Research Prompt:
Explore the impact of a contemporary humanitarian crisis on vulnerable populations, analyzing the root causes, international responses, and potential solutions. Choose a specific crisis, such as the Syrian refugee crisis and present a 4-5 page research paper detailing the geopolitical, socio-economic, and humanitarian aspects surrounding it, making sure to connect back to our anchor text The Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian Refugees and other humanitarian crises we have studied in class.
Assessment Criteria: See attached rubric for scoring guidelines.
Step 1: Research —> Annotated Bibliography
Please utilize scholarly resources such as-
Google Scholar
JSTOR
This school year, we have explored credible vs. non-credible sources. We have learned how to distinguish a reliable source from a non-reliable one. Please keep in mind that random sources found on Google or Wikipedia are not acceptable in an academic setting. As always, please refrain from plagiarism. If you use ideas from a source, you must cite it. Please utilize Perdue Owl to help you with your MLA citations: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_in_text_citations_the_basics.html
For annotated bibliographies, you can use sites like https://www.citationmachine.net/ to help you generate citations.
Your final product should include an annotated bibliography along with your 4-5 page research paper (abstract included).
Suggested Outline for Paper:
I. Introduction
A. Brief overview of the chosen humanitarian crisis
B. Importance and relevance of studying the crisis
II. Background
A. Historical context leading to the crisis
B. Factors contributing to the crisis
III. Geopolitical Dynamics
A. International involvement and political aspects
B. Impact of regional conflicts on the crisis
IV. Socio-Economic Impact
A. Effect on local communities and populations
B. Economic consequences and challenges faced by affected individuals
V. Humanitarian Response
A. International organizations involved
B. Evaluation of the effectiveness of humanitarian aid
VI. Potential Solutions
A. Proposals for short-term relief
B. Long-term strategies to address the root causes
VII. Case Studies (if applicable)
A. Highlight specific incidents or aspects of the crisis
B. Analyze the lessons learned from these cases
VIII. Conclusion
A. Summary of key findings
B. Call to action or further research
Annotated Bibliography Sample
Source 1: “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”
Skloot, Rebecca. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Broadway Books, 2017.
Rebecca Skloot’s book delves into the captivating story of Henrietta Lacks, known globally as HeLa. Even decades after her passing, the true extent of her impact on our daily lives remains unknown. Lacks, unwittingly contributing her cells derived from cervical cancer, became instrumental in the discovery of cures for various diseases, such as Polio, and conditions like blindness. Despite Lacks becoming a hero, the book sheds light on the unethical use of her cells by certain doctors and researchers who pursued profit without obtaining permission from her or her family. The narrative explores the conflict between fair treatment and the conduct of morally questionable medical professionals, addressing themes of discrimination based on the protagonist’s race.
Source 2: “Henrietta Lacks And The Debate Over The Ethics Of Bio-Medical Research”
Spigner, Clarence. “Henrietta Lacks and the Debate Over the Ethics of Bio-Medical Research.” 19 Nov. 2012.
This article critically reviews “The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks,” offering insights into Lacks’s life from birth and the challenges she faced due to a lack of professionalism and discrimination during her time. It engages with the author, Rebecca Skloot’s, thorough account of Lacks’s history and emphasizes the ethical implications of the era in which she lived. The author draws a comparison between that historical period and the present day, asserting that the Henrietta Lacks saga serves as a reminder of the medical profession’s responsibility to protect rather than profit from the bodies of those they serve.
Source 3: “Immortal Cells, Enduring Issues”
Keiger, Dale. “Johns Hopkins.” Johns Hopkins, 2 June 2010.
Dale Keiger’s article briefly recounts the story of Henrietta Lacks and her immortal cells. It reflects on how Rebecca Skloot transformed Lacks’s story into a bestseller, emphasizing the importance of recognizing HeLa as a real person. The article underscores the lack of permission sought by doctors in using HeLa cells, pointing out the financial gains made from drugs and biological products developed over sixty years without the knowledge of Lacks’s family.
Source 4: “Ethics of Evidence-Based Medicine in the Primary Care Setting”
Hope, Tony. “Evidence-Based Medicine and Ethics.” Journal of Medical Ethics, vol. 21, no. 5, 1995, pp. 259.
Tony Hope’s article introduces evidence-based medicine as a crucial tool in primary care, integrating modern, best evidence with clinical experience and patient values. Focused on respect, autonomy, and informed patient choice, the article emphasizes the significance of ethics and morals in the clinical field. Hope traces the evolution away from paternalism in Western healthcare towards patient autonomy and shared decision-making, highlighting the importance of informed consent and increased patient access to information about treatments. The article positions this shift as a historical evolution based on past errors, fostering a new era where clinical professionals and patients share equal standing.
Sample Paper: (Rough Draft)
To what extent do morals and medicine intersect?
Medical ethics is a system of moral principles that apply values to the practice of clinical medicine and scientific research. This system is based on a set of values that professionals can refer to in the case of any confusion or conflict. For a medical practice to be considered “ethical”, it must respect all seven of these principles: autonomy, justice, beneficence, non-maleficence, accountability, fidelity, and veracity. In 1951, Henrietta Lacks, a poor woman with a middle-school education, made one of the greatest medical contributions ever. Her cells, taken from a cervical-cancer biopsy, became the first immortal human cell line, those cells were called HeLa (the initials of the name of the woman they belonged to), these cells can reproduce infinitely in a lab. However Henrietta was used by doctors and researchers in an era of segregation, these cells were taken from her and used without her permission, she died and her family didn’t know the real story until sixty years later when deals of millions of dollars had been carried out at the cost of their entire family. It is assumed that when we go to the doctor, we will receive good attention and the doctor will understand our situation, that would explain to us what options we have and find a good solution. That is the way it should be.
In the book “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by the author Rebbeca Skoot narrates the life of Henrietta Lacks. In the book, she shows the readers the situation where this woman was born, how her life was and what happened to her. This woman born in the era of segregation in an African-American poor family and because of this she just could complete middle school, she had to help her family, her life was not easy, she was married at the age of 25 with her cousin and she had five kids but in 1951 she was diagnosticated with cervical cancer. This was a difficult phase in her life, she knew that something was wrong but the fear made the task much harder. Finally, she went to the hospital and the doctor George Gey took a sample of the womb she had at her cervix but regrettably, she died. The sample of her cancer resulted to be the first immortal cells and these were used without Henrrienta’s permission or her family either.
One of the useful articles used in this research was “Henrietta Lacks And The Debate Over The Ethics Of BIO-Medical Research”19 Nov. 2012. By the author Spigner, Clarence. This article reviews the book “The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks” and the story of the same woman and what happened to her because of the little if none professionalism and the discrimination at that time. This article debates what happened to her and how good her history is told by the author Rebecca Skloot, the researcher that didn’t stop until she had the truth to share with the world. The author of this article makes a comparison between that era and the days we live on and states “ The tragedy of the Henrietta Lacks saga should remain all of us, and especially those we serve in the medical profession, that we have a responsibility to protect, not to profit from, the bodies of those we serve including the smallest piece of those bodies, the human cell” recognizing that big error of who treated Henrietta.
Another important article in this research is “Immortal Cells, Enduring Issues” by Keiger, Dale. In this article, the author briefly reviews the story of the women of immortal cells Henrietta Lacks and how the author of the book “The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks”, Rebbeca Skloot relates her story, how she made it a bestseller and how important is to don’t forget that HeLa is a real person like anyone of us. The author of the magazine emphasizes how doctors never asked for permission and how “someone, somewhere is making a lot of money off of drugs and biological products that were developed using pieces of people who now are entitled to a piece of the profits”, how her family didn’t know while the cells of that invisible hero were used for sixty years long.
A third article that supports the same idea is “Ethics of Evidence-Based Medicine in the Primary Care Setting” by Hope, Tony (1995). In this article, the author introduces evidence-based medicine that has had an increasing impact on primary care over the last few years as the best tool to every clinic professional evidence-based medicine (EBM) is the explicit, judicious and reasonable use of modern, best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients. EBM integrates clinical experience and patient values with the best available research information and not personal opinion. This article relates to the topics; respect, autonomy and informed patient choice, that helps to support the idea of how important ethics and morals are in the clinical field. The author states that “The move away from paternalism in Western health care to a focus on patient autonomy, informed consent, and shared decision making has been accompanied by increased patient access to information about treatments, and consumerist trends in society”, this article tells of a history of evolution, based on past errors and fails, and opens a new era where clinical professionals and patients are in the same level.
Though this woman made incredible contributions to science and the world, creating cures for different diseases and conditions, it is not debatable that this case was a clear example of abuse of power and discrimination. This could have been a decision of that woman and not of a man who put his ambition before the rights of a poor, black and uneducated woman. This great search could’ve been different but is clear that Henrietta just had bad luck, those times were too tough. Nowadays, her story would be different, and she would receive different treatments and get the exposure she deserves.
Checklist for Annotated Bibliography
Provide the full bibliographic citation.
Indicate the background of the author(s).
Indicate the content or scope of the text.
Outline the main argument.
Indicate the intended audience.
Identify the research methods if applicable.
Identify any conclusions made by the author/s.
Discuss the reliability of the text.
Highlight any special features of the text that were unique or helpful e.g. charts, graphs etc.
Discuss the relevance or usefulness of the text for your research.
Point out in what way the text relates to themes or concepts in your course.
State the strengths and limitations of the text.
Present your view or reaction to the text.
Assessment Criteria and Scoring Guidelines
I. Introduction (10 points)
Provides a concise overview of the chosen humanitarian crisis (4 points)
Clearly articulates the importance and relevance of studying the crisis (6 points)
II. Background (15 points)
Presents a comprehensive historical context leading to the crisis (8 points)
Identifies and analyzes key factors contributing to the crisis (10 points)
III. Geopolitical Dynamics (20 points)
Describes international involvement and political aspects related to the crisis (10 points)
Analyzes the impact of regional conflicts on the crisis (10 points)
IV. Socio-Economic Impact (15 points)
Explores the effect on local communities and populations (8 points)
Examines economic consequences and challenges faced by affected individuals (7 points)
V. Humanitarian Response (20 points)
Details the involvement of international organizations (10 points)
Evaluates the effectiveness of humanitarian aid (10 points)
VI. Potential Solutions (15 points)
Proposes feasible short-term relief strategies (8 points)
Outlines viable long-term solutions addressing the root causes (10 points)
VII. Case Studies (if applicable) (5 points)
Includes relevant and insightful case studies (3 points)
Analyzes the lessons learned from the presented cases (2 points)
VIII. Conclusion (5 points)
Summarizes key findings effectively (3 points)
Includes a clear call to action or suggestions for further research (2 points)
