Prompt: Write an essay of 1,250-1,1750 (about 5-8 pages) on the "urban crisis" as a whole. What is the "urban crisis"? How did it develop? When did it develop? What are its major components and features?
Your essay should (1) examine the historical, social, political, and economic dimensions of the "urban crisis" by drawing upon various readings; (2) identify The Wire's perspective on the "urban crisis"; (3) propose measures that could solve the "urban crisis" in our current time.
Guidelines:
1. Your essay should include a bibliography and notes (in-text citations, footnotes, or endnotes). Use the citation style with which you are most comfortable. Excluding notes or a bibliography will negatively impact your score. See the grading rubric on the next page for more information.
2. Your essay should draw upon at least 8-10 course readings and 1 external (non-course) reading of your choice (select 1 of the following: news article, journal article, or book). At least 1 of your course readings should come from Unit 5.
3. Make your references to the readings specific, multiple, thoughtful, and varied. This means that using only one reference from each reading is not enough. Also, it isn't a good idea to just mention a reference or to "pass over" it quickly. You should discuss its meaning and implications.
4. It is difficult to quantify the number of references that you should make to the series itself. Some of you may choose to discuss the show as a whole while others will choose to focus on one season or on several episodes from multiple seasons. This is your call. Just make sure that your essay reflects careful consideration of what The Wire is saying about the "urban crisis" in terms of how it works and why it is important for us to know about it.
5. Focus on analyzing the material. Your argument and ideas should guide the discussion. Do not rely too heavily upon summary. Show your familiarity with the readings and the series by developing insightful ideas. Demonstrate a deep and perceptive understanding of the material. Do not limit your discussion of solutions (part 3) to the last paragraph of your paper.