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"Gender Norms in the TwilightSeries," Rebecca Hayes-Smith
Hayes-Smith examines the popular young adult book (and film) series about vampires
and werewolves, pointing out some major concerns with regard to the way in which
gender and race are portrayed. The main character, Bella, is portrayed as a weak,
passive woman who experiences conflict with other women and is portrayed as a
caretaker to her family. The male characters, Edward and Jacob, also stick to the
predominant male gender traits of violence, aggression, and treating women like
property; a "prize" to be won. More subtle is the portrayal of race and class: Jacob, the
werewolf, is Native American, of lower socioeconomic status, and is often insulted with
otherwise racialized insults.
A stereotype enforced by the portrayals of vampires versus werewolves in the Twilight
series is
a. gender norms
b. White supremacy
c. educational attainment
d. none of these choices are correct
"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.
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.
"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."
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
"Gender, Race, and Urban Policing: The Experience of African American
Youths," Rod K. Brunson and Jody Miller
Brunson and Miller turn their focus to the experiences of young Black women in the
inner city, as opposed to the focus usually placed on young Black men. In general,
young women face more criminal justice contacts for minor infractions compared to
young men, but also punitive treatment than young White women experience. Research
shows that urban communities with poverty and racial segregation are more often the
target of police misconduct, aggressive strategies, and under-responsive policing, which
builds a sense of resentment and cynicism to the legal system. Brunson and Miller
surveyed and interviewed a total of 35 young African American women and 40 young
African American men with regard to their experience with law enforcement. Males
overall reported more harassment when not participating in any delinquent behavior,
while women were more often stopped and questioned for minor curfew infractions.
Physical violence was more prevalent with young men than young women.
Which of the following groups are theorized to have the least favorable opinion of
police officers?
a. adolescent White males
b. adolescent Black males
c. adult White males
d. adult Black males
"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."
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
"Navigating Interracial Borders: Black-White Couples and their Social Worlds,"
Erica Chito Childs
Erica Chito Childs examines the experiences and challenges that Black/White couples
face within their families and communities. Although interracial relationships and
marriages are often viewed as a sign of improving race relations, she argues that these
relationships are often met with opposition from both White and Black communities.
She examines the discourse that families use when discussing their feelings and beliefs
about interracial relationships. She finds, for example, that White families often pose
their opposition to Black/White marriage in non-racial terms and stress that they are
"concerned" for how difficult society would make life for the child who is involved
interracially. In contrast to White families, Black families emphasize the importance of
"marrying Black" to their children and explicitly identify race as an issue. Her
conclusion is that because interracial couples exist in, what she terms, a "borderland"
between Black and White, her examination of interracial couples offers much to our
understanding contemporary race relations. The beliefs expressed by the both the Black
and White families illustrate the centrality of race in constructing families and identities
and, particularly, the social construction of race.
Using herself as an example, Childs argues that there is a racial ideology or dominant
discourse underlying responses to interracial couples that views interracial couples and
interracial relationships as:
a. normal
b. natural
c. deviant
d. common
"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.
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
"Straight: The Surprisingly Short History of Heterosexuality," Hanne Blank
Blank draws upon personal experience regarding the topic of being labeled "straight"
based upon her own definition, having a male-appearing partner who has Klienfelter's
Syndrome, a chromosomal makeup that includes an additional X chromosome. The role
that genetics, as well as biology (in the form of being able to reproduce) have been used
to define what is male and female are addressed as being non-binary, while our
definitions of sexuality usually is based on those simple assumptions (heterosexual,
homosexual, bisexual). The fact that "heterosexual" and "homosexual" are terms of
relatively recent origin, and have been tied more closely to legal issues than anything
related to personal perception or identity.
Klinefelter's syndrome, a genetic anomaly, results in what chromosomal arrangement?
a. XY
b. XX
c. XXY*
d. XYY
"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 "Optional Ethnicities: For Whites Only?" as a result of the exclusion
they experienced at college, Black students may form:
a. militant defense groups.
b. oppositional identities.
c. inhibited identities.
d. symbolic ethnicities.
"Intersectionality in a Transnational World," Bandana Purkayastha
Purkayastha reexamines the nature of intersectionality in an ever-growing world, one
connected by the availability of mass transit, as well as the technological connections of
the Internet. These developments are painted in both a positive and negative light. For
the positives it allows for people leaving their homelands to still retain the support of
family and religious affiliations via information that can be found online and advanced
forms of communication such as video conferencing. This can help to reduce the
negative influences of intersectionality, racism, and prejudice in their local community.
The negative side of this, however, has become the blurring of lines between foreign
and national surveillance, which puts people regardless of location under the eye of the
government and other agencies, increasing fears of persecution.
Which of the following is a way transnational spaces can help reduce the effects of
discrimination and intersectionality?
a. maintaining familial contact and using that support to minimize the effect of racism
b. attending religious services via the Internet when a local community is not available
c. retaining an identity by maintaining a social role in their home country while living
in another
d. all of these choices are correct
"Color-Blind Privilege: The Social and Political Functions of Erasing the
Color Line in Post Race America," Charles A. Gallagher
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.
Color-blind ideology:
a. ignores race
b. creates equality
c. encourages racial harmony
d. disregards racial hierarchy
"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.
According to Alexander, patterns of drug crime do not explain:
a. why people use drugs.
b. why some groups use more drugs than others.
c. drug addiction.
d. glaring racial disparities in the criminal justice system.
"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."
To succeed at Wal-Mart White women were socialized to _______________
discrimination against people of color.
a. identify and eliminate
b. accept and replicate
c. reject and report
d. ignore and deny
"Racism in Toyland," Christine Williams
Williams examines the social organization of shopping and uncovers labor, advertising
and other practices that perpetuate racial (as well as gender and class) injustice and
inequality. She identifies problems in retail policies such as selective advertising;
opposition to public bus service to malls; job segregation; and racial profiling by clerks
and security guards. Williams views the raising of awareness as a first step in creating a
better alternative.
The purchase Williams finally made was from a store that supported:
a. racial exclusion
b. gender segregation
c. class distinctions
d. all of these answers are correct
"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.
Which is a more effective predictor of domestic violence according to research?
a. race or ethnicity
b. age
c. neighborhood factors
d. education
"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.
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
"Straight is to Gay as Family is to No Family," Kath Weston
This essay presents a distinct dichotomy that depicts the establishment and maintenance
of family and extended kin in the gay and straight world. Weston delineates a path of
rejection, isolation and loneliness from straight families as gay persons attempt to
establish individual identities. In addressing misperceptions surrounding gay life, this
essay also introduces alternative approaches to the establishment and cultivation of
family life.
Weston believes assumptions about gays and lesbians are but a short step from placing
them somewhere beyond the family, unencumbered by relations of kinship,
responsibility, or affection to portraying them:
a. as timely destroyers.
b. as a menace to family and society.
c. as assets to family and society.
d. as beneficial to family and society
"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.
After high school Carlos:
a. became a career criminal
b. went to college at Berkeley
c. attacked the white men who had maced him
d. we don"t know from the article what he did
"Seeing in 3D," Margaret L. Andersen
Margaret L. Andersen argues that the economy is not a neutral force, as it is portrayed
in the media. Economic downturns do not hit all citizens equally. Specific groups
experience economic change in different ways. Asking, "what would we see differently
were we to view the economic recession with women and people of color in mind,"
Andersen demonstrates the varying effects on economic standing influenced by the
intersections of race, class and gender.
As the national unemployment rate rose to 10%, it reached a level that has been
characteristic of Black unemployment for the past _______________ years.
a. 10
b. 60
c. 25
d. 100
"The Myth of the Latin Woman: I Just Met a Girl Named Maria," Judith Ortiz
Cofer
In her essay,Judith Ortiz Cofer offers her experience as a Puerto Rican woman. She
discusses how cultural differences have singled her out as a target of stereotypes,
disapproval, and inappropriate treatment by members of mainstream society. Cofer
recognizes the voice her education has given her, and she uses it to open others up to
her culture and experiences.
According to Judith Ortiz Cofer, ________________ and
________________could provide a young woman with a circle of safety in her small
pueblo on the Island.
a. community/church
b. school/church
c. extended family/church structure
d. courts/extended family
"Are Emily and Greg More Employable Than Lakisha and Jamal?" Marianne
Bertrand and Sendhil Mullainathan
Recognizing that all measures of economic success show racial inequalities in the
United States labor market, these authors designed and conducted a study to determine
whether perceptions of race connected with an applicant's name might influence
whether the applicant got called for an interview. They created fictitious job applicants
and assigned names suggestive of different races to identical resumes. This article
reports their findings.
Bertrand and Mullainathan found _______________ racial differences in callback rates.
a. small but significant
b. no
c. insignificant
d. large
"Sustainable Food and Privilege: Why is Green Always White (and Male and
Upper Class)" Janani Balasubramanian
Food justice, Janani Balasubramanian argues, is fundamentally a race and class issue,
and food activists are not speaking about it as such. The emphasis on local food
economy fails to recognize the importance of United States support of agriculture in
other parts of the world. Activists of color who do admirable work in their communities
are often ignored by White activist writers and film makers. Thus we do not hear the
"variety of voices' that needs to be heard if universal food reform is to be achieved.
We should not be too hasty to reject globalization, according to Balasubramania,
because:
a. the U.S. make a lot of money from foreign trade
b. people in other countries depend on our purchase of their food
c. return to local consumption is impossible
d. agribusiness in the U.S. will fail without it.
"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.
Based on data from national surveys of rape victims, the profile of the most frequent
rape victim is:
a. a young woman
b. divorced or separated
c. Black and poverty stricken
d. all of these answers are correct
"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.
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.
"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 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.
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.
"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.
For family violence to be fully understood in marginalized groups, it must be
a. contextualized
b. examined
c. synthesized
d. dismissed
"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.
The largest beneficiaries of affirmative action were
a. Black males
b. White males
c. White women
d. Latino males
"Growing Food and Justice: Dismantling Racism through Systainable Food
Systems," Alfonso Morales
Morales' piece centers on a specific program: the Growing Food and Justice for All
Initiative (GFJI), but as a whole addresses the issues of racism and classism as it relates
to food. He traces the pattern that, over the past 50 years, supermarkets have
consolidated from smaller neighborhood markets into larger, massive spaces that tend
to be centered mostly in higher profit, higher socioeconomic status areas. One of these
consequences is that the smaller neighborhood markets that are left in lower income
areas have a more limited supply of healthier, fresh food items, and that they are priced
higher than their suburban counterparts. GFJI is an organization that promotes
sustainable agricultural and community food security organizations to help urban
neighborhoods become more self-sufficient and able to access healthier foods than what
is provided at other supermarkets.
According to Eisenhaur, "supermarket redlining is"
a. corporations avoiding low-profit areas
b. constantly increasing the physical size of their stores
c. building multiple stores in close proximity to each other
d. constantly changing the items they sell
"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.
All but which of the following are known to be correlated with academic achievement?
a. School composition
b. Student's family background
c. Teacher's verbal skills
d. Student's ethnic background
"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.
In Lorde's article, she argues that the need for unity is often misrepresented as a need
for:
a. oppression
b. equality
c. homogeneity
d. heterogeneity
"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.
According to the rhetoric of far right organizations, the public weakening of patriarchal
structures is, at its core, the work of
a. Blacks
b. women
c. Muslims
d. Jews
"Straight is to Gay as Family is to No Family," Kath Weston
This essay presents a distinct dichotomy that depicts the establishment and maintenance
of family and extended kin in the gay and straight world. Weston delineates a path of
rejection, isolation and loneliness from straight families as gay persons attempt to
establish individual identities. In addressing misperceptions surrounding gay life, this
essay also introduces alternative approaches to the establishment and cultivation of
family life.
According to Weston, people who equated their adoption of a lesbian or gay identity
with a renunciation of family did so in the double-sided sense of:
a. fearing rejection by the families in which they had grown up, and not expecting to
marry or have children as adults.
b. fearing acceptance by the families in which they had grown up and choosing not to
have children.
c. fearing rejection by co-workers and not having a family to rely upon.
d. fearing a life of loneliness and wanting acceptance from the family.
