GGR318H5F Political Geography, Fall 2025
Journal Reflection – America’s Great Divide
Value – 8% of course grade
Due Oct 21 @9am.
Submission through quercus
Provide a personal reflection on the Frontline video America’s Great Divide: From Obama to Trump (Part 1) . President Obama was elected on a promise of hope, change, bipartisanship and unity and yet at the end of his second term in office the United States appeared to be move divided than ever; your reflection should consider why.
In your reflection consider the following issues
Mistrust of government and resentment of political elites
The politics of division reflected in the financial crisis, health care reform, gun reform and immigration reform.
The role of race in American discourse
The transformation of the Republican Party
The role of social media and the alternative press (for example Breitbart)
Your reflection should be ~700 words in length. It should include a short introduction that sets the context for your reflection and a short conclusion that summaries your key arguments.
The reflection must be written in your own words, there should be no quotations or paraphrasing.
Writing will be assessed throughout based on the quality of the writing (sentences, paragraphs, grammar etc.), the clarity of the discussion and the organization of the reflection and the insightfulness of the arguments.
The first page should have your name, student number, course title and number. Your reflection must be double spaced, typed in 12-point font with 1-inch margins and must observe the identified word limits.
This is not a group assignment. You should not cooperate with any other student when writing the assignment.
Submitting Assignments
Assignments are due by 9am. October 21 to the course quercus site. Please note that this deadline is rigid and that a full day late penalty applies immediately (a 10% penalty at 9.01am., 20% at 9.01am. the following day and so on) . Assignments submitted more than five days late will receive a zero grade. Assignments handed in AFTER the work has been returned to the class cannot be marked for credit.