Reflective Essay. Students will write a six-page reflective essay focused on their stance on the debates about Decolonizing Global Health. It will be essential to consider the discussions held during the quarter for this assignment. The essay must include at least four references from our syllabus. The objective is to develop an introspective posture in analyzing your academic trajectory and future career and how you make sense of it in the face of Decolonial approaches.
Consider these ideas to develop your essay. Think about the following questions to start your reflective process. Read these questions and answer them. It does not have to be in proper essay form or perfect sentences yet. You want to get as many ideas down as possible to write your reflective essay.
-What have you learned about Decolonizing?
-How do you understand the tension between the global north and the global south?
-How can we overcome this tension in science?
-How can you overcome this tension in your personal and academic trajectories? Can this have a place in your daily life?
-Can you relate some of the discussions held in class with your personal life experiences, academic experiences, or the future of your career?
-Which experiences come to your mind, and how do you relate them to the discussions held in class about decolonizing?
-Looking back, what would you have done differently if you were exposed to the debates about decolonizing earlier in your career?
-How do you define your stance or positionality regarding decolonial approaches?
-What has led you to this stance/positionality? Which experiences in your life have shaped or are shaping this stance?
-Which are some takeaways from this course?
-How could you integrate some of these takeaways into your professional development?
Before you can begin writing your essay, you need to decide the most important thing you learned about Decolonizing. That “most important thing” will be the thesis of your paper. Consider the following ideas to develop the sections of your essay:
Introduction. 10 points
Your reflective essay must begin with an introduction that contains both a hook and a thesis statement. The point of having a ‘hook’ is to grab the attention of your audience or reader from the very beginning. It would be best to portray the exciting aspects of your perspective in the initial paragraph so that you stand the best chances of holding your reader’s interest. The thesis statement summarizes the focus of the essay, which is what is the most important thing you have learned about decolonizing and what you would like to do with that.
Body. 70 points
Next up is planning the body of your essay. You can draw on the following tips to help you do this well:
Try adopting a chronological approach. This means working through everything you want to touch upon as it happened in time. This kind of approach will ensure that your work is systematic and coherent. Remember that a reflective essay does not necessarily have to be linear, but working chronologically will prevent you from providing a haphazard recollection of your experience. Layout the critical elements of your experience in a timeline – this will help you see how to piece your narrative together.
Ensure the body of your reflective essay is well focused and contains appropriate critique and reflection. The body should not only summarise your experience; it should explore the impact that the experience has had on your life and the lessons that you have learned as a result. The emphasis should generally be on reflection as opposed to summation. A reflective posture will not only provide readers with insight into your experience but will also highlight your personality and your ability to deal with or adapt to particular situations.
Conclusion. 10 points
In the conclusion of your reflective essay, you should focus on bringing your piece together. Summarize the points made throughout and what you have learned as a result. What can be concluded about your approach to the decolonial perspectives? What might you do differently in the future after learning about decolonial perspectives?
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