In Your Final Research Paper You Will Apply The Tools 802031

In Your Final Research Paper You Will Apply The Tools Of Historical A

In your Final Research Paper, you will apply the tools of historical and literary critical analysis to a specific example of cultural memory. Choose a specific cultural identity (such as race, gender, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, social class, religion, etc.) and examine how that group's cultural memory has been constructed. Analyze how this group's identity has been shaped through its historical narrative and how this understanding has been transmitted via a specific literary text. You may focus on how the group has constructed its own identity or how other groups have constructed an identity for it; however, you cannot do both in the same paper.

You may choose any literary text, including pop culture sources like films, that best illustrate the group's cultural memory and identity. It is recommended to select texts assigned in the course to streamline your analysis. You may reference any scholarly sources, but it is encouraged to primarily use sources from the course reading list. The paper should be five to seven pages long, excluding the title and references pages, and formatted according to APA style.

Your paper must include a separate title page with the following information: title of the paper, your name, course name and number, instructor’s name, and the date submitted. It should begin with an introductory paragraph containing a clear thesis statement, followed by critical analysis addressing the topic, and conclude with a paragraph reaffirming your thesis. All sources must be cited in-text and included in a separate references page, both formatted in APA style.

Paper For Above instruction

Choosing a specific cultural identity is foundational to this research paper. For example, selecting an identity such as African American, Asian American, Muslim, LGBTQ+, working class, or another distinct community allows for a focused analysis of how their cultural memory has been historically constructed. Cultural memory refers to how the community’s shared history, stories, memorials, and symbols shape their collective identity over time. This process is often explored through literature and media, which reflect or question the community’s self-perception and external perceptions.

The analysis will involve examining how this group's cultural identity has been developed. One approach is to determine whether the group has actively constructed its own cultural narrative or if external forces—such as colonizers, dominant cultures, or media representations—have shaped or imposed this identity. For example, Edward Said’s concept of Orientalism demonstrates how Western representations have historically defined Middle Eastern identities in ways that contrast with the internal self-conception of these communities. Similarly, other studies explore how marginalized groups shape or contest their cultural narratives.

To illustrate this, selecting an appropriate literary or media text is crucial. For instance, if analyzing African American cultural memory, works like Toni Morrison’s novels or the film “Selma” could serve as primary sources. These texts embody community narratives and challenge or affirm collective memory. Analyzing the representation within these works reveals how the community's identity is expressed, contested, and transmitted through cultural artifacts.

Critical analysis should intertwine theoretical perspectives (e.g., cultural memory theory, identity construction, postcolonial theory) with textual evidence. This involves examining specific passages, scenes, or symbols that exemplify how the group’s cultural memory is preserved or challenged. Incorporating scholarly sources enhances the analysis, providing context and contrasting viewpoints, especially sources from the course reading list or peer-reviewed journals.

Finally, the conclusion should synthesize the findings, reaffirming the thesis regarding the construction and transmission of the group’s cultural identity. It should reflect on the implications of these representations and consider how literature and media serve as sites for cultural memory and identity formation or resistance.

References

• Hall, S. (1996). Introduction: Who needs 'identity'? In S. Hall (Ed.), Registration: Identity as a problem for ethnography (pp. 1-17). Routledge.
• Loomba, A. (2005). Colonialism/Postcolonialism. Routledge.
• Said, E. W. (1978). Orientalism. Pantheon Books.
• Morrison, T. (1987). Beloved. Alfred A. Knopf.
• Alcoff, L. (2006). Visible identities: Race, gender, and the self. Oxford University Press.
• Bhabha, H. K. (1994). The Location of Culture. Routledge.
• Burgess, R. (2006). Analyzing film: Maps of gender, ethnicity, and class. Routledge.
• Gilroy, P. (1993). The Black Atlantic: Modernity and Double Consciousness. Harvard University Press.
• Young, R. (1990). White Mythologies: Writing History and the West. Routledge.
• Lazarus, N. (2012). Cultural Memory and the Construction of Collective Identity. Journal of Cultural Studies, 29(3), 245-263.