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Worldview

A Brief Introductionto the Concept

A General Definition

A “Worldview” is the comprehensive set of beliefs, knowledge, values, assumptions, attitudes, and opinions that serve as a lense through which a particular social group sees, interprets, and makes sense of the world in which it lives.

One View

Some Components of a Worldview

Ontology: beliefs that group members hold about the nature and reality of the material, mental, and spiritual realms.

Epistemology: the dominant or preferred ways of knowing among most of the group’s members

Theology: the group’s beliefs about the nature of god(s), its powers, and its role in human life

Cosmology: the group’s beliefs about the origins, the nature, the history, and the future directions of the universe, as well as the place of humans within that scheme

Values: goup beliefs about what is important in life, what is to be persued, obtained, protected, cherished

Ethics: group beliefs about right and wrong or good and bad behavior.

Examples

Two Woldviews

Rigoberta Menchú

Spencer Wells

Leader of K'iche’ Mayan People

Stanford University Geneticist

San people of Namibia Aborigin

al people of Australia

Chukchi herders of Siberia

Navajo people of Arizona

Let’s Compare

Two WoldviewsRigoberta Menchú

Spencer Wells

Leader of K'iche’ Mayan

People

Stanford University Geneticist

OntologyEpistemology

TheologyCosmology

ValuesEthics

Life Style

Culture

The Worldview

Project

I. Form a 4 or 5-person team

II. Select a group to explore

III. Conduct research

IV. Prepare a multimedia PowerPoint presentation

V. Deliver the presentation to the class

Selecting a Group to Study

Select a “living” group whose worldview is held by real people today.

Choose a group whose worldview is different than those held by your group members.

Select a group which has produced accessible information about itself.

Select a group in which all of your team members have some degree of genuine interest.

Take your time in considering the alternatives until consensus is reached.

Consult with me before making your final decision.

Selecting a Group to Study

Indigenous Culture Groups

Maya of Guatemala

Inuit of Alaska or the Arctic

Hutu, Tutsi, San, or Maasai of Africa

Maori of New Zealand or Aborigines of Australia

Romani or Roma (Gypsies) of central Europe

Asmat of Papua New Guinea

Mixtec or Zapotec of Oaxaca, Mexico

Selecting a Group to Study

Religious Groups

(In which “religion”has a profound influence on its members’ belief system and lifestyle.)

Hasidic Judaism

Amish

Islamic Fundamentalism

The Unification Church (Moonies)

Hare Krishnas

Selecting a Group to Study

Spiritual Movement Groups

New Age

Falun Gong

Kabbalah

Scientology

Focus of Your Research and Presentation

A. Background and ContextProvide a very brief historical sketch for the

group.

Map the place or places in the world where the group resides.

Show what members of the group look like.

Provide some demographic information on the group.

Focus of Your Research and Presentation

B. Key Beliefs that Comprise the Group’s Worldview

Ontological beliefs Epistemological beliefs Religious or spiritual beliefs Ethical teachings Core values Social beliefs Beliefs about the group’s relationship to the

larger society. Other elements necessary to understand the

group’s worldview

Focus of Your Research and Presentation

C. Cultural Patterns

Are there any cultural patterns that characterize the group and help to understand it?

Rural-agrarian or urban-industrial Poverty or wealth Low formal education or high formal education Minority status or majority status History of being oppressed or oppressing others Segregated from or integrated within the wider

society Other factors

Focus of Your Research and Presentation

D.Current Concerns, Issues, and Challenges

The world is in the process of widespread and rapid change, and all worldviews are faced with the challenges of advocating for, accepting, adapting to, incorporating, resisting, or rejecting these changes, or some combination of these responses.

How is your group dealing with these challenges? What are their concerns? What events or developments or pressures have their attention? How are they responding?

Focus of Your Research and Presentation

E. E-Bibliography

Conclude your Power Point presentation with an electronic bibliography of at least 10 reseources that you feel are helpful in understanding this group and its worldview.

At least some of these bibliographic resources should be ones that were created or produced by persons who were or are, themselves, members of the group you have studied.

PresentationGuidelines

Your group will have 30 minutes for your presentation.

All group members should play a meaningful role in delivering your presentation.

Have the organization and flow of your presentation well planned in advance.

When speaking, make good eye contact with your audience. Try not to “read” from notes or from slides.

Please do not sit. Stand front and center when speaking to your audience.

Multimedia Presentation Oral lectures

PowerPoint slides

Visual images

Videos

Music

Web sites

Charts, graphs, maps

Artifacts or objects

Relevant DatesGroup Work Days

(No Regular Class)(No Regular Class)Work Time

April 06

April 22

Presentation Days