Myth/Opportunity On page 348, #3, Kendall says the media use "thematic framing" and "episodic framing" in portraying poor Americans. Define these terms in your own words and discuss whether the media typically portray the poor as "deviant" or "other" (according to pp. 330-346).

Episodic framing looks at specific events, or episodes, while thematic framing attempts to put those events in broader context. For example, a news story on high rates of unemployment would be thematic framing, because it discusses a national, and even global problem, over which the individual has no control. The poor economy is blamed on corporate America and the greed and mismanagement of large organizations such as financial institutions. With episodic framing, specific examples are used and not placed into the greater context. It is easy, then, for the media to portray the poor as lazy, uneducated and irresponsible, putting the blame for their poverty back on them, without considering circumstances, some or even all of which might not be under their control. Television programs often glorify the rich and famous, and present a skewed view of the number of people who actually live that way in the United States. There is the implication that people who are poor make that choice because they would rather live on public assistance, use drugs, or in some other way demonstrate they do not "have what it takes" to be rich.

2- On page 356, #2, Newman and Chen point out the vulnerability of individuals in the Missing Class to economic downturns. Discuss how Valerie Rushing, Tomas Linares, or Gloria Hall may have fared in the recession that began in 2008.vWhich of them was most at risk, which least, and why? (according to pp. 349-365).

Valerie had a job with the Long Island Railroad. Her job was least vulnerable in the recession because the commuter train is a necessity....

Many of the people who ride the train into the city have good jobs and are fairly affluent, so they would demand that the train system maintain a minimum level of cleanliness. Tomas Linares would have been at risk during the recession. As a low-level health care worker, he would have been at risk of losing his job as budget cuts were made in care centers for the developmentally disabled. Social service programs often suffer in lean economic times because society does not want to spend its money there. Society would rather see a return for its investment, and caring for the mentally ill and disabled is not that sort of endeavor, necessary though it is in every society. Gloria Hall, who was chronically ill, would have been most at risk. She lost her job and could not hope to find another one as long as she remained sick. Meanwhile, she fell farther and farther behind in her bills. Gloria essentially fell into a deep hole, with no hope of being able to climb out or be rescued.
3. On page 397,#3, How can prejudice arise from self-justification? Offer some examples of how a group can assume an attitude of superiority in order to justify ill treatment of others (according to pp.384-397).

Prejudice arises from self-justification as one group of people believes another group deserves particular treatment. In Nazi Germany, for example, Hitler and his followers convinced the masses that the Jews were responsible for that country's economic and social problems. By eliminating the Jews, so their logic held, Germany's ills would be cured. Further back in history, blacks were enslaved by whites; whites justified their action by arguing they were the superior race. They believed enslavement actually freed blacks from Africa and gave them the opportunity to live a civilized life in America, where they could learn about hard work and Christian values. In our every day…