Humanities 2319

American Minorities:  Political Culture in A Global Environment

Activity for Lecture 6

Everyone must address this first question

 

Consider this article and address the following questions:

1.  What does the author suggest are the elements that provide a basis for our common "American culture?"  As a nation of immigrants, what challenges will the political culture increasingly face as the immigrant population continues to grow?

 

 

You may now choose between one of the two articles below

Consider this reading FIRST

 

THEN choose one of the following :

 

This article from Newsweek

 

OR

 

This article by Richard Hofstadter

 

OR

 

This article by the Harris Poll

 

Please discuss what and how political culture forms and changes.  What has changed about
America's political culture over the last century?  What are some of the factors that that have been used as 'wedge' issues over the last 100 years in America?  What do you suppose causes the disconnect between what Americans say they want and how American behave electorally?  What role do political structural and socioeconomic variables play in analyzing electorate behavior in light of the article YOU chose to read?