Prompt:

You are required to read Enrique’s Journey (Nazario, 2007, 2014) and, using one or more individuals discussed in the book, create a case study in poverty. The case study should describe how the individual is impacted by poverty and the environment that contributes to poverty and oppression. The case study should conclude with your recommendations for improvement or change.

Note that this week's video, which shows “La Beastia,” the train that Enrique took across part of Mexico during his journeys to the U.S., and interviews individuals on the same journey and those who try to help them, will give additional insight as you develop your case study.

The website maintained by the author of Enrique’s Journey (Nazario, 2007, 2014) also gives additional and more current information about Enrique and his family, Honduras, and immigration policy (links included under Week 5’s readings).

Your Tasks:

You are expected to write a 3 to 5 page paper exclusive of cover page and reference page. Your paper should be double spaced in time new roman 12 point font with 1 inch margins. Your paper is expected to be referenced appropriately, using APA style. ALL sources are to be referenced. Failing to cite a source is considered academic dishonesty. Use third person throughout your paper (not I); when making recommendations, you can say something like “Several recommendations must be considered….” Instead of “I recommend”.

You should address the following questions in composing your case study:

• Who is your case study about? Give a brief description of the person and setting for context in the introduction to your case study (be sure to reference the Nazario book).
• What is this person’s experience with poverty and oppression? Give appropriate examples as you describe her/his experiences.
• Using the ecological/systems framework, what micro, mezzo, and macro (or micro, meso, exo, and macro factors depending on which source you use), contributed to this person’s poverty and oppression? Be sure that you include a reference for this discussion, either Kirst-Ashman and Hull or the Ambrosino et al. chapter or both.
• What strengthens does the person possess that are enabling her/him to survive?
• Are those strengths being maximized by the systems (community) impacting the person? How could those strengths be used to overcome poverty and oppression?
• What recommendations can you make to help this person and other members in similar circumstances move out of poverty?

Be sure that you reference sources appropriately throughout your paper and include a reference page (you will need to reference the Nazario book and the source(s) from which you obtained your information about the ecological/systems framework (levels of the environment). This paper is to demonstrate your ability to understand an individual’s experiences and the ways that the environment (particularly at the community and societal levels) impacts that person; in other words, your ability to think critically. It is not intended to be a research paper on poverty and oppression or on immigration. Thus, you should not need additional references/sources beyond your text and other readings included in this course.