Reference no: EM133513603
Assignment
Our textbook points out on page 51, that "schools and the media [are] two powerful agents of socialization, regularly projecting U.S. institutions as color-blind and as presenting as equal opportunity to all participants. Consequently, because our social system is assumed to be fair, if one does not succeed, he or she is assumed to be at fault because of laziness, negligence, or another personal failure. When we function under this assumption, an individual's lack of success is never blamed on the society that fails to develop reasonable opportunity structures that are viable for all concerned rather than solely for members of elite groups".
After completing the reading assignments, address the following questions below. Reading assignments/articles' directions are located in the file sharing.
*Remember to place required quotes in quotation marks, and reference the quote by either providing the authors last name, or the title of the article in the paragraph. You do not need a reference page for this assignment.
Ex: If no author: According to the article titled "xxxxxxx", then provide the "quote".
You can also provide the "quote", and then place the title or author after the "quoted" information.
Meritocracy is defined as:
1. "An elite group of people whose progress is based on ability and talent rather than on class, privilege or wealth.
2. A system in which such persons are rewarded and advanced.
3. Leadership by able and talented persons."
I. After reading the article published by the "Washington Monthly", address the following:
Do you agree or disagree that the United States is not a meritocracy?
Explain your response in paragraph form and provide one quote from the article that supports your position.
II. After reading the article titled: "Why the Myth of Meritocracy Hurts Kids of Color", address the following:
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement in this article?
"...traditionally marginalized youth who grew up believing in the American ideal that hard work and perseverance naturally lead to success show a decline in self-esteem and an increase in risky behaviors during their middle-school years. The research is considered the first evidence linking preteens' emotional and behavioral outcomes to their belief in meritocracy, the widely held assertion Links to an external site. that individual merit is always rewarded."
Explain your response in paragraph form and provide one quote from the article that supports your position.
III. After reading the article titled: "The Functionalist Perspective on Education", address the following:
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement in this article?
"Education allocates people to the most appropriate job for their talents using examinations and qualifications. This ensures that the most talented are allocated to the occupations that are most important for society. This is seen to be fair because there is equality of opportunity - everyone has a chance of success, and it is the most able who succeed through their own efforts - this is known as meritocracy."
Explain your response in paragraph form and provide one quote from the article that supports your position.
IV. After reading the article titled: "Immigrant Children in U.S. Schools", explain (your opinion), how the concept of meritocracy could affect the students that came to the United States from 70 different countries.