HOW DOES YOUR POSITIONALITY BIAS YOUR EPISTEMOLOGY ?

Essay #1: Positionality

This paper will be 5 paragraphs and no shorter than three full pages. Please use MLA formatting as outlined in our MLA slides / "Sample MLA paper" on Blackboard.

Your paper must contain the following:

A. Introduction paragraph

Here you will include:

i. A one sentence hook to grab the reader's attention

ii. A definition of positionality

iii. The answer to the THESIS question: "Why does Takacs believe it is important to know our own positionality as well as the positionality of others?"

B. Body 1

Here you will expand upon your answer(s) to your thesis question. You must use the QUOTE SANDWICH:

i. topic sentence

ii. quote or paraphrase

iii. analysis

C. Body 2

Consider your own positionality. You don't need to use any sources in this part.

Consider the following questions: (You don't have to consider every one)

· What was the "dominant" positionality where you grew up? Was yours different?

· Do you think other people see you as you see yourself? How would you like to be seen?

· Have you ever felt out of place because of your race, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic class (or some part of your “culture,” however you define that term)?

· How was your experience shaped by contextual and environmental factors, such as race, ethnicity, region, language, socioeconomic class, gender, etc.?

· How have the experiences of others (peers, family) been similar to your own? How have they differed? What might account for those similarities or differences?

· What about your experience might represent a larger truth about the world we live in?

· What significance does your experience hold for others in similar (or dissimilar) situations?

D. Body 3

Find an issue where you believe your positionality only gives you a partial understanding. Analyze the issue from the perspective of someone with different positionality than yourself. You do not have to cite anything here. Please explain the issue in detail as well as the positionality different from your own that you're using. You do not need to use any outside sources here.

E. Conclusion

Restate the answer to your thesis question and then explain why positionality is an important issue (what are the stakes) and why we need to take positionality seriously.

Rough draft #1 is worth 5 points (this is a partial rough draft, the first TWO paragraphs only)

Rough draft #2 is worth 5 points (this is a complete rough draft)

Final draft is worth 40 points

Due dates are in the syllabus.

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