American Dream (the Myth of Meritocracy paper)

(syllabus)

In this American Dream paper, you need to write a 4-page sociological paper (check APA Style Guides here) on the role of dominant ideology in the formation and belief in the American Dream. In other words, what is this ideology about? How might it be reproduced? Why is it that people believe in the American Dream while empirical data tells us that social mobility in this country is much more difficult today than in the past? How do people make sense of the ideology while they are struggling in their lives? What are both the positive and negative elements connected to the American Dream. Be sociological and critical…

This paper should be about 4-5 pages-long, double-spaced, Century Schoolbook, 12 pt-font, 1 inch all around, APA format (check APA Style Guide on my website for details).

You will be graded according to the organization, spelling, grammar and articulation of your analysis. (Check rubric)

This paper is a sociological analysis of the American cultural concept of the American Dream and should NOT be opinion-based.

You are REQUIRED to read the following articles (all available on Canvas):

• McNamee & Miller (2004) “The Meritocracy Myth”, Sociation Today, Vol. 2 (1)
• McLeod, J. (2009) “Ain’t No Makin’ It”, Westview Press, Boulder CO
• Surowiecki, J. (2017) “The Mobility Myth”, New Yorker Magazine, June 19
• Dalton, H. (2009) “Horacio Alger”, Rereading America. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s. 272-78
• Alston, P. (2018) “American Dream is rapidly becoming American Illusion”, OHCHR

and watch the following videos (all available on Canvas):

• PBS NewHour (2011) “Land of the Free Home of the Poor”, Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/land-of-the-free-home-of-the-poorClick to view undefined

• Pew Charitable Trust (2011) “Economic Mobility_ the American Dream”, retrieved from http___www.pewtrusts.org_en_multimedia_video_2011_economic-mobility-and-the-american-dreamClick to view undefined
• George Carlin (2007) “The American Dream”, HBO, Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJ4SSvVbhLwClick to view undefined
• Chetty, R. (2016) “Reviving the American Dream Lessons from Big Data”, TEDxStanfordClick to view undefined

and listen the following podcast (available on Canvas):

• Gladstone, B (Busted” America’s Poverty Myths) (2016. Oct 13). Rags-to-Riches [Audio podcast]. Retrieved from https://www.wnyc.org/story/rags-riches/Links to an external site.

First, ask two of your close friends, parents, colleagues or others what the American Dream means to them (capture honest and raw comments, do not interject).

Second, in light of what you have read, watched and listened to, examine the sociological meaning of the American Dream, which means to critically assess its origins, how it is reproduced, who it might benefit, and eventually the reality of social mobility in the U.S.

In other words, what is this ideology about? Why is it that people believe in the American Dream while empirical data tells us that social mobility in this country is much more difficult today than in the past? How do people make sense of the ideology while they are struggling in their lives? What are both the positive and negative elements connected to the American Dream. Be sociological and critical…

Your paper should be organized and should integrate all the sources provided as well as some of the comments gathered from your interactions.

work cited page included

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