Imaginary Homelands

In Imaginary Homelands, Salman Rushdie argues: Very often, subjectivity emerges when an individual reacts to something in the world around them. This is the primary human response. However, sometimes subjectivity can occur as the result of a group’s reaction to a force or set of circumstances that present themselves. This subjective response (whether from an individual or a group) can be linked to the conflict between conformity and non-conformity. The individual response to the conflict between conformity and non-conformity is a key concept to grasp, as it dictates how an individual reacts to ideology. The second, or group response is characterized as collective subjectivity, and characterizes how a group might embrace a particular ethos. Both are key to developing a fuller understanding of the process of critical thinking. As you assemble your essay, please pay careful attention to structure (introduction, body, conclusion), critical thinking (the relationship between the texts and your argument) and formatting (MLA). Introduction: 1.) Introduce the argument—use the rule of attribution. 2.) Explain the logic of the argument. Be specific—focus on the language of the argument 3.) Respond to the argument: Do the secondary texts offer clear and compelling evidence of the logic of the primary argument? If so, how? If not, why not? Finally, how are the relationships between the texts significant to developing an understanding of the logic of collective subjectivity? Body: Develop your ideas about how the texts in question relate to the argument that you are presenting. Remember to use topic sentences that state subjective opinion, cite relevant textual details in support of this topic sentence, and discuss how these two things relate to your argument (critical thinking). Body Paragraphs—You should write one body paragraph per secondary text. Please use the Body Paragraph Template as you develop your support paragraphs: 1. Topic Sentence This must be a subjective statement of opinion. 2. Textual Evidence Direct Quote; Summary; Paraphrase 3. Explication (make obvious—show that you understand the text) Explanation of the literal meaning of the textual evidence you have chosen (critical thinking) 4. Connection How does the evidence relate to the topic sentence? (critical thinking) 5. Contextualization How does the evidence relate to the thesis? (critical thinking) Conclusion: Consider the following questions: 1.) Summarize your basic argument (3-4 sentences) 2.) What is the relationship between collective subjectivity and critical thinking? (3-4 sentences) 3.) How does an understanding of collective subjectivity help you understand critical thinking? (3-4 sentences)