Abstract This paper argues that Gary Soto's 1981 poem "Mexicans Begin Jogging" illuminates the general immigrant experience. The author points out that the poem reflects the unique experiences of Latinos.
From the Paper "Gary Soto's poem "Mexicans Begin Jogging" is both technically and emotionally skillful a story that applies both at some level to all Americans and one that is in other ways unique to the Latino experience. Speaking as it does of freedom and the desire of all ..."
Abstract The paper analyzes the practice by law enforcement officials known as racial profiling, where individuals are routinely detained based on skin color as opposed to a just cause. The paper provides the argument of law enforcement that profiling is effective but also includes the arguments of opponents of racial profiling.
From the Paper "One of the most controversial law enforcements techniques is known as racial profiling. Racial profiling is defined as any action undertaken for reasons of safety, security or public protection that relies on stereotypes about race, color, ethnicity, ancestry or place of origin rather than on reasonable suspicion to single out an individual for greater scrutiny or different treatment."
Tags: terrorism, Middle-Easterners, African Americans, prejudice, racism, abuse, justice, public administration, legal system
Abstract This paper compares and contrasts the Greek and American cultures in terms of culture and lifestyle, vis a vis priorities, fellowship, entertainment, food and family. The paper contends that America is primarily a land of opportunity and material success, while Greece is primarily a land of camaraderie and familial connectedness.
From the Paper "America's freedom and opportunity have drawn immigrants from all over the world to her shores to join together in one of the largest melting pots in the world. In the streets of America Italians can live next door to Germans and Africans can live next door to Native Americans. Since immigrants bring elements of their culture with them to America, knowing someone of another ethnicity-or even growing up in an ethnic family-can convince us that we are acquainted with that culture."
Abstract The paper provides details of the history, migration to the new world, principles, rituals, and key figures surrounding Voodoo, proving Voodoo to be a legitimate form of religious practice. This paper provides a thorough description of people, such as Marie Laveau, who brought Voodoo to new heights in America.
From the Paper "Evil witchdoctors, devil worship, and flesh-eating zombies are merely three common misconceptions of ignorant America with regards to Voodoo. Voodoo, meaning "spirit", is a derivative of the world's most ancient religions practiced on the continent of Africa for over ten thousand years. This religion predates the majority of those practiced in present day America. Through out time there have been several attempts to ignore and eliminate this religious practice, for it was and has been frowned upon from the moment it was transplanted in the New World. The strength followers have received from Voodoo has made it possible for this faith to survive persecution."
Abstract This paper analyzes a single passage from the slave narrative of Olaudah Equiano, entitled 'The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano', or 'Gustavus Vassa, the African'. In this paper, the author chose a passage from the text that highlighted the significant and intriguing economic argument that Equiano made against slavery and the slave trade in this autobiographical narrative.
From the Paper "I have sometimes heard it asserted that a negro cannot earn his master the first cost; but nothing can be further from the truth. I suppose nine tenths of the mechanics throughout the West Indies are negro slaves; and I well know the coopers among them earn two dollars a day; the carpenters the same, and oftentimes more; as also the masons, smiths, and fishermen, &c. and I have known many slaves whose masters would not take a thousand pounds current for them. But surely this assertion refutes itself; for, if it be true, why do the planters and merchants pay such a price for slaves? And, above all, why do those who make this assertion exclaim the most loudly against the abolition of the slave trade? So much are men blinded, and to such inconsistent arguments are they driven by mistaken interest!"
Abstract This paper researches the correlation between the Ancient Greek past, the Orthodox Church and Greek culture. It focuses on the areas of the evolution of the Greek Orthodox Church and its practices, art, theatre, music and dance. This paper discusses how each of these areas has roots in Ancient Greece, and the research attempts to demonstrate how these foundations were associated with one another throughout Greek culture.
From the Paper " Theatrical performances began with the use of music by choirs that were praising the gods and pleading for a bountiful harvest. This practice among the ancients also involved the earliest forms of folk dance. These three art forms were later also incorporated into the Orthodox religion through festivals and the practice of a liturgy that remains of cultural significance today.Greek culture has evolved from ancient times with many of the original traditions still being honored today. Elements of ancient Greek culture exist in modern society because the Greeks provided a foundation of many of the world's forms of art. Theatre, for example, began in Greece as a musical choir form of devotion to the gods to ensure a good harvest. Greek art was considered an intricate craftsmanship that demonstrated the precision and advanced technique of an innovative culture."
Abstract This paper looks at the African American poet Langston Hughes' treatment of oppression and racism, and his hopes for equality. Focusing specifically on two poems, "I, Too" and "Harlem," the paper looks at thematic and linguistic elements in the poems, and compares and contrasts them.
From the Paper "Langston Hughes' poetry often deals with themes of national and racial identity, frequently focusing on the problems inherent in being black in the United States during the period in which he was writing. Another popular theme that unites the other two is the period Hughes looked forward to in which there was no more racism, in which the African American will be as free from racism as the white person. These themes are central to his two poems "Harlem" and "I, Too," both of which speak of the oppression of blacks in the first half of the twentieth century and the conflicting emotions caused by that oppression."
Abstract It is often asked whether or not diversity is a competitive advantage for an organization. This paper argues that competitive advantage is indeed an advantage for any organization insofar as it allows a corporation to tap into new markets, into new sources of human capital, and permits the operation - from top to bottom - to become receptive to new ideas and to new modes of thinking. To support this argument, the paper looks not only at the arguments in favor of a diverse workplace, but also considers some examples of organizations which have used diversity as an effective business tool.
Abstract This paper responds to several topics related to the war in the Darfur region of the Sudan, noting that the conflict in Darfur began in 2003 and involves an ongoing battle between a militant Arab group called the Janjaweed and the non-Arab peoples living in the region. The paper discusses how Sudanese government has been supporting the militants, though it pretends it is not. The conflict is described in the West as an example of "ethnic cleansing" or genocide.
From the Paper "Many of the thousands of deaths have been caused by starvation and disease, however, and not as part of a policy of extermination. Almost two million people have been displaced from their homes and have become refugees, many fleeing to neighboring Chad. The American government sent Colin Powell to see the refugee camps in Darfur in 2004, and he testified to Congress that genocide was being practiced there."
A review of multiculturalism and the need for tolerance as discussed in the book "A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America," written by Ronald Takaki.
Abstract This paper introduces, discusses and analyzes the book "A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America," written by Ronald Takaki. Specifically, it summarizes parts three and four of the book, which focus on "distances" between cultures and "crossings" and what the mirror may hold for the future. The paper concludes with Takaki's advice that we all came from different shores in the beginning and that our stories and history have many more commonalities than differences.
From the Paper "Mexican migrant workers form another facet of this multicultural mirror in America. They too crossed the border into America hoping for opportunity and jobs. What they found, like so many others, was backbreaking work in the fields of the West. This section indicates how Chicano and American workers were paid far different wages, even doing the same jobs, and they, also like many others, created their own communities, the barrios, where they felt comfortable and secure. They also worked in a number of other low-paying professions, and often sent money home to their relatives to support them. The compelling issue among all these immigrants is their desire for a better life, and their need to retain at least some of their own culture. This seems to be the biggest problem with Americans, who expect immigrants to immediately become Americanized and forget their old lives and cultures. For many, this is simply not possible and desirable. The mirror is different for all, and that is one of the strongest points the author makes throughout this section of the book."
Abstract This paper explains that the over-representation of minority or non-white students in special education and the quality of their educational experiences have been regarded as one of the most significant issues facing the U.S. public school system in the past thirty years because the existence of this disproportionality has been used as evidence of potential discrimination. The author points out that, from a legal point of view, evidence of a pattern of over-representation has been sufficient enough to begin a legal action to reduce disproportionality. The paper argues that the problem of disproportionate representation of minorities in special education must be examined in a larger societal context by addressing issues of inadequate educational resources, use of culturally inappropriate instruction and inadequate teacher qualifications.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
A History of Litigation
English Language Learners
Court Cases Involving Disproportionality of Minorities
Regulations Regarding Disproportionate Representation
Amendments to IDEA
Measuring the Problem
Composition Index (CI)
Relative Risk Ratios (RRRs)
Disproportionality and the "Least Restrictive Environment" (LRE)
Re-Defining the Problem
Is Disproportionality Significant?
Conclusion
From the Paper "An issue with the use of RRRs and other methods of calculation is that there is no one recognized approach for determining when disproportionality is large enough to be important. While there are methods for establishing statistical significance (i.e., is this RRR significantly larger, or smaller, than 1.0?), these methods are somewhat complex, raise other calculation problems, and may produce different results depending on the size of the district. A more common approach has been to randomly select a cutoff value at which disproportionality is viewed as socially significant."
Tags: measurement, esl, discrimination, index, research
Abstract This paper discusses affirmative action in the United States. It argues against affirmative action on the basis that it is no longer a feasible way of combating today's more subtle forms of racism. The paper suggests that it is in the best interest of the government and society of a country to look towards a more socioeconomic view, rather than a completely racial outlook on society.
From the Paper "The duty of any government is to protect the rights of the citizens it serves. The United States government is not exempt from this responsibility. From its conception, the United States was built upon a foundation of freedom, free will, and equality. However, the movement towards this idealistic society has been wrought with injustices and ignorance laden prejudices. When a civil injustice occurs against a minority, gender, race, ethnic population, or any other group of ostracized constituency, revolutions and civil rights movements are born. These two options have seen success in forms that vary from the Civil War to the civil rights movement of years past. While most civil rights movements are spearheaded by the very citizens that are being discriminated against, there are instances where government initiated initiatives are at the forefront. Affirmative action is one such governmental initiative which aims to create more equal opportunities in the work place, education, and other aspects of life. While on first glance, affirmative action appears to be an appealing prospective solution to years of racism and discrimination, a more insightful examination of all that it entails clearly shows that affirmative action has had no significant positive effect and is actually detrimental to those it tries to help. Affirmative action has become so skewed in its outlook that its original form is no longer one of equality for all; rather, it has become an ugly form of reverse discrimination. During the time in which affirmative action originated, forms of discrimination were much more prevalent. In today's modern society, discrimination still occurs, but it is no longer as obvious. Affirmative action is an antiquated tool which the government no longer should be able to use because of its inability to sufficiently protect the rights of all citizens."
Abstract This paper states that the still very popular television series "Friends" is geared mainly toward a white audience, which is not representative of today's American landscape, and yet very much represents the marginal way diversity is presented in most television series. The author points out that the all-white "Friends" is being replaced by new sitcoms, such as "Scrubs", with more diverse casts although the main characters are still mainly white. The paper relates that even shows such as "George Lopez", based solely on a Hispanic family living in Los Angeles, fail to present cultural diversity.
From the Paper "I feel the media relies too heavily on the stereotypical normalcies when showing certain minority groups on television. Most television, as well as motion pictures, portrays the white guy as the "good guy" and most other races as the "bad guy." If they are not the "bad guys," they are usually portrayed as the goofy sidekicks. Most programs, "Friends" is no exception, only use minorities in roles that will portray them a certain way. These may include the Asian dry cleaner owner, the Arab taxicab driver, the African-American gangster, ..."
Abstract This paper explains that cultural competence refers to one's ability to understand, interact and respond to individuals with different world views or cultures. The author points out that it differs from cultural awareness or sensitivity in that it is a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes and policies, which come together in a system, agency or among professionals and enables them to work effectively in cross-cultural situations The paper stresses that cultural competency includes being sensitive to individuals of different races, ethnicities, ages, religions, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic status, among others. The author underscores that cultural competency is reflected in the professional's attitude and communication style. The paper suggests several steps to develop personal cultural competency.
From the Paper "Right now, there are many things I can do to promote my own cultural awareness and sensitivity. Of course, I can (and have) take course work in sociology, culture, and communication. However, traditional coursework can only provide factual and historical knowledge, which is why it is important to take courses with an experiential focus where one must interact with others and then reflect upon and self-assess their experiences. Another thing I can do is participate in social activities with a diverse array of individuals."
Tags: diversity set sensitive style, training programs.
Abstract This paper discusses how a person becomes culturally diverse by values and cultural traditions that impact an individual's beliefs, attitudes and actions with respect to their day-to-day existence. It further discusses how the cultural values of the families impact a person's diversity.
From the Paper "The last factor that has played an important role in my life is the impact of my community. I was raised in a Southern farm town where if you are not related then you have known the towns people since you where born. Growing up in such a small town has taught me to hold true to one's word and always be willing to help someone in need. Though some may say these are not the first qualities to look for in a diverse person. These qualities have helped in every area of my life."
Tags: parents religion community controversies, small town
