AFAM Essay One: PERSONAL NARRATIVE ASSIGNMENT SHEET
The main purpose of this assignment is to encourage you to use a process of personal reflection to explore your sense of self and outlook on the larger world in which you live
Description: You will write a brief (2 to 3 page typed, double-spaced) essay in which you will do the following:
Organization:
A. Explore Your Ethnic/Racial Identity
1. How do you define yourself (i.e., what symbolic markers/aspects of culture distinguish your sense of group identity from other identities)? How do others define you in terms of race/ethnicity? What meaning does your group identity have for you? How does it shape your personal identity? How does it affect your day-to-day experiences (if you feel that there is little effect, then you should explain why)?
2. In what ways do you feel your identity affects your life chances (i.e., your opportunities to experience the good things in life--e.g. job opportunities, home ownership, and good health--as opposed to the bad)? Do you perceive any negative effects? Do you enjoy any advantages? You might find it helpful to compare yourself with members of other groups in the U.S. or your home society.
3. How has your ethnic/racial group changed over time (i.e., is your ethnicity or racial identity defined differently today than it was for your parents, grandparents, etc.)?
B. Your Intergroup Experience
Think about your past experiences with members of other ethnic/racial groups. Describe the diversity of the places where you lived and the schools that you attended. What experiences of ethnic/racial conflict, prejudice, or discrimination have you encountered or observed (if none, explain why)? What positive experiences have you had? How have these affected you? What conclusions have you drawn? What important ethnic conflicts have you observed in American (or your home) society? How have these affected you?
C. Summary/Discussion
Briefly discuss any interesting ideas raised by your consideration of the above issues. What do your feel your personal/group experience tells us about the nature of race and ethnicity in the United States? DRAW SOME CONCLUSIONS! What do you think your group identity and intergroup experiences will be like in the future?
Process: This is not an assignment that requires library research; however, it also cannot be done (well) at the last minute. A good approach would be to think about the issues involved and make notes, then organize your thoughts and develop your analysis. There are no "right" or "wrong" answers; what I am interested in are your thoughts, feelings, and analysis. While it might be useful to illustrate your essay with specific examples from your own experience, BE SURE THAT YOU GO BEYOND DESCRIPTION AND ATTEMPT TO EXPLAIN OR INTERPRET THE
SIGNIFICANCE OF EVENTS. Keep asking yourself: What does this issue/experience tell us about the nature of race, ethnicity and intergroup relations?