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Cultural Autobiography and Narrative
Overall Purpose: It is assumed that during this course, students will engage in thoughtful selfexamination of how they have been socialized into their own culture as well as an analysis about their
own knowledge and beliefs about multicultural issues and topics. The purpose of this assignment is for
the student to use writing as a vehicle to synthesize his or her own thinking and growth.
Part I: Cultural Autobiography: Who am I?
Description: An essay (minimum of 6 pages) that examines your own personal perspectives related to
race, ethnicity, gender, (dis)ability, language, class, religion, and sexual orientation.
Purpose: While we investigate issues related to diversity, we must come to understand ourselves and
how our own perspectives have been socially constructed over time. People are not born into the world
with opinions or judgments of “others”, rather these opinions or judgments are “constructed” by both
obvious and hidden messages in our environment. These messages occur in our cultural context or
through our individual set of life experiences with our families, communities, schools, cultural messages,
and media representations.
Note: Only the professor will read these assignments.
Part I/Section 1: Who Am I?
 Family Background: Describe your family of origin. Discuss the ethnic/cultural history of your
parents, grandparents, great-grandparents. What is the primary language, religion, race of your
culture? Describe and critical examine your own background related to race, ethnicity, gender,
(dis)ability, language, class, religion, and sexual orientation. Discuss your family/individual
values, beliefs, goals regarding success/failure in life.
 Individual Identity: Who are you as a racially, gendered, classed, religious (etc.) person? With
what groups do you now identify? (Ex: Social Class, Religion?) Do you identify with a
characteristic of “difference”? In what way? At what Stage of Ethnic Identity would I place
myself? (See Howard WCT, Ch. 5.)
 Identity Process: How have you come to know yourself in these ways? (Ex: how do you see
yourself as a man or woman? How have you come to view religion and why?) What messages
have you heard about these identities? (Ex: what do you believe you should be as a gendered man
or woman?)
Part I/Section 2: Narrative of the World - My View of “Others”
 Life Experiences with “Difference”: What generalized experiences have you had with people
who are different from yourself? (Race, ethnicity, language, class, religion, gender, sexual
orientation). Describe your upbringing regarding your neighborhood, community, school, church,
clubs, courses, etc. What did these experiences teach you about people who are different from
you? What messages have you heard or assumed about people who are different from you?
 Racial-Cultural Memory: Describe in detail a racial memory. Recount an incident that you had
with another individual that stands out in your mind (race, ethnicity, language, class, gender,
religion, sexual orientation, [dis]ability). This can be either a positive or negative experience.
Why is this experience memorable? What effect has this experience had on my view of “others”?
 My Beliefs about Cultural Differences: How do I explain cultural, behavioral, and
socioeconomic differences between groups of people? How has my cultural background shaped
my understanding of why there are these cultural differences between groups of people?
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Rubric: Cultural Autobiography and Narrative:
Student Name: ____________________________________________
Date: _________________
Part I: Cultural Autobiography: Who Am I?
Component
Attributes
Minimum 6 Pages Total
Section 1: Family Background:
Describe your family of origin. Discuss
the ethnic/cultural history of your
parents, grandparents, greatgrandparents. What is the primary
language, religion, race of your culture?
Describe and critical examine your own
background related to race, ethnicity,
gender, (dis)ability, language, class,
religion, and sexual orientation. Discuss
your family/individual values, beliefs,
goals regarding success/failure in life.
Individual Identity: Who are you as a
racially, gendered, classed, religious
(etc.) person? With what groups do you
now identify? (Ex: Social Class,
Religion?) Do you identify with a
characteristic of “difference”? In what
way? Stage of Ethnic Identity.
Identity Process: How have you come
to know yourself in these ways? (Ex:
how do you see yourself as a man or
woman? How have you come to view
religion and why?) What messages have
you heard about these identities? (Ex:
what do you believe you should be as a
gendered man or woman?)
Section 2: Narrative of the World - My
View of “Others”;
Life Experiences with “Difference”:
What generalized experiences have you
had with people who are different from
yourself? (Race, ethnicity, language,
class, religion, gender, sexual
orientation). Describe your upbringing
regarding your neighborhood,
community, school, church, clubs,
courses, etc. What did these experiences
teach you about people who are different
from you? What messages have you
heard or assumed about people who are
different from you?
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3
2
1
4
3
2
Thorough and insightful
discussion of family background
and individual identity
Strong expression and thorough
understanding of social and
cultural identity as related to
multicultural themes
Good Discussion of family
background and individual
identity
Good expressions and
understanding of social and
cultural identity as related to
multicultural themes.
Minimal Discussion of family
background individual identity.
Some avoidance of issues
Limited Expressions and
understandings.
Lacks understanding of family’s
and individual’s social and
cultural history and background.
Uninformed avoidance.
Insightful expression and
thorough understanding of
generalized and specific
experiences with “difference”.
Strong expressions about beliefs
about cultural difference.
Good expression and
understanding of generalized and
specific experiences with
“difference”. Strong expressions
about beliefs about cultural
difference.
Limited expression and thorough
understanding of generalized and
specific experiences with
“difference”. Strong expressions
about beliefs about cultural
difference.
Score and
Comment
3
Racial-Cultural Memory: Describe in
detail a racial memory. Recount an
incident that you had with another
individual that stands out in your mind
(race, ethnicity, language, class, gender,
religion, sexual orientation, [dis]ability).
This can be either a positive or negative
experience.
My Beliefs about Cultural Differences:
How do I explain cultural, behavioral,
and socioeconomic differences between
groups of people? How has my cultural
background shaped my understanding of
why there are these cultural differences
between groups of people?
Writing Elements
Spelling, grammar, and citations have
been edited.
1
Lacks expression and thorough
understanding of generalized and
specific experiences with
“difference”. Strong expressions
about beliefs about cultural
difference.
2
Writing is error-free, or close to
error free and is easy to read;
organized; professional language
Writing contains errors that make
the writing problematic to read.
1
Total Points
4