The course will be conducted in such a way as to place the student in the role of sociologist. A variety of cultures will be used to model the dynamics of cultural expression and the influences generated by change. A thorough, open and honest discussion of cultural components is the goal of the course. A major component of culture is language and our awareness of the power of symbolic interaction is essential to our understanding of culture. Therefore, profanity, obscenity, racial, ethnic, or gender slurs will not be acceptable in these discussions.
Mutual respect is essential to understanding.
Our purpose is not to judge that thought or behavior, but to attempt to understand it in it s cultural context. Only through a non-ethnocentric examination of cultural diversity can we begin to attain a global perspective of our own cultural framework. The course is designed for class members to examine, develop, analyze, and communicate their understanding in a variety of ways. Collaborative group work is an essential part of the learning process. Although individual performance will be evaluated, much of the work in the course will take place in groups.