You will turn in your typed paper (minimum of 500 words, single-spaced) on Canvas by 11:59 pm on the due date for each paper (due dates are listed at the bottom of this document).
There are five due dates, but you are only required to submit TRHEE papers.
Please follow the instructions below to complete your paper. Assignment submitted late will lose 10 percent per day (24-hour period), up to five days late.
Choose a social movement
Select a contemporary, ongoing social movement that is not discussed in our course.
If your chosen movement has a lengthy history with various branches or aspects, please narrow down your focus to a specific branch of the movement or a particular campaign. (For example: From a women’s movement to a pro-choice movement; From an environmental movement to an anti-whaling movement)
Ensure you have access to sufficient information and resources to analyze the movement effectively.
You will examine this movement throughout the semester.
In the process of selecting a specific movement, you can utilize generative AI to save your search time.
Choose 1 or 2 social movement organizations
After selecting your movement, please narrow down your focus onto 2 or 3 social movement organizations within the movement. For instance, if you decided to study a pro-choice movement, then you may want to choose specific organizations within the movement, such as Planned Parenthood and NARAL.
In the process of narrowing down your choice of social movement organizations, you can utilize generative AI to save your search time.
Study the selected social movement organizations to answer a research question
First, read the research question provided for each assignment (at the bottom of this document). Then, find relevant information and answers to that question from the websites of selected social movement organizations, their social media pages, or news reports about them.
It is important that you address the correct topic for each paper. If the first paper is about resources, the focus of your paper should be on resources, not something else such as movement outcomes or framing.
Compose your short paper
It is important to address the correct topic for each paper. For example, if the first paper focuses on resources, ensure that your paper concentrates on resources, rather than on topics like movement outcomes or framing.
Remember that this is not a paper about the historical background of your chosen social movement. Instead, your primary focus should be on analyzing how specific course concepts apply to it. While sources you find may contain historical narratives, your paper should be reorganized to center on the concepts you want to apply.
Structural composition of your paper
Organize your paper in a structured manner that highlights the application of course concepts. Each concept should be the focus of a separate section or paragraph.
Introduction:Introduce the movement’s history or background in a couple of sentences.
Describe specific social movement organizations or groups that you chose to examine and your reasons for that.
Present your argument/answer to the research question for the topic.
Introduction should not be more than one paragraph.
Body 1:Start the second paragraph by introducing the concept you intend to apply. Begin with a clear and concise definition of the concept as presented in our course materials.
After defining the concept, discuss how it applies to your chosen social movement. Illustrate the concept’s relevance by discussing specific cases, events, or aspects of the movement. To provide this level of detail, it is essential to dedicate substantial time to independently studying your chosen movement and gathering information from various sources.
Body 2:Follow the same steps for Body 1, but apply a different concept.
Conclusion:This is a short paper, and I would prefer no conclusion because it takes up your word count.
If you insist including your conclusion, keep your conclusion succinct, limiting them to one or two sentences instead of a full paragraph.
References and citations
In completing this assignment, you will need to be studying the movement organizations’ websites, social media pages, or news reports about them. Please cite those sources.
I do not expect or require you to read other academic articles beyond our course materials to complete this assignment. If you choose to read any academic work related to your movement, please provide citations.