Write a Personal Reflection (Positionality) Paper describing your positionality in American society, how this shapes your perspectives, values, and ideas about America Purpose The Purpose of the paper is to give you an opportunity to reflect in a somewhat systematic way on your own position and identity in American society, and to reflect on how this affects and shapes your values, beliefs, attitudes, biases, and tastes. It can help you see how and why you relate to American society and culture as you do.

We engage in this reflection near the start of the course, and return to it again near the end of the course to see if we have any more insight or difference in perspective. It is one way to see the relevance of the course to our lives as we live in American society and culture. Structure You should address the following areas of positionality and formation:

• How do you define or identify yourself as to ogender (male) oage osocial class orace (Arabian) oforeign travel or experiences living abroad ohow informed you stay re. local, national, and global news.

• How does you identity and position as you describe it (above) influence or shape you in relation to your: obeliefs ovalues obiases, prejudices, likes, dislikes re. American society or a group therein oaspects of American culture you especially like or dislike -what are you most critical of?

• Any other experience that has really influenced or shaped your attitude or relation to American society or culture?