Essential Outcomes: Perspective and Experience, Ethnocentrism

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1) Define ethnocentrism in your own words.

Ethnocentrism is the idea that one views the world through his or her own culture. This belief can be both positive or negative depending on how a situation is handled.

2) Define cultural relativism in your own words.

Cultural relativism is the idea that though we may see the world ethnocentrically, we must observe without making judgement in order to truly understand a culture.

Now apply these concepts to an example. Let’s use the practice of female circumcision. Read some of the information provided, discuss with classmates and then respond to the questions below:

3) What is your initial response to the practice of female circumcision?

To be honest, I was kind of revolted. I had no idea that anything like this existed, but I wanted to learn more about the justifications for it, if only to develop counter-arguments to them.

4) What is an ethnocentric perspective regarding this cultural practice?

From the perspective of those who support this practice, FGM is probably meant for the best. It is a sure way to guarantee a woman's honor and secure her a good husband, which is very important in Islamic societies.

From an outsider's perspective, FGM is a horrible process. One can assume that this is meant to control a woman, not protect her. An outsider may not consider the importance of honor and securing a good husband.

5) What is a culturally relative perspective regarding this practice?

As mentioned above, one might assume that FGM is a way of controlling a woman. However, this allows us a different perspective. By looking at the justifications for the support of FGM one can better understand the origins of the process, though one's opinions on the subject may not change. If we were to live in a society that put a woman's honor and finding a good husband above all else, we might be more open to understanding this practice.

6) What are the problems with thinking ethnocentrically in this context?

Of course one runs the risk of being too close-minded on the matter. If one were to think ethnocentrically, then the idea that cultures that practice FGM are somehow primitive might arise. One may look at countries that practice FGM and draw negative conclusions about their view or treatment of women.

7) What are the problems of thinking relativistically in this context?

If we think relatively we might miss key aspects of the culture. With FGM it is vital that the observer come to some concrete conclusion about the true motivation behind this practice. If one does not do that it becomes difficult to further understand any rituals associated with the culture.

8) In your view does cultural relativism necessarily mean ethical relativism? Why or why not?

Though, like culture, ethics are learned, they are harder to ignore. If one were confronted with, cannibalism for example and their sense of ethics tells them this is wrong, it is difficult to think otherwise. Though one may still understand the motivations behind a practice, their opinion is still controlled by their system of ethics.

9) What, if anything, do you think should be done? Why?

In the interest of not imposing my own beliefs on others, I feel that FMG should be legal but only under specific (anesthesia, steralized setting, etc.) conditions and consent of the woman involved.

10) What does ethnocentrism reveal about the power of culture to shape the way we view things?

Ethnocentrism can drastically alter our view of the world. If one goes on thinking that a certain culture better than all the rest, then any difference from one's own culture automatically becomes a flaw. The problem with seeing the world this way is that it can lead to hate and prejudice by the grouping of people into hierarchies based on your own culture. Our culture tends to be what we view the world though, but if we are not aware of it, our culture can easily distort rather than clarify the things we see in the world.

Essential Outcomes: Language and Culture

1. Identify a specific speech event and site where you’d like to conduct an “ethnography of speaking.” What is the site?

Coffee shop.

2. What are a few of the specific speech acts people engage in repetitively in the site you’ve chosen?

Ordering, conversation, pleasantries.

3. Record some of the statements you and others made below:

Me, ordering: I'll have a caramel macchiatto, please.

Customer, pleasantries: Thanks for the drink.

Customer, conversation: My friend and I are going down to the lake this weekend.

4. How do the statements above reveal important elements of the components of speech acts?

Component	Comments
Purpose	Procuring a drink, social interaction,
Message Content	Ordering a drink, small talk, greetings
Message Form	Question, statement, exclamation
Channel	Customer to employee, customer to customer, employee to employee
Setting	Coffee shop
Tone	Conversational, expectant, maybe commanding
Participants	Customers, employees, people who just want somewhere to sit and work or chat.
Outcome	Customer is given a drink, small-talk or conversation quota is fulfilled,

5. Was the “ethnography of speaking” approach to studying a speech event useful? What did it reveal about the event that you might not have realized otherwise?

It was very useful. By isolating the different types of interaction, I learned that language was a bit more complex than it seemed. The way that one asked for a drink or the way a employee responded varied vastly and changed the tone of the interaction. This exercise allowed me to better understand the complexities of language and the way it is used.

Essential Outcomes: Globalization

Globalization is defined by our text as "A social process in which the constraints of geography on social and cultural arrangements recede, and in which people become increasingly aware that they are receding(p. 380)." Essentially, globalization is an integration of cultures around the world, from technology to food to architecture.
Globalization has had an interesting effect in the US. The American culture is pretty powerful in the grand scheme of things. (How else do you explain the international success of overpriced ripped jeans?) Thus, the US tends to affect other countries before other countries effect us. For example, the Japanese adopted The Backstreet Boys far before Americans began demanding any sort of Japanese music. However, when Americans allow a bit of another culture to become part of theirs, they seem to completely forget that it was foreign in the first place. Given the origins of the country, this is hardly surprising. Nevertheless, when other countries adopt something uniquely American, they do not forget as easily that it comes from a different country.
But how does this affect the culture as a whole? In America, globalization means sharing American culture with other countries. Yes, other cultures leave their mark, but it is solely about sharing American ideas. In other countries it becomes a matter of preserving one's own culture while trying to adapt to the ever present American culture.
Globalization can definitely be a good thing. It can, in fact, be a great thing. Globalization can, in the right circumstances, promote better understanding of cultures, and help broaden one's horizons. However, it can also be a bad thing, since the ethnocentrism is bound to rear is head.
I can completely understand this fear. The fear that one's culture, which is an essential part of one's life, is being erased. From culture we learn our values, we learn our past, we even learn our fears. The threat of having a culture, however bland or rich, erased can put people on the defensive.
Globalization is a double sided mirror, having the potential to bring out the worst as well as the best.

Edits:
For India, globilization has definitely been a good thing. To many, India is still the overpopulated third world country that we've been reading about in the news for years. More recently, it has been connected with things like outsourcing. Understandably, this is confusing to someone who has not seen the effects of globalization on India. How can a country that has so many economic problems be putting out people that are talented enough to attract attention from abroad? Yes, there are rural areas in need, but India also contains a vast urban sprawl. The fact is, the India of today is nothing like the India of 20 years ago. Before the advent of globalization, India was a very traditional country, now it is a bustling hub. A simple way to look at it would be though acceptable women's fashions. In the late '80s, when I was born, women usually wore traditional clothes, most women never removing the scarf they wore on their shoulders or wrapped around their neck. My last visit to India was six years ago in 2002. Imagine my surprise as I walked off the plane wearing a, by my standards, modest knee-length skirt and my aunt gasped in horror. Though some younger women had begun to adapt western clothing or elements of western clothing, they continued to be very modest. No one ever wore a skirt unless it was either a school uniform or a floor-length skirt. I am planning to visit India again this summer, and this is what everyone's been telling me: "Pack your skirts and tank-tops!" Within the past six years, strict Indian standards have given way to western ideals. While a skirt or a tank-top may have been seen a grossly immodest a mere six years ago, it is now acceptable dress, even in the conservative area of south India.
This sort of situation has carried over to America as well, with the rise of yoga, meditation, and, more recently, ayurvedic medicines.
(Though, to be honest, if I see another horribly generic, badly done "How to do Yoga" book/cd/dvd, I might go into convulsions....)