Overview
Resources:
Chapter 4: A Constructionist Approach (attached)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ys8V6d9kwM
Learning Goals
- Explain how identities are constructed through boundaries and meanings
- Distinguish between assertion (self-definition) and assignment (external labeling)
- Compare “thick” vs. “thin” ethnic/racial identities using examples from the reading
- Apply the chapter’s framework to a real-world scenario
Key Concepts (Use in Your Post)
Include and bold at least two of these terms in your post:
- Boundary
- Meaning
- Assertion
- Assignment
- Thick identity
- Thin identity
- Hidden ethnicity
Main Prompt (Choose ONE Option)
Option A: Thick vs. Thin in Action
Pick one example discussed in the chapter (e.g., race in South Africa before/after apartheid, Italian American ethnicity, “Asian American” as applied to some groups). In your own words, explain:
- Whether the identity is thick or thin (and why)
- Whether it is mainly shaped by assignment or assertion (and why)
- What would have to change for it to become thicker or thinner
Option B: Boundary + Meaning Analysis
Describe a situation (from campus life, work, media, or your community) where you see identity being constructed. Then answer:
- What boundary marker(s) are being used (appearance, ancestry, behavior, place of origin, cultural practice, etc.)?
- What meaning is being attached to that boundary (status, “normal,” “superior,” “foreign,” “dangerous,” etc.)?
- Who has more power in that situation—those asserting identity or those assigning it?
Option C: “Hidden Ethnicity” Reflection
The chapter discusses how dominant-group identity can feel “invisible” to those who carry it. Explain:
- What “hidden ethnicity” means (in the chapter’s terms)
- One example of how an identity can be “hidden” to insiders but obvious in its effects
- Why this matters when people say things like “I’m colorblind” or “I don’t see color”
Requirements
- Be 300–400 words (max of 500)
- Reference Chapter 4 (pp. 75–89) directly
- Use at least two key terms (bold them)
- Include one specific example from the reading (not just general opinions)
- Spell check your work
- Use examples from the videos from this week
Citation format (simple): (Cornell & Hartman, Ch. 4, p. __)
Grading Criteria
Part A--Original Post (70% of discussion grade)
This assignment will be graded on quality first, but also quantity. Each of your original postings should be a minimum of 300 words; this is the equivalent of a page, double-spaced. The maximum is 500 words, or about two pages.
In your answer, always refer to the text or video under consideration, either paraphrasing or direct quotes (including the page number whether you paraphrase or quote). To receive the equivalent of an A or a B, in your postings you must (1) answer the question fully, (2) elaborate on your assertions, (3) give details from various places throughout the article and videos (4) explain new terms you bring into the discussion, (5) use your analytical skills and (6) discuss your personal reactions and how the text/question are relevant to your own life. Exemplary essays also will be well-organized, utilize transitions, employ the specific vocabulary of literary analysis, show a high degree of analytical thinking, and demonstrate the relevance of the subject matter to the course goals.