01/11 THE ATLANTA SEMESTER CONSTRUCTION OF WRITING ASSIGNMENTS For: Reaction papers And Internship Journals INTRODUCTION TO AUTOETHNOGRAPHY Atlanta Semester writing assignments should enable students to better understand issues of power and authority as they: Uncover unequal power relations among social and cultural groups Investigate the workings of power and authority at the internship site Come to understand your own power and authority in relation to others Write of your experiences as critical participatory citizens while also learning to critique the self as a member of a group/s OBJECTIVE 1. To read and write for relationships by uncovering imbedded assumptions. 2. To analyze, and critique assumptions around social group differences (gender, race, class, sexuality…) to better understand one’s connection and relatedness to groups: recognizing your position (as a member of a particular group) in relation to others. 3. To engage in an intellectual inquiry of the cultural and social context of the experiences. 4. To know the self as a cultural by-product: how what you experience is directly tied to culture. The value of the writing lies in the opportunity to excavate, analyze and critique assumptions around social group differences (gender, race, class, sexuality, etc.) to better understand one’s connection and relatedness to groups. All writing assignments are viewed as an opportunity to engage in an intellectual inquiry of the cultural and social context of the experiences. Intellectual inquiry requires uncovering social and cultural biases, analyzing relations as tied to power and authority, and recognizing your position (as an individual member of a group/s) in relation to others. The writing must not serve as a mere personal narration of the experience but rather as a critical narration of the experience. While your personal narrative of the experience can serve as data/evidence, it should not be merely an emotional, subjective retelling of events. Your goal is to pull out the social and cultural from the personal. You are to construct the writing from an awareness of your perspective as a member of a particular group (gender, race, class, etc.) in relation to the reading assignments, speakers’ forum and internship experience. This is an opportunity to know the self as a cultural by-product: how what you experience is directly tied to culture. CRITICAL COMPONENTS IN THE PAPER 1. Identifying oneself as a member of a specific race/ethnicity, gender, and social class or other socially constructed categories that seem relevant. 2. A description, analysis and critique of assumptions and beliefs learned from your group perspective about the gendered, racial/ethnic and/or, social economic class group that the speakerss are members of. 3. Reference to assigned readings that frame the context In developing your writing you should develop a rich description, analysis and critique which involve examining assumptions, which may be biases, tied to cultural constructions of gender, race and class. No one stands outside of culture, the ways we’ve been encultured and socialized to be of a specific gender, race and class. Your writing must also critique the position of self: what is it that you subscribe to in relation to a particular group’s power and authority.