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What is American?

The concept of "American" as a subject of study spans disciplines ranging from history and sociology to literature and cultural studies. It invites students to examine what defines American identity, society, and values — questions that resist simple answers. Courses in world studies, American history, and cultural analysis regularly ask students to interrogate the idea of America as both a geographic place and an evolving set of ideals. Works like J. Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur's 1782 letter posing the question "What Is an American?" and figures such as Benjamin Franklin and Amiri Baraka serve as anchors for exploring how American identity has been constructed, contested, and redefined across centuries.

Student papers on this topic take a wide range of approaches. Comparative essays examine American values alongside European or Asian counterparts, or place historical periods like the Progressive Era and the New Deal in direct contrast. Other papers use case studies to analyze specific social and political developments — the Abolition Movement, the Americans with Disabilities Act, or the influence of Latin migration on American life. Cultural and media analysis appears as well, with papers exploring pop music in the 1980s, advertising's effect on dietary choices, and the evolution of the cell phone as a lens into American society.

A strong essay on an American studies topic works best when it anchors a broad theme in a specific argument. Effective evidence draws on policy documents, literary texts, historical events, or cultural artifacts rather than vague generalizations about national character. The most common pitfall is treating "America" as a monolith — successful essays acknowledge the diversity of voices, regions, and experiences that shape any aspect of American life.

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Paper Undergraduate

Biopsychosocial Assessment of Fresh: Film Case Study

In the Yakin-directed film Fresh, a 12-year-old boy -- "Fresh" -- struggles to balance school and a tumultuous home life with the drug-running activities that allow him to make and save money.

Essay High School

Has TSA Gone Too Far? Airport Security vs. Civil Liberties

Transportation Security Administration is one of the most important functions of national security plans as it acts as frontline which any threat to national security might face. After 9/11, this security tool has been criticized greatly for its ineffectiveness. Authorities have been devising strategies of enhancing its productivity and have been equipping it with various tools of detecting and preventing acts of terrorism. One of the recent strategies adopted by TSA is full body scanning of passengers travelling through airlines, by security officials. This particular measure has been criticized heavily by public as well as mass media as it is accused of hampering personal liberty in the name of security checks. Considering the opinions of general public and the outcomes of this practice, it is an established fact that the effectiveness of this security strategy is outweighed by the harm that it has done.

Research Paper Doctorate

Race, Discrimination, and Education in the United States

Racism and discrimination have been long-lasting impediments to equality of education in the United States. It was only in the mid-20th century that African and Native Americans won legal access to equal education.

Research Paper Doctorate

Breaking the Cycle: Youth Justice Reform in Humes' No Matter How Loud I Shout

The juvenile justice system in Los Angeles was in total confusion and disarray when author Edward Homes wrote his book, "No Matter How Loud I Shout." The assignment for this paper was to suggest ways in which the cycle of kids being in juvenile justice incarceration until they become involved in much more serious crimes can be broken. There are three examples of ways in which the cycle could be (and should be) broken.

Research Paper Doctorate

Japanese vs. American Management Theory and Work Ethic

¶ … strong work ethic is vital to the success of any firm. In recent years thee have been many comparisons made between the work ethic of American and Japanese employees. (Rhody 1995) The purpose of this discussion is…

Essay Doctorate

Caregiver Burden in Alzheimer's Disease: Italy vs. USA

The following are two research essays on the burden of caregivers. The similarities of both essays are that both demonstrate the huge responsibility and unmitigated onus that caregivers carry that consequent in causing them stress and hardship. Differences include the fact that one was carried out on a population in Italy, whilst the other was carried out on a sample in America. It is striking, too, to note, that although both concluded that caregivers needed more support, the American study recommended ways that individuals could create this for themselves, whilst the Italians-based study placed the responsibility on the community and social work profession. The tone of the articles, too, differed in that the American-based study took a far more active stance to the problem advising caregivers to aggressively improve their situation. The whole serves as commentary on the way that science in general, and social work, in particular, is influenced by cultural nuances. The European study is far less inspired by beliefs of self-responsibility and actualization than the American researchers of the second study were.

Essay Doctorate

African-Americans and Social Classes in Colonial America

History – Colonial America African Americans in Colonial America experienced the United States differently, depending on whether they lived in the North or South. The American South of the 17th and 18th Centuries was dominated by agricultural life, particularly plantation life, and that set the stage for high black population of slaves who were oppressed in every major area of life. Meanwhile, the more industrial North also had slavery but to a lesser extent and with a high percentage of indentured servants, allowing greater freedoms in basic areas of life and also the possibility of being completely free. The John Catherwood letter indicates many aspects of Colonial life, including but not limited to the status of the two correspondents, immigration and the practice of indentured servitude. Finally, examination of the craftsmen, plantation owners and slaves on a plantation illustrates the three major classes in Colonial America, with craftsmen in the middle class, plantation owners in the gentry class and slaves in the lowest class.

Paper Undergraduate

American Airlines and US Airways Merger Negotiation Analysis

Merger negotiation is a distinct feature of corporate strategy. Companies have mergers in order for them to grow and enter new markets. The paper discusses the stock sharing between the airlines, stakeholders and the impact the merger will have on the airline industry. It also discusses the effect the merger will have on the airline industry.

Research Paper Doctorate

MLK's Letter from Birmingham Jail: Clergymen's Response

¶ … Martin Luther King's Letter to the Alabama clergymen written while he is jailed in Birmingham Jail, it is apparent in Luther's reaction that the clergymen disagrees with Luther's course of action, that is, to…

Research Paper Doctorate

Four Models of Group Interaction: Power and Dynamics

Social scientists often state that there are four models of group interaction, models of pluralism, assimilation, segregation, and genocide. These models exist on a sliding scale in terms of the degree of positive…

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