In our everyday lives we interact with people with whom we share similarities and/or
have varying degrees and types of differences. Similarities and differences could be based on
social class (including income and education), race and/or ethnicity, gender, and sexuality.
Other variables include age, country, region or town of origin, religion, and migration status.
Other people you have known may have similar or different ideas about how the world works,
and what is important, right, polite, normal, natural, successful, and beautiful (and the opposites
of all these). Over the years, we consciously (and often not so consciously) learn about how
people within our society are organized, where we fit in all the social hierarchies, and how to act
(walk, talk, eat, etc.) in social situations. We learn what is acceptable and what is not through
the explicit (or implicit) approval or disapproval of certain beliefs and practices by family,
friends, and others with whom we have interacted. This essay is about examining how
inequalities and privileges in our society based on class, race/ethnicity, and gender (and any
other categories you wish to consider) a specific event or set of practices that were part of a
particular activity at a specific time in your life.
In this essay, you should ANALYZE an event you participated in with family and
friends, or practices associated with a cultural institution (such as school, church or work at
a specific time in your life). You are treating some aspect of your own life as ethnographic
data. How did inequalities based on class, race-ethnicity, and gender affect the people
participating in this event or these practices? The paper must address class, race-ethnicity
and gender. Optional: you also can address other inequalities, such as those based on
sexuality, country, regional culture, age, or ability.
Sometimes the events we notice the most are those in which we think we were
treated unfairly based on those differences. You are welcome to analyze such an event.
However, push your analysis. What other aspects were less noticeable (or implicit) at the
time, but can now be analyzed in retrospect? In other words, what was happening
regarding the other two categories that you did not notice as much at the time.
In this paper you need to think about and discuss how privileges were operating,
including your own. These often are harder to notice. Use the readings on privilege to
guide your analysis. Current theories talk about intersectionality, which means you and
others involved in the event or practices you are describing may be privileged (or not
privileged) in one or more categories. As part of your analysis discuss the complex ways
that inequalities and privileges affected the event or set of practices you chose.
dry
In the essay, you need to cite at least one idea from the readings by McIntosh or
Johnson. You do not have to directly quote, you can paraphrase the idea, but either way, it
should be followed with a citation. The citation style for anthropology is … “quote” (McIntosh
1988, 196). Or summary of an idea (Johnson 2002, 27). (Author’s last name Year, Page). Since
you only need to cite from these sources, you do not have to provide a bibliography. This essay
is mainly about your own experiences. (If you cite other sources, provide a bibliography.)
After you select the event or set of practices that you wish to analyze, think about who
participated in what types of activities. What were the backgrounds of the people (class, race-
ethnicity, and gender)? What did specific people do and not do? What did they talk about or
not talk about? Also, think about who was not there (or not represented). How did social
inequalities and privileges affect the specific event or set of practices? You should think
about and discuss the inequalities and privileges that you were quite aware of at the time as
well as those you were less aware of at the time (and perhaps now see differently).
Examples of possible topics include:
1. A life-changing experience (perhaps an experience that changed your views about
class, race-ethnicity, or gender). Or an event that was not particularly extraordinary: A
school-related event. A family vacation. A particular event at work. Etc.
2. Family practices during a particular holiday. Chores in your family. Etc.
3. Certain activities in elementary school, junior high, high school, college (narrow it
down). Participation in a sport. Experiences at a job. Activities at a church.
4. Conversations or changes among your family or friends during these “me too” and
“post-George Floyd” times, when many people have been talking about inequalities.
In your conclusion, also reflect on: What do you think these activities taught you about
inequalities and privileges based on class, race-ethnicity, and gender?
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