.
According to Patricia Hill Collins, racism and heterosexism:
a. constitute two separate systems of oppression
b. are independent concerns
c. rely upon one another for meaning
d. are unrelated.
“Where’s the Honor? Attitudes toward the “Fighting Sioux” Nickname and
Logo,” Dana M. Williams
Williams provides an overview of the use of Native American stereotypes as sports
mascots both at the professional and college levels. While public opinion has been
turning against these images, some exceptions have been allowed (in cases in which the
use was overwhelmingly supported by the tribes in question), but little has been done to
study the effects of these names and logos on White students. The study centers on the
University of North Dakota’s Fighting Sioux, a school that has a sizeable population of
the group being portrayed. Findings were consistent with previous studies that found
Native American students showed less support for the imagery than their White
counterparts did. While the study did not find that the Native American students felt the
use of the name and logo was hostile or abusive, they were also not as supportive of its
use.
In Williams’ study, which group demonstrated the greatest support for the “Fighting
Sioux” nickname?
a. non-native minority students
b. White students
c. Native American students
d. no differences were found
“Exploring the Intersections of Race, Ethnicity, and Class on Maternity Leave
Decisions: Implications for Public Policy,” Tiffany Manuel and Ruth Enid
Zambrana
Manuel and Zambrana examine the accessibility of maternity leave in the United States.
They point out the fact that of most similar industrialized nations have significantly
more security regarding maternity leave, wage replacement, and even paternity leave.
Major federal legislation, including the Equal Pay Act, the Civil Rights Act, and
Pregnancy Discrimination act are outlined. Greater focus is placed on the Family
Medical Leave Act of 1993, which mandates that large employers must provide eligible
employees 12 weeks of unpaid, job protected maternity leave (or other health related
needs). Turning their focus to low-income mothers, it was found that they took shorter
periods of maternity leave than other groups. Race, ethnicity, and social class are found
to be heavily related to amount of maternity leave taken, and that flexible leave benefits
are best, as they can be better shaped to fit a heterogeneous population.
What percentage of mothers are employed in America?
a. 30%
b. 57%
c. 72%
d. 90%
“Label Us Angry” Jeremiah Torres
Torres is still angry, years after an incident that he describes as “the most painful and
shocking event” of his life. Growing up in Palo Alto California, he and his friend Carlos
had not experienced overt racism until they had a confrontation with a speeding driver
who cut them off as they were leaving their high school parking lot. The events that
followed ” from the meanness of the people in the other car to the reactions of police
officers and the different ways in which the author and his friend handled their anger ”
illustrate some dramatic consequences of racist assumptions and racist labeling.
The author tried to channel his anger by:
a. writing about it
b. fighting back with violence
c. hating white people
d. dropping out of school and joining a gang
“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.
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
“A Different Mirror,” Ronald T. Takaki
Through personal reflection and historical summaries, Ronald T. Takaki explores
multicultural America. As a Japanese American, Takaki argues that the historical and
cultural influence of the Japanese, as well as other racial and ethnic groups, on
American culture is largely unrecognized. The contributions of racial and ethnic groups
must be acknowledged to fully appreciate the true essence of American identity.
Takaki illustrates how despite historical similarities, racial and ethnic groups have been
pitted against one another, and their historical presence denied. Yet, he points out, their
influences and contributions to society are evident everywhere. He argues that
recognizing the value of their experiences allows for an enlightened understanding of
our common history and the tensions and struggles evident among racial and ethnic
groups today.
In Takaki’s “A Different Mirror,” the Rodney King beating illustrates:
a. the conflict between the haves and have-nots in society.
b. the role of media in society.
c. America’s intensifying racial crisis.
d. the need for reform of the criminal justice system.
“The Intersectional Paradigm and Alternative Visions to Stopping Domestic
Violence: What Poor women, Women of Color, and Immigrant Women Are
Teaching Us About Violence in the Family,” Natalie J. Sokoloff
Sokoloff’s work studies the problem of domestic violence from an intersectional
perspective. By doing this, she challenges the notion that gender inequality is the only
primary force driving the problem. The approach has two distinct objectives: giving
voices to battered women, as well as addressing socially structured inequalities that
feed into the problem. One of her major critiques is that the often-supported
“colorblind” approach to domestic violence (specifically in that it cuts through all races,
ethnicities, and socioeconomic statuses), it prevents larger social structural problems
that feed into the problem from being recognized and addressed. As an example of this,
research shows that controlling for economics, African American women are less likely
to experience domestic violence, and that neighborhood factors (less collective
efficacy) is a more significant determining factor than race is. The tendency to approach
cases of domestic violence as part of a different cultural perspective (such as honor
killings), also minimizes the perceptions of domestic violence with persons of color.
Finally, community based programs are outlined that seek to prevent these issues
through structural change are examined.
To study domestic violence from an intersectional perspective, Solokoff argues that
researchers must focus on a
a. multicultural perspective
b. structural perspective
c. both multicultural and structural perspectives
d. none of these choices are correct
“Rethinking Cyberfeminism(s): Race, Gender, and Embodiment,” Jessie Daniels
Jessie Daniels outlines the concept of cyberfeminism, a multifaceted interaction
between technology and gender. Two major areas are discussed, the first being the
globalization of feminism that the Internet allows, and the second is the ability to
engage in “identity tourism” in an online capacity. For the first, access to the Internet
may be heavily affected by the ability to access technology based upon socioeconomic
status, but beyond that it is able to cross racial and ethnic lines. It also allows for a safe
space for women who may be experiencing a multitude of oppression based on their
gender, and the ability to interact with others they would never be able to meet
otherwise. Identity tourism, on the other hand, is the ability for people on the Internet to
adopt a different gender or identity overall. Research shows, however, that people are
less likely to adopt a different identity when online, but instead use the resources and
interactions as a way to affirm and strengthen their own “real world” identity.
Nouraie-Simone’s studied the importance of the Internet as related to
a. young Iranian women
b. young Sudanese women
c. middle aged Moroccan women
d. young Native American women
“Unspeakable Offenses: Untangling Race and Disability in Discourses of
Intersectionality,” Nirmala Erevelles and Andrea Minear
Erevelles and Minear argue that while intersectionality scholars focusing on the
connection between race and gender is important, that another factor; disability, should
also be considered. Disability specifically as related to education is examined, focusing
on the significantly higher rates that students of color are labeled and tracked into
“special needs” programs. They also argue that the way in which disability is often seen
as exclusively a biological, rather than social condition causes it to not receive the
consideration that it should.
In Angela Harris’ nuance theory, she argues that Black women’s oppression is:
a. similar to that of White women’s oppression
b. an intensified version of White women’s oppression
c. similar to that of Black men’s oppression
d. less severe than Black men’s oppression