Creative writing
Please try to have this done by 10:50 February 14th!!!!!!!!
you are required to submit a paper that critically analyses chapter 5 “The matrix: A Black Feminist Response to Male Violence and the State’ in Beth E. Richie’s (2012) book Arrested Justice: Black Women, Violence, and America’s Prison Nation. NY: NYU Press. Pp. 125-156.” Your paper should be 3-4 pages in length (double- spaced, 12-point font size). The aim of this assignment is to give you the opportunity to learn to read closely and to critically evaluate texts and engage with the issues and concepts raised in course readings, lectures and tutorial discussions.
I highly recommend reading the introductory chapter of Richie’s book for a general backdrop to the stories of Ms. B, Tanya, and the New Jersey 4, which are mentioned in chapter 5. This introductory chapter will also give you a clear definition of some central concepts used by the author, as well as the story of her intellectual, academic and activism trajectory, which may be helpful in addressing some of the issues below. For your convenience. Below are some specific questions that should be addressed in your paper. You are expected to use an essay format, rather than simply provide a separate answer under each question. As well, please note that these are guiding questions that are constructed to help you think about the assignment in concrete ways, but they need not be addressed in this specific order in your essay. You are welcome to address other issues not raised in this list of questions.
1. What complex social problem is being investigated in Richie’s book, and in chapter 5 specifically?
2. What intersections of inequality is the author paying special attention to?
3. What is the central or main argument of chapter 5? And what evidence does the
author provide to support it? Did you find it convincing?
4. What theory does the author explicitly subscribe to and why (i.e., what makes this
feminist theory in particular the appropriate lens through which to investigate the
complex social problem at hand)?
5. Does the author refute other theories?
6. What new theoretical concept is introduced in chapter 5, and how does it contribute
(or not) to intersectionality as a field of study, as a critical analysis and as a critical
praxis?
7. What methodology did the author use to investigate the complex social problem under
analysis, and did you find it appropriate?
8. Does the analysis take into consideration the ways in which power operates across
multiple domains and contexts?
9. Does the author suggest any solutions or remedies to the problem being investigated;
if so, did you find these solutions convincing and feasible?
10. Reflect on how Richie’s chapter 5 contributes, or fails to contribute, to your own
understanding of interlocking oppression, resistance and activism.
1
In your analysis, you must make at least five references to the course readings. You are not required to draw on outside sources of information, but you are welcome to do so if you wish. If you do, make sure to cite them. It does not matter which citational style you use (e.g., MLA, APA, Chicago/Turabian). What matters is consistency, i.e., when you choose a citational style, you must stick to it throughout your essay.
Please note that Turnitin will be used to check your papers for plagiarism. So, make sure to enclose quoted material in inverted commas to prevent Turnitin from reading it as plagiarism.
Because this is a take-home essay, attention will be paid to the use of proper sentence construction, grammar, spelling and in-text citation.
