Article Summaries, Questions, Internet Sites, and Infotrac Exercises

ARTICLE SUMMARIES, QUESTIONS, INTERNET SITES, AND INFOTRAC EXERCISES

PART I: WHY RACE, CLASS AND GENDER STILL MATTER

1. “Missing People and Others: Joining Together to Expand,” Arturo Madrid Arturo Madrid argues that Latinos, as well as other racial and ethnic minorities, are perceived as “other” because of language, culture, and physical attributes that differ from those of the dominant group in society. Accordingly, access to social institutions such as employment, education, and government is limited. Once access is obtained, particularly in those institutions within which integration is expected, for example, universities, ethnic and racial minorities are marginalized, denied opportunity and a political voice. Madrid urges all members of society to unite in struggle against marginalization, exclusion, and alienation. By ensuring that our institutions more accurately reflect the diversity of society, we relieve social tensions and prevent the possible disintegration of the very structures that are intended to offer opportunity.

Multiple Choice Questions 1. According to “Missing People and Others: Joining Together to Expand," Arturo Madrid describes los americanos as in newspapers, news magazines, books, on radio, in movies and, ultimately, on television. a. missing b. Chicanos * c. omnipresent d. invisible

2. As noted in "Missing People and Others: Joining Together to Expand," the use of the Spanish language in the United States was proscribed either dejure or defacto. Dejure means: a. by mistake. b. by practice, or through political and economic pressures. c. by day. * d. by rule, policy, or law.

3. Which of the following does NOT represent the experience of being the other as described by Arturo Madrid in "Missing People and Others: Joining Together to Expand”? a. being perceived unidimensionally b. feeling different, distinct, or dissimilar c. sticking out like a sore thumb * d. being connected and included

4. According to Arturo Madrid, what happens once minority individuals enter into institutional life? a. They are met with acceptance. * b. Their participation is restricted. c. They passively participate. d. They take over the highest positions within the organization.

22 5. In "Missing People and Others: Joining Together to Expand," Arturo Madrid relates the well-being of society to: * a. the degree and extent to which all of its citizens participate in its institutions. b. the level of marginality maintained in society. c. the experiences of the other in society. d. none of these.

6. Arturo Madrid had to admit that______representation was truly missing in American institutional life. a. European b. International * c. racial minority d. none of these

7. The author believes that educators and those who are educated have a special responsibility for leading the struggle against: a. traditionalism, family values and alienation. b. marginalization, traditionalism and alienation. * c. exclusion, alienation, marginalization. d. none of these

Essay or Discussion Questions 1. Who are the “missing people” to whom Madrid refers? 2. According to Madrid, what role does language play in determining an individual’s acceptance as an American? Is assimilation possible given language barriers? 3. Discuss what it means to be the other. 4. Madrid describes minority individuals entering social institutions through the back door, front door, side door, and window. Discuss what he means by this and describe the institutional relations that often result.

Internet Sites and Questions for Further Study MALDEF, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund http://maldef.org 1. How does MALDEF serve to meet Arturo’s call for the end of alienation and exclusion of Latinos?

Project Equality http://projectequality.org 1. What goals are listed under the mission statement? How do they promote equality among groups in society? 2. What do the topics addressed in the equality in employment section of the site suggest about current issues in this area?

23 2. “Chappals and Gym Shorts: An Indian Muslim Woman in the Land of Oz” Almas Sayeed Almas Sayeed is an Indian Muslim woman attending school in Kansas. A visit from her father speaking of marriage appears to be the catalyst that ignites her concerns regarding certain cultural traditions. Sayeed provides an insightful journey into her family life, cultural traditions regarding gender roles, submissiveness, marriage and sexuality. Sayeed’s thoughts and views are strengthened by her introduction to Feminist theory.

Multiple Choice Questions 1. Based upon Almas Sayeed’s essay, what kind of agreement is often made to ensure that a daughter gets married? a. matrimonial planning * b. arranged marriage c. marriage celebration d. patrilineal

2. According to Almas Sayeed, what is the social and cultural significance of the hijab? * a. adherence to religious and cultural traditions, and prevention of Western immersion b. rejection of religious and cultural traditions, and embrace of Western culture c. adherence to religious and cultural traditions, and adherence to Western immersion d. rejection of religious and cultural traditions, and rejection of Western immersion

3. In reference to gender equality, what did veiling represent to Almas Sayeed? a. the sexes are equal b. cross gender support and encouragement * c. reinforcement of the fact that inequality between the sexes is natural d. none of these

4. According to Almas Sayeed, her father’s concern regarding her getting married and his marriage plans for her were in keeping with: a. traditional American culture. b. East Indian traditions. c. Western cultural traditions. * d. traditional Muslim cultural traditions.

5. Almas Sayeed viewed the arranged marriage plans of her father to marry someone she had never met as a commitment to: * a. being Indian, being a good Muslim woman, and to her parents. b. her family’s culture. c. a secure future and happy life. d. marrying the most promising husband among interested relatives.

24 6. Based on Almas Sayeed’s essay, what elements in her academic experience radically altered her perceptions of marriage and family? a. professors b. relatives * c. friends d. advisors

7. According to Almas Sayeed, traditional arranged marriage not only conflicted with the feminist ideology she had come to embrace, but in comparison to more pressing issues, it seemed almost______. a. strange b. insignificant c. too confining * d. petty

8. Because of her study of feminist theory, what did Sayeed understand about her father’s plans to arrange a marriage for her? a. He was trying to suppress her feminist ideas. b. He thought she was already passed an acceptable marrying age. * c. He was fulfilling his social obligation as a father and protector. d. He wanted to ensure that he would have grandchildren.

9. Almas Sayeed believes she must learn how to be a committed feminist and: a. fight for women’s rights internationally. b. maintain a positive relationship with her parents. * c. maintain her cultural, religious and community ties. d. incorporate Western customs into her Indian lifestyle

Essay and Discussion Questions 1. What are the Muslim marriage traditions to which Almas Sayeed is expected to adhere? 2. What factors caused Almas Sayeed to question gender equality in her culture? 3. Discuss the social and cultural meaning of the hijab. 4. What elements of Almas Sayeed’s culture appear to be the most challenging for her embrace? 5. What elements of Almas Sayeed’s religion appear to be the most challenging for her to embrace?

Internet Sites and Questions for Further Study Empowerment of the Indian Muslim women Empowerment of the Indian Muslim women edited by Satya Pal Ruhela. Ruhela, Satya Pal, 1935- New Delhi : M.D. Muslim women --India. Explore Social and Economic conditions of India Muslim women. 1. What is the impact on Indian Muslim families? See: Emergence of Feminism among Indian Muslim Women-1920-1947: Ali. www.oup.co.uk/isbn/0-19-579152-5 a. How has feminist thought impacted the life of Indian Muslim women? b. Explore the topic by decades.

25 2. Also see: Islamic Voice - a monthly Newspaper from India. Particularly concerned with enhancing the status of Indian Muslim women was the noted writer and activist, Sayyed Mumtaz www.islamicvoice.com Explore Muslim women education and social reform. Explore activism among Indian Muslim women.

3. “From a Native Daughter,” Haunani-Kay Trask Trask describes her experiences of growing up and learning about Hawaiian history from two sources. Her family described the “‘life of the old ones’” – how they planted, fished, danced and chanted. The second source, textbooks, described a very different Hawaii – “‘Pagan Hawaiians’” could not read or write and were “‘lustful cannibals.’” Trask is troubled by how native language has been suppressed by school knowledge. She concludes that historians had never learned the language of the Hawaiian people. Therefore, the story of Hawaii, its culture and connection to the land remains unwritten.

Multiple Choice Questions 1. According to the article, the first step in the colonizing process is: a. learning the Native language of the people. * b. the deculturation of a people. c. infanticide. d. assimilation of the colonizers to the native culture.

2. Historians claim that Hawaiian land tenure was based on “feudalism.” Trask would argue that the Historians’ claims are: a. true. * b. false.

3. By claiming that Hawaiians lived under feudalism, Whites: a. alienated the Hawaiian people from the land. b. instituted land tenure changes in line with current notions of private property. c. degraded a successful system of shared land use. * d. all of these

4. The Hawaiian language shows possession in two ways: through the use of an “a” possessive, which indicates ______, and through the use of an “o” possessive which denotes ______. a. civilized status; less developed status b. inherent status; acquired status * c. acquired status; inherent status d. less developed status; civilized status

26 5. Trask would argue that historians have engaged in thinking, by judging Hawaiian culture to the standards of their own culture. a. feudalistic b. civilized * c. ethnocentric d. possessive

Essay and Discussion Questions 1. Is the failure of historians to learn the Hawaiian language the result of ignorance or ethnocentric bias? Please explain your answer. 2. Briefly summarize what Trask meant when she wrote: “I was reading the West’s view of itself through the degradation of my own past.” Provide at least three examples that she uses to base this conclusion. 3. Why is language so important to understanding a people’s culture and heritage? 4. How did the land tenure changes instituted by Westerners affect Hawaiians?

Internet Sites and Questions for Further Study Aha Punana Leo http://www.ahapunanaleo.org / 1. What is the vision of the organization? 2. Would Trask support or oppose this organization? Please explain.

Equal Justice Society: Doe vs. Kamehameha Schools http://www.equaljusticesociety.org/kamehameha/index.html 1. Opponents of the admission policy of Kamehameha Schools argue that it violates basic civil rights. How do the civil rights groups in this article challenge this opposition? 2. Can the Kamehameha Schools be compared to affirmative action policies found in colleges and universities across the United States? Why or why not?

4. “Katrina, Black Women, and the Deadly Discourse On Black Poverty in America” Barbara Ransby Ransby argues that hurricane Katrina was a gendered disaster. The pre-existing ‘deadly discourse’ that wrongly blames Black women for poverty and other related social problems set the stage for government inaction. In addition, Black women who are primary caretakers of both young and old were particularly vulnerable because they were both more encumbered and less mobile than others when the disaster hit. The disaster is further gendered by the fact that while media attention has focused on a ‘masculine and muscular’ model of relief workers, the fact is that Black women activists have proved both creative and resilient in building coalitions of ‘unlikely allies’ to address community needs at the grass roots level.

27 Multiple Choice Questions 1. In media, the typical relief worker in New Orleans is portrayed as: a. a police officer. * b. masculine and muscular. c. a White college student. d. a poor Black single mother.

2. Black women were particularly vulnerable when Katrina hit because they were: a. weak. b. dependent. c. hesitant to ask for help. * d. primary caretakers of other people.

3. Why did Katrina ‘slap women particularly hard’? a. They were unprepared. b. They had too many babies. * c. They were more encumbered and less mobile. d. They were mostly single and didn’t have men to rescue them.

4. What is the ‘greatest protector’ in times of disaster, according to Ransby? * a. money b. the availability of rescue workers c. the presence of government officials d. teams of volunteers

5. How was Katrina a ‘gendered disaster’? a. Government inaction had a heavy impact on women. b. Women activists responded creatively to help their communities. c. Negative stereotypes about Black women already prevailed before the storm hit and influenced official inaction. * d. all of these

6. What major assets do Black women in New Orleans have, despite economic impoverishment? a. land ownership b. creativity c. resilience * d. both creativity and resilience

7. What makes the part of the story of the Katrina disaster “uplifting and encouraging” according to Ransby? a. women’s activism b. women’s resilience c. creative coalitions of allies * d. all of these

28 Essay and Discussion Questions 1. What ideological and social factors were in place before Katrina hit New Orleans that set the stage for the particularly hard impact the disaster had on Black women? 2. Discuss why many Black women refused to leave New Orleans before, during and after the storm. 3. Discuss the ideologies that informed policy makers before during and after the storm. 4. Why does the author use the words ‘deadly discourse’ in her title? 5. What does Ransby mean when she says that part of the story of the Katrina disaster is “uplifting and encouraging?

Internet Sites and Questions for Further Study Hurricane Katrina Editorials http://news.yahoo.com /fc/US/ Hurricane _ Katrina /oped/13 1. Consider some of the following articles. Do they contribute to the ‘deadly discourse’ that Ransby identifies in her article? 2. Is there anything missing in these articles that Ransby included in hers?

5. "Oppression," Marilyn Frye Marilyn Frye explains that oppression is inherent within our social structure. She argues that oppression and suffering are often confused, sometimes intentionally, to the detriment of those who are truly oppressed. Frye relates that people who are oppressed typically experience the double bind phenomenon, in which their options are limited and no choice is without detriment For example, if a young single woman is sexually active, she is considered promiscuous; if she restricts her sexual activity, she is equally criticized for being frigid. Frye goes on to use the analogy of a birdcage to explain the structure of oppression. Individual acts of oppression are likened to the bars of the cage. She argues that by focusing on the bars of the cage individually, and by minimizing their significance, one fails to appreciate the cage in its entirety, thereby denying the system of oppression.

Multiple Choice Questions 1. According to Marilyn Frye’s “Oppression,” in order to apply the word “oppression” to human beings, we must: * a. accept the fact that human beings can be miserable without being oppressed. b. recognize that all people experience the suffering inherent in oppression. c. reflect on our common experience as the oppressed. d. none of these

2. In “Oppression,” Marilyn Frye defines ______as “...situations in which options are reduced to a very few and all of them expose one to penalty, censure, or deprivation.” a. internalized oppression b. sexism * c. double binds d. invisibility

29 3. According to Marilyn Frye, the depiction of a sexually active single woman as a “whore,” and a single woman who is not sexually active as “frigid" is an example of: a. a stereotype. * b. a double bind. c. a dual identity d. both a stereotype and a dual identity.

4. As explained in Marilyn Frye’s “Oppression,” the “birdcage” represents: * a. a symbol of the societal structure of oppression. b. the myopic view of oppression. c. a microscopic phenomenon. d. both the myopic view of oppression and a microscopic phenomenon.

5. For Frye, the gesture of a man opening a door for a woman is a symbol: a. of the welcomed helpfulness of male gallantry and of women as respected and valued members of society. b. of the progress society has made in gender relations. c. of male gallantry and respect for women. * d. of the false helpfulness of male gallantry, the invisibility or insignificance of women, and contempt for women, and female dependence.

6. It is a fundamental claim of feminism that women are ______. a. powerful * b. oppressed c. strong d. dependent

7. People can and do fail to see the oppression of women because they fail to see: * a. macroscopically and hence fail to see the various elements of the situation as systematically related in larger schemes. b. microscopically and hence fail to see the various elements of the situation as systematically related in larger schemes. c. gender bias and general contempt for women. d. none of these

Essay and Discussion Questions 1. Discuss the distinction Marilyn Frye makes between suffering and oppression. 2. Describe what Marilyn Fyre means by “double bind” and provide examples. 3. Differentiate between a microscopic and macroscopic perspective. Why, according to Frye, is a macroscopic view so essential to understanding the structure of oppression? 4. Discuss how Frye’s metaphor of the birdcage applies to the experience of women in our society.

30 Internet Sites and Questions for Further Study What is the Revolutionary Potential of Women’s Liberation? http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/wlm/mcafee/ 1. How do the types of oppression identified here differ from the kind of human suffering that everyone endures? 2. What makes these issues oppression according to Frye’s definition?

American Association of University Women http://www.aauw.org 1. What is the mission of this organization?

6. “Label Us Angry” Jeremiah Torres Torres is still angry years after an incident that he describes as “the most painful and shocking event” of his life. Growing up in Palo Alto California, he and his friend Carlos had not experienced overt racism until they had a confrontation with a speeding driver who cut them off as they were leaving their high school parking lot. The events that followed – from the meanness of the people in the other car to the reactions of police officers and the different ways in which the author and his friend handled their anger – illustrate some dramatic consequences of racist assumptions and racist labeling.

Multiple Choice Questions 1. What hurt Carlos more than the mace or the night he spent in the juvenile detention center? * a. racist labels b. a police beating c. the reactions of his parents d. his conscience

2. The author believes the police questioned him and Carlos about possible gang membership because: a. the police thought the white men who attacked Carlos and his friend might have been in a gang. b. the police saw gang insignias tattooed on the boys’ bodies. c. among the hundreds of thousands of Filipino youth living in Palo Alto at that time, many thousands were known to be in gangs. * d. the police made a racist assumption that young Asian men are likely to be gang members.

3. According to the author, what made the incident at the traffic light racist? a. the angry gestures of the white passenger b. the fact that the author and his friends were Filipino c. the use of mace * d. the particular labels the white men used to describe Carlos and his friend

31 4. The author tried to channel his anger by: * a. writing about it. b. fighting back with violence. c. hating white people. d. dropping out of school and joining a gang.

5. After high school Carlos: a. became a career criminal. * b. went to college at Berkeley. c. attacked the white men who had maced him. d. We don’t know from the article what he did.

6. From the author’s viewpoint, which “assault with intent to hurt” caused the most lasting damage to its intended victim? a. the spraying of mace b. the hurling of the quarter * c. the use of racial labels d. the court proceedings

7. What kind of racism does the author identify as most prominent in this story? a. covert b. institutionalized * c. overt d. structural

Essay and Discussion Questions 1. Why did the author call the incident he relates “the most painful and shocking event” of his life? Discuss why it was so painful. Consider what made it shocking to him. 2. Discuss the reaction of police officers after the men were maced. Consider any differences that might have been evident in their reactions if Jeremiah and Carlos had sprayed mace in to the faces of the white men instead of being the ones attacked with mace. Would the police officers likely have asked if the white men were gang members? Would they still have considered the possibility that the Filipino men were gang members? What evidence do you find in this story to support your answer? 3. Discuss the choices that Jeremiah and Carlos made in dealing with their anger, and compare the consequences of their different choices. 4. We see in this story several angry young men. Discuss how each man handles his anger. What does each man do? What are the consequences of how each man deals with his angry feelings? How is each man’s race related to the consequences he gets for the way he handled his anger in this true story?

32 Internet Sites and Questions for Further Study Filipinos for Affirmative Action www. filipinos4action.org /wartime-wrongs.htm 1. After you read the article, consider the experiences of Jeremiah and Carlos. Could this historical record of institutional oppression shed some light on their experience? 2. Consider the article on the following site about on attack on a New York City bus. How did this young woman’s experience compare to the attack on Jeremiah and Carlos? Consider the similarity in official responses to the two attacks. www.filipinoexpress.com/21/14_news.html

7. "A Different Mirror," Ronald T. Takaki Through personal reflection and historical summaries, Ronald T. Takaki explores multicultural America. As a Japanese American, Takaki argues that the historical and cultural influence of the Japanese, as well as other racial and ethnic groups, on American culture is largely unrecognized. He illustrates how despite historical similarities, racial and ethnic groups have been pitted against one another, and their historical presence denied. Yet, he points out, their influences and contributions to society are evident everywhere. He argues that recognizing the value of their experiences allows for an enlightened understanding of our common history and the tensions and struggles evident among racial and ethnic groups today.

Multiple Choice Questions 1. According to Takaki’s analysis of history, America: a. only recently became multicultural. * b. has always been multicultural. c. has been influenced by only the European settlers. d. has maintained a homogeneous populace.

2. The cab driver spoke expressed a widely shared sense of history that views American as: * a. European in ancestry. b. inclusive of all racial and ethnic groups. c. all United States citizens. d. none of these

3. In Takaki’s “A Different Mirror,” the Rodney King beating illustrates: a. the conflict between the haves and have nots in society. b. the role of media in society. * c. America’s intensifying racial crisis. d. the need for reform of the criminal justice system.

4. Takaki points out that slavery and the Civil Rights Movement serve as: a. scars on America’s past. * b. reminders of America’s goal of freedom. c. evidence of hardship and suffering among Americans. d. none of these

33 5. According to Takaki, the immigration experience of the Chinese: * a. set a precedent for the restriction of European immigrant groups. b. reflects the openness of America’s doors to immigrant groups. c. differed from the immigrant experience among European immigrants. d. none of these

6. According to Takaki, the Chicano experience is unique in that: a. Chicanos have settled predominantly in the North. b. most all Chicanos are initially illegal immigrants. * c. their presence in the United States is the result of colonization and immigration. d. none of these

7. Takaki points out that the Irish were denied acceptance by dominant society because of their: a. political activity. b. whiteness. * c. religion. d. none of these

8. Takaki examines how the Jewish immigrant’s view of America as a promised land led to: * a. their participation in the fight for equal rights for other oppresses groups. b. their acceptance by dominant society. c. their rapid return to their homeland. d. none of these

9. According to Takaki, the encounters between Indians and Whites: a. illustrates the pluralism evident in American society. b. reflects the complete assimilation achieved by racial and ethnic groups in U.S. society. * c. shaped the course of race relations in America. d. none of these

10. Takaki maintains that the history and influence of all groups in America: * a. offer a concreteness to the founding national principle of equality. b. creates a conflict of interest between minority and dominant groups. c. reflect the racial harmony evident in society today. d. none of these

Essay and Discussion Questions 1. What does Takaki mean by “a different mirror”? 2. According to Takaki, what is the dominant view of America’s racial history? 3. Briefly describe the experiences and contributions of African Americans, Asian Americans, Chicanos, Irish, Jews, and American Indians as racial and ethnic groups with in the United States. 4. Identify similarities and differences in the experiences of African Americans, Asian Americans, Chicanos, Irish, Jews, and American Indians.

34 5. According to Takaki, what is the benefit in understanding the history of racial and ethnic groups within the United States?

Internet Sites and Questions for Further Study Numbers USA http://numbersusa.com 1. According to this organization, what is the future of immigration? 2. How is this point of view reflected in the history and influence of previous immigrant groups?

United Food and Commercial Workers Union on Immigration Issues www. ufcw.org / issues /immigration 1. Describe a few of the issues presented regarding immigration.

InfoTrac Exercises

Race, Class and the Dilemmas of Upward Mobility for African Americans Journal of Social Issues Winter 2003, 59, 4 (785) – Elizabeth R. Cole and Safiya R. Omari Using the concept of intersectionality, the authors explore the meanings of social class and upward mobility in the lives of African Americans. What do the authors pay particular attention to education? What are some hidden costs of mobility?

Predictors of Feminist Social Identity among College Women Sex Roles: A Journal of Research December 1997, 37, 11-12 (861) – Larissa Myaskovshy and Michele Anderisin Wittig In this article, the authors found substantial differences between white women and women of color in their willingness to social identify as a feminist. What factors might explain the reluctance of women of color to social identify as feminist?

InfoTrac Key Word Search Terms

Key word: Marginalization. Based on student searches of selected articles, what insights are gained regarding the marginalization of women? How are women marginalized in the American culture? Compare the global and cross-cultural marginalization of women to American women. How is the global marginalization of women challenged in various other cultures in areas such as information technology and the economy, and in service careers, such as the dentistry?

Explore global marginalization by race. Discuss the variations within cultures, as well the history of marginalization and discrimination.