Final Exercise Social Sciences Essay Research Paper
PART ONE – Structural Inequalities:
Answer ONE of the two following short answer questions. Responses should be approximately two to three paragraphs in length (5-8 sentences per paragraph). This question is worth 10 marks.
A) What is meant by the phrase, “race is an illusion, but racism is not”? What does the history of scientific racism tell us about the social construction of race and its consequences? Relate your discussion to both readings from this module (“Why Genes Don’t Count [For Racial Differences in Health]” by A. H. Goodman and “Introduction: The Invention of Race” by Dorothy Roberts) and the film, “Race: Power of an Illusion, Episode 3.”
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B) In his article “From ‘Slum Clearance’ to ‘Revitalization,’” Ryan James provides analysis of “moral regulation” in Toronto’s Regent Park. What does “moral regulation” mean and how does it relate to social class, morality, and gentrification? Your response must include at least one way that gentrification reveals class-based tensions using either the film, “City Rising,” or the film short, “Farewell Oak Street.”
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PART TWO – Anthropology and the Global World:
Answer ONE of the two following short answer questions. Responses should be approximately two to three paragraphs in length (5-8 sentences per paragraph). This question is worth 10 marks.
A) According to film, “Life and Debt,” our current global economy has intensified uneven divisions of labour between countries of the “Global North” and “South.” Drawing on two specific examples from the course, compare and contrast some positive and negative aspects of this North-South division. Your answer should clearly address some of the historical factors underlying these existing socio-economic disparities.
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B) The rise of socio-economic inequalities, both locally and internationally, has sparked intense debates regarding the ways that people think about and respond to politics in their daily lives. Why do people turn to social movements in order to enact social change? What role does social activism play in response to inequalities? Discuss with reference to the documentary, “Freedom is not Free: Decolonial Education,” and at least one other example from the course. Your response should address some of the strengths and limitations of social movements.
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PART THREE – Anthropology “In the World”:
Answer the following short answer question. Responses should be approximately two to three paragraphs in length (5-8 sentences per paragraph). This question is worth 5 marks.
A) Referring to one module from the second half of the course, describe how an anthropological lens has shifted, challenged, or deepened your views on that module’s topic. Your answer should speak to one module that you have not addressed in Part One or Part Two of this exercise—e.g., i. Race and Racism, ii. Class and Inequality, iii. Globalization, iv. Social movements or the Anthropocene. Knowing what you now know, how would you explain that topic and its key concepts to someone who has not taken this course?
Depending on the question you choose, you can tell me what documents are needed. I will send it to you.
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Final Exercise
Part 1 A
Race is an illusion because we share the same genetic composition with the people we consider to be of another race. The closes genetic matches of an individual are closer to the person who is usually seen as someone who belongs to another race. This makes race an illusion that does not reveal the realities of how humanity is related. There is not even a single gene that distinguishes the individuals of a particular race from another. However, while race may be an illusion, racism is true and has caused devastating consequences across the world. Through approaches based on the illusion of race, racists policies have emerged that have caused adverse systematic inequalities in many parts of the world. Racism has caused much harm than good, with many people who are continuously being affected by the actions that emerged from a deceptive understanding of how human is 'genetically' related. The idea of racial superiority has caused much harm and is an adverse social construct that continues to affect people.
Part 2 B
When there is an increase in inequalities, people start to complain about the issues affecting them. Social movements are a means for individuals with a shared experience to mobilize enroll sufficient resources that allow them to take action. Social movements are usually groups that are organized for a particular purpose. They allow individuals to come together, express themselves, and communicate the issues that are close to one's heart. Through the combined force, they are abl...