Multiculturalism - Quiz 6 Outline and Essay Questions

Outline: Policy Issues in Multiculturalism

- Approximately, how many illegal immigrants are currently in the United States?

- According to Jencks, who “wins” and who “loses” as a result of the high levels of legal and illegal immigration?

- According to the economist Card, why doesn’t illegal immigration reduce the earnings of native born low wage workers?

- As cited in the Kotlowitz article, what are Portes and Rumbaut’s main arguments about Mexican immigrants to the U.S.?

- What are the recommendations of the Immigration Task Force in the Meissner et. al article (20)?

- What is the key reason for the creation of affirmative action in the 1960s?

- What are the arguments of opponents of affirmative action in college and graduate school?

- What are the arguments of those who favor affirmative action in college and graduate school?

- In addition to beneficiaries of affirmative action, what other prospective students get an advantage in admissions preference to elite colleges?

- What is Obama’s stance on affirmative action?

- How does Texas’ affirmative action plan work?

- What does the term statistical discrimination refer to?

- How do the police Goldberg interviewed defend racial profiling?

- What are the criticisms of racial profiling?

- What is the history of the conflict in Rwanda?

- According to Powers, why has the U.S. (and the UN and European countries) generally failed to act to prevent genocide?

- Since the genocide, how has the Kagame government dealt with the situation in Rwanda?

Quiz 6: Essay Questions

1. According to Jencks (as cited in class) who gains and who loses as a result of current immigration policies in the United States? According to Card (as cited in class), why do high levels of immigration not result in lower wages for native-born workers? Discuss the recommendations of the Immigration Task Force in the Meissner et. al article (and cited in class). What sort of immigration policy would you advocate? Try to be fairly specific in your answer.

2. What are the different types of students that get an advantage with respect to college admissions? Summarize the arguments both for and against affirmation action in post-secondary (i.e. college and graduate schools). In your opinion, do you believe that affirmative action (with respect to universities and graduate programs) should be expanded to include students from lower-class backgrounds? Do you think the Texas plan is a good idea? Lastly, should the legacy system at elite universities be eliminated? Defend your answer.

3. Discuss the history of ethnic strife in Rwanda. Do you think a majority of Americans would have approved if the U.S. (or U.N.) forces) had intervened to prevent the genocide? As described in class, what steps have the Kagame government in Rwanda taken in order to reduce conflict between the Tutsis and the Hutus? Do you think Kagame’s policies are a good idea? Elaborate.

Responsible for: Kromkowski: Readings 20, 23, 47, 49

Swarns: (pps. 1-4) Goldberg: (pps. 141-156); Lewin: “A Marriage of Unequals” (pps. 1-5)