The goal of this assignment is to provide students with an opportunity to engage in critical
self-reflection around their social location and relate this to social work practice. Knowledge
learned from the following readings should be included and properly cited in the paper:
Baskin, C. (2016). Chapter two. The self is always first in the circle. In Baskin, C., Strong
helpers’ teachings: The value of Indigenous knowledges in the helping professions
(2nd ed., pp. 31-54). Canadian Scholars’ Press.
Clare, E. (2003). Digging deep. Thinking about privilege. Unpublished paper by permission of
the author.
Kennedy-Kish, B., Sinclair, R., Carniol, B., & Baines, D. (2017). Chapter 3. Naming and
resisting injustice. In Case Critical (7th ed., pp. 28-51). Between the Lines.
In terms of the structure of the paper:
1) First, write a broad introduction, followed by narrowing your focus to include a brief statement about your topic and include a brief outline of your paper (e.g., In this paper I
will…)
2) Discuss how you would identify your own social location in terms of privileges and oppressions and ground this discussion in the literature.
3) Address some of the following reflections in your paper: Has this course offered new
and/or expanded learning? Why is it important to unpack and analyse the self in relation
to social work practice?
4) End with a conclusion. While you may want to summarize some key points, also think of any unanswered questions, new possibilities, and future directions.
