A Class Divided

 Choose any group of which you are not a member. Possible dimensions from which you may select your group include:  race, gender, social class, nationality, sexual identity, (dis)ability, rural versus urban status, religious belief, incarceration/criminal history, occupational status, victim, military status, and so on. Explain why you selected this group.Describestereotypes, prejudice, and/or discrimination directed toward members of this group.Use concrete examples to illustrate (e.g., advertisements that depict members of the group in a stereotypical manner, statements you have overheard expressing affective reactions to the group, policies that discriminate in favor or/against the group, etc.).  Consider both negative and positive stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination.Interpretthe experiences of members in this group. The goal is to gain a new perspective, so consider spending time immersed in the group.  Perhaps you could interview friends, family, or community members, or attend an event hosted by the group.  Or, you could present yourself as a member of this group to gauge reactions firsthand.  Alternatively, do some online research.Evaluatereactions toward this group in light of concepts covered in the textbook.For example, how might social psychological theory and/or concepts explain the origin of prejudice directed toward the group you are studying?  What are the influences on members of this group?  Utilize scholarly, peer-reviewed sources to support your points to continue developing your academic voice.  (Reminder:  Be sure to synthesize and paraphrase the information you share from these articles/sources.)Conclude with a realistic suggestion for reducing prejudice toward members of this group, based on the contact hypothesis (see Pettigrew, 1998  (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site. , for elaboration).

The Walk a Mile paperMust be 3 double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA style  (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site. as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center  (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site. .Must include a separate title page with the following:A headerTitle of paperStudent’s nameCourse name and numberInstructor’s nameDate submittedMust begin with an introductory paragraph  (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site. that has a succinct thesis statement  (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site. .Must utilize academic voice  (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site. .Must address the topic with critical thought  (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site. .Must end with a conclusion  (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site. that reaffirms the thesis.Must use at least three peer-reviewed scholarly sources.  Additional scholarly sources are encouraged.Be sure to integrate your research  (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site. smoothly rather than simply inserting it.In general, paraphrase  (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site. material rather than using direct quotes.The Scholarly, Peer Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source for a particular assignment.