Reference no: EM133520505
Assignment: Critique Introduction to Social
Aligned Objective
Synthesize key concepts about social justice issues into a written critique.
Purpose
In these critiques, you will be asked to engage in critical thinking by responding to a series of questions related to the textbook chapter reading. These questions cover key concepts and important topics, and may require response(s) to a change agent exercise or case study or both. This is a place for you to apply and integrate new concepts, terminology, and theories.
Instructions
In a maximum of four double-spaced-pages, respond to the following prompts:
1. Before reading Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail" (see Resources below), read the letter (see Resources below) that a clergyman wrote to MLK that prompted MLK to write his own letter in April 1963 while jailed for leading a peaceful, nonviolent protest.
2. MLK's "Letter from Birmingham Jail" contains often-repeated quotes, such as this one:
3. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny...We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed...For years now I have heard the word "Wait!" This "Wait" has almost always meant "Never." We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that "justice too long delayed is justice denied."
4. How does this quote have relevance for each of us living in the United States today?
5. Provide an example that illustrates his point that "justice too long delayed is justice denied."
6. King describes two types of law, just and unjust; how does he define each?
7. Try to describe an example of an unjust law (or prescribed practice) in the present or recent past you might feel compelled to disobey as a moral obligation or to arouse the conscience of the community.
8. Imagine doing so "lovingly." What might that look like?
9. What might be the consequences of defying an unjust law or unjust practice?
10. What is your favorite quote from MLK's "Letter from Birmingham Jail"? How do you connect it to your life, a contemporary social issue, or your professional aspirations?
11. Explain the differences between prejudice, discrimination, and oppression. Give an example of each that is different from examples provided in the book or situations described in the "Prejudice or Discrimination?" activity. Resources that may be helpful include the following:
a. Understanding Diversity and Social Justice (opens in a new window)
b. Fourteen Examples of Racism in Criminal Justice System (opens in a new window)
c. School Discipline Factsheet, U.S. Office for Civil Rights (opens in a new window)
d. Data on Racial and Ethnic Disparities, U.S. National Center for Health ¬¬¬¬Statistics (opens in a new window)
12. Privilege, as an expression related to social justice, has a very specific meaning. This concept was introduced in Chapter 4. To further promote a working understanding of "privilege," view the videos linked below. The last video ends by asking, "What's your privilege?" Answer this question by describing your standpoints/group memberships/social identities that accrue you privilege and those that diminish privilege, e.g., privilege based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical ability, mental health, social class, and religion. How have your experiences with privilege shaped your life or the lived realities you have experienced?
13. Privilege 101: A Quick and Dirty Guide (opens in a new window)
14. What Is White/Male Privilege? (opens in a new window)
15. White Privilege is Like Flying First Class (opens in a new window)
16. What distinguishes a hate crime from other types of crimes? What is fueling the hatred that leads to hate crimes? What could be done to change society's perceptions of hate crimes, address the causes, and prevent their occurrence? Check out the links below to learn more.
17. Dissecting the Complex Hate Crime Law Debate (opens in a new window)
18. FBI - What We Investigate: Hate Crimes (opens in a new window)
19. SPLC Hate Crime Summary (opens in a new window)
20. Justice for Victims of Hate Crimes, Rachel Maddow Show (opens in a new window)