Cultural Self-Study
This week you will start a two part, two week, assignment where you look at your own experience of enculturation and the impact that culture has had on you and your development.
You are going to be examining this issue using a number of variables and dimensions across the two weeks. This week you will complete and turn in sections 1 through 4 of your self-study. Next week you will complete and turn in sections 5 through 8 of the self-study.
For this week: Using material introduced in class readings and on the discussion boards, complete the steps of the cultural self-study indicated below.
You should label the sections of your self-study exactly as they appear below. The first part of this self-study should not exceed 4 double-spaced pages, not including your cover page or your reference page. You should use at least 2 scholarly sources to support your thoughts in this assignment.
Try to focus on the ways that you, your family, and your important reference groups represent larger, cultural realities. Your work will be evaluated on the basis of the variety of course concepts you use appropriately and evidence that you have made a genuine effort to deal with tasks which require some very deep reflection.
No student, however, should in any way feel compelled to share information that she or he believes is private or personal. Keep in mind, though, that a degree of discomfort with this project is normal, as it requires making explicit things that usually remain implicit, automatic, and wordless-like how you drive a car or greet a stranger visiting your home. Many students have found this exercise to provide a very powerful and useful form of self-discovery.
1. Antecedents. Describe historical antecedents, which even if nearly forgotten, still covertly influence thought, feelings, and behavior in your family. Consider immigrant beginnings and migration history, critical past experiences, valued traditions, characteristics likes and dislikes, views of persons of different ethnic and social groups, and institutions (school, church, neighborhood, etc.) critical in shaping you.
2. Representative Behavior Settings and Scripts (sequences of expected behavior in a given situation). Describe two behavior settings and their characteristic scripts which you believe were typical of environs which helped to shape you. You might consider situations such as a family meal, a classroom, peer group activities, family behavior around a holiday or important event, etc. After each description, indicate briefly its cultural significance and socialization impact on you.
3. Beliefs, values, worldviews. What spoken, articulate beliefs were important as you grew up? What were other critical values, norms, and worldviews were more taken-for-granted? What values and worldviews were communicated to you through your social environment, both within and beyond your family?
4. Your visible cultural persona. Describe your current characteristic non-verbal, protolinguistic characteristics and patterns. What is the content and style of your typical movements and gestures? What "sign equipment" (dress, age, health, status indicators) do you carry that are likely to influence how others perceive and categorize you as a member of certain groups.
The page maximum is 4 pages. Use at least 2 scholarly references. For additional information to help you complete this assignment, and how this assignment will be assessed review the grading rubric in the course.