The purpose of this learning activity is to promote deep and meaningful learning and personal reflection on human and cultural diversity. The importance of this learning and reflection extends well beyond the learning objectives of this course and situates us in the present. I hope that the book stimulates you to ask questions of the past in your cross-cultural comparative study that were informed by the contemporary issues discussed in this book.
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Johnson writes (p. 140): "It helps to live like anthropologists, participant-observers who watch and listen to other people and themselves, who notice patterns that come up again and again in social life. You can pretend you're a stranger in a strange land who knows nothing about where you are and know that you know nothing. This approach keeps you open to recognizing faulty assumptions and the surprise of realizing that things aren't what they seem."
Adopt the role of participant-observer in any specifc community you are involved with here at CC or elsewhere. Consider what Johnson has observed, discussed, and argued. Then, please answer the following questions:
1) Identify and describe within your chosen community how privilege and power are enacted. Please focus on the dimension of privilege Johnson considered (e.g., race, gender, etc.). In your description, refer to and specifically cite Johnson where he discusses a similar issue or where one of his observations/examples/arguments stimulated you to make a similar or different observation.
2) Step away from your role as ethnographer and react personally (in writing) to these observations. Discuss whether or not you feel the need to become an agent for change in your chosen community. If so, why and how will you stimulate change? If change is not needed, why not?
3) Relying on your understanding of the ethnographic method (remember My Freshman Year and class discussions), please design an ethnographic study that would help you better understand the manifestation of privilege, power, and difference in your chosen community. Any good ethnography contains a clear, specific, and answerable research question. It also contains a brief argument for the relevence of your research (in other words, why should anyone care about your work?). Review the methods/activities Nathan used and select those that you will attempt. Will you disclose to the members of the group you are studying your real purpose for being involved in the group? Your reponse to this question will be most heavily weighted in the assessment.
Please answer the above questions within 2-3, single-spaced, pages. Please number your responses.
RUBRIC: Thoughtful, well-written responses that are strongly linked to specific aspects of Johnson's book (use specific citations!), demonstrate an understanding of ethnographic methods, and apply concepts/terms you have learned during Week 1 (e.g., discourse, narrative, class, agency, worldview, ideology, etc.) will receive the most points. Note: each time you use a key concept from our list, please bold the word in your answer. Please use a paragraph structure to organize your thoughts and writing.
Upload your submission to Canvas before the due date and time (Microsoft Word or pdf). Late submissions will be accepted with a 10% point deduction each day.
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Johnson writes (p. 140): "It helps to live like anthropologists, participant-observers who watch and listen to other people and themselves, who notice patterns that come up again and again in social life. You can pretend you're a stranger in a strange land who knows nothing about where you are and know that you know nothing. This approach keeps you open to recognizing faulty assumptions and the surprise of realizing that things aren't what they seem."
Adopt the role of participant-observer in any specifc community you are involved with here at CC or elsewhere. Consider what Johnson has observed, discussed, and argued. Then, please answer the following questions:
1) Identify and describe within your chosen community how privilege and power are enacted. Please focus on the dimension of privilege Johnson considered (e.g., race, gender, etc.). In your description, refer to and specifically cite Johnson where he discusses a similar issue or where one of his observations/examples/arguments stimulated you to make a similar or different observation.
2) Step away from your role as ethnographer and react personally (in writing) to these observations. Discuss whether or not you feel the need to become an agent for change in your chosen community. If so, why and how will you stimulate change? If change is not needed, why not?
3) Relying on your understanding of the ethnographic method (remember My Freshman Year and class discussions), please design an ethnographic study that would help you better understand the manifestation of privilege, power, and difference in your chosen community. Any good ethnography contains a clear, specific, and answerable research question. It also contains a brief argument for the relevence of your research (in other words, why should anyone care about your work?). Review the methods/activities Nathan used and select those that you will attempt. Will you disclose to the members of the group you are studying your real purpose for being involved in the group? Your reponse to this question will be most heavily weighted in the assessment.
Please answer the above questions within 2-3, single-spaced, pages. Please number your responses.
RUBRIC: Thoughtful, well-written responses that are strongly linked to specific aspects of Johnson's book (use specific citations!), demonstrate an understanding of ethnographic methods, and apply concepts/terms you have learned during Week 1 (e.g., discourse, narrative, class, agency, worldview, ideology, etc.) will receive the most points. Note: each time you use a key concept from our list, please bold the word in your answer. Please use a paragraph structure to organize your thoughts and writing.
Upload your submission to Canvas before the due date and time (Microsoft Word or pdf). Late submissions will be accepted with a 10% point deduction each day.