For undergraduate courses in Diversity and Multiculturalism; also for a Freshman Composition or Argumentative Writing course.
Reflecting the more personalized and openly contentious environment surrounding pluralism and diversity, this innovative anthology links autobiographical and argumentative writing in case-study fashion in order to explore the pros and cons of issues that arise in everyday life. Consisting of two kinds of writings-essays about individual lives (autobiographies, human-interest stories) and argumentative or analytic essays (often arranged in terms of opposing viewpoints)-it stresses the importance of individual experience and the connection of that vital experience to analysis, generalization and reasoned argument, and helps students learn to develop and ultimately define their own sense of pluralistic culture today.
AMERICAN LIVES, AMERICAN ISSUES is a distinctive reader that reflects the more personalized and openly contentious environment surrounding pluralism and diversity. This innovative anthology focuses on two kinds of writing-essays about individual lives (autobiographies, human interest stories) and analytic essays, which, in a case-study fashion, are presented as opposing viewpoints to help explore the pros and cons of issues that arise in everyday life.
The text stresses the importance of individual experience and the connection of that vital experience to analysis, generalization, and reasoned argument; it also helps students learn to develop and ultimately define their own sense of pluralistic culture today.
The text features: - Individual life essays at the start of each chapter with a life story-either an autobiographical essay or a human interest story-by a professional writer.
- Argumentative essays that present differing viewpoints on a particular issue and emphasize specific conflicts in generalization and support.
- Opposing viewpoints that present a healthy interplay of well-articulated arguments in pluralistic and multicultural discussions throughout each chapter.
- Balanced viewpoints that cover a broad spectrum of views of American life and experience which emphasize both the successful and lapsed pursuits of liberty and equality.
- Diverse readings that offer a range of different perspectives on American life with essays by Malcolm X, James McBride, Susan Lorber, Eric Liu, Clarence Thomas, and Beverly Tatum.
