Chapter Section Summary Assignment:

Open Stax, Chapter 2: Sections 2.1-2.3

PHASE 1: PRE-READING (or Anticipatory Reading)

Pre-reading taps into what you already have learned about a subject to begin to think about
what you already know and to form questions that will make you’re reading more effective. If you
think of your brain like a computer, pre-reading open “folder” in your mind, which helps improve
comprehension and improve time-effective reading.

Step 1-Experiential survey (free-write):

Look at the chapter sections you are about to read. Write down the section titles
within the chapter. What do you think you already know about each title? (Take 2
minutes to jot down a list of your ideas.)

A. Interest Convergence, Material Determinism, and Racial Realism

I think this chapter might take about how some people think racism is a construct that society made
throughout the years, while the other group views racism as inevitable and part of our nature.

B. Revisionist History

I think this might be about people “revising” history and changing the viewpoint of major historical events in
America. These events are often told from the point of view of the “winners” and the people who are the
majority. I think revisionist might take these events and change the point of view to the minorities point of
view.

C. Critique of Liberalism

I think this chapter might be about critiquing liberals who are “color-blind” or try to argue that racism is a
thing of the past. They try to solve problem for minorities but end up hurting them more in the process. They
think that since people of color have more rights and better opportunities now it means that racism has been
solved.

D. Structural Determinism

I think this might be about how people only think there is one kind of racism. There are actually several
different types. It also might be about how the system is always favored towards the dominant members of
society.

1. Tools of Thought and the Dilemma of Law Reform

I think this might be about the tools that people use to research and tools they might use to help them with law
cases.

2. The Empathetic Fallacy

I think this might be about how people aren’t that empathetic towards the experiences of minorities. They will
use their culture, food, fashion, etc., but when minorities bring up the problems that they face all of a sudden
people ignore them or give them fake empathy.

Write all the chapter’s (2.1-2.3) sections subtitles or subsections you find here:
 A. Interest Convergence, Material Determinism, and Racial Realism

B. Revisionist History

C. Critique of Liberalism

D. Structural Determinism
1. Tools of Thought and the Dilemma of Law Reform
2. The Empathetic Fallacy

Step 2-First Read

Skim your reading and take note of all significant information, including (but not
limited to) subtitles, terms in italics or bold font, author information, pictures,
graphs, tables, diagrams, and questions to students within the text.
Make a list of what stands out to you. What do you expect to learn that you do
not yet know? (3 minutes)

Step 2 Responses

First part of the chapter is a hypothetical situation

Idealists about race vs realists about race

State of the Union Address from Obama talking about Guantanamo Bay and how he’s working to shut it
down

People want to revise history to be from the viewpoint of minorities

Racial insults are a lot more severe than any mere insult

Certain liberals are plagued with “color-blindness” and so they think that racism is a thing of the past when
it is very much still present

Racism is a lot more than one singular thing, there are different types

Many people feign empathy towards minorities while using the very same things that those minorities
brought to America
I expect to learn about why people might feign empathy and why “color-blindness” is a very harmful thing
in society.
 Chapter Summary Assignment
Step 3: Making sense of Images. Closely examine any pictures, tables, charts, or “Callouts”
intended to teach a concept.

1. Select one concept, chart, or figure per chapter and represent it here—either
using direct quote, a drawing, or a summary

One concept that I found especially interesting in this chapter is the concept of
Empathetic Fallacy. Many people have preconceived notions of different races and
since these notions are popularized many people think they’re true. People might
also not have the chance to be exposed to many different types of races so they
grow up thinking that all these notions are what’s true and have limited empathy
towards other races.

2. Describe in a 1-2 sentences how the images or callouts support—or

distract—from your reading.

They support my reading because it helps demonstrate the effects of people not
being exposed to a variety of different culture but without the preconceived
notions they may have.
 Chapter Summary Assignment
Phase 2: Making Meaning/Naming what you learn: Write a summary for the chapter sections you
read. Summary should be 25-300 words. What was/were the main concept(s) of the sections?
What seems most important about these concepts? When are such concepts applied? What
seems most unique / unexpected about the concept, based on what you wrote in your first
textbox? [DO NOT quote the chapter. Use the specific terms of the chapter, but define them in
your won words, please.]

Using the questions above as your guide, write a combined summary of the chapters 1 & 4.
You may start with a sentence like “Chapter X described the concept of… and the application
of….” To get you started.

Chapter 2 started off with a hypothetical situation about pills that could get rid of some of the
world’s worst problems. However, it then goes down the path of whether these pills would
actually fix any of these problems or not. The next topic it discusses is the difference between
idealists and realists and how both types view racism with idealists wanting to think it’s a
construct of society and realists thinking it is in our nature. The next topic discusses the impact
of the way American history is shown. We’re often led to believe certain people are the “good
guys” when that might not be the case at all. More people are trying to rewrite history through
the eyes of the minorities that experienced it. Another topic this chapter discusses is the idea of
“color-blindness” and how some people think that just because minorities are getting better
opportunities in the world it means that racism is a thing of the past. This ties into the concept
of structural determinism which talks about how the way society is structured determines
people's route in life and where they might end up. Finally, the chapter closes off on empathetic
fallacy and how many people feign empathy towards minorities simply because they don’t
know what that experience is like themselves. They have preconceived notions of minorities
and thus it causes them to believe that that is the way they truly are and for them to lose empathy
towards those minorities and their problems.