The final research paper should analyze and assess a social movement that is currently unfolding and working toward social justice pertaining to women’s rights and/or gender equality in some way.
There are three parts to this paper:
- Research this group and their current mission and goals, past accomplishments and current membership levels. Why or how did this group get started? Who are its significant leaders? Is it effective? What level of media presence does it have? Briefly describe your findings (in approximately 2-3 pages).
- Review journal articles that discuss the issues that this group is focusing on. Using research-based findings, provide a feminist or sociological analysis on one of the main issues. The analysis should include, but is not limited to (in approximately 4-6 pages):
- The scope of the problem and where it is happening
- The possible gendered causes and explanations for this social problem (brief history)
- How this issue intersects with race/class/sexuality/disability/ethnicity etc.
- Who is the problem perpetuated by? Why?
- Conclude the research paper with your personal thoughts on the effectiveness of the group’s tactics to make change. Please keep personal opinions and reflections only to this section. The rest of the paper should be based on research and all work needs to be cited (1-2 paragraphs maximum).
Expectations:
- Double spaced
- 12 pt. font, normal margins
- Thesis statement required in BOLD.
- 8 pages required (this includes the title, abstract and reference page)
- APA formatting required (this includes title, abstract, and reference page)
- This paper is worth 100 points.
- The paper will be graded on the basis of analytical and critical thinking skills, completeness, correct spelling, correct formatting and citations, and neatness.
- Due 11.59 p.m. CT Friday of Week 8.
- You are expected to do library research, which can include but must go beyond the texts used for this class. You must use at least six academic sources – books or journal articles; if you use popular press articles (such as Time magazine) or online sources other than academic journals which you found online, these are not included as part of your six academic sources. You can use them as supplements, but you must have at least six academic sources in addition to such supplemental sources.