Week 5 Assignment: Representationin Congress

RequiredResources

Read/review the following resources for this activity:

• Textbook: Chapter 11, 12
• Lesson
• Minimum of 2 scholarly sources in addition to the textbook.

Instructions

Research the proportion of women, African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans and openly gay or lesbian members of Congress.

1. Reflect on what these patterns say about the nature of representation.
2. Why do some groups tend to be underrepresented in Congress?
3. Why do you see a trend in which more women and minorities are being represented?
4. Do you think the underrepresentation of women and minorities affect Congress's business?
5. How might we as a people address this situation and strive towards equal representation? Make sure to cite sources used.

Writing Requirements (APAformat)

• Length: 1.5-2 pages (not including title page or references page)
• 1-inch margins
• Double spaced
• 12-point Times New Roman font
• Title page
• References page (minimum of 2 scholarly sources in addition to textbook if cited)

Paper Preview

Introduction

Congress members have many duties and one of them is to represent the citizens and the other is to assist with shaping and passing the laws that govern the nation. “There are about two hundred and fifty congressional committees and subcommittees, each charged with different functions, and all made up of members of Congress” (Greenberg & Page, p.303). In the US it has been seen that women and minorities have been significantly underrepresented in Congress (Greenberg & Page). In congress, member demographics have a lot to do with the way the congress individuals will decide on their decision, “perfectly representative legislative body would be similar to the general population in terms of race, sex, ethnicity, occupation, religion, age, and other key characteristics” (Greenberg & Page, p.301). In Congress, the political system has favored whites over those of racial and ethnic minorities. Why is it that minorities are unrepresented in the US? The representation of women, people of color, people in the LGBTQ+ communities are not being represented and therefore their voices are not being heard.

Representation Pattern

Changes in policies, laws, social roles, activists, political parties, and organizations are some of the reasons why women now hold seats in congress. Over the last few years, there has been an increase in the number of African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Asian Americans members in Congress. Running for office and especially congressional office has been a predominately male enterprise for most of American history” ( Sanbonmatsu, 2020, p.42)............... Continue