...a different culture, with different choices and different traditions. When it comes to taking care of old parents, the case is no different. In the short story ‘The Third Dumpster’ written by Gish Jen, we meet two brothers and their struggle to make the perfect nursing home for their parents. The short story deals with the two brothers, Goodwin and Morehouse, who have bought an old poor home on auction for their Chinese parents to live in. Their parents have been living in the US for the past 50 years, although they do not like the culture or the food for that matter. Goodwin and Morehouse are to renovate the old home, so that it becomes livable and at the same time make their parents actually like the US. The house was a bargain for the two brothers; it was close to their home and the house is in one plan, which makes it easy for the parents to cope. In spite of the two brothers effort, the parents are not pleased. The short story starts in media res, just after Goodwin and Morehouse has bought the house. We are presented to the story, almost without any insight information about any of the characters; the only thing we know is that Goodwin and Morehouse are brothers. The story is being told by a third person narrator, through the eyes of Goodwin, which means we only get an insight in his thoughts and feelings. Every culture has a tradition on how to properly take care of old people who no are able to take care of themselves. In America there is two different options...
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...Culture & religion for a sustainable future Introduction Culture shapes the way we see the world. It therefore has the capacity to bring about the change of attitudes needed to ensure peace and sustainable development which, we know, form the only possible way forward for life on planet Earth. Today, that goal is still a long way off. A global crisis faces humanity at the dawn of the 21st century, marked by increasing poverty in our asymmetrical world, environmental degradation and short-sightedness in policy-making. Culture is a crucial key to solving this crisis. Source: Preface, World Culture Report, UNESCO Publishing, Paris, 1999. Our cultural values, which often include particular religious beliefs, shape our way of living and acting in the world. Module 11 on Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainability explores the importance of indigenous values and spirituality in providing guidance for sustainable living. Such principles and values encourage a spirit of harmony between people, their natural environments and their spiritual identities. The principles for living sustainably that flow from these and other cultural and religious beliefs vary between groups and countries. They have also changed over time as circumstances demand. Despite this diversity, many principles for living sustainably are shared, not only among indigenous peoples, but also between different religious traditions. This module explores the role of culture and religion in providing guidance on ways...
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...beliefs between Chinese immigrant parents and their US born children, which results in a conflict between the two generations. The gap is mainly caused by the cultural and social dissonance of values between the family and a larger society(Zhou 2011:475). The second generation children often get caught up in-between the world of two different values; they assimilate through school and peers into an American culture, whereas at home they are exposed to very different values. For example, respect for elders and obedience,also referred to as a "filial piety", are central values in the chinese culture(Zhou 2011:477). American culture emphasizes freedom and independence, which chinese parents portray as threatening to their parental authority(Zhou 2011). Another discrepancy between is around education. Chinese parents view education as the only mean to yield upward social mobility. As they say, their goal in life is “to live in your own house, to be your own boss, and to send your children to the Ivy League”(Zhou 2011:476).In this process, they use practices such as choosing career pathway for their children that align with their specific...
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...Brazilian culture from an average outsider point of view. To achieve this, we tried to identify some of the stereotypes that the interviewees had towards Brazilian culture, particularly in music. The purpose of the collected information is to give the readers insights of how stereotypes are prejudicial and how they can have huge impacts in big social matters that can increase social inequality, and therefore prevent prejudice. This work was based on concepts of stereotypes described by Claire Kramsch in the book Language and Culture (1998). Basically, she said our perception of a group's social identity is culturally determined. What we perceive about a culture of the other is because we were conditioned by our own culture to see, with limited models that were built around us. It was also used, to endorse the study, O Brasil dos Gringos, written by Tunico Amâncio. His thesis is about the representation of Brazil and Brazilians in foreign fiction films. It was found the incidence of stereotypes and clichés throughout history, and it was studied in more details through 10 films. Beyond this Introduction section, this report contains a Description section, of our activities on this research, a Discussion, analysis and results section, about the study, and finally, a Conclusion section. Description Our group intended to uncover or confirm some of the stereotypes we thought foreign people would have in mind when talking about Brazilian music. Firstly, we picked two of the many...
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...I recently read the article “Black culture beyond hip hop,” by Thomas Chatterton Williams. Reading this article confirms that the theme is blacks tend to rely heavy on hip hop and it is destroying the youth. Hip hop dictates how most carry themselves. Many people focus on how real they want to be or trying to be cool which hip hop has major influences on children and teens. After reading this article, a problem that I seen developing was how they are believing hip hop only has an impact on African American culture. Not only does it impact African American culture, it also has an impact on American culture in general. Normally we see how hip hop stars are living and how they rap about the fancy houses and cars. Some rap about the strippers,...
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...The Struggle of Canadian First Nations People Many first nation canadian families struggle day to day. This struggle comes from a long and drawn out process that Canada has put First nations people through in order to destroy them and their culture. though First Nation people have strived in order to make a better life for themselves in today’s society, many still struggle due to the problems that have hindered aboriginals for many generations. Some of the key issues that will be touched upon in this essay are: the comparison between urban privilege versus rural Aboriginal struggle, the comparison between aboriginal struggles today versus the struggles of previous generations, and the issues and horrors of residential schooling. The comparison...
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...International Students: Bridging the Gap between Two Cultures Irma Ahmad Wan Norhaizar Harun Nurisyalliena Ishak Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) Abstract Cultural differences play an important role in the academic environment. It is often being overlooked by university, society and even among the international students themselves. When dealing with international students, there is an overlap between perception and acceptance towards readiness and adaptation to the cultural differences. International students’ readiness and ability to adapt with local cultural has influenced on how the university and society view and accept them. In this paper, it explores the understanding and challenges for international students to adapt themselves in UniMAP. It also looks on the effectiveness of university effort in building an inclusive academic environment for its international students. Introduction The Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia has taken a big step in becoming a hub for the international students. The aim is proven by the number of international students in Malaysia. As for the year 2008, it was reported that 16,991 students from foreign countries are studying here (Bernama, Dec 3 2008). In order not to be left behind, University Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) has adhere to the Ministry Of Higher Education aspiration by taking 168 international students that come from various countries namely China, Yemen, Iraq and Pakistan. 74 of them are the undergraduates’...
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...Comparison between the Analects and Confessions Both St. Augustine’s Confessions and Confucius’s Analects are important teachings that have great influence on people around the world in the ancient time and nowadays. Both doctrines discuss ethical values of the society back in the time as we can find some similarities between the two. However, there are significant differences between Confucius and St. Augustine’s experiences and believes since they are living in different environment at time period. Their profound differences are the factors that contributed to shape the distinct cultures between the West and the East today. Confucius taught us to love others from the within the family to everyone else in the society. A man’s character was fostered from his role as a son in the family (Analects I, 2). He should be obedient to his parent, and to be respectful to his father’s way when he is living and even after death (I, 11). One of the differences between St. Augustine’s Confessions and Confucius’s Analects is the treatment of one within the family. A good son, according to Confucius, should always obey his parents, not complain, and stay reverent in any situations (IV, 18). His “never fail to comply” teachings was opposite to St. Augustine’s belief. In Confessions, St. Augustine admitted his parents expected in him a lot, and sacrificed for his future. Although his father was praised for providing St. Augustine financial support for his education even more than richer men...
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...and interacting with only those geographically nearby. Mankind was, as a whole, a species organized by relatively low-population “tribes,” each with their own language, culture and societal mores. Clashes between societies based on cultural differences became evident as nations stretched further in the pursuit of conquest, with far-traveling conquerors arriving on the shores of the “savage” natives, and the misunderstandings that disrupted native life in the interest of the expansion of more “civilized” establishments. Planned or not, connected people living in the world today are going to have to face the issues Dean Barlund and Amy Tan chronicled due to the world-wide nature of the internet and the inherent differences of the connected cultures. Dean Barnlund explains in his essay the assumptive world in which we live today. He foretold the cultural difficulties that he saw to be an issue in communication; globally and locally. He described the presumptive perceptions humans have toward each other. Each culture is subject to their own way of living. He explains, “It is the differences in meaning, far more than mere differences in vocabulary, that isolate cultures, and that cause them to regard each other as strange or even barbaric (Barnlund, 7).” Barnlund explains that ones own perception of another culture is skewed by his or her own non-linguistic worldview. He gives an example showing the pivotal differences in cultural diversity that cause the estrangement: “Although staring...
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...1819, by eight British immigrants, began thinly populated with small, hillside farmers who manufactured whiskey. The single route to escape from town was the nine-mile road of Pine Mountain. Harlan might have stayed a culture if the town’s founding families of Howards and Turners could quit from competing over violent, southern pride by clashing and committing cultural lessons taught to their youth. The southern culture definitely influenced William Turner, general store owner, after he once had a storm break a fence down onto his land, allowing a cow to roam free into his yard, and his grandson shot it. The nature of the south is something that is absorbed by the surround environment and attempting to not adapt to its ways of living doesn’t necessarily present as an option. Neighbors were too terrified to contact the authority and abandoned the region immediately. The southern culture of aggressive retaliation did not lie with the neighbors, as they believed in peace and reasonability, which was a powerful trait passed down through their generations and not just something they randomly picked up on. After someone tried to compete stores with the Turners, they had a word with the competitor and he soon fled without any word. Multiple gunshots were exchanged between the Turners and...
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...We see it everyday in horror films, in books, maybe even in our nightmares. It’s something that our culture is truly terrified of. The dead, but not just the dead around us, the dead taking over a living person and speaking through them. In United States culture this idea is truly horrific and the kind of thing that makes up nightmares; we are not fans of the idea of the dead coming back at all let alone possessing someone. Now if you go to India and visit the Sora, there is any entirely different view on this. In Sora culture, the dead are part of the world we live in and they do possess the living, but this is celebrated. For them it’s an honor to have the dead speak through them the whole event is a spiritual experience and all of the village listens and honors what is said. The two reactions are polar opposite which may make it seem in...
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...ßCultural-Competence Assignment Introduction The purpose of this essay is to firstly understand the arguments between McSweeney and Hofstede about national cultures. The argument starts on the Hoftstede’s published book Culture’s Consequences. Hoftstede’s cultural dimensions theory has got popular and in the same time criticised by other scholars, while McSweeney is one of the scholars who have been critising the cultural dimensions on people from different nations. This essay will firstly summarise the ideas and arguments of both of McSweeney and Hofstede in order to develop the understanding about the reasons why they are conflicting with each other on the cultural dimension theories. Following the summary of the two scholars ideas and argument, this essay will discuss the agreement and disagreement of both scholars. Reflection on this course on national culture will be specified as well in order to show whether my personal understanding about culture has been changed or improved. Summary of the ideas and argument of both McSweeney and Hofstede * McSweeney’s argument McSweeney expresses his doubts about Hoftstede’s model of national cultural differences and their consequences. The criticism that McSweeney has on the theory of Hoftstede’s cultural dimensions based on the description of national cultural differences in the Culture’s Consequences published in 1980 (McSweeney, 2002). First of all, the methodology applied in the research of Hoftstede’s model is critised...
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...specific culture. In her "How It Feels To Be Colored Me", Hurston speaks about the culture of the Americans and the African Americans. She mentions how people believe that these cultures differ, yet she thinks otherwise. In her Size 6 : The Western Women's Harem, Mernissi believes that men dictate all the judgments surrounding what women's size should be. In her Excerpt from On Seeing England for the First Time, Kincaid displays her own biases towards English culture because she is originally from Antigua. Hurston speaks about how white Americans believe that they and African Americans are different, yet she believes that they're the same. She does have her doubts however, for example when she was in the bar and saw a white person, she noticed the difference between herself and him. "He is so pale with his whiteness then and I am so colored" (197). She speaks of the cultural biases that are placed on her and her family because she is of color. She states, "at certain times I have no race, I am me"(197). She states this to oppose what other people think about white Americans and African Americans. She says that she has no race and is only herself, to show that she is nothing more than a human. She also emphasizes that she only feels American, neither white or black. "I have no separate feelings about being an American citizen and colored"(197). To make a point that African Americans and white Americans are not different, she states that she doesn't feel a difference between blacks...
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...Cultural Anthropology/Introduction Cultural Anthropology is the study of human cultures, their beliefs, practices, values, ideas, technologies, economies and other domains of social and cognitive organization. This field is based primarily on cultural understanding gained through first hand experience, or participant observation within living populations of humans. What is Anthropology? Anthropology is the scientific study of human beings as social organisms interacting with each other in their environment. Anthropology can be defined as the study of human nature, human society, and the human past. It is a scholarly discipline that aims to describe in the broadest possible sense what it means to be human. Anthropologists are interested in comparison. To make substantial and accurate comparisons between cultures, a generalization of humans requires evidence from the wide range of human societies. Anthropologists are in direct contact with the sources of their data, thus field work is a crucial component. The field of Anthropology, although fairly new as an academic field, has been used for centuries. Anthropologists are convinced that explanations of human actions will be superficial unless they acknowledge that human lives are always entangled in complex patterns of work and family, power and meaning. While it is a holistic field, anthropology is typically considered to consist of five sub-disciplines, each focusing on a particular aspect of human existence: * Archeology:...
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...Advantages and drawbacks of cross cultural marriages With the cultural globalization phenomena, cross cultural marriage has become a current issue. And either it comes from a whirlwind romance or an internet-based relationship, a cultural clash comes to add stress on the already stressing lives of most families nowadays. Personally, it seems to me that marrying a foreigner could be an exciting adventure, and despite the variety of special, new and strange issues it might arise, it could be though, interesting and challenging. However, it is good to bear in mind that these apparently refreshing traits of challenging relationships may often become a source of frustration, conflict, misunderstanding and hurt. When it comes to raise children, I entirely agree the influence of another cultural pattern of behavior can be extremely positive, as it might broaden their minds. Actually, only if both parents try to speak their own native language at home, the children are raised bilingual, which is a great thing nowadays. Although, I strongly believe it involves certain awareness in order to guarantee the success of these long term commitments. It is often claimed that beside this awesomeness with regard to cross cultural couples, there are certain drawbacks which are difficult to overcome. Firstly and foremost, the cultural gap usually implies not being able to share each other’s humor, which I agree is one of the main foundations of a healthy relationship. Not to mention the way...
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