Final Lecture: Summary



Assessment 1: Response Paper: 4 650 word answers.
uMost important thing here is to be ‘succinct’. Short introductory sentence introducing  argument
and short concluding sentence summing up the essay.
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uDon’t overdo the points. It is a short response paper so focus on 2-3 points and make them as
persuasive as you can. Make sure these points link well with each other
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uResearch is useful but structure, thought, and impact is more important here. You want to try and
hit on the key points as best as possible, so before you start have a think- what are the MOST
IMPORTANT elements to address in the question?
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Research Paper/Main Essay Question.
uINTRODUCTION: VERY IMPORTANT. YOUR INTRODUCTION SHOULD SPELL OUT THE ARGUMENT IN THE REMAINDER OF
THE PAPER. THINK OF IT AS A ROADMAP FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE ESSAY.
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uCONCLUSION: THIS SHOULD NOT INTRODUCE NEW INFORMATION BUT SHOULD SIMPLY ‘SUM UP THE CONTENT’
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uMAKE SURE YOUR INTRODUCTION AND CONCLUSION ACCURATELY SUMMARISE THE CONTENT OF THE ESSAY.

MAIN BODY
uYOU NEED AN ARGUMENT: ONE OVERARCHING ARGUMENT THAT SHOULD BE SPELLED OUT IN YOUR INTRODUCTION.
WHAT, FUNDAMENTALLY, IS THE ‘POINT’ YOU ARE TRYING TO MAKE IN YOUR RESEARCH PAPER?
uENGAGE WITH LITERATURE, DON’T JUST DESCRIBE IT. HOW DO THE POINTS MADE IN THE  SOURCE YOU ARE
USING ENHANCE YOUR WIDER ARGUMENT?
uCOHESION: MAKE SURE YOUR POINTS FOLLOW LOGICALLY ON FROM EACH OTHER.  THINK OF EACH POINT AS A
‘BUILDING BLOCK’ TO YOUR FINISHED PRODUCT.
uUSE SIGNPOSTING LANGUAGE TO GUIDE THE READER: E.g. Now that I have demonstrated (X), I will go on
to demonstrate (Y). Lead the reader through your argument.

DISCUSSION QUESTION.
uWe have studied the roots of Inequality and Injustice in the UK and US. Now, Attempt to construct
your ideal society. How would you address questions of
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uA) Racial Injustice
uB) The Patriarchy
uC) Economic Injustice and Capitalist Exploitation
uD) Animal Welfare and the Rights of Non-Human Animals.

Course Synopsis 1. Brexit: Key ideas.
uRight Wing Populism: Political ideology that seeks to champion a fictional ‘common people’ against
an ‘elite’ of outsiders: Foreigners, intellectuals, etc.
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uDriven by historical factors, most notably colonialism which gave a sense of nostalgia and
superiority and forged the idea of an ‘exceptional’ (white?) past Britain.
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uNostalgia played upon to provide simple solutions of a return to a ‘past, independent’ Britain to
override the obvious socio-economic damage caused by Brexit.
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Course Synopsis 2: Trump, Racism,
uAmerican Founded on two, antagonistic visions: the ‘Horizontal’ America of Immigrants and Freedom
and Liberty and the ‘Vertical’ America which was premised in Racism, genocide,and a racial
hierarchy with White men at the top.
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u‘Two Americas’ have fought for dominance. Obama represented the first, and Trump the lashback from
the second.
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uSystemic racism at the roots of many US problems- in education, police, justice system etc. BLM
not only a protest against the killing of George Floyd but a rebellion against systemic racism more
generally.

Synposis 3. Feminism: Patriarchy and Intersectionality
uOur analysis demonstrated that despite legal equality and ‘invisible’ patriarchy which is an
ideology of male dominance still exists in the UK and US and across the world.
uPremised on construction of masculinity and feminity in particular ways and in particular roles.
uVisible at all levels of society, in shops, magazines, and everywhere.
uIntersectionality also critical. Vital to understand the different women have different
experiences based on other characteristics- race, sexuality, etc, and to prevent feminism being
dominated by the concerns of white middle class women. Not ‘one struggle’ but many struggles.
uImportant to also understand the ethical questions around the consumption of non-human animals,
and the potential  links between patriarchy and the consumption of meat.
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Synopsis 4: The Economic Question
uMarx suggests capitalism is ruthless, leads to exploitation and inequality and ‘alienates’ us from
our labour, making us depressed.
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uConsiderable evidence of this if we look at the world; outsourced ‘proletariat’ in third world
countries.
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u‘Neoliberalism’ emerged as a ruthless variant of capitalism, destroying protections in developing
countries and exploiting workers- examples include IMF and NAFTA.
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