Editorial Essay: American Insularity

Insularity is a state of being isolated or detached. And the United States, critics have charged, has long been an insular society. It has been said that Americans, as the sole superpower, have little incentive to learn about or engage the world around them. Of course, the same cannot be said about the world's relationship with America; other nations are not only inundated with American culture and media, they must also contend with our country's considerable political and military clout. Are we indeed so concerned with our own affairs that we lack a broader international perspective? Consider these points:

• Just under 20% of Americans speak a language other than English (compared to over 50% of Europeans)
• Of the 300 million-plus United States citizens, only about one third have passports
• In 1985, international news occupied only 9% of the front pages of American newspapers; by 2010, it dropped to 6%
• A 2012 study indicated that Americans could only correctly answer 1.8 out of four international news questions

Can this situation be reversed? What is the cost to America for being so insular? What will it take for Americans to engage the world in more meaningful ways? Might the rise of China and India spur us to be more globally minded? In a concise editorial, examine the phenomenon of American insularity and explore the ways in which Americans might strive to be better global citizens. To support your thesis, cite evidence from the following:

• "Ignorant America: Just How Stupid Are We?" (AlterNet)
• "Young Americans Geographically Illiterate, Survey Suggests" (National Geographic)
• "Getting to Know the World Around Us" (Chicago Tribune)
• "How Dumb Are We?" (Daily Beast)
• "Afghan Troops Get a Lesson in American Cultural Ignorance" (Washington Post)
• "The Insular American” (Boston Globe)
• "Leaving Empire: The Risks of American Insularity" (Religion Dispatches)
• "Outward Bound" (Foreign Policy) 

Requirements:

• MLA Style, including parenthetical citation
• 3-page minimum
• Include a works cited page

The best papers:

• Have a title that articulates its point of view
• Stay within the parameters of the subject matter
• Have a concise thesis which clearly outlines a position
• Are written in a voice that is casual, yet informed
• Clearly support their thesis with solid evidence and a logical structure, citing from the articles above
• Conclude with a summation of the argument
• Properly cite evidence using MLA's parenthetical citation method
• Are in compliance with MLA Style

Sample editorials from the New York Times:

• "Changing Minds after Newton"
• "As the Cuts Hit Home"
• "For Pope: A Dude Like Dad"
• "Grand Old Parity"

Due: Thur 03.07 (Draft 1; Bring 2 copies)  

Reflection 04: Get on the Pitch—Analyzing the American Resistance to Soccer

In 1994, nationally-recognized sports marketer Nye Lavalle boldly predicted that “there is no chance (Major League Soccer) will survive. Absolutely no chance whatsoever.” His prediction was grim, but also off the mark. Almost twenty years later, American professional soccer has not only survived, but grown its base. Still, no one today can argue that soccer's popularity in America has exactly exploded in that time, either. Of the five major US sports leagues, it has the lowest attendance and brings in the least amount of sponsorship dollars, especially compared to the "Holy Trinity of American Sports": baseball, basketball, and football. Thus far, men's pro soccer has failed to seep into the country's consciousness the way other sports have. So, in many regards, men's pro soccer remains the ugly step-child of American sports. (As for women's pro soccer, its last incarnation, WPS, collapsed in 2012, though there are plans for a new joint Canadian-American-Mexican league in 2013.) Of course, all of this stands in stark contrast to the rest of the world, where soccer—or football, as it's known—is a maniacal obsession. Why has soccer failed to firmly take root in America? What is behind many Americans' resistance to the sport? And will soccer always be relegated to second-class status in the United States?

Include at least three of the following in your discussion:

• "Top Ten Reasons to Hate Soccer" (Bleacher Report) 
• "So, What if Soccer Isn't a Big Deal Here?" (Wall Street Journal)
• "In Defense of American Soccer Culture" (SBNation) 
• "Euro 2012: Why Can't America Get Behind the World's Most Popular Sport" (Bleacher Report)
• "Can Soccer Be Popular in the U.S.? Actually, Numbers Show it Already is" (Bleacher Report)
• "Analysis: Soccer Growing, but US Not Delivering on Field" (Reuters)

Requirements:

• MLA Style
• Two full pages in length
• Works cited page

Due: Th 03.07

World News 02.26.13

• INTERNATIONAL: Star Trek-inspired "Vulcan" tops vote to name a Plutonian moon (BBC News)
• INDIAN OCEAN: A lost micro-continent found under the Indian Ocean (Business Insider)
• MEXICO: Is Mexico poised to become the next economic superpower? (New York Times)
• IRAN: On Oscar night, state TV decries Argo win, gives the FLOTUS a more modest look (Telegraph)
• AUSTRALIA: Billionaire reveals plans for Titanic II (Telegraph)
• CANADA: Actors bemoan lack of a Hollywood-style star system for Canada (CBC News)

WEEK 06: KENYA

"When the missionaries came to Africa, they had the Bible 

and we had the land. They taught us to pray with our eyes 

closed. When we opened them, we had the Bible in our 

hand, and they had the land." 

—Jomo Kenyatta,
First president of Kenya

WEEK 06: KENYA

Read: eR—“Ignorant America: Just How Stupid Are We?” (AlterNet), “Young Americans Geographically Illiterate, Survey Suggests” (National Geographic), “Getting to Know the World Around Us” (Chicago Tribune), “How Dumb Are We?” (Daily Beast), “Afghan Troops Get a Lesson in American Cultural Ignorance” (Washington Post)

Tu 02.26
Reading discussion; Lecture—“The Most Common Grammatical Errors—And How to Avoid Them”

Th 02.28
CLOSE READ ESSAY
Due REFLECTION 03

UPCOMING:

WEEK 07: MALDIVES

Read: MEXICAN—“Legacies” – “The Coyote’s Wife” 

Tu 03.05 

Reading discussion; Presentations; Lecture—“How to Build a Solid Argument” 

Th 03.07 

Reading discussion; Presentations; Writers workshop 

Due EDITORIAL ESSAY (DRAFT 1; BRING 2 COPIES) and REFLECTION 04