PWR 1AH: The Rhetoric of the American Multicultural Experience

In this class, we will consider how the mixture of ethnic cultural values in American society has resulted in a shared multicultural experience. One source of this cultural mixture has come from the experience of immigrants trying to find acceptance in American Society. However, we will consider how this challenge continues to matter across generations for people of diverse ethnic backgrounds, whether they are immigrants or not. 

This focus on finding acceptance will lead us to explore a variety of issues: For example, how do ethnically diverse people navigate competing cultural values, expectations, and perceptions of identity in different social settings? More specifically, how do bicultural and mixed-race people try to find a sense of cultural identity and community, especially in schools? How do students try to retain their cultural roots? And how do parents struggle to pass on their ethnic cultural values? In a broader sense, can the metaphor of the Melting Pot still help describe American multicultural experience? 

Through these kinds of questions, we will explore how ethnic diversity has created an American culture where the mixture of values and traditions are celebrated by different modes of being and living, and this can include food, fashion, and entertainment. For example, how is ethnicity represented in the mainstream media?  

In terms of your writing assignments, the specific issues we will cover can help you study race and ethnicity through a comparative approach. Then you will be able to find a research topic that you can find interesting, and you can keep on learning and discovering how our American multicultural experience works.

Major Assignments

Rhetorical Analysis

(1200-1500 words; 4-5 pages): For the first short assignment, students will write a comparative analysis considering the rhetorical strategies of two writers chosen from the reading covered in class. Both the assignment and the readings will be available on Canvas.

Texts in Conversation

(1800-2400 words; 6-8 pages): Students will write a short analytical essay comparing writers and researchers from different fields to see how their arguments can address a particular central issue, one that can lead to a research-based argument.

Research-Based Argument

(3000-3600 words; 10-12 pages): The skills learned through the first two essays will provide a solid foundation for students to write a longer research essay. In past classes, students have written on how immigrants assimilate to American culture and on a variety of other issues concerning multiculturalism in education. Other students have chosen to write on interracial marriage or on what it means to be bilingual, bicultural and of mixed race.

Other Notes: Students will give a final presentation based on their long research essay. In addition, the last writing assignment will be a self-reflective essay (3-5 pages) in which students will be able to reflect on the writing and critical thinking skills they have learned throughout the quarter. There will also be many in-class activities such as regular oral reports and peer review workshops. All students will be required to bring rough drafts to class on selected days for peer review workshops and to explore revision possibilities. The syllabus, all the writing assignments, and required readings will be available on the Canvas website for this class. Since our class will be based on a workshop format, attendance and being on time will be required to all class sessions.