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Reflection on MWA
Name
Institution
Course
Professor
Date
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Reflection on MWA
Question 1: How did your learning grow related to SLO G (Use writing and research as a
means of discovery to examine your personal beliefs in the context of multiple perspectives
and to explore focused research questions through various mediums and technologies)?
Developing the ideas for the MWA proposal, “Keeping Politics Out of the Church,”
improved my satisfaction of the SLO G as I analyzed the topic in detail and focused on my
beliefs regarding the issue of the separation of church and state. I was able to expand my
knowledge and appreciate the factors and issues surrounding this through reflections of these
beliefs in the light of various paradigms.
The nature of extensive literature search as provided in this proposal enabled me to
develop specific research issues and sample various perspectives. For example, I looked into
Becker et al. who provided historical data on how religion affected political power had certain
socio-economic implications in terms of violence and problems with forming human capital (pg.
03). Finally, I observed more recent works, like: Batalla and Baring (pg. 02), that distinguish
between the state and religion to avoid problems that may occur when a certain religion
dominates the state and enters into all spheres of life, violating human rights. This allowed me to
create a powerful and all-embracing argument, focusing on the need for using religious
organizations as non-political entities for the sake of social stability and democratic principles..
Employing papers and technologies from academic databases, online journals, and the
creation of digital objects, I was able to integrate knowledge efficiently. This allowed me engage
in a more balanced argument where I was able to address legal points, ethical issues and social
factors.
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In summary, through this project, I understood importance of research as a way of
exploring and analyzing information and ideas. It emphasized the value of viewing problems in
the framework of different models in order to gain deeper insight into the nature of the problem.
The lessons learned in this process would help in all future academic activities and in solving
problems in practice.
Question 2: How did your learning grow related to SLO B (Describe the social nature of
composing, particularly the role of discourse communities at the local, national, and
international level)?
The analysis of discourse communities related to the connection between religion and
politics helped me learn more about SLO B. The awareness of the social aspect of composing
made me look at how different religious and political groups as part of different composing
communities interact and share information at various levels. On the contextual level, I looked at
particular churches and how they approached political discourse in their communities. This
process either brought them together or tore them apart, proving how local discourse influenced
social unity among its members.
Nationally, I looked at the effects of religious voting blocs as pioneered by Kellstedt et al.
(pg. 308). Their work demonstrated how religious affiliations dictated election results and public
policy, thus epitomizing the national importance of these discourse communities. This research
revealed that political blessings from religious organizations created divisions among the public
and eroded democracy and social cohesion due to blurred lines between the sacred and secular
realms.
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Globally, I learned how other countries balance the roles of church and state and this
broader perspective helped me better understand this contentious issue in the global context. For
instance, some countries remain secular to the extreme, while others incorporate religious factors
into political governance. These comparisons allowed me to understand the varying nature of
discourse communities and their interactions within the different cultural and political systems of
the world.
Such a broad focus on the analysis of the discourse communities at different levels helped
me to further appreciate the socially situated practice of composing. It also emphasized on the
need to consider different views and backgrounds while tackling matters of concern such as
religion and politics. This deeper understanding will help me in my future academic and
professional pursuits in order to better understand and be a productive, constructive member of
an increasingly diverse society.
Question 3: How did your learning grow related to SLO I (Compose a research-based
academic argument in one of various mediums and technologies by identifying, analyzing,
evaluating, and synthesizing sources, which must include secondary sources)?
Overall, my learning regarding SLO I was enhanced when developing a research-based
academic argument in support of my proposal to exclude politics from the church. In this project,
I had to search, assess, compare, contrast, and integrate numerous sources of information to
support a particular argument. Firstly, I included influential historical and current sources related
to the topic. From Becker, Rubin, and Woessmann historical facts were used to lay down the
background of long-term socio-economic effects of religious control of political power (pg. 03).
This was supported by modern scholars including Batalla and Baring who stressed on the
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separation of religion and politics as a way of avoiding conflicts in any given democracy (pg. 02-
03).
These sources required critical evaluation in terms of their methodological approach,
research outcomes and applicability to my research questions. I assessed the reliability of the
sources and incorporated the information to build a coherent argument. For instance, I combined
past events and present events to prove that has always been an association between religion and
politics and the effects that come with it.Further, I examined different media and technologies to
communicate my findings and ideas in the best possible manner. This encompassed using digital
libraries to source gather, citation management tool to organize, and presentation tools to create
visuals for the argument.
By engaging in this process, I gained a rich understanding of how to write an academic
argument based on the research and learned the critical thinking, comprehension of sources, and
writing for different media.
Question 4: How did your learning grow related to SLO J (Analyze and describe the
writing and research conventions of an academic field in order to understand the different
ways of creating and communicating knowledge)?
My knowledge about SLO J increased substantially as I worked on the writing and
research skills pertaining to the interdisciplinary area that combines political science, religious
studies, and socio-economic analysis. This project on politics and non-interference of the church
was also a challenge in that I had to learn to interrelate information from different fields, each
with different rules of presenting information.
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Firstly, I acquainted myself with the different writing styles and referencing systems used
within these disciplines. Whereas political science and religious studies may involve historical
and/or case study methods, socio-economic research involves numbers and longitudinal analysis.
Knowledge of these conventions helped me to properly structure my arguments and support
them with accurate information. I also learned how to critically evaluate the methodologies used
by researchers in these fields. For instance, Becker, Rubin, and Woessmann used historical data
to understand long-term socio-economic effects of the pandemic, whereas Batalla and Baring
concentrated on the analysis of the ongoing policies (pg. 02). Through assessing these various
methods, I acquired an understanding of how knowledge is constructed and disseminated in the
fields.
Furthermore, this project helped me to improve the skills of presenting complex
interdisciplinary topics in a clear and comprehensible manner. Their synthesis demanded one
common language, and one cannot overemphasize the importance of language in academic
writing. Altogether, this practice contributed to enhancing my awareness of academic research
traditions and fostered the skills of generating and sharing knowledge across the disciplines.
Question 5: How might the skills you worked on this unit serve you in future jobs, classes,
or life experiences?
The skills that I have learned in this unit will be very useful in different situations in the
future. In the academic circle, rigorous research skills, the ability to analyze different sources,
and building strong arguments will be of great benefit in the subsequent classes and research
works. In the work context, they are helpful in positions that demand analysis, decision-making,
and communication, e.g., policymaking, public relations, or education management. The focus
on the concept of the discourse community will also assist me in my ability to communicate and
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interact with various stakeholders in a workplace setting as well as a community or society.
Moreover, the practice of dealing with multifaceted issues like religion and politics has helped in
developing the ability to engage with delicate subjects and matters with people, an essential
quality in the modern world.
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References
Batalla, Eric Vincent, and Rito Baring. “Church-state separation and challenging issues
concerning religion.” Religions 10.3 (2019): 197. https://www.mdpi.com/2077-
1444/10/3/197/pdf
Becker, Sascha O., Jared Rubin, and Ludger Woessmann. “Religion in economic history: A
survey.” The handbook of historical economics (2021): 585-639.
https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/223813/1/dp13371.pdf
Kellstedt, Lyman A., et al. “Religious voting blocs in the 1992 election: The year of the
evangelical?.” The Rapture of Politics. Routledge, 2021. 85-104.
https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?
repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=83077898f57d619d5d2b40965d7970ada66b9ee1
