Directions for the U.S. Cultures paper:
I like to give students a choice in their education. Therefore, you may choose to do
EITHER the U.S. Cultures paper, OR take the fourth exam, but not both. Either one
gives you the same 50 points. In other words, you may substitute the fourth exam
for the paper depending on your personal interests.
If you chose the exam, simply take the exam. If you select the paper, do not start the
exam. You cannot open the exam and then decide you want to do the paper.
Opening the exam, even by mistake, commits you to taking the exam. If you do both;
the score on the exam will be used, not the score on the paper.
The only deadline for this decision is the last day for submitting the paper or the
exam at the end of the quarter. You may decide anytime during the quarter, and
there is no need to let me know, simply continue with your choice.
Additional directions for the paper:
The paper will need to be:
1. Twenty pages long or more (single spaced) with one-inch margins in twelve-point
type.
2. No cover sheet.
3. Put your name of the top of the first page
4. Include all footnotes and references for all items discussed
5. The paper must include all five of the U.S. Cultures learning objectives and two
sub-objectives for each of the major ones as indicated in the syllabus.
6. Send your paper as an attachment to my NSC email on or before the date listed on
the course calendar in the syllabus.
As with other term papers, you will need to research these topics on your own with
the help of our NSC library and databases.
This paper is worth 50 points, the same as a midterm exam.
You will need to include all five of the outcomes below in your paper, and include at
least two subtopics in each outcome.
Outcome 1: Examine the relationship between U.S. ideals and realities
a) Discuss the meaning of U.S. ideals such as freedom, equality, justice, and opportunity
and explore the relationships among them.
b) Examine the founding documents of the U.S. government such as the Declaration of
Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.
c) Examine U.S. popular culture and media for (salient/dominant) values and ideals.
d) Define the meaning of the U.S. work ethic and explore its relationship to socioeconomic status.
e) Explore, describe, and analyze the disparities in the U.S. society based on race,
ethnicity, gender, age, class, sexuality, and abilities.
f) Analyze any gaps between the rhetoric and the realities.
Outcome 2: Analyze how human differences of race, class, and gender are socially
constructed into hierarchy in the context of the U.S.
a) Define and discuss theories of social construction
b) Apply critical thinking skills to examine the historical and cultural roots of
stereotypes/images and overgeneralizations.
c) Recognize the assumptions, perspectives, evidence, implications, premises, and
conclusions in texts such as readings, films, television shows, and advertising.
d) Distinguish facts from opinions
e) Develop explanations of hierarchies using logical reasoning and evidence (empirical
data/studies).
f) Relate findings about hierarchies to cultural stereotypes, overgeneralizations, and
assumptions.
Outcome 3: Reflect on how one’s own attitudes, perspectives, beliefs are shaped by
one’s own cultural, ethnic, and racial heritage, by gender, by age, by class, by sexual
orientation, and by abilities.
a) Exploring through writing how one’s own personal experiences might be shaped by
these factors.
b) Examine a variety of readings (literature, non-fiction, historical accounts, personal
narratives/memoirs) in which authors consider the influence of these factors on attitudes,
perspectives, and beliefs.
c) Examine the origins of individuals’ beliefs, attitudes, and viewpoints.
d) Examine the implications of different forms of knowledge for such self-reflection.
Outcome 4: Compare and/or relate the experiences of at least three U.S. cultural
groups, two of which must be non-European.
a) Explore the possible relationships among cultural groups being studied within
specific contexts (such as immigration, class, gender, migration patterns, historical
periods).
b) Emphasize the complexities of each cultural group to avoid over-simplification and
stereotyping.
c) Examine the international dimensions of U.S. cultural groups.
Outcome 5: Demonstrate the ability to deal constructively with information, ideas,
and emotions associated with issues of cultural diversity and conflict.
a) Analyze and discuss texts (films, books, articles, visual images) that challenge
common assumptions and/or present competing perspectives.
b) Post 20 interactive discussions focusing on working closely together to deal
constructively with differences and conflicts.
To help you with this paper, your text discusses the major groups, countries,
religions and related topics presented below. You may find the page numbers for
each item in the subject index. Also, our NSC library and databases will be helpful.
You may substitute the fourth exam for the U.S. Cultures paper.
Before starting this paper, you must read the “Directions” in the “Start Here” section
of the course website.
Major groups, countries, topics, and religions discussed in the text.
Major groups:
African Americans
Asian Americans
Caribbean Americans
European Americans
Hispanic Americans
Japanese Americans
Latinos
Mexican Americans
Native Americans
Individual countries discussed in the
text:
Afghanistan
Eastern Europe
Africa
Ecuador
Bangladesh
Egypt
Belgium
England
Chile
Ethiopia
China
Finland
Colombia
France
Croatia
Germany
Czech Republic
Great Britain
East Asia
Greece
Guatemala
Hungary
India
Indonesia
Iran
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Japan
Jordan
North America
Northern Ireland
Norway
Pakistan
Panama
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Saudi Arabia
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovak Republic
Slovenia
Kenya
Korea
Latvia
Malaysia
Mexico
Netherlands
New Guinea
New Zealand
Nigeria
North Africa
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Russia
South Africa
South Asia
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sweden
Uganda
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Viet Nam
Additional related topics:
Cultural patterns
Multicultural development
Culture
Muslims
Ethnic group
Prejudice
Ethnic identity
Stereotypes
Ethnicity
Race
Gay Marriage
Racial prejudice
Gay partners
Racism
Gender
Same-sex couples
Homosexuality
Same-sex marriages
Lesbian partners
Same-sex parents
Religions:
Hinduism
Islam
Judaism
Roman Catholicism
Taoism
Academic journals in PycARTICLES database at NSC
Asian American Journal of Psychology
Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology,