Term Paper 8-10 pages on social problem related to race and political representation in America

  
TERM PAPER. (150 Points) You will write an 8-10 \page paper on a social problem related to race, class, gender and/or sexuality. Your topic must be cleared with me by the 2nd week in the term (see the schedule for deadlines). You must use at least 10 peer-reviewed sources for your paper. Your paper must be in APA format. 
The outline is worth 25 points. The rough draft is worth 25 points. The final paper is worth 100 points. Your rough draft should contain all of the references you intend to use for the final paper on a reference page. All references should be in APA format. If you are not sure how to cite using APA, please go to the Purdue Owl APA site. https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
STEPS TO COMPLETE THIS PAPER:
Step 1: Draft an outline and submit for approval 
Step 2: Identify sources
Step 3: Write a rough draft
Step 4: Review your draft and revise
Step 5: Submit final draft
Term papers should contain the following:
1) Introduction
2) Description of the specific problem
3) Causes of the problem
4) Consequences of the problem
5) A review of policies/interventions that have attempted or propose to solve the problem
6) An evaluation (done by you) of how well the policies/interventions have addressed the problem
7) Conclusion
Don’t forget to:
1)provide your name on your paper
2)provide a title for your paper
3)organize your paper, don’t just write ten pages of work without any subheadings.  
4)All papers must be double-spaced, proofread for spelling and grammatical errors, stapled, in 12- point font with page numbers. 
5)Make sure you vary your choice of words. In other words, do not start each sentence with the same words or use the same word too much. 
6)Support your position or argument with material from your articles. 
7)You should cite your resources all the way through your papers! If you are unclear about when a citation is needed. Consult Purdue Owl if you are unsure how to cite APA syle. https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
8) Don’t cheat! The consequences are severe. Ask for help.
Term paper will be due the 8th week in the term. A late penalty of 10% per day will be applied to work submitted past the due date and time. Term papers submitted after the Monday in the 9th week of classes will not be accepted. If you have an extreme circumstance, please contact me.

 Running head: RACE AND ETHNICITY IN AMERICAN POLITICS 1 Racial and Ethnic Representation in American Politics MicQuel Tabb Minorities in the U.S. Social Structure Dr. Everhardt, Nov. 14, 2018  

RACE AND ETHNICITY IN AMERICAN POLITICS 2 Racial and Ethnic Representation in American Politics I. Introduction The election f Barrack Obama to the helm of the most powerful seat in all of the Americas is without a doubt an event that is not only significant to the American people, but also changes how the world views the united states of America, simply due to the traditional position race and ethnicity continue to occupy in both American’s political and social systems. Therefore, it has become difficult to determine whether this is something that only happened once, or does it signify a more fundamental change in the way politics in America perceived race and ethnicity (Omi, & Winant, 2014). It is, therefore, evident that the role of race and ethnicity in shaping American politics cannot be ignored. Race and ethnicity have been the basis upon which a number of social problems are anchored. This means race and ethnicity form the key structures not only to the political system but also to how America views cultures, social systems, and economic activities. The purpose of this paper is thus to investigate the specific representation of race and ethnicity, and the role played shaping and developing American politics. II. Description of the specific problem and how it relates to race, class, gender and/or sexuality In order to fully understand the representation of race and ethnicity in American politics, we have to first and foremost look at where we are coming from. In the year 2008, America was united and there was no discrimination based on race or ethnicity. Voting was done rationally as the traditional way of doing things was done away with and people were focused on building and  RACE AND ETHNICITY IN AMERICAN POLITICS 3 restoring the great American heritage. Policies and development agendas dominated politics and there were a positive vibe and a general feeling of hope. Things have however changed; consequently, we have to understand why American politics moved away or was transformed from politics of class to what we are witnessing at the moment which is the politics of race and ethnicity. The future representation of race and ethnicity in American politics will depend not just on the changes taking place within the African-American community, but also on the general relations between the African-Americans and other races and ethnic groups. There is a need to change the perception that material success is directly related to politics. Political behavior is difficult to predict, the choices made by regarding their political orientation will be a key element in determining how race and ethnicity are manifested in American politics. Women are underrepresented in American politics compared to men, but this is gradually changing as people begin to accommodate the female gender and what they have to offer. In terms of gender representation as it related to racial and ethnic characteristics, black women have a long way to go in order to close the gap as compared to the position the white women have been able to occupy. There is a need to have policies and guidelines in place that will encourage more women to venture into American politics regardless of their racial or ethnic appearance. III. Cause of the Problem There is no widely discussed topic in American politics than racial and ethnic representation. As indicated earlier, the recent history on race and ethnicity is highlighted by the election of President Barrack Obama into office, while the heartbreaking low points are  RACE AND ETHNICITY IN AMERICAN POLITICS 4 represented by incidences such as the shooting done by white supremacists targeting people of different races and ethnicities aiming to start race wars. With that said, it is evident that there are big problems relating to race and ethnicity within the American political arena. The causes of these problems include (Van Djik, 2015); a. The fact that compared to 20 years ago, more Americans are seeing race and ethnicity as a big problem. Approximately 66% of all blacks, 64% of Hispanics and 43% of white people believe race and ethnicity is a big problem. b. Racial and ethnic problems are also due to the fact that white America enjoys a largely segregated life. It does not matter where they are, but either at home, socializing or even at work, white Americans have confirmed that they spend most of their time around people of the same race and ethnicity. c. Unfair treatment of Black and Hispanic Americans. Discrimination at work, in healthcare and in dealing with police continues to negatively affect race and ethnicity. d. The fact that the majority number of people incarcerated in America is made up of African-Americans has further fueled racial and ethnic conflicts in American politics. IV. Consequences of the Problem The impact of racial and ethnic conflict in American politics does not stop at the individual level; it has a wider effect on the community as a whole. The consequences of conflict damage the personal identity of the person with a feeling of alienation and exclusion causing further instability. On the person, this kind of discrimination leads to both poor physical and  RACE AND ETHNICITY IN AMERICAN POLITICS 5 mental well-being, affect their productivity negatively and also reduce their life expectancy significantly (Shwartz, 2017). Racial discrimination has meant people have been sidelined from participating in economic and social development proceedings. This has led to social exclusion and other disadvantages for the people over generations. It is also important to note that racial and ethnic has played a big role in harboring mistrust between people, inciting hatred and it basically stops community development in its tracks (Shwartz, 2017). It is therefore evident that this conflict has extremely negative impacts on the physiological and psychological welfare of a person and the community in which they dwell. V. A review of policies/interventions that have been attempted or proposed to solve the problem. Over time, there have been a number of policies and interventions put in place to try and solve the problem of race and ethnicity in American politics. Some of the strategies include (Selden, 2015); a. Affirmative action. This is a strategy aimed at addressing problems concerning racial and ethnic representation in American politics by giving special consideration to the minorities and women, especially in employment and education, in order to compensate for both lacks of opportunity and discrimination to the larger communities they represent. b. Other important programs and policies include the political class adopting national policies which involve federal job training for the minority, increasing the aid received  RACE AND ETHNICITY IN AMERICAN POLITICS 6 by the working but poor, having in place well-funded early child programs to take care of the children born in such minority communities, building better schools and health services for the minority. c. Additional policies and programs range from efforts that reduce residential segregation in America to laws that forbid any type of racial and ethnic discrimination and efforts to address the problem of teenage pregnancy among the minority racial and ethnic groups in America. VI. An evaluation of how well the policies/interventions have addressed the problem. It is important to recognize the fact that the political class also recognized the need for change in terms of racial and ethnic representation hence the continuous policies and programs. The main objective is to achieve social justice and create a community where every member has equal rights to all the available resources. So far, the policies continue to affect the problem positively. Although there have been incidences indicating otherwise, America is more united and everybody seems to be fully focused on achieving equality (Goldberg, 2016). Voting is no longer based n color but on the policies, the candidates have to offer. In terms of education, health, and even general representation, America is moving forward. The freedom of speech, association, to own property and associate is equal to all. The justice system is organized in such a way that offenders are treated the same way despite their racial or ethnic representation. Generally, the role played by the programs and policies has been helpful in uniting the people. They have put their tradition RACE AND ETHNICITY IN AMERICAN POLITICS 7 VII. Conclusion It can be summed up that, racial and ethnic conflict poisons the atmosphere that is necessary for the smooth running of society (Goldberg, 2016). The effects of the racial and ethnic conflict go beyond the political fields venturing into other relevant facets of society. It is, therefore, very important that we create awareness and make rules and regulations that will encourage people to get along easily and look beyond the obvious differences that exist between them. Efforts must be continuously made to ensure the fundamental values that are crucial for society to operate are adhered to by advocating for equity. The judicial services worldwide have to work together as they represent the authority and order which provide the legal safeguards that will prevent conflict of any nature. RACE AND ETHNICITY IN AMERICAN POLITICS 8 References Goldberg, D. T. (2016). Racial subjects: Writing on race in America. Routledge. Omi, M., & Winant, H. (2014). Racial formation in the United States. Routledge. Schwartz, D. C. (2017). Political alienation and political behavior. Routledge. Selden, S. C. (2015). The Promise of Representative Bureaucracy: Diversity and Responsiveness in a Government Agency: Diversity and Responsiveness in a Government Agency. Routledge. Van Dijk, T. A. (2015). Critical discourse studies: A sociocognitive approach. Methods of critical discourse studies, 63-74.