CHAPTER Two
American Citizens and Political Culture

Exercises

Naturalization

What is it like to become an American citizen through immigration? Most Americans are born in the United States to at least one American parent, but many immigrants go through the naturalization process. The web site for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has a Naturalization page that discusses the requirements for naturalization. Are the requirements made of those naturalizing—having a "good moral character; attachment to the U.S. Constitution; and, favorable disposition toward the United States"—something that is required of natural-born American citizens?

Read some of the USCIS' A Guide to Naturalization, and concentrate on pages 20-30, where the responsibilities of citizenship are listed and discussed.

    • Are these responsibilities also expected of natural-born American citizens?
    • Does our country, through civics classes in school and the like, do enough to make natural-born citizens as aware of their responsibilities as naturalizing citizens are expected to be of their particular responsibilities?
    • Are the responsibilities enforceable for either natural-born citizens or naturalized citizens?

One of the additional requirements of naturalization is a knowledge and understanding of U.S. history and government. The USCIS provides a Naturalization Self-Test with questions like these. Generate questions and answer them for this test, but understand that they are by no means easy and that your performance on this test in no way illustrates how well you will do in this course. Nevertheless, clearly the USCIS wants to ensure that new citizens understand their government and its history. Certainly public education in the United States tries to make sure natural-born citizens are also aware of the government, but one's citizenship is not revoked for not learning about government. Is this a double standard? Or is this merely a way to make sure immigrants are up-to-speed on the American political system?


Shifting population

Having a grasp of U.S. population dynamics is not just interesting, but it is also important for a full understanding of who we are in the definition of politics: who gets what, when, and how. As we'll see in later chapters, considerable political power rests in areas with large numbers of citizens.

    1. Visit the U.S. Census Bureau's Population Density Maps web page to see where we live and how that is changing.
      Click on the "Population Size for States and Puerto Rico" map to enlarge it.
    • Which states have particularly large populations?
    • From the "Percent Distribution of United States Population by State" map, where do most Americans live?
    • How much of the United States does your state make up?

      Click on the "Population Density for States and Puerto Rico" map.
    • What does it mean that some states have high population density and others do not?
    • What is the difference between population size and population density? What does it mean, for example, that Texas has an enormous population and Maryland has a relatively moderate population, yet Maryland has an enormous population density compared to Texas?
    • How does population density affect what we think is important? In other words, what kinds of social and economic issues do people focus on in states with high population density versus low population density?


Where are we going? It is important to understand not just the relative size of states but also how they are changing. Click on both the "Numerical Change in Population for States and Puerto Rico" map and the "Percent Change in Population for States and Puerto Rico" map.

  • Since 2000, which states are growing the fastest? Which large states are gaining population, and which large states are losing population?
  • What will these changes mean for political power in the United States?
    Study the same maps that break down these population features by county rather than by state.
  • Is population changing within your state?
  • Is your county growing, decreasing, or staying the same?
  • What will this mean for political power within your state for the future?

Appealing to ideological positions of Americans

As the text makes clear, the "social order ideological dimension does not dovetail neatly with the more traditional liberal and conservative orientations toward government action" in the economy. Consequently Americans may not consider themselves ideologically conservative or liberal on either or both economic and social issues. It is confusing enough that it is often difficult for many Americans to know exactly where they fall ideologically.

  • Does where you place yourself ideologically match up to the issue positions that you hold? Where do you believe you fit ideologically among those described in the book?
  • Go to the Pew Center for the People and the Press' Beyond Red vs. Blue web site. Fill out their questionnaire to see where they believe you fall given these questions. Does this fit with where you thought you fell?
  • Go to the 2004 Republican Party Platform and scroll down to the section titled "Protecting Our Families." Also, go to the 2004 Democratic National Platform and scroll down to the "A Strong American Community" section. Which party's positions seem to match your own on social issues?
  • In these same party web sites, visit the "Ushering in an Ownership Era" section of the Republican party platform and the "A Strong, Growing Economy" section of the Democratic party platform. Do the parties fit where you expected them to? Do they match where you placed yourself as far as identifying with a party in the Beyond Red vs. Blue web site quiz?