Learning Goal: I’m working on a american studies report and need the explanation and answer to help me learn.

Final Reflection Paper

OUTCOMES AND OBJECTIVES

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Discuss and analyze contemporary issues in American politics, such as the Black Lives Matter movement, climate change, the Iraq War, and the Great Recession, among others.
• Apply critical thinking and analytical skills through written work, class discussions and class presentations.
• Identify how to effectively participate in politics at the national, state, and local/city level.

OBJECTIVES

• To connect politics to the real world through writing.
• To reflect on key political terms, concepts, and ideas learned throughout the course, and how they apply to our lives.

ASSIGNMENT OVERVIEW

As you have seen throughout the course, almost everything is political. We discussed the foundations of the US, especially the Constitution, and the major institutions of the federal government. We examined the processes through which people participate and become informed about the political process, and the attitudes and beliefs of Americans. We reviewed mass movements, the rights and liberties that many groups have fought for, and the types of policies that have shaped the US economically and socially, and our relationship with the rest of the world. Many of these issues have affected your life to some extent, and future events will continue to affect you and your community. In this assignment, I invite you to reflect on the course and the things you learned, which may have changed your perspective.

ASSIGNMENT DIRECTIONS

You will write a paper (2-3 pages long) that discusses your answers to at least one (1) of following questions:

• What did you take away from the course? What part of the course was the most informative? What do you want to keep learning more about in the future?
• In what ways is the quality of your life tied to decisions made by elected officials? What could you do to reach out to them if you had an issue you wanted them to address? Should more people hold their elected officials accountable for the decisions they make?
• As we touched on the first reflection paper, some scholars believe that schooling in the US is more concerned with conformity and obedience than teaching self and social empowerment and democratic values. Do most Americans then conform to dominant ideas about the world that they have been told because they have been raised to follow orders? If so, what do you feel we need to do to educate people in our society well-enough to participate in a democratic system, or to produce the changes you envision?
• Which theory of American Politics is a more accurate reflection of our reality: Pluralist Theory or Elite Theory? What are they missing that you believe is important to understand US politics?
• We have seen the growth and mergers of large corporations over the last several decades, and the increased power they have over our lives. From what you learned throughout the course, how is this cause for concern? What can and should Americans do about this?
• What major issues are important to you now that you’ve learned more about American politics (such as education, healthcare, climate change, immigration, etc.)? What do you think you can do to address them? What benefits do you want to see from your efforts?

You can revisit what you wrote about in your first paper, but don’t repeat verbatim what you wrote in your initial reflection paper! I really want you to reflect on the course and what you learned; I’m certain you are taking something away from this course that is worth reflecting on.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

You can submit a Microsoft Word document (.doc, .docx) or PDF file (.pdf) by uploading it to Canvas, or copy/pasting your essay in the submission box below.

Do not copy/paste links to Google Docs or another website!

GRADING & FEEDBACK

The following guidelines will apply to this paper:

Reflection on politics – 85%

• The paper should provide insight into the role politics plays in your life.
• The paper should provide an answer to one of the questions listed above.

Must meet standards for organization, grammar, and format – 15%

• The essay should make sure that your reader is not lost because of unclear sentences, confusing structure, or poor spelling. Proofread your essay please.
• The essay must be in MLA Format: 12pt. Times New Roman font, 1” margins, double-spaced, information in top-left, titled, etc.

Students should expect to receive a grade for the assignment within 1 week. Substantive feedback will not be provided, but general comments will be provided with the assignment grade.