Meaning & use
positionality
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The social and political context, such as race, gender, class, or background, that shapes a person's perspective, identity, and access to power.
See it in a sentence
The researcher began her paper by acknowledging her own positionality as a white, middle-class academic.
Understanding your positionality helps you recognize the assumptions you bring to a discussion.
A note on using this word
Common in academic writing, especially sociology, education, and critical theory, where it stresses that knowledge is shaped by the observer's social position.
Words with a similar meaning
standpoint
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