Assignment
Length: 6 pages.
• The Myth of the Melting Pot.
Early discussions of a multicultural America posited that the various ethnic groups existing in the U.S. would all blend together and become a "melting pot" of cultural backgrounds which together represent a new American culture. Based on the Week 1 reading by William Booth, why is the concept of the melting pot a myth? In your answer, make sure to discuss the more contemporary ideas (and metaphors) are offered to replace the concept of the melting pot.
• Master narratives are potent stories, which most people accept without question.
Master narratives not only tell us what we should believe; they tell us what to ignore. A Master narrative will obfuscate the historical context in which an event occurs, as well as the complex of global relations which shape the immediate site where something happens.
For example, Irish people suffered terribly under British imperialism. Even before the potato famine, they had been hungry for a long time. The island nation had rich soil and the people produced a wide variety of food, but those who produced this food starved as the produce was shipped off to England to feed others.
Takaki tells us that the "master narrative" obfuscates the role of British imperialism on the emigration of Irish during the 19th century, and instead blames the potato famine. Takaki looks at the potato famine historically through the perspectives of the people whose voices are silenced in and by the master narrative. His powerful historical accounting illuminates what might have been seen through the eyes of Irish women in the 19th century, and through the experiences of enslaved people and Mexican people in Texas.
For this question, consider the following in your answer:
• What is revealed when we look at the history of the potato famine historically and through the experiences of many different groups of people?
• What is a comparative multicultural approach?
• According to the Module 2 sources, why is it important to take a comparative multicultural approach to history?
Course Textbook Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America (REV), 1st Edition By: Takaki, Ronald. ISBN: 978-0-316-02236-1.
Format your assignment according to the give formatting requirements:
• The answer must be using Times New Roman font (size 12), double spaced, and typed, with one-inch margins on all sides.
• The response also includes a cover page containing the student's name, the title of the assignment, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
• Also include a reference page. The references and Citations should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.