Prompt: Thoroughly research an organization engaged in a social or political issue and analyze the ways in which the group enacts a core value.
Project Description: As we have seen throughout this semester, we all have values and beliefs that motivate our actions. In this unit, you will shift from exploring what motivates individuals to what motivates groups. Specifically, you will be studying a group or organization to discover how their social or political efforts enact a core value. You will research a local group that you have never been a member of but may be interested in joining. Using primary and secondary research, you will analyze the group’s artifacts and actions to identify a meaningful value that the group holds in common. You will use this analysis to reveal how the shared value is defined and enacted. For example, all charities have “service” as a value. To get beyond this generic term and identify a value more unique to them, consider whom they serve (or don’t serve), what services they provide, and where their money comes from.
Requirements: A successful essay will:
Analyze a group that is new to you, meaning that you cannot be counted as one of its members
Be detailed and well-researched
Use textual analysis and other forms of primary research to demonstrate a nuanced understanding of the connection between the group’s shared value and the way it is put into action
Draw on secondary research as needed to provide background information about the group and/or the complexity of the social or political issue
Use at least 5 academic and popular sources, citing them using MLA Style to avoid plagiarism
Cite all sources in MLA style
Be 1750-2000 words in length
Be clear, effectively organized, and carefully edited
***This assignment is worth 25% of your final grade