The American Dream and Social Inequality

Use specific examples from the essays and stories we discussed this week in class to show how social inequality (based on income, gender, and/or race) influences how the American Dream is defined and achieved.  You can even speculate on whether or not you think the idea of the American Dream still exists.

We started this in the discussions in DIWE, but now you can further develop your ideas--especially about the essays or stories that we didn't have enough time to discuss fully.

Take the Week Off

We will begin this discussion again with a prompt on March 27. Have a nice--and safe--Spring Break.

Crime and Deviance in America

Irrespective of some form of absoluteness, the idea of crime and deviance is spatiotemporal—they differ from  time to time, from one social context to the other. The idea of the American Dream can be very important in understanding the social construction of crime and the associated consequences.

American dreams aspire individuals toward hard work and success. Does the concept of the American dream have the same meaning for everybody? How could the idea of American dream lead to the adaptation of deviant routes toward realization of one’s dreams?