Construction of Identity Paper

Background

In this unit, you have read a theory about the construction of identity, and in particular, issues of domination and subordination based on “otherness.” You have also read and discussed racial identity development and race discrimination, have shared experiences about race and ethnicity, and have considered the implications of racial and ethnic differences in a society as diverse as ours. In this essay, you will be considering race, making an effort to broaden your perspective, and challenging yourself to synthesize the many ideas that have come up in our readings and class discussions.

Your Task

This essay will be identical in structure to the previous essay on gender as a construct. The content is different, but the critical thinking skills are the same.

In this essay, you will first carefully analyze Beverly Daniel Tatum’s piece “The Complexity of Identity,” unpacking the essay in detail, and explaining what you see to be the primary points or claims (Links to an external site.) of her theory. Make it clear how her theory of dominance, subordination and “otherness” relates to race as a construct! You’ll then need to select which of her claims seem most pertinent to you, thus distilling her theory down to a few key claims, and in your essay, you’ll need to clearly explain each of them. Next, you will need to hold her theory up to some other texts, your experiences, and an outside source of your choosing, showing me how these texts either support Tatum’s claims or challenge them. You may focus on one or two of Tatum’s claims, depending on how in-depth you’d like to go.

Expectations

A successful paper will:

1. Have an extended and compelling introduction of 2 or more paragraphs. Start with an anecdote or personal example and have the 2nd paragraph be an explanation of/comment on that anecdote. (See Noda, Kaplan, or McIntosh for examples.) The second intro paragraph should also introduce your reader to Beverly Daniel Tatum and include the title of her text;
2. Have a clear thesis that shows your opinion (yes, her theory holds up; no, it doesn’t, etc.), a map that hints at the claims you’ll explore, and a So What;
3. Clearly explain each of the claims you discuss, going beyond the surface ideas and including at least 5-7 sentences and at least two Tatum quotes per claim (one quote is the claim itself, which you must quote; the second is a quote from somewhere else in Tatum’s essay, a quote that helps explain the claim);
4. Make explicit connections between each claim and the other texts you’re relating to it, with concrete points of contact (e.g., repeat some language from the claim itself in the “connecting” paragraph to show connection);
5. Contain a second anecdote—maybe personal, maybe general, maybe from the media—that illustrates a point;
6. Use the Maps to help you organize your paragraphs;
7. Have Tell Me/Show Me/So What paragraphs that work together coherently to support the thesis. DO NOT forget transitions! You can go anywhere you want as long as you use transitions! And never start a body paragraph with a quote; first have your own Tell Me.
8. Have a thoughtful conclusion that answers the big “So What?” and that ties back to your introduction anecdote (see Kaplan and McIntosh for examples);
9. Support your ideas with quotes and paraphrases from at least 3 of our other texts, in addition to the Tatum quotes, and at least one outside source found on the Library’s databases or the NY Times (not Google or Wikipedia). Your outside source can be an article, an essay, a video, etc. But it needs to be something relevant, and it needs to be included on your Works Cited page;
10. Have an alphabetized Works Cited page, properly formatted. (This will count as part of your grade!) (You will have at least 5 entries on this Works Cited page: Tatum, the 3 other course texts you use, and an outside source.);
11. Have well-coordinated (FANBOYS), and well-subordinated (BAIT words) sentences, and at least two fancy sentences underlined, with few or no fragments or RTS’s;