for Monday 10/27 Cultural Vocab 2

Here are this weeks list of words to work with in your ethnography

journals, and be prepared to discuss.

1. diffusion
2. symbiosis
3. reciprocity
4. altruism
5. paralanguage
6. proxemics

Also, here is the Critical Encounters guidelines for those interested in submitting their creative non-fiction pieces to the Columbia Chronicle:

“Natural Tendencies”: Personal Narratives on Human|Nature

Throughout the 2008-09 school year, Critical Encounters, in partnership with the Columbia Chronicle, will present a weekly column titled “Natural Tendencies: Personal Narratives of Human|Nature.” These will be concise, personal narratives drawn from within our community, from a cross-section of faculty, staff, and students who represent the diverse population on our campus. These voices will provide us with perspectives that cut across ethnicity, class, region, gender, generation, and nationality. Each contributor will present a personal narrative that will highlight ways in which he/she is inspired by the natural world or reflections on a personal relationship with nature. The narrative might offer personal opinions on environmental issues and concerns, or specific social causes or actions undertaken to positively impact the planet.

The “Natural Tendencies” column will bring Critical Encounters to our community in a way that is immediate and personal. The narratives will forge connections with readers who will appreciate and hopefully be inspired by the efforts and ideas of other Columbia College citizens.

Contribute a Narrative.

We look forward to fresh stories and personal revelations that will emerge from these diverse voices.
- Write about any aspect of your life that you feel comfortable sharing.
- Make it personal and thoughtful.
- Submissions should be approximately 600 words.
- Please include your major and your classification (student, staff, faculty, and administrator)
- If you are a student, please indicate your level (freshman, sophomore, etc.)
- Include contact information (name, email address, phone number.)

Send narratives via email to: Kevin Fuller at kgfuller@colum.edu or criticalencounters@colum.edu

These narratives will be edited for inclusion either in The Columbia Chronicle or on the Critical Encounters website. We hope to send edited drafts to each contributor before final print.

for Wed. 10/22

As we begin to discuss more and more the HOW and WHY of cultural interaction, as we try to make sense of what each of our culture's value most . . . 

Read the following linked article from the NY Times. 

Answer in your journals: “What kind of place and space has the author painted of the country?” 

Explain your answer with textual evidence.

Also, come to next class having five questions for your ethnography research, based on what you’ve learned and are considering after discussion of the our first Cultural Vocabulary terms. What kinds of questions on your own culture do you have that involve the concepts discussed in the terms?

for Monday 10/20

Cultural Vocabulary

We all know words, and we all know we don’t know every word. Furthermore! We don’t always know the right word to use.

Since we are writing the scary-word papers called “ethnographies” it is important that we begin to accumulate a vocabulary which would be useful when writing said paper. We all want to sound brilliant, but we also want to understand what we’re writing. We want music, and we want meaning.

The words you will be asked to define should enable you to think of your own projects more intellectually. You will be defining cultural concepts and the like. Words to label some of the behavior and stratigraphy of the culture you end up actively observing and participating in, to a degree.

And?

So, in your journals that I asked you to have solely for this class, I would like you to seek out the definitions of anthropologically-relevant terms from time to time. You may find these terms in a dictionary, but more than likely the fuller definitions will come from encyclopedias or anthropological reference material (ATH school websites, etc.).

Once you find these words and their definitions, do the following in your journals:

1) Define the word and give credence to the source. Rather than just quote the definition verbatim (word for word), try summarizing and paraphrasing, instead.

2) Write a short paragraph where you reflect on the meaning of the word. How familiar are
you with the word, its concepts? Unfamiliar? How can you make the word relevant to “the real world” beyond it being a concept; a definition? You are being asked for an example that shows you understand the word and its relevance to our course.

Be ready to share and discuss these with the class each time you are given new words to add to your Cultural Vocabulary.


First?
1. etymology
2. ethnocentrism
3. acculturation
4. adaptive mechanism
5. cultural relativism
6. locus

Due: Monday, October 20, 2008 in your journals for class discussion