Almost everything is political. However, we don’t always see the areas beyond demonstrations, protests, debates, elections, and fights on social media. Areas that might not be seen as political include schools, communities, and workplaces, since they all require decisions to be made that can affect the places where you work, play and live. The purpose of this assignment is to invite you to reflect on the variety of political areas in your community and life, and consider the extent that they have influenced your political perspective.
You will write a paper (at least 2 full pages long) that discusses your answers to at least one (1) of following questions:
Have any major issues (including but not limited to Hurricane Katrina, the 2008 Recession, etc.) affected you or your family? What other issues play a role in your life (such as the cost of healthcare, education, housing, etc.) – and what might make them ‘political’?
In what ways is the quality of your life affected by the decisions of the government (at the local, state, and national level)?
Some scholars believe that schooling in the US (K-12 education) is more concerned with conformity and obedience (getting students to follow routines, rules, and repeat information), rather than teaching self and social empowerment and democratic values. What was your experience in education previously (either K-12 or before entering this class)? To what extent do you feel you were educated well-enough to participate in a democratic society?
Political issues are inevitable whenever someone or an institution make decisions. In your school or workplace, which decisions should be left to experts and which decisions should be made by students/employees? What distinguishes the two types of decisions?
What issues are important to you and why (education, healthcare, climate change, immigration, etc.)? What do you think you can do to address them? What do you want to see result from you and others’ actions?
Guidelines for Paper
Reflection on politics – 80%
The paper should provide insight into the role politics plays in your life.
The paper should provide an answer to one of the questions listed above.
Must meet standards for organization, grammar, and format – 20%
The essay should make sure that your reader is not lost because of unclear sentences, confusing structure, or poor spelling. Proofread your essay please.
The essay must be in MLA Format: 12pt. Times New Roman font, 1” margins, double-spaced, information in top-left, titled, etc.