TEXT ASSISTED CAUSE ANALYSIS ESSAY: THE CAUSES OF RACISM

 BASED ON “RACE AND THE BRAIN” OUT OF TIME MAGAZINE. (time.com) YOU NEED TO ACCESS THE TEXT.

THE CAUSES OF RACISM

TEACHER’S NOTES

BEFORE YOU ASK THE STUDENTS TO READ OR WRITE, discuss the questions below to get them thinking about the issue. You can ask the questions orally.

1.      How open minded and tolerant are you of differences among people? Explain.

2.      Are there any cultures and peoples that you do not feel close to? How do you feel about Jews, Gypsies, Blacks, and the like?

3.      Would you describe yourself as a racist? Why or why not?

4.      How widespread is racism in your opinion?

5.      Do you think it can ever be eliminated? Explain.

THE CAUSES OF RACISM: Ask the students what some of the causes of racism are in their view. You should come up with the following ideas which you should discuss as you go along.

THE CAUSES YOU CAN EXPECT THE CLASS TO COME UP WITH will include the large colonial empires, the infamous slave trade, the view that certain cultures and peoples are unworthy of being treated the same way you would treat others like yourself.

NOW DISTRIBUTE THE TEXTS and read the first two lines out loud to them. Draw their attention to the second line and ask them what they think the text is going to be about. Encourage speculation.

NEXT ASK THEM TO READ PARAGRAPH TWO quietly and tell you, in their own words, how our actual physical make up may be responsible for racism. Ask them what their feelings are about these findings and whether they believe them.

NOW ASK THEM TO READ PARAGRAPH THREE about IAT and tell you what conclusion they can draw from it. The conclusion is not stated openly in the text but they should be able to say something like there is racial prejudice.

NEXT ASK THEM TO READ PARAGRAPH FOUR AND FIVE and answer the following questions, which you might like to jot down on the board:

1.     What important function of the amygdala is pinpointed in this section?

       fear reasoning

2. There is greater activation of the amygdala  if the subject is shown the image of       

     someone from a different race.

 3. What additional factor seems to have an effect on the above reaction of the amygdala?  

            the speed at which the images were flashed.

NOW ASK THEM TO COMPLETE READING THE TEXT and answer a few more questions which you could put on the board. Don’t ask them orally so that everyone can get a chance to think about them.

1.      Another factor which seems to control the reaction of the amygdala emerges here. What is it?

       whether the images are friendly faces or not.

2.      What fundamental difference between animals and humans seems to make the latter a greater threat?

      their awareness of the future.

3.      What ability has increased human beings’ potential for aggression?

      the ability to develop weapons.

4.      Why should we be hopeful about the future?

      with time humans arrive at wisdom.

HAVE A FINAL DISCUSSION and ask them to write a cause analysis essay on the causes of racism.