Class Divided Political Science Essay

• Be sure to fully follow all assignment guidelines
• Give your paper a title
• 900 words minimum (type the final word count under your name on your paper)
• 7 paragraphs minimum – be sure to have an introductory paragraph and a concluding paragraph. Having more than eight paragraphs is OK.
• WRITE IN YOUR OWN WORDS – COPYING FROM THE INTERNET, AI, ETC. WILL GET YOU A GRADE OF ZERO

FOR 24 HOURS ONLY, you will walk in a different pair of socio-political shoes. You can give yourself more socio-political power (more privilege) or less socio-political power (less privilege), it’s your choice. Remember, you are still the same person, with the same talents, abilities, education, skills, etc. You have the same family and friends – unless they dump you. In the main, you simply look different than yesterday—if your body type changes to an extreme degree, you might have less (or more) physical ability or appeal to others in the wider society. With these changes, will the world treat the altered you with more respect or less? Explain why this would be so.

CHANGING YOUR POLITICAL PROFILE – ONE DAY IN YOUR ALTERED LIFE

To help you understand the assignment, watch these film clips:

1. This clip is narrated by Tim Wise, activist an author of several books, including “White Like Me.” This name was inspired the novel “Black Like Me,” by John Howard Griffin, a white journalist who traveled through the South as himself, and then darkened his skin and once again traveled through the South to see what social changes he might experience with a “changed” race. As you might imagine, the second trip was not the same as the first. Wise comments on some scenes from a film based on Griffin’s book.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3_PbqQlmxk

Black Like Me clip:

https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=560734445&q=black+like+me+film&tbm=vid&source=lnms&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=2ahUKEwjJu-jykYCBAxVyHkQIHUJ-CsAQ0pQJegQICxAB&biw=1277&bih=618&dpr=2.2#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:cefa6098,vid:uTJDWPIy2eo

1. This third clip comes from the film “Pretty Woman.” The change here is going to be class. Julia Roberts’ character, a prostitute, tries to purchase clothing at a Beverly Hills boutique and is asked to leave the store. In the movie’s plot, Roberts’ character gets a “makeover” and revisits the store. As you might imagine, the second trip was not the same as the first.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxcU4q6KLyA

In both of these clips, the people themselves did not change. At their core, they were EXACTLY the same. Their exteriors changed, and for this they received drastically different treatment and lowered levels respect from members of the wider society.

GUIDELINES FOR THE WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT:

Watch this film:

• “A Class Divided” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mcCLm_LwpE

FOLLOW THE FORMAT PRECISELY

Put a space between each paragraph

1. Introductory paragraph — what is the essay going to be about?

1. In Paragraphs No. 2, No. 3, No. 4 – summarize ‘A Class Divided.’ Be sure to include detailed summary and commentary on ALL three segments of the film, which should be in their own separate paragraphs: (1) the third-grade classroom, (2) the prison classroom, (3) the workshop training for the correctional officers. Why did Jane Elliott conduct her experiment? Explain the collars, who wore them and why. Which of the three groups wore the collars? What was the inspiration for Elliott’s experiment? Include specific commentary from the 3^rd What did they say? Include specific examples of behavior changes of the 3^rd graders – from what to what, and why? Summarize the prison class portion. Provide at least three specific examples of prison class commentary. Summarize the correctional officers workshop training. Who wore the collars? Give specific examples of what those in the collars said and did. Did the responses of any of the participants surprise you? Why or why not? Include the gum incident — what is your response to this? Be specific. Write a response to the debriefing session at the end of the workshop. Explain what happened in this divided room? Who spoke out? What did they say? Write your own responses to the film. What did you think about the events that took place in each segment?

1. Paragraph No. 5 – Who are you today? To establish a baseline profile for comparison with the next section, describe your real, actual self. YOU NEED TO DESCRIBE IN DETAIL THE REAL, ACTUAL, YOU – AS YOU ARE RIGHT NOW. Do not make this up. I need to know who you are, the real and actual you, before I can understand the changes you make.

1. IN BETWEEN Paragraph No. 5 and Paragraph No. 6, like John Griffin, you will create, on paper, a “changed you” that will last for 24 hours.
2. (And then you’ll go back to your real self.)

1. Now, bullet-point and listthe changes from at least 4 different categories on the list below (if you put four things about body configuration, for example: eye color, height, hair, IQ, mental/physical ability – these only count as one because they are all from the same category)
2. John Griffin only ‘changed’ his race. Julia Roberts only “changed” her social class. You will need to list the category and the 4 specific “changes.”FOLLOW THIS FORMAT EXACTLY OR YOU WILL LOSE POINTS.
3. 1. Using this exact terminology, put your changes in a list that looks like this:
   • Change 1 – (category) from what to what?
   • Change 2 – (category) from what to what?
   • Change 3 – (category) from what to what?
   • Change 4 – (category) from what to what?

   Examples: • Change 1: Race, white to black (do not put light skin to dark, which could be a sun tan and is not acceptable ––you need to be racially specific)

   • Change 2: Body configuration, from 5’5” to 6’5” (short to tall is not acceptable; be specific on the measurement of change or it won’t count, and your grade will go down)

   FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES EXACLY FOR SETTING UP YOUR CHANGESYOUR CHOICES:Pick 4 of these 8 political markers:RaceClassGender/sexual orientationReligionBody configurationAgePolitical partyImmigration statusNext, in Paragraph No. 6 after you have completed the minimum of four bullet-pointed changes, continue now in paragraph form and describe a 24-hour day in your new life. To get you started, think about these and other things:

   • Will you receive more respect from your family or less?
   • As you go about your day, will people in society give your more respect or less respect? Or the same?
   • Are you perceived to have more influence or less?
   • Are you perceived to have more leadership capabilities or less?
   • Where will you be welcome? Where will you not be welcome?
   • What relationships (family/friends/neighbors) might change?
   • How might a job interview go?
   • Would it be easier or more difficult to get a date?
   • Would it be easier or harder in your place of work?
   • Would shopping at the mall be different?
   • Or going out to a restaurant?
   • Or buying a car?
   • Or getting an apartment?
   • Or getting a taxi?
   • Or getting help if your car broke down?
   • Or getting assistance in a retail store?
   • Or you more or less likely to get pulled over in a car? Or no difference?

   Will the changes you made be an overall socio-political advantage or a disadvantage? Explain why. You are, after all, the same person. Shouldn’t the ‘new’ you get the same treatment as the ‘old’ you? If not, why not? Give lots of examples. You’re still you. From the time you get up and have breakfast to the time you brush your teeth and go to bed, what would change?Finally, Paragraph No. 7 is your concluding paragraph that wraps up your 24-hour “experience.” What are your thoughts and comments? Why do you suppose there is a social hierarchy that puts people in a power order? What give some people more power than others? What are your thoughts on this? THIS IS NOT A CREATIVE WRITING ASSIGNMENTThis exercise is designed to make you think of what life would be like if your political profile were suddenly different. On paper, you are following in John Griffin’s social/political footsteps. Just like the students in Jane Elliot’s class, you are the same person. You are still you on the inside. Only the perception of your exterior –– and the power and privilege it brings –– has changed.

   • Consider your life if you woke up tomorrow morning with:
   • A different ethnicity
   • A big change in your bank account (say a zero balance or a $1 million balance)
   • A different sex/gender (gay, straight, transgender, etc.)
   • A different religion (a new one, or becoming atheist, etc.)
   • A radical body change (i.e.: height, weight, disability, mega brain power, tattoos, etc.)
   • A significant change to your age (much older or younger)
   • A different party affiliation (Republican, Democrat, Tea Party, Communist, etc.)

   What would your 24-hour experience be like? Would you like it, or hate it, or some of both?This is not a creative writing exercise. You are still you. Your exterior will appear different. If you are not married today, you will not be married for your 24 hours. If you don’t have children today, you will not have children for your 24 hours. If you are not a doctor, lawyer, accountant, etc., today, you will not be any of these things for your 24 hours.