Diversity & Oppression Interview/Literature Review Paper (18-20 pages).

Please complete Parts I and II.  For this paper, each student should interview someone who is different from the student by race and one other dimension of intersectionality.  The student will also conduct a literature review related to the interviewee.  Once the interview and literature review are completed, write a 10 to 12 pages, double spaced paper with 1-inch margins and 12-point font. Title page, abstract, and references are not included in the required page count.  Cite the literature you draw from using APA style (use a minimum of 5 citations).  Each page must be fully covered.  In order to protect confidentiality, use codenames for your interviewee. In addition to a Title Page, Introduction, Abstract, Conclusion, and References, the paper structure is outlined below:

(Check course outline and syllabus for due date and grading rubric)

PART I: INTERVIEW

I: Interview

In this paper you are asked to interview someone of a different race and one other dimension of intersectionality: ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability and ability, class, immigration status, and religion.  Ask the questions from the topic area that corresponds to your interviewee’s group.  These starter interview questions are provided.  However, additional questions should be added by the student and included in the paper.  Provide a single-spaced verbatim of the interview.  Before you begin your interview, remember to inform your interviewee that their participation is completely voluntary, that they can refuse to answer any or all questions, and their identity will be kept confidential.  Again, be sure to omit any identifying information from your paper.  You should participate together in a social activity where your interviewee’s group is in the majority (dinner, club, movie, cultural event, etc.) before engaging in the interview.  Describe the social event at the start of your paper.

II: Literature Review

Do a brief literature review on your interviewee’s member group (e.g., if you interviewed a lesbian woman, find articles on lesbian women.  Review at least 5-7 sources of current, written within the past 5 years, scholarly literature.)

III. Findings

Compare and contrast your interviewee’s experience with what you find in the literature.  Develop tentative conclusions regarding how social workers can best assist persons from your respondent’s group based on a critical analysis of the interview, class materials, and your own thinking/experience.

A.    Racial Issues

As you interview someone who is a member of a racial group different from your own, ask the following questions:

• How do you identify yourself racially? Explain why.
• Do you recall when you first realized that you were a member of this group?
• What do you think are commonly held misconceptions about your race?
• What do you think are the benefits and disadvantages of membership in your race?
• What do social workers need to know in order to be effective in assisting people of your race?

B.     Ethnic Issues

If you interview someone who is a member of a ethnic group different from your own, ask the following questions:

1)   How do you identify yourself ethnically?  Explain why.

2)   Do you recall when you first realized that you were a member of this group?

• What do you think are commonly held misconceptions about your ethnicity?
• What do you think are the benefits and disadvantages of membership in your ethnicity?
• What do social workers need to know in order to be effective in assisting people of your ethnicity?

1. Issues of Gender

In this assignment you are to interview someone of the opposite gender.  Ask the following:

• Do you recall when you first learned that you were female (or male)? If so, please describe how you felt and what you thought about your gender.
• What did your family/caretakers teach you about women and men?
• What do you think are commonly held misconceptions about your gender?
• What do you think are the benefits and disadvantages of being a member of your gender?
• What do social workers need to know in order to effectively assist women/men, boys/girls?

1. Issues of Sexual Orientation

If you are heterosexual, interview a lesbian or gay male.  Ask the following questions:

• When did you first become aware of your romantic/sexual feelings for members of your gender? When did you identify yourself as a lesbian/gay man?
• How out are you? How did you decide to come out (or not come out)?
• What do you think are commonly held misconceptions about gay men or lesbians?
• How did your family (if they know) react to the news of your sexual orientation?
• What has been the most difficult thing about being gay/lesbian? What is the best part?
• What do social workers need to know in order to be most helpful to lesbians and gay men?

1. Issues of Physical Challenge

Interview someone who is physically challenged.  If you are differently-abled, choose someone whose physical challenge is different from yours.  Ask the following questions:

• When did you first become aware that you were differently-abled? What was your reaction?  What were the reactions of others?
• How would you characterize society’s response to physically challenged persons?
• What do you think are commonly held misconceptions about persons with physical challenges/your physical challenge?
• What do you think are the benefits/disadvantages of being differently-abled?
• What do social workers need to know about persons who are physically challenged in order to be most effective in helping them?

PART II: LITERATURE REVIEW AND DISCUSSION

Do a brief literature review on your interviewee’s member group or groups (e.g., if you interviewed a gay man, find articles on gay men.  Review at least 5-7 sources of current (preferably written no older than 2010) scholarly literature.  Compare and contrast your interviewee’s experience with what you found in the literature.  Develop tentative conclusions regarding how social workers can best assist persons from your respondent’s group(s) based on a critical analysis of the interview, class materials, and your own thinking/experience.

MORE TIPS FOR WRITING PAPERS

• Answer each question in the assignment. Organize your paper by using the headings provided in the syllabus: Interview, Literature Review, Findings.  You should also include an abstract, introduction, and a conclusion.

At the start of your work, you should provide a description of your interviewee.  Be sure to include interviewee’s racial, ethnic heritage, gender, sexual orientation, and/or physical ability.

• Do not use casual language unless you are directly quoting someone (i.e., your client).
  1. Avoid contractions (i.e., use can not instead of can’t)
  2. Do not use slang or phrases “honing in,” “run the gamut,” or “hit home.” Instead use “focus,” “there are a variety,” or “struck deeply.”

• Proofread and Spell check
  1. You should always ask a good writer to proofread your paper for you.
  2. A graduate school paper must not have run-on nor fragment sentences.

• Use quotes from literature sparingly. Instead, paraphrase and analyze in a

way that demonstrates that you understand the material.  For example:

One study suggests that social workers need to be aware of the important role of religion and spirituality in mitigating the effects of depression within individuals and families impacted by serious illness and bereavement (Battle, 2001).  This appears logical…My interviewee would probably agree (or disagree)…This contradicts (or confirms) previous literature.