Writing Assignment for Friday's Discussion Section

For your first discussion section on Friday, please print and read Samuel Huntington’s provocative and controversial article, “The Hispanic Challenge.” Read this article at least twice and as closely as you can. In preparation for your discussion section, respond to the question below. Your response should be no more than one, typed, double-spaced paragraph. This paragraph should be scintillating. Naturally, it should be better and more persuasive than any paragraph you wrote in high school.

You must hand in this assignment to your TA at your first discussion section on Friday.

Take a stand:"You have invited Emma Lazarus and Samuel Huntington to your house for dinner. Will they get along?"

There is no single, correct answer to this question. Some of you will agree and be glad you have found someone who shares your views (or maybe even those of Lou Dobbs). Some will profoundly disagree, and even be offended. We are simply interested in seeing how you make your argument about a hotly-debated theme.

Note: The best arguments always have two features. First, they identify the central issue of a debate and avoid tangential matters that might confuse a reader or listener. In other words, say only as much as you need to say to make your point---then, stop! Second, the best arguments always take into account the counterarguments that can be raised against them. If you don't take counterarguments into account, you will always lose a debate.

To ensure that you are thinking about all aspects of the question, pay close attention to the last full paragraph at the end of Huntington's main text.

As you reflect upon this assignment, keep in mind that this course is about the modern nation-state. I define ‘nation-state’ as a “symbolic community to which people voluntarily devote their primary political loyalties despite the many particularistic differences (ethnicity, race, creed, religion, partisan affiliation, tribe, etc.) that otherwise divide them.”

Added Note: This assignment takes it for granted that you will have identified and read (or listened to) the additional assignments on the Web syllabus: http://www.nd.edu/~amcadams/CP_2008/Moderntimes.html

AJM