Assessment 2: Project: Whiteness inventory and reflection

OVERVIEW

Ideas of white dominance in society seldom function in isolation from, and often intersect with, other dominant ideas including gender, class, sexual orientation, religion, culture, ability or age. ‘Whiteness’ ideas become apparent through social practices.

Aim: To identify and analyse ‘whiteness’ in social practices and implications for social work practice.

The unit learning outcomes assessed are:

• LO 3: Discuss critically, the complexities, ambiguities, uncertainties and challenges of the contemporary social structures that impact on clients’ lives and the implications for social work practice; and
• LO 4: Contextualise a critical practice framework to a specific situation to demonstrate professional-appropriate reflexivity.

LENGTH

1,000 words

Please utilise 4 READINGS !

Moreley

Mullaly and west

Gardner

Domenelli

And on vu website use Peggy McIntosh white privilege ABOUT knapsack.

DUE DATE

Sunday August 9th, 23:59 EST

DETAILS

The following questions are to guide your critical reflection of social practices. For each social practice, consider:

1. How is ‘whiteness’ privileged and constructed as the “norm” in Australian society?
2. What perpetuates this? What challenges it?
3. What are some of your own assumptions that were challenged in the process of making the inventory?
4. How do examples from your inventory intersect with other dominant ideas about gender, class, sexual orientation, religion, culture, ability or age?
5. How do you think your own social location influenced your experience of developing the inventory?
6. What do you notice about the feelings that were raised in your group when you discuss your examples?
7. Have you discussed this exercise with people outside the course? If so, what were their reactions?
8. Relate your thoughts to at least four required or recommended course readings.
9. Outline your learning about your own assumptions/behaviours that comply with and/or disrupt the construction of ‘whiteness’ as the norm.
10. What do you think are the possible implications of your analysis of ‘whiteness’ for your social work practice?
11. Discuss how you think your learning might impact your practice as a social.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Step 1.  Identify, describe and critically reflect on the ideas about ‘whiteness’ evident in the social practices of your community.
      1. Compile your Inventory by identifying a maximum of 5 social practices that illustrate ideas about ‘whiteness’ in your community.
      2. Your ‘whiteness inventory’ might include examples from conversations, advertisements, mass media, public speakers, graffiti, public statues, photographs, websites, and snippets of conversations, television series, shop fronts/displays, advertisements, and newspaper articles. White dominance seldom functions in isolation. In your reflection you will need to Identify your learning about your own assumptions/behaviours that comply with and/or disrupt the construction of ‘whiteness’ as the norm and consider how the examples from your inventory intersect with dominant ideas about gender, class, sexual orientation, religion, culture, ability or age.
      3. For each social practice, write a brief critical reflection noting how each illustrates ‘whiteness’ with reference readings. (Use the Guiding questions from the DETAILS section above).
   2. Step 2. Using these critical reflections, discuss how white privilege operates to maintain oppression
   3. Step 3.  In one paragraph outline your learning about your own assumptions/behaviours that comply with and/or disrupt the construction of ‘whiteness’ as the norm and explain possible implications for social work practice.
   4. Step 4. Review your draft response against the Assessment Rubric to ensure that it meets all the criteria. If you are unsure, seek clarification from the teacher during class.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA AND SUBMISSION 

Submit in Assessment 2: Project Dropbox . The following are the criteria used in the Marking Rubric:

1. Critical reflection of Inventory Items demonstrates (1) an analysis of white privilege and how it operates to maintain oppression, (2) critical engagement with relevant readings, and (3) discusses links to social work practice.
2. Academic writing: Critical reflection has clear structure and main points developed in a logical way. Spelling and grammar are accurate and expression is clear, with economical use of words and Harvard Referencing.

   Whiteness Inventory Template

Whiteness Inventory – Example .docx

Whiteness Inventory example 2.pdf

Whiteness Inventory Example 3.pdf