In my day-to-day life, I interact with academic systems. For instance, the system of a basic classroom setting — the rules that constrain my behavior are: having to raise my hand to speak, having to participate in discussions for a better grade, handing in homework that should be completed beforehand, and more. If I were to do a critical reading of the classroom system, I would focus on how all the students follow the behaviors expected of them and compare them to those who disobey. What are the benefits and losses of following the rules of the classroom system, for both the students and the professor? I’d also look into putting pressure on those rules — like, are there specific consequences for breaking patterns or disobeying rules?
Another type of system I interact with is a social system, in my friend group. For a critical reading of our interactions, I’d focus on how conversations are carried out, what topics they include, who speaks and when, what actions are taken as a group and separately, and more. What are the dos and don’ts of my specific friend group? What kind of slang do we speak with or hidden references do we make constantly that an outsider wouldn’t understand?
A critical reading of any system I interact with would look like, I think, an in-depth study of a discourse community and what my relation to that community is — am I an insider or outsider? Do I understand the rules?
– Sarah DeLena