What makes people happy? How do systems of power and privilege impact our happiness? How are these systems tied to place? Write an argumentative research essay that explores a research question related to this theme in our class. Below are a few lines of questioning you might consider, but these are not exhaustive. You have the freedom to develop your own question, but you must submit a proposal for approval (see prompt below).
Because this is an argumentative research essay, you will do the following:
Develop (and have approved) a proposal, which will include a research question and preliminary bibliography.
Complete several stages of research, including an annotated bibliography.
Create a strong, arguable thesis statement that answers your research question.
Draft, revise, edit, and submit a final, polished draft.
Purpose:
You have already combined ideas from multiple sources in the synthesis essay. At this point, you are ready to take information from multiple sources to create and support an argument of your own.
Many of you have written essays similar to this in the past; the only difference will most likely be the length of the essay and the number of sources. Don’t forget that you have many resources: the library, your classmates, the writing center, and (of course) me!
Audience:
An academic audience who is interested in your topic but who may require background information in order to understand your thesis
Format:
The body should be 7-9 pages long (not counting title page or references page) using APA formatting guidelines.
Note that you are required to cite (and use evidence from) at least 7 credible sources. Up to three of those sources may come from the textbook, and you must use at least one source from the textbook.
Assessment:
Your final draft is worth 25% of your course grade.
Questions to Consider:
The questions below are quite broad. Note that each one could easily be narrowed down to produce numerous focused areas of inquiry. So even if you choose to pursue one of these lines of questioning, don’t just make it your research question … narrow it down. Try using a text or two from Rereading America to help you narrow your focus. You might also search Statista to find productive avenues of inquiry.
How does where we live affect our happiness? You might focus on city or state, or you might choose other ways of designating place, perhaps by living environment or proximity to other types of locations.
How does use of smartphones and/or social media affect our happiness?
What’s the relationship between educational attainment and happiness?
How do our jobs affect our happiness? Does the type of work we do matter? Are there other factors to consider here?
How does income affect happiness? What about wealth?
How do our relationships with others affect our happiness? You could consider family relationships, but also those with friends, neighbors, significant others, or colleagues.
How do social constructs and expectations related to gender identity/expression and/or sexual orientation affect our happiness?
How does race or class interact with any of the systems explored above to affect our happiness?
Is exercising our right to personal freedom the key to our happiness or the source of our oppression by others in positions of power and privilege?
CLASS IN AMERICA – GREGORY MANTSIOS (rereading america)
OUR FUTURE SELVES – ERIC SMIDT and JARED COHEN (rereading america)
https://positivepsychology.com/happiness/
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4020-2903-5_14
https://papersowl.com/examples/oppression-freedom-and-happiness-in-the-allegory-of-the-cave/
Colombo, G., Cullen, R., & Lisle, B. (1992). Rereading America: Cultural contexts for critical
thinking and writing (2nd ed.). Bedford Books of St. Martin’s Press.
“Class in America” was published in 2006, and while this may be relatively outdated, the content
focuses on Gregory Mantsios’ personal theories that are applicable across years of American
history. Mantsios evaluates the level of true freedom and equality experienced across economic
classes in America and points out the fault in the so-called “American way” which seems to
encourage hierarchy; both factors are relevant to my research (Colombo et al., 1992, p. 183).
Mantsios has a Ph.D. in Sociology and years of experience, so he is well-educated on this topic.
From his two-page list of sources, it is clear that he researched fully and backed up each claim he
made in his piece with outside sources. The scholarly article educates readers about the harsh
realities of class and oppression in America, “the land of the free,” while also encouraging
further research to other academics.
One quote I believe would be valuable for my essay from this piece is, “When social
commentators or liberal politicians draw attention to the plight of the poor, they do so in a
manner that obscures the class structure and denies any sense of exploitation” (Colombo et al.,
1992, p. 183).
Celestine, N. (2017, January 26). The science of happiness in positive psychology 101 (M.
Neuhaus, Ed.). PositivePsychology.com. Retrieved October 7, 2022, from
https://positivepsychology.com/happiness/
This article was published less than ten years ago (in January of 2017) which almost completely
ensures that it still relevant. Its main focuses are the sources of happiness, the benefits of
happiness, and the effects of money on happiness, which relates to my research’s emphasis on
economic class. Celestine reports that social class and wealth are the fourth most important
factors that contribute to happiness, which would add to my paper significantly. While Celestine
has a academic record, and has a Ph.D., her article was also reviewed by another expert in the
area of positive psychology who has a Ph.D., making it extremely reliable. This article is simple
and well-explained, which signifies that it is meant to educate the general public in hopes of
improving widespread happiness levels.
This article has many sections that relate to my research, but the most prominent is an
observational study done in Bhutan in 1972. Celestine shared, “Bhutan chose to pursue a policy
of happiness rather than a focus on economic growth tracked via their gross domestic product.
Subsequently, this little nation has been among the happiest, ranking amongst nations with far
superior wealth” (Celestine, 2017).
Haller, M., & Hadler, M. (2004). Challenges for Quality of Life in the Contemporary World:
Advances in quality-of-life studies, theory and research: Vol. 24. Happiness as an Expression of
Freedom and Self-Determination (W. Glatzer, S. Below, & M. Stoffregen, Eds.; ). Springer
Netherlands.
This article was published in 2004, and cites articles published even earlier, so some of the data
is subject to change; however, its main points still apply and will add to my paper. The
information is relevant since it focuses on freedom and free will and their strong correlations to a
person’s happiness, which adds to one argument in my paper that exercising personal freedom
increases happiness. There is an extensive list of sources used that have reliable publishers and
authors; this information paired with the authors’ credibility leads me to consider this a
trustworthy source. Also, they reinforce data presented by detailing a comparative empirical
analysis that was performed to provide accurate data. This is a highly academic paper, which is
seemingly meant for the academic community; however, its detail makes it digestible by the
public as well, which can inspire movement towards change in the public sphere.
A powerful quote that would pair well with my research paper topic says, “If a human act has
been carried out by free decision, without external enforcement or constraint, it is gratifying per
se because it deploys the essence of humans, the ability to act in a conscious, deliberate and
reflexive manner. If we see satisfaction with one’s life as a whole as the highest form of
happiness, then it becomes also evident that freedom plays a decisive role” (Haller & Hadler,
2004, p. 208).
Oppression, Freedom and Happiness in “The Allegory of the Cave.” (2021, Mar 20). Retrieved
from
https://papers.owl.com/examples/oppression-freedom-and-happiness-in-the-allegory-of-the-page
This article was published just over a year ago, so its relevancy is still potent; however, it
borrows themes from Plato and other ancient literary figures, which grounds the article in highly
respected theories and individuals. Much of the article surrounds the effect that a person’s
environment has on their level of satisfaction, which is largely applied to class and breaking out
of one’s typical experiences. This article is published on a highly reputable website, and contains
reliable information, which gives me the confidence to cite it in my paper. I believe that this
piece is meant to educate a broad spectrum of individuals, from its broad range of academic
areas mentioned. This article includes philosophy, literature, and an emphasis on the relationship
between opportunity/experience and happiness, which relates to my research topic.
A quote I plan to use is, “The allegory is likewise a portrayal of how now and again people have
the need to make themselves awkward or extend in our otherworldly adventures or in our way to
satisfaction and joy… People increase new points of view, and with this comes a prevalent, all the
more enduring type of joy” (PapersOwl, 2021).
Schmidt, E., & Cohen, J. (2013). Our future selves. In The new digital age: Reshaping the future
of people, nations and business: Our Future Selves. Alfred A. Knopf.
This piece was published in 2013, and since its primary focus is on the changes that come with
rapid digital development, much of the hypotheses made for the future “digital age” have already
been proved/disproved. In their work, Schmidt and Cohen focus on how technology will increase
connectivity across classes and borders and predicted that it may even help even the playing
field, per se, for people in lower classes, which applies to my focus on oppression in my paper.
Both authors are well-known and respected academics, and their work has also been
supplemented with large amounts of citations from credible sources, which makes their piece
reliable. Overall, “Our Future Selves” appeals to many types of readers; at the time of its
publishing, it likely appealed to academic communities, while today it is alluring to the general
reader and acts as an encourager for reflection on the past ten years and the effect technology has
had on society.
One of the many quotes I plan to use in my paper from this piece says, “Everyone will benefit
from connectivity, but not equally, and how those differences manifest themselves in the daily
lives of people is our purpose here… For children in poor countries, future connectivity promises
new access to educational tools, though clearly not at the level described above” (Schmidt &
Cohen, 2013, p. 11).
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