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TCORE 113 Communities and the Common Good -- Ishem : Assignment

Paper #2: Ascribed, Inherent or Involuntary Community

DUE DATE: Tuesday, February 11, 10:10 a.m.
DELIVERY METHOD: Canvas by 10:10 a.m.
WORTH: 100 points total (75 paper, 25 presentation)
LENGTH: 3-4 pages
AUDIENCE: Mixed—you, your classmates, and your professor.

PURPOSE: To examine your membership in a group that is ascribed; inherent, presumed and often taken for granted. To make transparent the rights and responsibilities, risks and rewards and broader sociological issues implicit in your membership in an identified inherent community

ASSIGNMENT: For the second essay choose a group or community to which you are naturally, inherently and/or involuntarily classified as a member by virtue of inherited characteristics or circumstances of birth. Many such communities are socially constructed and include race, class, gender, sexuality, generation, nationality and citizenship. As in the previous assignments, you are expected to draw on your experience as a “community” member. Relate this essay to course readings and discussions and build on what others have written about your community. This assignment will require use and citation of at least two scholarly articles. In addition to the scholarly articles you may use other print or electronic sources. Your essay should include the following:

  • Description of the group, i.e. how the community is defined (15 points) including:

    • Purpose, function and or mission

    • The authority structure

    • How membership is determined (who’s included and excluded)

    • Rights and responsibilities of members

  • Your membership (8 points)

    • your position within the structure

    • your role and responsibilities

  • Description of the common good as defined or practiced by the group (7 points)

  • Scholarly literature  (40 points)

    • Summarize a contemporary debate, issue or trend that your scholarly articles identify for this community.

    • What do you think about the identified issue?

    • How does this issue affect you?

  • Writing, Grammar & Formatting (5 points)

CONCEPT SHARING (25 points) – each student will prepare a 5-7 minute in-class presentation on a contemporary debate, issue or trend affecting his/her ascribed community as identified in the scholarly literature. Due: Tuesday, February 11th.