ES 3950
Problem #3INSTITUTIONAL RACISM
at
WMU
Possible 100 points
Objectives –
• Develop proficiency with the Little Red Schoolhouse principles when writing
• Analyze the meaning, intent, and effects of educational institutions, including schools,
• Appreciate the various ways, subtle as well as conspicuous, in which bias and injustice manifest in social life and schooling, and continue to exert influence in social institutions,
• Develop and articulate policy-making perspectives and skills in searching for resolutions to educational problems and issues,
• (each group will determine at least one more objective)
• (each individual will determine at least one more personal objective)Problem –
Just about everyone knows what racism is. Researchers have called what most people think is racism as personal or individual racism because you identify it through individuals’ actions and speech. At least since the 1960s, however, researchers have recognized another kind of racism which they have called "institutional racism," or sometimes “systemic” or “silent” racism. This form of racism is much harder to identify because it comes from cultural and social ways of understanding the world, not individuals. Many writers say this form of racism is much more insidious than personal racism because it is harder to slough off. Without even knowing it is present, regardless of what race you are, it will warp your views of other people and relationships. Thus, in America, we can encounter institutions that engage in racist, or racially-biased practices, even though every person in that institution personally is not racist, will not tolerate racism, and, indeed, works hard to eliminate racism.Your problem is to explain in a medium-length paper how institutional racism is working here at WMU right now in this university, the College of Education, and even in this classroom. I choose Western because it is handy, not because I think it suffers more from this disease than elsewhere. What can we do to stop it or at least minimize its effects? How much does it affect white students as well as black students, Hispanic students and other minorities? To what extent are the instructors and professors to blame for this problem? How much are the students--white students, black students and all others--mixed up in the perpetuation of this kind of racism? Your investigation needs to proceed through a two-pronged approach :
1. You need to acquire a thorough understanding of what institutional racism is in general 2. Then investigate the specific problems and solutions WMU has by exploring, in fact mining, the various webpages put together by the office of Institutional Research, particularly the pages on enrollment, retention, degrees conferred and faculty. Also see this Message from Vice Pres. Warfield.
Requirements for Paper:
Your paper must be between 6-8 pages long including no fewer than 8 reliable, trustworthy scholarly sources that you actually quote or paraphrase in the paper.
Use citations to identify where specific ideas or words come from. When one of your ideas corresponds to what one of your sources says, cite it and use the author as your subject in the appropriate sentences. (e.g. “Nozig writes…”) Mimic how the research articles you read cite their sources, including interviews. I will provide more helpful strategies when appropriate.
Write one coherent essay clearly divided by headings and blank spaces into sections (just as your sources do). Do not divide your essay by addressing each question separately. Blend such answers together and divide them by the natural course of your reasoning.
Remember you are writing a persuasive scholarly paper. That is, your goal in writing each paper is to persuade the reader that your main point is true. You are persuading the reader how to think about this subject. You are not covering a topic!
>>>All of the standard expectations: 12-pt. Arial font, double-spaced, one-inch margins on all sides. Strive to use all the principles of the LRS.
>>>You must submit your papers as email attachments to Jerry at gerald.pillsbury@wmich.edu using the proper email identification string:
Group Letter, Your Last Name, Problem #.
Include the following forms, in the following order: each on separate pages of the same single document,
1.
2.
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Your paper,
4.
Your group's rubric for evaluating the functioning of the group, filled out,
5.
6.
7.
Remember turn in just one long document!
Send comments regarding this page to: gerald.pillsbury@wmich.edu
Last revised: October 31, 2011