Throughout this course, we have examined western civilization’s tendency to broaden individual rights. This trend has produced modern western societies with more robust political and economic freedom when compared to Europe in 1200 A.D.
However, commentators like David Brooks of the NYT express concern that western society’s focus on expanding individual freedom has yielded unintended consequences that manifest in a deterioration of social cohesion. For example, Brooks notes that western society increasingly suffers from: sharp increases in people reporting loneliness, depression, and in rising suicide rates. Moreover, Brooks laments that many western nations are experiencing a decline in marriage rates and falling trust in institutions.
Is Brooks right to attribute these statistics to the excesses of western individualism? Why or why not?
Here is a link to a talk Brooks gave at Davidson College where he made some of the arguments I’m referencing:
https://m.facebook.com/watch/?v=10156123122347052&_rdr
Student Name:
Thesis (solution / outcome)
Student ID:
SECTION#
Semester:
Civilization 1/2 Assessment Rubric: Critical Thinking, Writing, & Discipline-Specific Knowledge
Exceeds Expectations
Meets Expectations
Does Not Meet Expectations
Not gradable
4
3
2-1
0
Appropriate, well developed,
Appropriate and clearly identifiable Topic sentence instead of thesis; or No discernible thesis.
identifiable strong thesis makes a
thesis makes a supportable
thesis lacks clarity in focus,
supportable statement, claim,
statement, claim, conclusion or
development, or support, may be
conclusion or hypothesis about the hypothesis about the prompt; thesis indirectly related–while still
prompt; thesis has a specific focus. may lack development, focus and/or appropriate–to the prompt.
specificity.
Score
Discipline-Specific Knowledge
(data)
Accurate supporting sources /
examples (4 or more) provide
persuasive support for the thesis.
Use of support demonstrates a
thorough familiarity with relevant
history and/or literary source
material covered in the course
Accurate supporting examples (3-4)
provide sufficient and specific
support for the thesis. Use of
support demonstrates an adequate
knowledge of relevant history
and/or literary source material
covered in the course. Some
relevant examples may be omitted.
Accurate supporting examples (2-3) No attempt to use appropriate sources
provide minimal support for the
covered in the course to support
argument; examples may lack
argument.
specificity. Use of support
demonstrates only a basic
knowledge of relevant history
and/or literary source material
covered in the course. Clearly
relevant examples may be omitted.
Data use & interpretation (ideas,
connections, & logical
relationships)
Essay demonstrates a thorough
grasp of the most important,
relevant historical issues and
contexts raised by prompt/topic.
Essay makes persuasive connections
between relevant historical
issues/contexts and author’s analysis
of the topic.
Essay demonstrates a good grasp of
some (but not most) of the
important historical issues and
contexts raised by prompt/topic.
Essay makes reasonable
connections between relevant
historical issues/contexts and
author’s analysis of the topic.
Essay demonstrates partial but
Does not demonstrate historical
inadequate grasp of at least one
comprehension.
historical issue and/or context
raised by prompt/topic; some key
issue /contexts omitted. Essay
makes only vague connections
betweeen historical issues/contexts
and author’s analysis of the topic.
Analysis [of Prompt/Topic, Sources Persuasive analysis breaks
/ Support]
prompt/topic into its most relevant
questions/components with
substantive discussion of each part;
analysis uses multiple points of
view demonstrating a multidimensional understanding of the
prompt/topic. Description/ summary
used only as support, not in place of
analysis.
Language Use / Communication
Well-written, organized and easily
Ability
understandable essay conveys its
meaning in appropriate and virtually
error-free standard English.
Adequate and accurate use of
appropriate historical and literary
terminology.
Appropriate but uneven analysis
breaks prompt/topic into some of its
most relevant questions /
components with adequate
discussion of each part; analysis
uses at least pro/con perspectives
demonstrating a bi-dimensional
understanding of the prompt/ topic.
Minimal use of description/
summary in place of analysis.
Understandable, organized essay
conveys its meaning in clearly
written and appropriate standard
English with few usage errors.
Appropriate historical and literary
terminology may be incomplete or
inaccurate.
Appropriate analysis but flawed,
No analysis or prompt/topic; narrative is
uneven, and/or weak. Breaks
unrelated or only marginally to
prompt/topic into at least one
topic/prompt.
relevant component and/or has
inadequate discussion of any parts;
evinces a uni-dimensional
understanding of prompt/topic;
tends to describe / summarize more
than analyze.
rev 7/4/19
Understandable essay conveys its
meaning with some difficulty
caused by unclear organization
and/or frequent usage errors.
Language use consistently impedes
meaning due to significant usage errors
and/or lack of organization.
Total =
Average of five numbers =