May 7th, 2020 
Overview.
Experiencing intercultural communication happens beyond a classroom. For this assignment, you will have the opportunity to engage with and learn about a culture at CSUN that is different from your own and one you know very little about. Get out of your comfort zone. Choose something that is not easy. Brainstorm a culture you will study for the semester. A culture that is different than yours, that you rarely interact with (or maybe never), has had a history of conflict with a culture you belong to, misunderstood by a culture you belong to, etc. You have many possibilities and opportunities. Learn something new.
Research.
In these series of papers, you will conduct research about the culture. Research means you will find articles, books, journals, videos, documentary, and more. You are required to research through experiencing the culture first hand and engaging with the group=ethnography. You will observe the people, behaviors, communication, and patterns. Does it reflect the research that you find in the books, articles, media, etc.? This is your field experience. This means you will observe AND engage/ participate with this culture not just as a bystander. Talking to one person from a different culture does not count as the minimum of engagement. Observing and talking to a group of more than 3 is what I am expecting. Some options include: attending a meeting, event, ritual, or spend time at where people from the culture hang out/meet, or occupy a cultural space. As you do your field experience, you will also support your understanding of the culture through library research. There are various ways you can engage with a cultural group, the first step is to research and explore the campus.
For paper 1, you do not need to engage with the culture just yet. You will write your first paper based on knowledge that has been communicated to you and additional research (from current events, books, magazines, and articles) you will conduct about that culture. If you have a chance to engage with the group, you can include that in your analysis. 2. You must have read chapters 1-4, participated in the discussions, and watched lecture videos to better understand, analyze, and apply concepts pertaining to the culture.
1. Paper 1 requirements: o Choose one focused topic relating to what we have covered. Focus on one bullet point: ! Relationship between communication and this culture:
2. Focus on 1 aspect of this culture and analyze a specific part of that culture using the 3 definitions: (anthropological, cultural studies, and globalization definition from Chapter 1). For example, beauty standards of this culture, religion, marriage, relationships, what it means to be that culture, etc. What do you know and/or heard about this culture? Are the meanings associated with them shared (anthropological) or contested with your culture or across cultures? How has this communicated to you? ! Explain the impact on (economic, political, and/or cultural) globalization. Describe the historical contexts surrounding the movement of this culture in the US (globally) and CSUN (locally). What is the historical relationship between this group and other groups (particularly the dominant cultural groups or your group)? ! Body politics: Impact of race and white privilege in this group; How is age, gender, and/or sexuality of the people you interacted with shaped their views and experiences (in the university and on a larger scale)? ! Cultural Space: Describe a cultural space(s) this group occupies at our CSUN campus or the surrounding community. What meanings are attached to this space and people? How is this space segregated and/or integrated? How is this cultural space hybrid- negotiated, transformed? Remember to focus on one topic and elaborate. I do not want you to answer all the above bullet points. You can focus on one question under the bullet point and elaborate. Explain, elaborate, give examples from your research or experiences. o Works Cited page with a minimum of 6 sources: ! Five primary, sources outside the book. Since you do not know anything about this culture, the information must come from somewhere. ! One Course reading ! Properly cite your sources. Include it within your text and on a Works Cited Page. Assistance with this can be found at https://libguides.csun.edu/research-strategies/MLA
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