Humanities 2319

American Minorities:  Political Culture in A Global Environment

Activity for Lecture 5

Everyone must complete this first question

Please read the Chapter 1 from "The Second Sex."  Please answer the following:

1.  What is the "problem with no name?"

2. Are there similarities between what Friedan described as the issues facing women in the 1960s and the issues women face today?

3.  What factors do you see as problematic for women who try to balance work and family?

 

2. Interview your mother or grandmother or an older aunt and pose the following questions to her:

1.  As a child, did you want to go to college?

2. As a child, did you want to have a career or take a job?  What job did you want?
     If you didn't want a job, why? 

3. Did you take home economics in high school?  Did you enjoy it? 
4. Do you remember the 'women's liberation movement?" What are your memories
     of it?

5.  Do you think that in your lifetime, opportunities have grown for women?
      What do you think is different today than when you were a girl?

 

-----------------------------

You may choose from one of the following to answer in addition

 

1.  Compare and contrast the view of Phyllis Shlafly with Gloria Steinem.

 

or

 

2.  Consider the economic impact made by women.  Imagine you were able to make ONE

   policy that would best enable women to maximize her potential economic impact---
   what policy would you enact and why?  Provide data to substantiate your reasoning---
   if you need assistance in looking for data, please ask and I can direct you to sources
   that might best support your argument. 

 

or

 

3.  Please consider this article and this article construct an essay addressing the following
      questions:
    1.  How do these articles reflect the idea of 'civil religion' proposed by Rousseau?
    2.  What is our American culture?  What is multiculturalism?  Does multiculturalism
          pose challenges to American political culture?
    3.  What is the 'cement' that holds cultures together? Can movements constructed
           around language, race/ethnicity, gender, religion erode the 'cement?'