FINAL EXAM FOR RACE ECONOMY

Your final exam consists of two questions. Turn in Word files to BB in the appropriate Dropbox.

1. Focusing on the issue of the political economy of race, fill in the blanks of the following statement: I used to think___________. Then I learned____________. Now I think______________. In responding, identify aspects of this course that have added to or changed the way you think about racial inequality and why. ½ – 1 page DS.

2. The goal of this question is for you to reflect on the material of this course to identify and prioritize areas for intervention to address racial inequality, and to consider policy solutions. In your essay, answer the following:
A. Identify the major causes of racial economic inequality.
B. Prioritize areas for government policy intervention (rank them 1 to ….).
C. Identify potential policy solutions for top 3 priorities.
• Example: If your top priority is to address educational inequality in K-12 education, you might propose that the federal government condition federal funding to schools on progress in closing the achievement gap within school districts.

Instructions for Question 2:
1. Length: Approximately 1500 to 2500 words for this question.
2. Use appropriate citation and bibliographic format.
3. Do NOT reference class lectures. Reference articles and books assigned for this class and if you want to bring in some other material, that is fine too.
4. Use evidence to support your answer. You should take the stance of a policy analyst/advisor. This means you want to make the case for why your point of view is well-founded. Do not make assertions you cannot support, and do not speculate or offer personal opinions that cannot be backed up by evidence. This does not mean you can’t offer an informed opinion. It does mean that your informed opinion is to be backed up by your evidence-based reasoning.
5. This is an essay so do NOT answer the questions above by numbering them (and no bullets). Rather, weave together your answers in a way that results in a policy brief. Some useful guidance on writing a policy briefs can be found here. You don’t have to follow those guidelines exactly, but for those of you who have not read policy briefs, this might be helpful.
6. This is a deceptively easy exam question. Do not be fooled. Your job is to reflect your knowledge on the topic of the sources of racial inequality and possible solutions. This should be a creative exercise in that you are not regurgitating back the viewpoints of those you have read, but rather you are formulating your own analysis of the issues.
7. You should use your OWN words. Do not copy, and NO direct quotes. It is very important to me that you use your own words (and it is an academic violation to copy the work of authors or others).
8. Make sure you are specific in your answers. Do not be broad or vague. Use data whenever possible. This is very important. Be sure to cite your data source.
9. Due date: Monday, May 4, 2020, at 5 pm. I have talked to several of you, during our zoom session about this due date and recognize some of you have a lot of commitments due on that date. So you may take an extension on turning this in without needing to request permission from me, and the very last date and time you can turn in your exams are Wednesday, May 6, 2020 at 1159pm. I cannot accept any papers after that time because I have to turn in grades within 3 days of your scheduled final, so please make sure to meet the deadline.
10. If you have any questions about this assignment (and I encourage you to not get too bogged down in asking for a lot of detail on this assignment), post to DB only so that everyone can see the questions [and you might find yours has already been asked]. There is a forum on DB specifically for your questions on the final exam.