Good Education And Poverty: The Pluses And Minuses Involved Essay Example

(Subject Line: WR 222 Ideas Draft, Section [insert section number], [insert first and last name].)

Dear ___________________,

For this informed, argumentative paper, I haven’t quite decided on whether to make my argument for education, or for education while still conserving culture. Following from Kristof’s article, “The Gift of Education,” I could argue for the need of education throughout the world especially in rural China, whereas Kristof focuses on Haiti, which no doubt would benefit from education. However, I hesitate only because of the cost that education has on dispersal of the Haitian people. The culture could suffer if education takes the majority of young men and women away from Haiti. Perhaps, I could take the approach of proposing that an educational reform within Haiti could transform the country while conserving culture. This could apply to all impoverished places. However, this is a much more complex argument that would be difficult to tackle in this essay. I would be truly concerned about whether I could tackle this.
That being the case, the best argument for me to make would be for the necessity for education in impoverished nations, including China, but only with the awareness that culture should be preserved. Unlike Kristof and other education proponents, I will not blindly argue for education as the only way to bring hope to impoverished nations. This conversation is popular in politics and pro-democracy camps, as well as with anthropologists and other academics. This discussion has long been documented, and there are proponents and opponents, but it is mainly in the political sphere. Although, it also applies to the humanitarian sphere. There are numerous academic articles on the piece as well as popular culture magazines, blogs, etc. I hope to further the conversation by using several impoverished nations to expand upon what Kristof touches on. I want to shed light on the positives of education, but also to show the negative impact it can have on people who leave their country and culture and the toll it takes on them.
The discussion is certainly two-sided, but the scale is tipped in favor of education. Through evaluation and facts and causal arguments, I will finally use proposal to celebrate education just as much as cultural preservation. My audience will be aimed at those who promote education over everything else. This is good, but it can also have negative effects, and there needs to be a more well-rounded understanding. The best way to appeal to my audience is through academic research where I can touch on what some of the most credible anthropologists are saying. Popular magazines would also be a good place to reach my audience, like the New York Times, or other politically-based magazines. I can use other sources like documentaries to support my argument which will also widen my appeal.
I believe I have access to enough good sources to make a strong and convincing argument. This will open up the conversation more in relation to the difficulties that the consequential migration has on the individual and the family and the impoverished country, while still highlighting the benefits of education. The difficulty will be trying to find that middle ground, but it is an important one. Some of my sources are below.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

______________________

Possible resources:

Bhugra, Dinesh, and Matthew A Becker. “Migration, Cultural Bereavement and Cultural Identity.” World Psychiatry 4.1 (2005): 18–24. Print.
“Cultural Effects of Migration.” SUNY Levin Institute, 2015. Web. 2 Feb. 2015.
“How We Help Fight Poverty with Education.” Children International. 2015. Web. 4 Feb. 2015.
“Investing in education will help advance global anti-poverty targets – UN.” UN News Centre. 23 Sept. 2010. Web. 5 Feb. 2015.
Kristof, Nicholas. "The Gift of Education." The New York Times. The New York Times, 20 Dec. 2014. Web. 15 Jan. 2015.