Sison-Feb2024

Write an essay in response to one of the following prompts.

Use at least one (1) primary source and two (2) peer-reviewed, scholarly secondary sources
**Important Note** – this assignment requires you to use SCHOLARLY sources, meaning that sources such as book reviews, blog entries, news articles, etc. are NOT acceptable.

Primary Sources (Reading List) 
- G. Willow Wilson’s Ms. Marvel vol. 1 -
- Viet Thanh Nguyen’s “The Other Man” 
- Kali Fajardo-Anstine “Sisters” 
- Ramy season 1, episode 6 “Refugees” directed by Cherien Dabis and written by Bridget Bedard, Ramy
  Youssef, and Ari Katcher

For this particular essay, you may choose one of the following readings as one of your secondary sources: 
- Chimamanda Adichie’s “The Dangers of a Single Story”
- Viet Thanh Nguyen’s “On Being a Refugee, an American – and a Human Being” Prompt #1
(6 pages minimum):
______________________________________________

Prompts

1. Viet Thanh Nguyen’s short story, “The Other Man,” follows Liem, a refugee, who arrives in San Diego to meet his sponsor, Parrish Coyne. How does Viet Thanh Nguyen portray the war and refugee experience?

2. (6 pages minimum) Kali Fajardo-Anstine’s “Sisters,” G. Willow Wilson’s Ms. Marvel vol. 1, and May Calamawy’s portrayal of Dena from Ramy season 1, episode 6 “Refugees,” explore challenges and moments of defiance that many women of color endure and face. Choose at least one of the stories listed and explain how the protagonist(s) were portrayed and represented in the story. How is their identity challenged to a point where they must reclaim autonomy?

3. (6 pages minimum) Develop your own focused topic to research based on any of the primary sources and present it to me in your proposal. If you choose this option, be sure the topic you choose is very, very focused, and that you have a specific question in mind that you want the answer to. “What am I supposed to research?” You may consider but are not limited to the following suggestions to research when drafting your argument. Remember, there are more ways to address these prompts than the list below:

Regardless of the prompt you chose, all readings, in some way, examine cultural identity, a sense of belonging to a community/family, isolation faced by marginalized communities, and the immigrant or refugee experience.

It may be helpful to do some research on the Vietnam War refugee crisis and the twentieth-century effects of war. For example, how is this historical context relevant to “The Other Man?” 

Race, racism, gender, and class representation in popular culture. Specifically, how does your chosen source explore overt/covert racism, gender and sexuality, and/or BIPOC experiences? Do these portrayals differ in comic books, TV, or literature?
- Address possible counter-arguments. Is your topic controversial? What do other scholars argue about your topic and how would YOU respond to those claims?