Problem 1: Why is it important to understand slavery from the perspective of those enslaved as well as the perspective of the dominant group?
Problem 2: How has all this information changed how you understand the past?
Problem 3: Express the extent to which you agree or disagree with the sentiments voiced by the panelists?
Problem 4: What would be the implications of state governments requiring civic tests or voter IDs to vote?
Problem 5: The Angry Eye (2001) is an updated version of Jane Elliot's classic "blue eyed/brown-eyed" exercise in discrimination. While the original exercise and film used grade school-age children, this one focuses on white American college students as they experience discriminatory treatment usually reserved for students of color. The film highlights the experiences as well as the students' reactions and Elliot's observations.
YouTube Video: Brown eye blue eye, Jane Elliott
A) What are your immediate emotions and thoughts after watching this video?
B) In the exercise, Jane Ellliot points out that student of color do not "drop out" but rather are "pushed out" of educational spaces. From a sociological perspective, can you think of overt or subtle examples of how students of color are discriminated against in schools?
Problem 6: For this question please view the film "Breaking the Bough,". Although research indicates that racism is still common in the U.S., the film notes that most whites believe that racial discrimination is a problem of the past.
For questions 6A and 6B what might Kim Anderson's story tell us about:
A) The relationship between race and health in the United States
B) The relationship between race, class and gender in the United States
Problem 7: On August 9, 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri, Michael Brown, an 18-year-old African-American male, was shot to death after an altercation with Darren Wilson, a 28-year-old white male Ferguson police officer. The disputed circumstances of the shooting, and the decision of a grand jury not to indict Officer Wilson for any criminal charges in relation to the incident led to widespread protest and civil unrest in Ferguson and other cities across the U.S.
A) Why do you think that blacks and whites in the U.S. have very different views regarding the shooting of Michael Brown, the ensuing Ferguson investigations, and confidence in the police?
B) Are you surprised by any of the findings of the DOJ report and has it changed your perception of what happened in Ferguson?
Problem 8: There was much debate and controversy regarding the 2016 Academy Awards. For the second consecutive year, there was a lack of diversity among Oscar nominees with only white actors getting the nod. The #OscarsSoWhite hashtag circulated throughout social media accusing Hollywood's most famous awards show for its lack of diversity, as well as the industry as a whole. Actors such as Jada Pinkett-Smith and Spike Lee, boycotted the event.
View the following video reports from ABC news and Entertainment Weekly:
YouTube Video: Oscars Diversity Controversy Grows as Stars Debate Boycott
What is your perspective on the controversy?