#23 - Must Be True

[moshei24]

Hi, can you explain this question? And, can you also explain how the passage defines transnational or is that not important for the passage?

Thanks!

[Steve Stein]

Hi Moshe,

In that passage, the author begins by pointing out the contrast between mainstream US historiographers of the late 1800s and early 1900s, and the transnational perspective of African American historians such as Williams and DuBois. This perspective, the author says, was necessary if there was to be an honest treatment of African Americans in the US.

In the closing paragraph, the author further describes these transnational historians as "establishing a firm cultural basis for a shared identity." The author goes on to say that these historians' internationalism "posits a diasporic community which...possesses a single culture."

Question #23 asks for a study that would reflect these historians' approach. Correct answer choice E, which references African American traditions that were common to a number of African cultures. This would nicely fit the approach discussed in the final paragraph of the passage.

I hope that's helpful! Let me know--thanks!

~Steve

[moshei24]

Aha, so that study would study the cultures that the historians were mentioning?

Thanks.

[Steve Stein]

That's right, and that study would focus on various communities' common ground.

[moshei24]

Which would lead to a single identit and single culture. Gotcha. Thanks!

[dlehr99]

I'm still a little confused as to the correctness of answer choice (E). I chose (B) but now realize it is wrong for a variety of reasons, the most compelling probably that it is talking about several European countries that were never mentioned in the passage and not central to the AA historians' approach.

Can you explain further? As I thought through this one, my instinct was "so what". AA culture incorporated traditions common to a number of AA cultures. Couldn't those cultures originate from AAs living in Thailand or Spain or.... Africa. Maybe this is a stretch but it doesn't feel complete. I see this is the "best answer" but I want to know exactly why it is correct.

Something else that threw me off was that we don't know the results of any of these studies. If it turned out that AA culture at the turn of the century actually incorporated extremely little tradition from the past, would that not fail to align?

Even if I had selected (E) which was my 2nd choice I don't think I would have felt confident.

[KelseyWoods]

Hi dlehr99!

With this question, we are being asked to glean the basic definition of "the transnational approach" from the passage and find an example of a study in the answer choices below that would fit that approach. As Steve pointed out, from the passage we know that transnational historians were described as "establishing a firm cultural basis for a shared identity" and that these historians' internationalism "posits a diasporic community which...possesses a single culture." So we are looking for a study that looks at some sort of shared cultural basis. The "results" of the studies are irrelevant. Historical studies don't really have the same types of "results" that scientific studies have. It's a transnational approach meaning that it's just the way they study history (the perspective they take). Not what the specific outcome is. All we need is a study in which the historians are attempting to examine a shared cultural history.

Answer choice (E) is the only answer choice that posits a study which would examine a shared cultural history, and so it is the correct answer.

In this question, we are not using the passage to try to prove anything about African American culture, nor are we trying to affect any arguments in our passage. We are simply looking for an example of a transnational approach--an approach that examines shared cultural history.

Also, African Americans are Americans of African descent. So when we're talking about their shared cultural history, it's the history of their African ancestors. Technically, sure, you could have African Americans who are living abroad in Thailand or Spain or Africa...but their cultural history would still be that of their ancestors. I might not be fully understanding the point you were trying to make there so let us know if you need further clarification!

Hope this helps!

Best,
Kelsey