cultural identity and biases lustig & koester chapter 6

Cultural Identity and Biases

Lustig & KoesterChapter 6

Cultural Identity

• Ingroups and outgroups– Natural to language– How we learn language (Burke)

• Cultural identity• Social identity• Personal identity

Cultural Identity Exercise

• Page 67 in packet…Instead, compare your circle to others in your group

• First, take 5 minutes to list all the cultures to which you belong

• Groups: Discuss how each of your cultures affects your communication (10 minutes)– Similarities– Differences

Cultural Identity Exercise

• Group: Now look at the text definition of “cultural identity” (5 minutes)– Generate a list of how your discussion of

similarities and differences coincides with the text’s definition (how does it fit?)

– In what ways does your discussion not fit the definition?

• Report from each group

Exercise: Targets / I am

Interrelationships

Cultural

identity

Social identity

Individual identity

Discussion Yield

What we found• Midwest• Immigrant ancestors• American• Family identification• Young adults (can divide)• Small-town v. large v.

rural v. suburbia (varies)• Class-orientation may

play a part• Family-identification

perhaps• Common value of sports,

team-bonding, teamwork

What we’ve learned• Consistent with text:

– Accepting traditions– Connection with heritage– Connections with areas & experiences

• Clarifications– Employee identity is social– Group-oriented / organizational –

social– Gender may or may not be part of a

cultural identity– Different religions– Experiences make a difference– Different Greek, non-Greek groups– Different majors, possibly

Cultural Identity

• Its nature– Results from membership in the

particular culture– Learning traditions, heritage, language,

religions, ancestry, aesthetics, thinking patterns, social structures

– Internalized as beliefs, values, and norms• Result of social practices• Identification with culture => self-

concept

Cultural Identity

• Stages of Identity Formation– Unexamined cultural identity

• Whiteness exercise: McIntosh

– Cultural identity search– Cultural identity achievement

• How it “works”– Multiple overlapping (or contradictory) identities– Central and peripheral; central and salient– “Activation” (and negotiation) of identities (p. 145)– Identities are fluid, dynamic (yet also stable) (p.

146)

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/25984926/Cross-Black-Racial-Identity-Development-Model

http://virginialbyrne.wordpress.com/2011/03/24/what-is-diversity-to-me/

• Group time?

Break time

ETHNOCENTRISM SCALEp. 68 in the packet – prepare before class

Social Categorizing

• A normal human activity• The “spiral of silence”• Simplification

Ethnocentrism

• Superiority (or Centrality)• All cultures (a cultural universal!)• Communication competence– Recognition– Awareness– Acknowledgement

"What kind of bird are you, if you can't fly?" said he. To this the duck replied, "What kind of bird are you if you can't swim?" as it dove into the pond"

~Sergei Prokofiev, Peter and the Wolf ~

I Don’t Stereotype People:Exercise

• Groups• Page 69, packet• Brainstorm– Effect on communication?– Consequences of stereotyping

• Class discussion– Nature of stereotyping– Its impact– Solutions?

Problems

• Stereotyping– Definition– How it occurs– Specific problems (3) pp. 154-155

• Prejudice– Definition– Universal– 4 functions (not 5)

• Discrimination • Racism

Racism (etc.)

• What is it? (see 2 defs, p. 159)– “racialization” versus “racism”?– Who can be racist?– What are 3 levels of racism?– Is racism equal at all levels?

• What are 7 types of racism? [add “benevolent”]– Which is more common today?– Which are worse/more harmful?

• How might our discussion apply to • Exercise: Media Analysis• Discussion: Is it offensive?

• Hate crimes: FBI database– http://

www.fbi.gov/sandiego/press-releases/2011/fbi-releases-2010-hate-crime-statistics

– http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/14/fbi-report-says-67-of-eth_n_1092976.html

• What social, personal, and other factors might lead to increases in hate crimes?

http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2011/november/hatecrimes_111411

http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/hate-map

Beyond racism

• How might our discussion apply to other “isms” (sexism, etc.)

• Do such intolerances impact only the “target” group?

• What are some positive functions that stereotypes and prejudice serve? Does this justify them?

• How might stereotypes, prejudice, etc. impact competence?

Solutions: Group Exercise

• What are some concrete things that you, as an individual, can do to reduce the impact of prejudice, stereotypes, etc. on society?

• What are some higher-level (social, educational) things we could do?