1. Cultural Identity and Biases
Lustig & Koester
Chapter 6

2. Cultural Identity Ingroups and outgroups Cultural identity
Natural to language
How we learn language (Burke)
Cultural identity
Social identity
Personal identity

3. 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

4. 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

5. Exercise: Targets / I am

6. Interrelationships Cultural identity Social identity
Individual identity

7. Discussion Yield What we found What we’ve learned
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
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

8. 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

9. Cultural Identity Stages of Identity Formation How it “works”
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)

11. http://virginialbyrne. wordpress

12. Group time?

13. Break time

14. p. 68 in the packet – prepare before class
Ethnocentrism scale

15. Social Categorizing A normal human activity The “spiral of silence”
Simplification

16. 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 ~

17. 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?

18. Problems Stereotyping Prejudice Discrimination Racism Definition
How it occurs
Specific problems (3) pp
Prejudice
Universal
4 functions (not 5)
Discrimination
Racism

19. 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?

20. Hate crimes: FBI database
What social, personal, and other factors might lead to increases in hate crimes?

22. 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?

23. 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?