Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Assignment Due Tuesday, February 12, 1008

Systems of Power and Inequality -- Articles 13 & 14


 

Multiple Choice

Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.


 

____    1.    As explained in "Tired of Playing Monopoly?", the classless society is a myth which:

a. 

does not create invisible tokens of success. 

b. 

creates hope through tokenism perpetuating a hierarchical system. 

c. 

does not entrench the middle and upper class in privilege. 

d. 

dispels the rags-to-riches myth. 


 


 

____    2.    Langston points out working class people are often grouped together and stereotyped, but distinctions can be made among the working class such as:

a. 

working and non-working. 

b. 

none working and able-bodied. 

c. 

working poor and poor. 

d. 

all of the above


 


 

____    3.    Langston believes attacks on the welfare system and those who live on welfare are a good example of ____in action.

a. 

money 

b. 

power 

c. 

authority 

d. 

classism 


 


 

____    4.    Langston compares the complaints and beliefs that welfare recipients are cheaters to:

a. 

middle class support groups. 

b. 

middle class income tax cheaters. 

c. 

middle class tax evaders. 

d. 

middle class action groups. 


 


 

____    5.    Shapiro calls the unearned, inherited wealth that lifts a family economically and socially beyond where their own achievements, jobs and earnings would place them:

a. 

wealth utilization 

b. 

legacy assets 

c. 

racial hierarchy 

d. 

transformative assets 


 


 

____    6.    The average middle-income, two-parent family now works the equivalent of 16 more weeks than it did in 1979 due to:

a. 

longer hours 

b. 

second jobs 

c. 

working spouses 

d. 

all of the above 

e. 

none of the above 


 


 

Essay


 

    7.    What is class? How is it manifested in society?


 

    8.    What are some of the ways class affects people's lives and identities?


 

    9.    What suggestions does Langston make for challenging classism?


 

    10.    Consider the following statement: "By examining income, we can see the declining economic significance of race." Would Shapiro support or refute this statement? Please explain your answer using examples from the article.


 

Short Answer


 

    11.    Internet Sites and Further Questions:


 

For Article #13:


 

U.S. Census Bureau Poverty Statistics

http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty.html

1. How is poverty measured by the federal government?

2. What is the present state of poverty? How does this comapre to years past?


 

For Article #14:


 

Racial Segregation in the US

http://www.umich.edu/~lawrace/seg.htm (if you have trouble typing in this site because of the symbol right before the work "lawrace", simply google "Racial Segregation in the US UMich" and the site will pop up)


 

1. Pick several metropolitan regions and examine the racial segregation of each city. What patterns do you see?

2. What do you notice about the income distribution within the segregated areas?


 

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