How do the subjective experiences of faculty and students shape the classroom and the study of global politics? Can our subjective experiences support the pedagogical goal of developing critical thinking skills? In this article, I draw on my experiences teaching an undergraduate course called "The Arab World and the West" with respect to my own identity as a Canadian-born Arab and my academic commitment to fostering critical thinking skills among my students. I am particularly interested in reflecting on how the subjective experiences of faculty and students can provide space for personal reflection and collective inquiry, which in turn can serve to foster critical thinking skills. This model of engaged pedagogy encourages students to think of themselves and their peers as part of the story of global politics. Such engagement can help students think differently about global politics and human interactions and to see the value in subjective experiences as an object/subject of study in the classroom.