If history, and this semester, has taught us anything, it’s that dominant ideology is fluid and changes over time for various reasons. Even the currently dominant ideologies and isms will eventually be replaced by something else. Your task for this group project is to craft a new ideology. This ideology cannot be one that already exists though it will, inevitably, contain aspects from various other isms. Your task is to essentially answer the following:
What will the next ideology be?
Requirements:
Complete a short paper (outline below) detailing your ideology and present your ideology to the instructors.
Notes:
This is no small task. You are attempting to predict the future (and perhaps even to shape it). Your group will be forced to confront political, social, and other controversial topics. It’s important to keep an open mind, value all perspectives, and be willing to compromise for the sake of the assignment. Also, understand that you don’t necessarily have to agree with all or any of the ideology presented. This should be the ideology that you think will drive future humanity—not necessarily the one that you want it to be (though we hope you can find a way to make those that same things). Compromise will be key to your group being able to complete the assignment.
The Paper:
The paper should be roughly 5-7 pages in length (including artwork, images, etc.) and follow the outline below. Use 12-point font, double spacing, standard margins. Any outside sources used should be cited appropriately using the citation method of your choice and be included on a works cited page.
The Presentation:
Each group will be responsible for a 10-minute visual presentation following same outline as the paper. Your goal should be to inform us about your ideological system and to convince us that this is the ism of the future. Be creative. This should be the focus of your work; the 5-7 page paper is merely a back-up frame of reference for us to consult if we feel anything may have been missing from the visual presentation.
The presentation should more or less hit on all of the points detailed in the assignment guide’s outline (name, symbolism, narratives, etc.). The vehicle of how you present to us in your submissions is up to you. Given that the course is online, we understand options are limited in many ways. Some great examples that worked in past sections include Power Point or Prezis w/embedded videos, voice recordings, artwork, story boards, and the like. We’ve also had groups create websites (again, w/embedded content) using resources like Weebly, but by all means, please choose the method of delivery you’re most comfortable and confident with.
We intentionally leave the descriiption of the way you present “vague” to allow for as much creativity as possible and differentiation between groups (again, certain limitations are a given). Once you get to know one another in the groups, you’ll find each of you likely have amazing skills–maybe in music, drawing, web design, etc. We encourage you to emphasize your members’ unique skills and talents for these presentations. For example a creative writer could be given the task of crafting your ideology’s “founding narrative” and so on.
For the curious, here’s a link to a past group’s online submission. They made a website. It’s from one of our other courses (“Resistance and Revolution”), but the method of delivery still applies: Online Project Example.
Grading:
This assignment is worth 300 points. Half of these points will be assigned by your instructors based on your paper and presentation—each group member will receive the same grade for these points. The other half of the grade will be based on an average of points given to you by your fellow group members.
Outline:
Introduction
Briefly introduce us to your ideology
Name
What is the name of your ideology? Why did you choose that name?
Consider how people will react and how it will impact people’s behavior
Symbol
Give your ideology a “logo.” Look to others for inspiration (Communism, Anarchism, Capitalism – $, Religions, etc.)
Why did you choose this symbol? What is its significance?
Society
How is society structured under this ideology?
Power
What is the basis for power?
Who has the power and why?
How do shifts in power take place (if so)?
Economy
How are good and services produced and distributed under your ideology?
Hegemonic Processes
How is this ideology spread, perpetuated, and enforced? (be specific)
Explain the hegemonic process in detail
Who is doing the “socializing”?
What institutions are the most important in this process?
Narrative(s)
Based on the hegemonic process, create at least two narratives that will socialize people into, and/or reinforce, your ideology. These may be works of art, poems, films, short stories, school curricula, interpretations of history, news sources, video games, websites, and so on; be prepared to show these in class during your presentation (read them to us, show the films, show us a story board, etc.)
Conclusion
Explain, specifically, why you think this is the ideology that will drive the society of the future.
Working as a Group
Working as a group online can be challenging at times. Be sure that you are utilizing technology that can assist you. I suggest using Google docs to collaborate on the paper itself—this makes it easy to chat, add comments, etc. Feel free to give me permission on your documents (I’ll check in and add comments periodically if you do)
You are free to organize your group work however you’d like but we suggest scheduling a phone call with all of your group members once the groups are established, talking through the paper, and dividing the sections between the group members. The paper seems overwhelming at first but, if you divide up the workload appropriately, each person should only be responsible for a few pages.
