Identify some pivotal moments or issues from before the year 2000 that have shaped the civil rights movement and set the stage for the “Black Lives Matter” movement.

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Trayvon Martin. Ferguson. Freddie Gray. “I can’t breathe.” These names and phrases have taken on special significance in recent years as iconic touchpoints highlighting systemic racial injustice in the United States. These touchpoints have given rise to a modern wave of Black activism that is reminiscent of the Civil Rights movement of the mid 1900’s. Leading the way is the “Black Lives Matter” (BLM) movement which emerged in response to the death of Trayvon Martin in 2012 and continues to have a voice in matters of inequality that impact Black Americans.

The “Black Lives Matter” movement has sparked a fervid national conversation on the state of race relations that is multilayered and complex. At its core, the movement raises concerns about the treatment of Black Americans across many social institutions (e.g. law enforcement, criminal justice, employment, education, etc.), but other debates have emerged from the movement. Should the concerns of Black Americans be considered separately or as part of a larger conversation that includes all races? Why is the phrase “All Lives Matter” antithetical to the goals of the BLM movement? How does the BLM movement address black-on-black violence? How do minorities reconcile oppression with patriotism?

As social scientists, you may be called upon to provide an opinion on difficult social topics like race and racism. By now you know that an informed opinion should be measured, based on evidence, and take into account multiple perspectives. For this topic, it’s important to understand the historical underpinnings of Black activism that have led to the “Black Lives Matter” movement of today.

Review the resources that follow and respond to the questions posed below:

Review the timeline of the Civil Rights Movement: http://cdn.knightlab.com/libs/timeline3/latest/embed/index.html?source=1hKEHsG1nec6_wYwX7thFZrBTqyDsURcRAXb7d0X8PiY

Separate but Equal – Plessy v Ferguson (1896): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGvkOBxp0VY

View the video entitled “Freedom Now: The Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi” at: http://www.choices.edu/resources/detail.php?id=203

Explore the following pages from the BlackLivesMatter.com site:

·  http://blacklivesmatter.com/about/

·  http://blacklivesmatter.com/herstory/

·  http://blacklivesmatter.com/guiding-principles/

·  http://blacklivesmatter.com/11-major-misconceptions-about-the-black-lives-matter-movement/

After reviewing these resources (and others that you may find), respond to the following questions: 

1) Identify some pivotal moments or issues from before the year 2000 that have shaped the civil rights movement and set the stage for the “Black Lives Matter” movement.

2) In your own words, what is the “Black Lives Matter” Movement and what is its primary mission?

3) How have people from diverse backgrounds reacted to the “Black Lives Matter” Movement? Provide some examples from the news or the Web to support your response. Remember to cite your sources.

4) How might social scientists from different disciplines talk about these issues? For example, what questions would a psychologist ask compared to an anthropologist? What issues would be the focus of a sociologist? How might a gerontologist frame this problem (think about what older people may have witnessed or experienced regarding race relations)? What other social scientists might be interested in this issue?

5) What are some potential controversies inherent in this issue? Think about why this social problem might be difficult to solve. Are there gaps in our knowledge? Lack of resources? Opposing political views? Think broadly and from an interdisciplinary perspective in order to respond to this question.

6) Where does the solution lie? Are there policies that need to be changed or enacted to resolve the issue? Are there programs or services that might help? What agencies or industries are best equipped to help?

Identify the case study you chose and describe the ethical issue(s) present in it. Explain how you would address each of these issues.

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Review the case studies below before completing the Assignment.

Case Study #1

Nitin and Priya are first-generation Indian-American immigrants, while their 16-year-old son was born and raised in the United States. They were reluctant to engage in treatment, but are doing so at the request of their son, Sujay. In Sujay’s view, his parents are being overly controlling regarding his upcoming choice of college, which is causing increasingly frequent clashes between him and his parents. Sujay wants to attend art school, while his parents want him to attend engineering school. They state that a career in science, religion, law, or medicine is the appropriate path for a person of his caste. Sujay claims that while he wants to please his parents, he feels they are stifling his passion and imposing cultural norms that, to him, are a part of their “world” and not his. You have little knowledge of Indian culture or the caste system and are unsure whether the issue at hand is a matter of controlling parents dealing with a life transition issue or a serious conflict involving social and cultural influences.

Case Study #2

Nicole and Julia explain to you that their relationship has felt strained lately and that they fear they are heading for a breakup. The couple explain to you that they have been in a long-term, non-monogamous relationship, but that lately, Nicole has expressed desire to change this practice. Julia feels that Nicole is “changing the rules halfway through the game” and that her sexual relationships with others are of no consequence to how she feels about Nicole. Their current relationship practice conflicts with your own personal opinion about the role of monogamy in relationships, and thus you feel conflicted about how to handle the situation.

The Assignment (2–3 pages)

  • Identify the case study you chose and describe the ethical issue(s) present in it.
  • Explain how you would address each of these issues.
  • Justify your response using the appropriate professional Code of Ethics.

What has been your own experience with enacting friendships of  utility and/or feigning friendship in order to secure your employment or  future career prospects? Do you believe this is ethical? Explain your  answer. 

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Work friendships are often tenuous and can depend on the quality of  one’s productivity in the workplace environment. When the work suffers,  then the friendship can quickly turn volatile. Sociologists often report  that people will more likely fake their friendships at work not to  upset their career prospects (Vernon, p. 27).

In at least 350  words total, please answer each of the following, drawing upon your  reading materials and your personal insight. In this week’s reading  material, the following philosophers discuss their views on this topic:  Aristotle, Russell, Smith Ferguson, Marx and Simmel. Make sure to  incorporate their views as you answer each discussion question. Think  about how their views may be similar or different from your own as you  answer the following questions:

  • To what extent do you personally agree with the sociologist’s findings and distrust the sincerity of your work colleagues?
  • What has been your own experience with enacting friendships of  utility and/or feigning friendship in order to secure your employment or  future career prospects? Do you believe this is ethical? Explain your  answer.

 

Many companies are aware of the research that indicates that  friendships at work increase productivity and overall job satisfaction  (p. 17). People with friends at work are even twice as likely to believe  they are well-paid (p. 17). Those who share friendships at work are  more likely to share ideas, be innovative, and feel like their work has  real meaning and purpose (p. 17).

In reality, commercial society encourages friendliness but not strong  alliances, which can undermine the authority of industry. In short,  strong friendships can prove time consuming and produce less productive  workers, as well as contribute to nepotism and cronyism (p. 39). Other  thinkers and critics have noted the drive toward individualism and  competition that commercialism promotes, which undermines genuine  connection.

Consider the concepts from the Module 4 readings as you participate  in the module’s discussions and complete the poll. Be sure to cite the  textbook or other sources in your work.

References:

Cooley, D. R. (2002). “False Friends.” Journal of Business Ethics. (195-207).  Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Vernon, M. (2010). The Meaning of Friendship. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan. Chapter 1: Friends at Work

describe some of your own friendships in a workplace  environment and whether you have been able to experience true care and  support from your colleagues. What about genuine friendship? 

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Research indicates that friendships at work increase productivity and  overall job satisfaction. Additionally, employees are more likely to  believe they are well-paid. Those who share friendships at work are more  likely to share ideas, be innovative and feel like their work has real  meaning and purpose (p. 17). Yet, Vernon posits that in the workplace,  we often experience a pseudo-intimacy, whereby “colleagues can know so  much about each other but can care so little” (Vernon, p. 15).

In  this week’s reading material, the following philosophers discuss their  views on this topic: Aristotle, Russell, Smith Ferguson, Marx  and Simmel. Make sure to incorporate their views as you answer each  discussion question. Think about how their views may be similar or  different from your own. In at least 350 words total, please answer each  of the following, drawing upon your reading materials and your personal  insight:

  • To what extent does having friendships in the workplace impact your own level of job satisfaction?
  • Please describe some of your own friendships in a workplace  environment and whether you have been able to experience true care and  support from your colleagues. What about genuine friendship?

 

Many companies are aware of the research that indicates that  friendships at work increase productivity and overall job satisfaction  (p. 17). People with friends at work are even twice as likely to believe  they are well-paid (p. 17). Those who share friendships at work are  more likely to share ideas, be innovative, and feel like their work has  real meaning and purpose (p. 17).

In reality, commercial society encourages friendliness but not strong  alliances, which can undermine the authority of industry. In short,  strong friendships can prove time consuming and produce less productive  workers, as well as contribute to nepotism and cronyism (p. 39). Other  thinkers and critics have noted the drive toward individualism and  competition that commercialism promotes, which undermines genuine  connection.

Consider the concepts from the Module 4 readings as you participate  in the module’s discussions and complete the poll. Be sure to cite the  textbook or other sources in your work.

References:

Cooley, D. R. (2002). “False Friends.” Journal of Business Ethics. (195-207).  Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Vernon, M. (2010). The Meaning of Friendship. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan. Chapter 1: Friends at Work