Ethnic Studies
Ms. Portman

Stories
Read "Breaking Silences: Brushing Against the Grain" (27-28)
The essays from this anthology and many of the other readings are stories. Think about how stories can change society. Write a short story (2-3 pages typed double-spaced) about a personal experience you have had which brings up issues of ethnicity. Be prepared to read your story to the class.

Multiculturalism vs. The Melting Pot
In A Larger Memory, read "Introduction" (155-160) and "Creating a Community of a Larger Memory" (345-353). Also read the supplementary handout "Mixed Like Me" by David Bernstein.
Much of A Larger Memory deals with the theme of a multicultural society. Why does Takaki argue that we must recognize and celebrate a multicultural vision of American society? Do you think this multicultural perspective fragments the United States into many subgroups or join Americans together? What does Bernstein have to say about multiculturalism? Be prepared to defend and challenge the need for multicultural education-what are the benefits and what are the possible problems.

Helplessness in Society
Read "From Sunup to Sundown: Laboring in the Cotton Fields" (79-83) and "After Slavery: A Personal Account of the New Bondage" (102-111)
Having taken American history, you should all be familiar with the circumstances around slavery. How does the story of this man's experience after slavery show that life was not always better for African Americans once they were "free?" Why is this story significant to history? What are some examples of patterns of helplessness that exist in our society today?

American Experiences
Read "Strangers From a Different Shore: The Chinese" (129-132), "How Can I Call This My Home?" by Lee Chew (133-138) and "A Chance to Take Care of Myself: A Chinese-American Daughter" (145-151)

Even though Lee Chew and the Chinese-American daughter both share a Chinese heritage, their experiences and views about the United States are very different. Why do you think they had such different experiences? What does living in the US mean to each of them? What does living in the US mean to you?

Assimilation
Read "Beyond the Pale: Jewish Immigrants in a Promised Land" (161-164) and "Dear Editor: Letters from Jewish America- Problems and Advice" (174-187)

How does the role of assimilation play into some of the conflicts and struggles that existed among immigrant Jewish parents and their American born children? Why does it appear as if many Jews turned more secular once they came to the United States? How has this changed Judaism over time? Has your family experienced any assimilation in comparison to your grandparents' or great-grandparents' generations?

Choose ONE of the following topics to discuss in 3-5 pages, typed and double-spaced.

1. Why is perspective such an integral part of Ethnic Studies? Give specific examples based on your readings, project, and class discussion.

2. What is American culture? Why do tensions exist between the "old world" of immigrants and American culture? If immigrants assimilate, what are they assimilating into?