Susan Bennett on Autoethnography

Alamo Interior (San Antonio, TX)
San Antonio, TX | March 2004 | T. Duckart

The Way of the Program
Guidelines and Resources for Composition Faculty at Humboldt State University

Updated: 07/01/04

Susan Bennett's Workshop
Autoethnography: Writing about the Self Analytically

Definition of Culture: any group that shares common language, values, habits, mores, activities, beliefs, etc. Most 21st Century Americans have multiple cultural affiliations.

Examples of Culture: religious groups, ethnic groups, racial groups, nationalities, occupations, genders, political parties, recreational groups, socioeconomic groups, clubs, behavioral groups, chronological groups, etc.

An autoethnography is:

An analytical/objective personal account
About the self/writer as part of a group or culture
Often a description of a conflict of cultures
Often an analysis of being different or an outsider
Usually written to an audience not a part of the group
An attempt to see self as others might
An opportunity to explain differences from the inside
Sometimes a traditional essay answering the five Ws
Sometimes a typical essay with topic sentences and three to five supporting examples
Always an attempt to explain one element of self to other
An explanation of how one is "othered"

An autoethnography is not:

A traditional personal narrative
A single event, incident, or experience
Written to the self as the major audience
A simple description or story

Prewriting Activity:

List up to ten cultures in which you participate or have participated.
Underline those cultures which do or could conflict with the mainstream culture in which you live.
Put an asterisk next to those cultures in which you choose/chose to participate.
Put a different symbol next to those cultures into which you were born.
Choose one of the cultures which has an underline and list as many specific characteristics of that culture as you can.
Freewrite on ways in which that culture has been stereotyped. What kind of prejudices are exercised against this group? What are some common preconceptions about it?
List three to five incidents or examples that serve to illustrate how or why identification with that culture has influenced you as a person.

Please secure Dr. Bennett's permission before reproducing any portion of this page. Thank you.

Professor Susan G. Bennett, Ph.D.
English Department
Humboldt State University
Arcata, CA 95521-8299
707.826.3758
sgb1@humboldt.edu

Susan Bennett's Workshop Autoethnography: Writing about the Self Analytically

Susan Bennett's Workshop
Autoethnography: Writing about the Self Analytically