SOC 210: Culture Project
Due Date: Tuesday, December 1st by 11:59pm
Introduction:
You will write me a short proposal due Tuesday, 11/10/20. The assignment will be in the Week 12 folder. Then, the entire project will be due on Tuesday, 12/1/20 in the Week 15 folder.
The topic is to learn more about a different culture or subculture. This project embraces Universal Design, the idea that students can demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways and are more engaged if they choose how the material is presented. The core of the project is that you will learn more about a culture or subculture that intrigues you and present it to me in the format that resonates the most with you as a student, along with incorporating a few course terms.
Examples:
You might:
• Interview a family member from a different culture and write a paper about what you learned• Conduct research online about a culture or subculture through watching a Frontline video and report on what you learned• Visit a skate park and observe others skating and develop what you think the norms are from observation, possibly using pictures• If you like to cook, you might do some research on the culinary history of a culture you choose and learn to make a dish. (For this one, you’d have to take pictures of you and your product and explain what you learned about the cooking norms in the culture, as well as relate it to material culture.)• Write a song or create something that relates to a culture or subculture you belong to.
The key is that I want to know what you have learned from the experience and this must be your original work. If you use any resources, make sure to include a citation.A works cited page including the textbook for terms is required. What insights have you had about this other culture and yourself?Please, keep your examples “G” rated for me. If you aren’t sure if I’d find it offensive, don’t use it.
What your project must contain:
• You must define and discuss at least two related terms from the culture chapter. For example, if you learn about South African culture, you would likely want to define and discuss what norms, values, material culture, etc. are. It might be that you find something in the culture or subculture you are learning about surprising so you might want to include ethnocentrism or culture shock as your terms. You will be illustrating that you understand the ideas from the class.
• You will conduct research through interviewing, watching a documentary, observation, etc. to learn more about the culture or subculture you chose.
• You will create a product: a paper, a presentation, a creative work like a song, etc.
• There are many different ways you could present this topic to me. You could write a paper similar to your first paper, create a PowerPoint, create a video and post it on Youtube with a link, etc. The key is that you choose what works for you. That said, you have to make sure that I can access the material that you create.
• You will include citations for any outside sources you used.
Preparing for the Project:
(1) Review the materials in Chapter 3 on Culture, as well as the related course materials like the slides.(2) Decide on a culture or subculture that you’d like to learn more about and to teach me about.(3) Do you have the skills and materials to present your project in the way that you want? If not, what can you do to gain them?(4) Are you using a format that your teacher will actually be able to access? It’s your responsibility to check on this.
