Directions: Latin America was colonized by Europeans, who brought African slaves with them. Today, the Latin American countries are a mix of people descended from those European colonizers, indigenous people, and African slaves. In the book, Black in Latin America, Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the concept of race in several Latin American countries, finding that race is understood differently inparts of Latin America than in the United States. Read the chapter on the Dominican Republic in Black in Latin America by Henry Louis Gates Jr. (a PDF on Blackboard in Contents folder). Read the Ten Facts Everyone Should Know About Race handout or go to the website click through the 10 facts on Is Race for Real? An additional optional reading is the American Anthropological Association’s statement on race (find the link on Blackboard). Write a 500 to 750 -word paper (approximately two to three pages) in which you compare race in the Dominican Republic to your experience and understanding of race in the US. Address the following questions in your essay: Give an example from the reading that illustrates how race is a cultural concept (socially constructed) rather than biological. If race is a cultural, rather than biological concept, why does it matter? How has the Dominican Republic’s relation with its neighboring country of Haiti shaped its citizens’ ideas of race? Many people who are considered Indio in the Dominican Republic would be seen as black in the US. Why do you think Gates is concerned that most Dominicans deny that they are black? What is your experience with race in the US? Have you ever had an incorrect assumption made about you based on race, gender, class, or religion (in the way that a self-identified Indio in the Dominican Republic would be assumed to be black if they visited the US)? Your essay will be graded on both content (evidence you read the chapter, thoughtfulness of your answers, quality of your arguments, and answers to each of the four prompts above) and form (grammar, spelling, punctuation, organization, and proper citation). Points will be taken off for incorrect grammar and spelling. Be sure to cite the article(s). ***You will turn in your essay through Turnitin in the Content>Short Paper folder on Blackboard. *** Tips for essay writing: Get started early. Don’t wait until the night before to read the chapter and write the essay. Re-read your essay at least once from beginning to end. Leave some time between writing and reviewing the essay “ a break of an hour or a day will let you re-read your essay with fresh eyes. Have a friend read and edit your essay. Visit the ISU Writing Center. Your goal is to demonstrate not only that you read the article, but also that you understood it. Clear, organized writing will allow you to display your reading comprehension. A short essay such as this requires you to be very precise and concise in your writing. There is no room for vague or general statements. Get to your point immediately; every word counts. For a custom paper on the above topic, place your order now! What We Offer: ¢ On-time delivery guarantee ¢ PhD-level writers ¢ Automatic plagiarism check ¢ 100% money-back guarantee ¢ 100% Privacy and Confidentiality ¢ High Quality custom-written papers
