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Essay Instructions: The size of a group (whether ethnic, racial, interest, or ideological) in U.S. society is certainly important in determining outcomes requiring majority support, but size alone does not guarantee influence. How do demographic and institutional characteristics shape actual and potential political power of groups in U.S. society? In your opinion, and based on the evidence that you have presented, does the pluralism created by the Madisonian democracy enshrined in the U.S. Constitution ensure compromise and moderation? Why or why not?

Readings that you should consult to answer this question:

-Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir, and Spitzer, chapters 4-8
-The Constitution of the United States and Federalist 10 (pp. A11-A35 in your text)
(the sources please refer to:we the people:an introduction to american politics, best in p138 to p301

Essay Instructions: For this essay use at least two different texts, one which is explicitly literary and one which is cultural.

The literary text can either be:
The Faerie Queene Book Three, by Edmund Spencer
or Comus, by John Milton.

The cultural texts will be uploaded by me on the customer control panel. The choices will be:
"Culture" by Stephen Greenblatt,
"On Virginity" by Saint Gregory, or
from "The History of Sexuality" by Michel Foucault

Prompt:

What is so important about chastity? Answer this fundamental question by paying attention to the ways that chastity connects literature to culture. How does the concept of chastity become a way for literature to imprint upon such cultural elements as gender relations, sexual desire, religious views, political power, kingship, constructions of the self? In turn, how is chastity a means for cultural forces to shape literary forms, such as romance, allegory, the mask, metaphor, or language itself?

Do not try to survey all the possibilities: select some aspect or aspects of culture and literature, and investigate closely. Take up one of the suggestions above, or something of your own devising. Look to be detailed in your readings of the poetry, so that if you are writing on The Faerie Queene look to focus in on a single episode or character or issue. And be specific in your handlings or culture - don't make grad pronouncements about what society thinks; base your assumptions on close textual works. But you should still look to connect these particulars to larger theoretical considerations. Make a great argument.

Essay Instructions: My Humanities teacher gave out a paper that explains my 12th grade research paper. It says this:

"Although we have been studying examples of classical literature, the Humanities also include other forms of creative expression. Keeping in mind that a masterpiece exhibits intellectual excellence and withstands the passage of time, select a masterpiece from the field of art, architecture, music or film and explain how this piece is a reflection of its world. Your topic must predate 1950 and must meet with my approval." My approved topic is St. Peter's Basilica.

My humanities teacher continues explaining the 12th grade research paper on the paper handed out and it says this:

"*Consider the social, political, economic, philosophical, religious, stylistic, technological, and scientific connections (select what is appropriate).

*Consult the experts to research your subject, starting with the history of your topic.

*Be sure that your discussion includes a description of your masterpiece."

My thesis statement of course is what my entire paper should be based off of. It should be used as the last sentence in my first paragraph of the research paper. Here is my thesis statement that you must use:

"St. Peter's Basilica is a reflection of Late Renaissance architecture, political power, and the strength of the Catholic religion during the 16th and 17th centuries."

My Humanities teacher also told me that this research paper is like a summary and an analysis, meaning factual information should be given on St. Peter's Basilica and then the information should be analyzed by explaining how "St. Peter's Basilica is a reflection of its world." The three things that should be analyzed are the three things mentioned in the thesis statement, which are "Late Renaissance architecture", "political power", and the "strength of the Catholic religion". These three things of course should all be analyzed through explaining how St. Peter's Basilica is a reflection of its world during the 16th and 17th centuries CE.

Also make sure to have a good opening paragraph (a hook) with maybe some interesting factual information as well as a quality closing paragraph that sums up how St. Peter's Basilica is a reflection of world during the 16th and 17th centuries CE.

Thank you so much for your help as I expect to see a superb research paper!

Essay Instructions: How has the political power of New York been organized in the period since the heyday of political machines? This means you will focus on the Post World War II period. Your research will seek to identify individual political figures who have exercised substantial political power in N.Y. and how these individuals have amassed political power (for example, what social groups or institutions have comprised their constituencies?; political movements that may have shaped important local public policies; the social cleavages around which have shaped important local public policies; the social cleavages around which local politics have been contested and relatedly, significant local political issues.
My prof. will be evaluating this paper using 2 basic criterial: (1) the quality of your assessment of local politics, and (2) the quality of research -- in particular, the sources that you have run down to back up your paper. Please make sure to include a bibliography!