What is a “Positions Paper”?
A “positions paper” is a paper in which you give a comprehensive, nuanced overview of a topic, cite credible sources, explain your perspective on a topic, and also challenge yourself to fairly explore a different point of view.
Rather than creating an argumentative essay, a positions paper will contextualize your position using a developmental framework (ex. bioecological systems theory, etc.). You will systematically take the 10,000 foot view and explain why and how you believe your experience and identity contribute to your point of view. What about your view is informed by empirical research? What about your view is informed by your culture? Your lived experiences? The region in which you grew up? Something else?
You will then take this same systematic 10,000 foot view and explore and appreciate anotherperspective other than your own the best you can (perhaps the dominant perspective, a marginalized perspective, or just different in some other way) using the same developmental framework for reference. Your task is not to be reductive and “dismiss” this other perspective, but to seek to understand this perspective and communicate this understanding with complexity and nuance. This is not a paper that is meant to argue, but rather better understand. You may very well believe that this other perspective is ill-informed and/or harmful, or based on some subjective personal identity factor, for instance, a religious belief. Even so, your job is to unpack these things and understand a different point of view as you best can. What about their view is informed by empirical research? What about their view is informed by their culture? Their lived experiences? The region in which they grew up? Something else? Think ecological systems theory.
You will conclude the paper with any learning that you gained from this course that is relevant. What will you take forward with you? This can be regarding the topic OR about how you are going to go forward as a critical thinker in general in ways that relate to the paper, etc.
Resources:
watch “who we are: a chronicle of racism in America (2022)”
https://www.npr.org/2019/10/08/767205198/the-things-parents-dont-talk-about-with-their-kids-but-should?sfns=mo
https://www.nais.org/magazine/independent-school/summer-2014/what-white-children-need-to-know-about-race/
the rest of the resources are in the files
No AI please
