ABOUT THE PROJECT
The midterm assignment comprises a project proposal that will serve as preparation for the final
creative project required for this course. The midterm will incorporate a research proposal with a
topic of your choice that will include a historically situated analysis or a contemporary aspect
concerning any of the themes we have covered in our class this semester. You may choose an
issue, a community, a geographical region, or even a testimonio to document in your project.
Please refer to the course syllabus or weekly modules on Canvas for inspiration. Feel free to pick
any topic that interests you the most.
In this proposal, you will include a positionality statement that includes your particular interest
and motivation behind the project you chose, why it is important to you, and its relevance to the
class and society more broadly. You will also include a list of potential sources for your project
(see below for details) and in an annotated bibliography will explain their relevance to your
research. Lastly, you will specify the delivery format for your project (video and digital
magazine options available).
To guide your research, please consult the Final Project and Resources Overview module on
Canvas, following week 9 of the semester, which includes a list of resources and tools to get you
started on your project. This module also includes examples of the final creative project for
inspiration. Finally, I recommend reviewing the Final Project prompt (posted under the
Assignments tab on Canvas) for further details on the research project and make an informed
decision concerning the type of project you want to create (a video or digital magazine).
OBJECTIVES
The project proposal has three main objectives:
a) Brainstorm on potential topics for the final creative project
b) Start on a literature review and research for the final project
c) Explore creative project alternatives to deliver your research
The following page includes a list of potential themes to get you started on this assignment.
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POTENTIAL THEMES
The potential themes for this assignment include, but are not limited to the following:
Social movements
Territorial defense
Ethnicity
Histories of Black, Indigenous and Peoples of Color (BIPOC)
Environmental struggles
Gender identities
Human Rights Issues
Feminisms
Anti-racist movements
Testimonios
Settler colonialism
Mestizaje
Please note that these are broad themes. For your research project, you will need to be more
specific. For example, if you decide to research Social Movements, be sure to focus on a specific
movement, community, region, or aspect of that movement. If you would like to research a topic
that is not on the list, but connects to our class topics, feel free to do so.
CONTENT
For this assignment, you will submit a 3-page proposal, specifying the following information:
- Tentative title of the project.
- In one paragraph, describe your chosen topic and its relevance to our class, and society
more broadly. Consider the following questions: what is the specific topic you will be
researching for your final project? Where and when is the issue situated? Be specific
about the territory and time frame you will be discussing, as well as the communities or
peoples involved. What are the main aspects of the topic you will develop in your
project? For example, think about the message you want to share with the world. To
elaborate on this section of the proposal, think about the historical relevance of the topic,
the contemporary effects, or impacts, not only on the communities directly involved in or
impacted by the issue you describe, but also on humanity and the non-human world, if
applicable. - In another paragraph, address your positionality. The positionality statement will describe
your view on the topic you chose and your identity in relation to your research. For
example, you may choose a topic that is intricately connected to your life experiences,
family/community histories, or a social issue you are deeply committed to/involved in.
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The positionality statement will situate you within the research and explain the
motivation and experiential knowledge that informs your interest and view of your
chosen topic. Please refer to the class activity on Intersectionality and Testimonios to
help you brainstorm on the positionality statement of your research proposal. - In two pages, include an annotated bibliography with 8-10 potential sources for your
project. For the annotated bibliography, you will describe your sources in three of four
sentences and their relevance to your project. TWO sources in your annotated
bibliography must be class materials. You may use any of our class materials, EXCEPT
for PowerPoint presentations, as these only include summarized ideas of the texts. The
rest of the sources must be your own. These may include books and book chapters, peerreviewed articles, podcasts, websites (e.g., organization, official government sites, etc.),
oral histories, documentaries/films, etc. Projects that include testimonios are highly
encouraged! APA, MLA, or Chicago Style is recommended. - Delivery format. For this assignment you will have two format options: video or digital
magazine. More information on these options will be discussed in class. I recommend
reviewing the Final Creative Project prompt for further details to best inform your
decision about the type of project you want to do, and the list of resources on the Final
Project and Resources Overview module on Canvas. In your proposal, please specify
your preferred option for the project.