Research Proposal on "American Studies Final"

Research Proposal 7 pages (2438 words) Sources: 5 Style: MLA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

racism, feminism, and celebrity culture in America, including their background, current situation, and outlook for the future. American culture is a melting pot of ideas, beliefs, immigrants, and values, that all combine to make us a unique and divergent society. Racism, feminism, and celebrity culture are all facets of that culture, and they have significance for a number of reasons. They indicate how we deal with minorities and people of color, and they indicate who we emulate and admire, all aspects of our culture that make us who we are and who we will be in the future.

Racism

Racism is one of the most pervasive problems in America, and it seems as if it has always existed in some form or another. When the colonists first came to this country in the 1600s, they displaced the Native Americans and thought of them as "savages," who could only be tolerated if they became Christians. Later, Irish immigrants were the brunt of jokes and prejudice, and African-American slaves were subjugated from when they were first imported to America. The recent presidential election indicates that racism is still prevalent in America, because Barack Obama is not just the new president-elect, he is the new, "black" president-elect, and that indicates race is still an issue in this country. That is also clear by all the death threats Obama has received, simply because he is black and make it to the presidency. Now, Hispanics and illegal immigrants seem to be the latest craze in racism. It is difficult if not impossible to create a diverse culture that is absolutely free of racism, there are too many divergent cultures and personalities that make up any culture, and there will always be hatred and misunderstanding between people and cultures. Our history is pockmarked with racism, and there is no reason to believe that racism will end anytime soon. The values and beliefs that create racism are the beliefs that one race or gender is superior to another, and those values certainly exist in our society, and in all humanity. These are based on the "iceberg analogy" that indicates these internal cultural cues are learned, unconscious, and quite difficult to change, which is why they persist in our society.

Currently, there is still rampant racism in this country, particularly in the media. One writer talks about racism in the recording industry and the public outcry against violence and sexism in black rapper and hip hop videos. He notes, "Black rappers, who are owned and controlled by white corporations, did not create this culture of violence and misogyny, but are made the scapegoats for a much deeper national social crisis - a landscape in which 'The Godfather' and 'Goodfellas' are revered as 'classic' films" (Rhymes). This brings up a very important point about racism and how it still exists. The media controls much of American culture because it controls most of the information Americans receive, from television to newspapers and radio. Thus, the media industry has a lot to do with racism and hatred in this country. How they portray different races and women can form public opinion and American culture, and the media still tends to stereotype certain races and genders - harming American culture in the process. Author Rhymes continues, "Gangsta and hardcore rap is the product of a society that has historically objectified and demeaned women, and commercialized sex. These dynamics are present in hip-hop to the extent that they are present in society" (Rhymes). Thus, our society and culture have historically demeaned other races and women, and it continues to this day, as it does in almost all societies. Of course, racism exists against just about every minority in our country. There are people that hate Jews, women, Muslims, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asians, obese people, and just about any other group that is "different." Some Republicans hate Democrats, and some Democrats hate Republicans. Hatred is at the heart of racism of any kind, and that hatred is usually based on deeply held beliefs and even myths that are difficult if not impossible to erase from culture and society, and that is what makes racism so difficult to eliminate from our lives.

In the future, there is little chance racism will disappear. It is a part of culture, it has always been a part of culture, and there is hardly a way to remove it from the cultural landscape. These are deeply held beliefs that are often unconscious and embedded in the brain, and it is difficult to change them once they are established. It may not be blacks and women who face it in the future, it may be Hispanics or Asians that are the scapegoats, but there will always be racism in our country because there will always be racists, misunderstanding, and hatred, it is too pervasive to entirely eliminate.

Feminism

Feminism and racism could be intertwined in this country, because the prejudices that create them are one in the same. Feminism also has a long history in this country. In the 1800s, women began to fight for the right to vote and other rights, and they began to see that society and its laws were created exclusively by men. These early feminists were the ancestors of the feminism movement in the 1970s and 1980s that attempted to make women equal in society, from jobs to retirement and recognition. However, throughout this time, society largely views women as sex objects, and that is true even today, as women's bodies are more and more on display in the media, leaving very little to the imagination, and creating an image of women that is difficult to alter.

Women play a vital role in American culture - they are the mothers, nurturers, and caregivers and they represent a major part of the American family, an icon in our culture. And yet, for eons, women have been treated as second-class citizens, fit to cook, clean, and work, but not fit to be on equal footing with men, especially in the career arena. There were specific jobs for men and women, and they did not cross the lines. One feminist writer notes, "American society once promised its sons four basic things, she says: meaningful work, important enemies to fight, institutions of brotherhood to bond with, and women who wanted and needed their protection" (Wetzstein 2). This is how women were viewed historically; they were weak and needed the protection of a man. These views are based on unconscious beliefs, thought patterns, and cultural norms that have been persistent for hundreds of years, and they are quite difficult to shake off and alter.

Today, there are more single mothers than ever before, and feminism seems to be a "dirty" word in many areas of society. Women still work for less pay than men, and still do a majority of the household work in families. These are behavior patterns that are long established in our society, and they are quite difficult to change. That is why feminists began to protest the treatment of women, and that is why these protests still exist. What may be most frightening about feminism today is not that it still exists because inequities still exist, but that young girls today are so disinterested in the process. Another writer talks about young girls and their interests. She writes, "I was reminded of this question on reading about a gathering of girls - wealthy, Upper-East-Side-of-Manhattan 12- and 13-year-olds - [...] to document the youngsters' reactions to a rancid new cable show called 'Gossip Girl,' which chronicles the sex-and-drug obsessed lives of spoiled teens" (West A17). Today's young women want to be "princesses" and pampered, like Paris Hilton or Britney Spears, and they want the fast cars, designer clothes, and lifestyle that goes along with it. They seem to be reverting back to an earlier period in history, where women were spoiled and pampered and they were happy to remain that way. This could lead to a generation of women who are not empowered and who set the entire idea of feminism and equality back a hundred years.

In this area of American culture, however, there may be some hope for the future. Men in America are changing, because they are not the sole breadwinners in most cases, they are taking a more active role in parenting and household duties, and they are becoming more used to women in the workplace. Some experts and feminists see this as the "decline of patriarchy," in our culture, and view that as a very positive step for the future. Author Wetzstein continues, "The decline of patriarchy, which has been going on for 200 years, is yet again changing gender relations, says Dr. Pittman, author of 'Man Enough: Fathers, Sons and the Search for Masculinity'" (Wetzstein 2). Thus, in the future, we may have a more gender friendly society that accepts and rewards women for the same work with the same opportunities, and we may see boys and girls growing… READ MORE

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