How social and cultural norms, assumptions, biases, environment, and background shape your worldview.
We all have different experiences going through life. Those experiences shape how we view the world and how we behave in it. In this assignment you are going to look at your own experiences of the world and culture we live in by being reflexive. As you have learned over the past few weeks, reflexivity is “disciplined self-reflection” meant to build deeper understanding, not just of ourselves, but of the larger world.
The goal of reflexivity is to understand others so that we can understand ourselves and grow. To be disciplined, the reflection needs to be purposeful and directed, meaning we need to look at something specific in the world and then compare it to our own personal experiences and decide if this new knowledge changes how we think and feel.
This assignment provides an opportunity for you to delve deeper into your own thoughts, feelings, and experiences, and gain a better understanding of your own personal lens. By being reflexive, you will better understand how social and cultural norms, assumptions, biases, environment, and background shape your worldview.
Requirements
Find an article published within the last 18 months that discusses issues related to one of the following topics:
Economic inequity.
Racial inequity.
Global inequity.
Health care inequity.
Gender and sexuality.
Then in a 2–3 page paper, discuss the following:
Summarize the issue presented.
Describe your overall impression of the issue as presented in the article:
Do you agree or disagree with the author? Why?
What in your personal experience may have influenced your thinking about this issue? Consider social/cultural norms, religious beliefs, environment, and background.
Sample Answer
Here is an article published within the last 18 months that discusses issues related to economic inequity:
- “The Growing Gap Between the Rich and the Poor” by Chuck Collins, published in The Nation on January 18, 2023.
This article discusses the growing gap between the rich and the poor in the United States. The author argues that this gap is widening due to a number of factors, including tax cuts for the wealthy, deregulation of the financial industry, and the decline of unions. He also argues that this gap is having a negative impact on the economy and society as a whole.