March 28, 2005
Definition Topic-Proposal
Health & Safety: Topic Proposal
1. What will be the topic of your definition argument? Explain.
Are we oppressing the people of Iraq and Afghanistan?
2. Write a first-pass definition thesis that your paper will support. The claim must identify a choice of a specific case, a category and at least two or three preliminary criteria.
Oppression would be defined by me as the taking away of rights, and forcing people to do what they don't want to.
3. Describe an audience that would find your claim interesting or controversial. Why would they care about your claim?
Most Americans according to this last presidential election have very strong feelings on the war. Some say we're imposing our will, and others call us saviors of the Arab people.
4. List some items that are obvious members of the category, some that are non-members, and some borderline cases.
members- taxation w/o representation, communist purges (Stalin)
non-members- worship as one chooses, say what you want, be what you want to be
borderline- America's influence in Iraq, state taxes, socialism
Michael,
Your topic currently has a category term - "oppression" - but it still lacks a specific case term. Perhaps you can choose a specific action from our general involvement in Afghanistan to argue that it is/isn't oppression. I am suggesting a more specific case because the general presence or involvement of the States in Afghanistan is way too broad, and one can find both oppressive and liberating elements in it.