Standpoint Paper

Sample Solution

  My personal and professional experiences have enabled me to develop an intersectional standpoint on social theory. I have had the opportunity to work in intercultural settings, which has helped me gain a greater understanding of different cultural dynamics,

social movements and power structures across society. My professional background in policy analysis provided me with the skill set necessary for critically engaging with public policies from a critical, intersectional perspective. Additionally, my research interests are focused on identity politics, particularly within marginalized communities - something that has become more pertinent during this current political climate. From my standpoint, both classic and contemporary sociological theories have been instrumental in furthering our understanding of how individuals interact within their respective societies - as well as exploring how institutions shape these interactions. In particular, feminist theorist Audre Lorde’s concept of ‘intersectionality’ has been pivotal in allowing us to better understand how identities such as gender, race or sexuality intersect with one another creating unique lived experiences among individuals. This is especially relevant when considering how certain identities can result in oppression or privilege depending on their socio-cultural context. Additionally, Marxist theory has allowed us to explore aspects related to economic class divisions; its concepts such as false consciousness or commodity fetishism make it possible for us to observe dynamics that affect disadvantaged groups negatively without them being aware about it at all times (i.e: structural violence). More recently, however there is also interest towards non-hegemonic approaches like postcolonial studies which accesses everyday forms of resistance against oppressive orders; mostly seen through microlevel practices such as language reappropriation or collective action projects (i.e: collectives). These theoretical perspectives constitute part of my current/potential research interests due to the fact that they provide comprehensive frameworks for analyzing systems of domination at different levels; moreover these approaches help shed light into less visible aspects regarding identity performance (i.e: transnational queer discourses) while simultaneously emphasizing the importance of agency amongst minority populations—which allows them autonomy over their own lives even under oppressive circumstances—and ultimately empowering them through knowledge production/societal awareness campaigns by making use of tools like storytelling & counter-narratives based on lived experience gathered through qualitative methods like interviews & focus groups etc… Overall I am interested in researching topics related to identity politics and oppression specifically within disenfranchised communities–with an emphasis on women & racial minorities–in order to contribute towards transformative change benefiting these populations primarily but also society overall by doing so