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At the core of the skill to identify positionalities lies the understanding of where you stand as a person in relation to your society and in the world. To do so, it is important to recognize the social systems and structures that make up the world and be able to analyse and then position oneself within these structures. It is crucial to recognise that this positioning is a dynamic process that can evolve depending on contexts and roles.
Learners can be taught to understand and critically reflect on their own situatedness and relate this to how knowledge is produced and assessed. The objective is to strive for social justice and positive societal impact – however we define it.
In contrast to more performance-based self-reflection, identifying positionality thus entails a productive engagement with and an ethical relationship to difference and inequality. Mindful of others, positionality aims for empowerment by giving (back) voice and agency to silenced groups in society.
Tips & tricks
With these tips & tricks, you can introduce students to the skill in an accessible way.
Teaching activities
With these teaching activities, you can enable students to apply the skill concretely within your educational practice.
Assessment
With these assignments, you can encourage students to further train and develop the skill.
Best practice
These examples provide insight into how students and lecturers have successfully applied or can apply the skill in practice.
Position Paper
Critical Perspectives on Citizenship in a Globalized World (EUC-SUM202)
The position paper is meant to encourage critical thinking about students’ personal backgrounds, experiences, social positions, as they develop a paper that takes a clear stance on a given topic. In practice, what works well is asking students to respond to material discussed in the course or a pre-written statement related to course material. In many cases asking of them to relate this argument to their own personal lives and experiences. Doing so teaches them to be self-aware, and reflexive whilst at the same time develop critical thinking and argumentation skills.