Description
In the Final Research Paper, you will examine your own culture from an etic (outsider’s) perspective and another culture from an emic (insider’s) perspective to demonstrate your understanding of cultural relativism and examine misconceptions and ethnocentric beliefs concerning each of these cultures. Keep the distinction between cultural relativism and moral relativism in mind as you write your final paper. Even if you do not personally agree with a cultural practice, demonstrate your understanding of the practice in its cultural context. Avoid opinionated or judgmental language in your paper.
Cultural relativism is the idea that the beliefs and practices of a culture should be understood within the context of that particular culture’s background, history, and current events surrounding it. We should not ethnocentrically impose our own beliefs and opinions, which are products of our own enculturation.
Cultural relativism is not the same as moral relativism, however. As Crapo (2013) notes
We need not, for instance, come to value infanticide in order to understand the roles it may play in peoples’ lives in a society where it is customary. What cultural relativism requires of us is simply that we do not confuse our own feelings about such a custom with understanding it. To do the latter, we must investigate the meanings the custom has for those who practice it and the functions it may fulfill in their society. (section 1.4, “Cultural Differences: Cultural Relativism,” para. 3)
Keep the distinction between cultural relativism and moral relativism in mind as you write your Final Research Paper. Even if you do not personally agree with a cultural practice, demonstrate your understanding of the practice in its cultural context. Avoid opinionated or judgmental language in your paper.
Your Final Research Paper will consist of two main parts, framed by an Introduction and a Conclusion. See the Final Paper Flow Chart for a quick overview of the assignment. See the following instructions for information on each part of the paper.
Introduction
Begin with an introductory paragraph that has a thesis statement at the end. The introduction should set up your topic, giving a preview and summary of the analysis you will present in the body of the paper. The thesis statement is the last sentence or two of the introduction and states what the main point structuring your paper will be.
Here is an Example of an Introduction (Links to an external site.).
Part I
Using the article by Miner (1956) and the feedback you received from your instructor on your worksheet in Week Three, describe one aspect of your own culture from an etic perspective. See the appropriate Sections in the Textbook in the List of Topics (Links to an external site.), based on your chosen topic from Week Three, for information on how to approach your paper from an anthropological perspective. You can describe American culture in general, as Miner does, or you can describe an American subculture, such as a specific geographical group (e.g., New Yorkers), a particular ethnicity (e.g., African Americans), or an age-related category of Americans (e.g., millennials).
Use reputable statistics and/or scholarly research to support any factual statements. Do not rely solely on personal experience or opinion.
Here is an Example of Part I (Links to an external site.).
Part II
Refer to the article you chose for Part II of the worksheet assignment in Week Three and describe an aspect of another culture from an emic (insider’s) perspective. You do not have to do research beyond reading your chosen article; however, if you do choose to conduct additional research make sure to use reputable statistics and/or scholarly sources to support any factual statements. Do not rely upon personal experience or opinion.
Here is an Example of Part II (Links to an external site.).
Conclusion
End with a concluding paragraph that reinforces your thesis. Summarize and tie together your main points for the reader. Provide a brief self-reflexive analysis of what you learned while writing this paper.
Here is an Example of Conclusion (Links to an external site.).
The Final Research Paper
- Must be five to six double-spaced pages in length (excluding title page and references page, meaning it will be seven to eight pages total), and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center (see the APA Essay Checklist for Students (Links to an external site.)).
- Must include a title page (see title page (Links to an external site.)) with the following:
- Title of paper
- Student’s name
- Course name and number
- Instructor’s name
- Date submitted
- Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.
- Must have well-structured body paragraphs with clear transitions from one topic to the next. Incorporate in-text citations (see In-Text Citation Guide (Links to an external site.)) from your scholarly sources to support your analysis throughout the paper.
- Must describe an aspect of your own culture from an etic perspective for Part I.
- Must describe an aspect of another culture from an emic perspective for Part II.
- Must demonstrate a perspective of cultural relativism throughout, avoiding judgmental and opinionated language.
- Must end with a conclusion that that reinforces the thesis and provides a self-reflexive analysis.
- Must use at least one scholarly resource in addition to the textbook, the Miner article, and the article chosen from the list in Part II of the Week Three assignment.
- Must document all sources in APA style in the body of the paper and on the references page as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
- Must include a separate References Page that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. Here is an Example of a References Page (Links to an external site.).
Explanation & Answer
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Running Head: CULTURAL ANALYSIS
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Cultural Analysis
Name
Institution
Date
CULTURAL ANALYSIS
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Introduction
There is increased appreciation of cultural diversity all over the world. Individuals
from different areas, cultures, age sets, and groups have begun seeing foreign cultures in the
positive sense as they see their own culture. This is the essence of cultural relativism since it
insists on understanding a foreign culture through examining various practices within a culture
from a perspective of those who practice that particular culture.
Usually, there is an
ethnocentric tendency to always see your own culture as being superior to other cultures.
Unfortunately, this tendency hinders effective understanding of other cultures. Therefore, to
promote ethnocentrism among people, one has to change his or her perspective by trying to
view other cultures from an insider’s perspective while viewing his own culture from an etic’s
perspective. Throughout this paper, I will explain educational and family ties of my African
American culture from an etic’s point of view while on the other hand, I will examine the
educational challenges for the Hispanic culture from an insider’s perspective so as to
understand how they see it themselves. It is vital to note that the examined educational and
family practices are both considered as a norm which makes them go unnoticed.
Part One: Schooling and Social Ties for African Americans
In this section, I will describe educational practices and family ties present in the
African American culture from an etic’s perspective. As explained by Zhu and BargielaChiappini (2013), an etic perspective of a culture is the description of the practices within that
culture that may be seen as being different from the description of the people practicing the
culture. However, the description should facilitate comparisons between that specific culture
and others by identifying universal structures within the culture (Steele, 1992). As a black
American, going to school and having strong ties with close and distant relatives seems just
like a normal activity. However, from an etic’s point of view, these cultural aspects are very
CULTURAL ANALYSIS
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strange. Often, less than half of the African-Americans complete their schooling at the degree
level. The reasons for this are either environmental or conditional. According to Cuban
(2013), about 70 percent of African Americans who get enrolled into a four-year college
program drop out.
Subsequently, this reduces the professional attainment by African
Americans. This trend has been present for a long time within the black Americans and has
become an expectation. Currently, about 19.6 percent of African Americans have a university
degree (Cuban, 2013). This is encouraging to most African American cultures even though it
is a little number. To this, Cook (2015), explains that it is because of the expectation that the
African American culture and the general society gives the learners. Ideally, in black cultures,
education is vital because it offers a chance for development and success in life. However, the
exact level of educational qualification is not stated. One has to study to the point that he or
she can manage. In this regard, there is less pressure on learning which translates to easy
dropout particularly in the college level.
The family is important for African Americans. In most cases, black individuals can
trace almost their whole lineage right from the grandparent to the newly borns. This has
influenced the living styles in that most African Americans tend to live in communities where
they have at least one relative (Cuban, 2013). Knowing each other and recognizing where
you have come from is considered normal in the black community. Essentially, there are
frequent visits to relatives by individuals within the African American culture. According to
Steele (1992), there are at least two visits per month by black Americans to their elderly
individuals. Cook (2015), explains that most African Americans feel that they have had to
fight for their current rights, occupations, and status within the American community. Despite
this, they feel that the fight or rather the struggle is not over yet and what remains is now
intrinsic. In this regard, they have to compete for opportunities with other cultures so as to
better their lifestyles. Therefore, the interaction between members of the same family or
CULTURAL ANALYSIS
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bloodline helps to strengthen or rather show unity both in their history and purpose. Moreover,
it...
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