Overview As you move forward in your academic and professional careers, you will encounter many different perspectives around topics you are engaged in. One of the hallmarks of an open-minded person is the ability to recognize and appreciate the value of looking through different lenses to arrive at informed views. In this course, you have begun examining the world through the four lenses of the liberal arts. For this project, you will go through the process of finding information on a topic of interest to you and viewing this topic through different lenses to get a more complete picture of the topic and its impact on you. This project will be based on one of the following topics and its provided resources in the library guide, which you chose in Module Three: Voting rights Climate change Justice
Lenses of the liberal arts
The liberal arts are four different ways of thinking about the world that can help us to understand it more fully. These lenses are:
Voting rights
Voting rights are the rights of citizens to vote in elections. These rights are guaranteed by the United States Constitution and by state constitutions. However, voting rights have not always been guaranteed for all citizens. In the past, African Americans, women, and other marginalized groups have been denied the right to vote.
Natural science lens
The natural science lens can help us to understand the biological and environmental factors that influence voting rights. For example, we know that people who live in rural areas are less likely to vote than people who live in urban areas. This is likely due to a number of factors, including transportation challenges, lack of access to information, and difficulty finding childcare.
Social science lens
The social science lens can help us to understand the social and political factors that influence voting rights. For example, we know that people who are low-income are less likely to vote than people who are high-income. This is likely due to a number of factors, including lack of education, lack of time, and feeling like their vote does not matter.
Humanities lens
The humanities lens can help us to understand the cultural and historical factors that influence voting rights. For example, we know that the right to vote has been a long-fought battle for many groups in the United States. African Americans, women, and other marginalized groups have had to overcome discrimination and violence in order to gain the right to vote.
Mathematics and logic lens
The mathematics and logic lens can help us to understand the statistical and logical aspects of voting rights. For example, we can use statistics to track voter turnout rates and to identify trends. We can also use logic to analyze the arguments for and against different voting rights policies.
Conclusion
Voting rights are an important issue that affects all citizens of the United States. By viewing this issue through the four lenses of the liberal arts, we can gain a more complete understanding of the factors that influence voting rights and the challenges that still exist. This understanding can help us to work towards a more just and equitable society where all citizens have the right to vote.