How Your Experience With Your Political Action Part 1

Part 1analyze How Your Experience With Your Political Action Compares

Analyze how your experience with your political action compares to what you have read in the assigned readings listed on the syllabus. Explain how your political action brings to mind specific things that you learned from the assigned readings listed on the syllabus. You must do a detailed compare/contrast of your political action experience with specific things found in the assigned readings listed on the syllabus. Is your personal real-world experience during your political action the same as or different from what is presented in the assigned readings? Explain.

Don't forget to include citations to specific things from the assigned readings listed on the syllabus and cite as parenthetic citations. Example: when citing to the Krutz textbook which you are assigned to read for the class, include parenthetic citations to the book (meaning to put the citations containing the author's name and page number or section number within parentheses). It should look like (Krutz, page number/section number).

Part 2: Identify a specific political issue/problem that is currently highlighted in the news right now, and use everything that you have learned from class AND from your experience gained from your political action to create detailed strategies for taking action to respond to (or even solve) that political issue/problem in the news.

Make sure to include a citation to the news source (name of the news source and/or URL web address, etc.). Not including a citation to a news source in your paper will also result in a loss of points.

Paper For Above instruction

My political action involved participating in a local community campaign aimed at increasing voter turnout among underrepresented groups. During this process, I attended community meetings, distributed informative flyers, and engaged with constituents to encourage voting. Reflecting on my experience, I found several parallels with the theories and concepts presented in the assigned readings, particularly those discussed in Krutz’s American Government.

Krutz (2022) emphasizes the importance of civic engagement in shaping political outcomes and highlights the role of grassroots movements in influencing policy (Krutz, p. 156). My efforts to organize community outreach resonate with this perspective, as I observed firsthand how direct engagement can motivate individuals to participate in the electoral process. Conversely, Krutz also discusses barriers to voting, such as voter suppression and misinformation, which I encountered during my outreach efforts when facing skepticism and apathy among community members. This juxtaposition underscores the challenges that theoretical models identify and the real-world difficulties of fostering political participation.

Furthermore, my experience aligns with the concept of political socialization described in the assigned readings, where community interactions serve as critical agents influencing individuals' political attitudes. As Krutz notes, personal contact with political agents and institutions can significantly impact citizens' political behavior (Krutz, p. 162). My interactions with community members mirror this, as building trust and understanding were essential in persuading reluctant voters to participate.

However, some differences emerged. While the readings suggest that effective political mobilization relies heavily on organized campaigns and institutional support, my experience showed that informal, interpersonal efforts could also be profoundly impactful, especially in underrepresented communities that may distrust formal institutions. This contrast emphasizes that political action can be versatile and context-dependent, and that bottom-up approaches may sometimes be more effective than top-down initiatives.

Regarding the current political issue in the news, climate change remains a pressing concern. A recent article from The New Yorker highlights debates over government policies and corporate responsibility in addressing climate impacts (The New Yorker, 2024). Drawing from my experience and class lessons, I propose a multi-faceted strategy to advocate for stronger climate action. First, community-based education campaigns can raise awareness about local impacts, similar to my voter outreach efforts. Second, organizing grassroots protests or petitions can pressure policymakers, akin to mobilizing voters around elections. Third, fostering alliances between environmental groups and marginalized communities ensures that solutions are equitable and inclusive. As Krutz emphasizes, collective action and strategic advocacy are crucial in influencing policy changes (Krutz, p. 199).

In conclusion, my personal experience with political action shares many elements with the theoretical perspectives presented in the assigned readings, especially concerning civic engagement and community influence. While some challenges I faced reflect real-world barriers discussed in class, my approach also demonstrated the value of informal, community-driven efforts. Addressing contemporary issues like climate change requires strategic, inclusive, and community-centered actions that combine grassroots mobilization with institutional advocacy, aligning with both my experience and academic insights.

References

  • Krutz, Glen. (2022). American Government. Houston: OpenStax. License: CC BY 4.0.
  • The New Yorker. (2024). The fight over climate policy. https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/the-fight-over-climate-policy
  • Capitol Museum. (n.d.). Branches of Government. https://capitolmuseum.ca.gov/legislation/branches-of-government
  • Martin Luther King Jr. (1963). Letter from Birmingham Jail. https://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html
  • Voting Rights and the Color of Law. (2019). The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/voting-rights-and-the-color-of-law
  • Cesar Chavez. (1968). Letter from Delano. https://www.cesarchavezfoundation.org/letters/delano
  • Time. (Year). Social movements in the U.S. https://time.com/social-movements-u-s
  • Krutz, Glen. (2022). Chapter on Political Movements in American Government.
  • Capitol Museum. (n.d.). Executive, Legislative, Judicial. https://capitolmuseum.ca.gov/legislation/branches-of-government
  • Additional scholarly articles and sources to support strategies for climate activism.

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