SW 500/501 Writing Workshop #1
Brought to you by the SSW Writing Team:
Jim Leighty
SocW 500 Day Subject Tutor
Gina Mendoza
SocW 500 (EDP) Subject Tutor
Erin Harrop
SocW 501 Subject Tutor
Julia Schneider
MSW Day/BASW Writing Tutor
Jenny Walden
EDP Writing Tutor
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HUB Assignment #1:
Social Justice Analysis
of a Current Issue
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500: Social Justice Analysis
• What is this paper all about?
• Choose a currently contentious issue, describe it,
analyze it using course readings, and conclude by
articulating your position
• Critical analysis, not just a summary of articles or
concepts
• An opportunity to connect the theories you’ve been
reading about to everyday life
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500: Picking your topic
• Pick a topic with
recent media
coverage
• Pick something where
you can find lots of
different discourse
(strong opinions on
multiple sides)
• Consult with your
instructor as needed
• Examples
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Affordable Care Act
Same-sex marriage
Charter schools
Immigration reform
Gun control
Public funding of family
planning services
Food stamp eligibility
Access to reproductive
health services
Responses to climate
change
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500: Applicable Readings
• Suggested readings
• Pay special attention
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to Sessions 2-3
Fraser, N.
Harvey, D.
Reisch, M.
Rawls, J.
Sandel, M.
Steger & Roy. Ch 1-2
Taylor, G. Social
democracy.
Young, I. M.
Glenn
• It is very important to
tie your issue to the
readings and theories;
make connections
• Theories: liberalism,
neo-liberalism, social
democracy, socialism,
Marxism, social
justice perspectives
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500: Potential Sources
As you work through the theoretical readings, the challenge is to
apply how theory/ideology informs the current discourse related to
your issue.
• Court Decisions
•
•
At the local, state, appeals and US Supreme Court levels
See amicus briefs
• Sunday morning talk shows, esp. if a “round table”
format (This Week, Face the Nation, Meet the Press)
• Cable news networks (MSNBC, Fox News)
• Think tanks
• Pew Research Center (www.pewresearch.org)
• The Heritage Foundation (www.heritage.org)
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500: Potential Sources
• Newspaper opinion/editorial sections
• Opinion: written by a member of newspaper’s editorial
•
•
•
•
board
Editorial: written by someone not affiliated with editorial
board, e.g., a community member or a candidate for office
The Washington Post (www.washingtonpost.com)
The New York Times (www.nytimes.com); 10 free
articles/month
The Wall Street Journal (http://online.wsj.com/home-page);
limited free articles
• US History
• http://www.animatedatlas.com/timelineexp.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_United_States_history
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500: Paper Format
• Format (5-7 pages total, double-spaced)
• Number of pages listed are guidelines, not absolutes; focus on
content
• Introduction (2 pages)
• Incorporate readings and background information to briefly
summarize the issue; first one side and then the other
• Analysis (bulk of your paper; 3-4 pages)
• Analyze the public discourse; describe different
perspectives; apply theories and readings (Note: first
present one side of the debate and then present the other
side.)
• Conclusion (1-2 pages)
• Take a position and explain why; anchor your position with
theories and readings
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500: Paper Format & Sample Paper
• As a group, we'll work through a student’s paper
section by section. First, we'll introduce the model
for what should be included in that section. Then
we'll refer to the student’s paper and discuss how
the student successfully followed the model.
• We've also noted some citation issues to review.
• Important: The prompt has changed since this
paper was written. Use the current prompt!
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500: Introduction
• Introduction
• Summarize the issue: assume your reader knows
nothing about it. You must be concise.
• More than one source per side
• Identify the social problem: Why is this a social
problem? What are the proposed solutions?
• Use factual information here – you are informing
the reader, NOT presenting your position.
• Cite your sources, this is not an editorial
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500: Sample Introduction
Same-sex marriage is a point of cultural, legal and religious tension
in America. It first became an issue of public policy in 1993, when
a Hawaiian court found that the state's constitution required "a
compelling a reason not to extend to gays equal marriage rights"
(“A brief history, ” para 6). Since then, issues of same-sex
marriage, civil unions, domestic partnerships, and gay rights have
become a constant topic of cultural debate, and one that has
played out in both the courtrooms and the voting booths. With the
exception of the U.S. Congress passage of the Defense of
Marriage Act in 1996 (which prevented homosexual couples from
receiving the benefits traditionally conferred by marriage), most of
the legal battles for same-sex marriage have occurred in individual
states, leading to arguments about proper passage for such bills
(i.e. voter approval vs. judicial review) and what role the state
should play, if any, in promoting social justice.
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500: Analysis
• Analysis
Present/articulate one party’s argument
• Using the sources you found, present arguments on one
side of the issue.
• Direct quotes are helpful here, but you can paraphrase
(assuming you do so with fidelity to author’s original intent!)
• Identify the party’s underlying ideology
• Use the HUB readings to identify the theoretical foundation
for the argument
• This is your opinion of the underlying ideology – there isn’t
necessarily a “right” answer, but you must defend your
analysis
• Present the other side
•
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500: Analysis Example
See
bottom
of p. 5
STATEMENT IN THE
MEDIA:
In an editorial for the
Seattle Times, community
member Arnie Bishop
specifically addresses the
importance of
Referendum 71, saying,
“With two children to
raise, we are especially
cognizant of the security
that equal access to rights
regarding Social Security,
inheritance, pension and
custody would bring to our
family” (Bishop, 2009).
THEORETICAL
FOUNDATION:
While neo-liberal arguments
against same-sex marriage tend
to focus on the power of
negative liberty and state
intervention, social liberals
accept moderate state
intervention in social affairs if it
can “enhance the freedom of
the individual and to secure the
good of the community” (Taylor,
2006). Liberal arguments focus
on the protection that R-71
provides to families of same-sex
partners and its importance for
societal stability – not on its
implications for social justice.
One basic tenet of liberalism is
the pursuit of “equality of
opportunities” rather than
“equality of outcomes” (p. #).
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500: Analysis Example
STATEMENT IN THE MEDIA:
See
bottom
of p. 2
Responding to Iowa’s samesex marriage ruling on ABC’s
This Week, former Speaker
of the House Newt Gingrich
expressed concerns about
the state taking an active
role in distributing justice,
rather than doing so through
voter-approved measures.
He said, “there is not a single
case of the state not
ultimately deciding in favor of
traditional marriage if it’s a
popular vote. . . it's very
dangerous for the country to
have the judiciary become
the chief agent of social
change” (“Gingrich: the fix is
in,” 2009).
THEORETICAL FOUNDATION:
Gingrich’s assertion that big
government should not be a
tool for social reform echoes
classic neo-liberal ideology,
which warns against the
state’s involvement in moral
affairs. Taylor (2006)
expands upon this idea,
writing, “For neo-liberals, it
makes no sense for the state
to promote social justice.
Such ideas are thought to
run counter to the natural
order of things and tend to
be designed by those who
have very little
understanding of the values See
embraced by their fellow
pp.2
-3
citizens.”
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500: Conclusion
• Conclusion
• Present/articulate YOUR argument
• Do any of the frames represent your position on
the issue?
o If so, why? If not, why not? (If “why not” make
sure you also affirmative explain your own
position)
• Maintain your commitment to “scholarly” writing –
yes, this is your opinion, but you still must
reinforce it with the readings
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500: Sample Conclusion
See p.8
Because the state has such an active role in managing marriage, I believe
that legalization of same-sex marriage must come from the state itself, not
from popular vote . . . I agree with social democrats that it is necessary for
the government to take an active role in preserving equality, if for no other
reason than it ensures a healthier, more stable society . . . Rawls points
out that, from a social democratic perspective, “expanding the range of
opportunities open to people therefore ‘. . . not only subtracts from
inequality, but adds to freedom’” (Taylor, 2006). Regardless of their
ideological differences, neo-liberals, liberals and social democrats see
value in preserving individual freedom and state stability. Because samesex marriage enhances both the former and (by association) the latter,
there is a legal and moral imperative to allow it, and one that requires
government intervention.
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500: Final Thoughts
• Best specific
o Who said what…who is speaking, their position, etc.
o Avoid generalities
• Avoid an overly reductionist approach
o If ideas are murky, say so and explain why rather than over-simplifying
• Quotes are good, but don’t over-use
• Organization – use section headings
• APA Questions?
• See Purdue OWL
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
• UW Libraries’ citation guides
http://guides.lib.washington.edu/citations
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Remember the basic rule of
successful writing:
• Tell the reader what you’re going to tell them.
• Tell them.
• Tell them what you just told them
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Make an appointment for 500 papers
• Day
Jim
oThursdays: 8:30am – 12:30pm
oFridays: 12:30 – 4:30 pm
oAdditional evening times may be available
ojleighty@uw.edu
oMeet in SSW 238 (Writing Alcove)
o
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Make an appointment for 500 papers
• EDP
o Gina
o Tuesdays: 10-12, 5-6pm (Drop-in - Research Commons)
o Wednesdays: 3-6pm
o Fridays: (10/18, 11/15, & 11/29) by appointment
o Saturdays - 3:00-7pm (4 hours)
oAdditional times may be available
ogmendoza@uw.edu
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