Cultural Analysis Project Options
Project Writing Requirements:
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Paper Length: 3-5 Pages, double-spaced, 12 point font.
Follow specific requirements from each project description in addition to these writing guidelines.
Please put all terms from the text in bold.
Please use APA In-Text Citations for all paraphrased or cited content.
Please provide APA formatted Works cited page for outside sources.
Please choose 1 activity from the following options:
News Media Watch – Cultural Media Observation and Analysis:
Pick any 2 concepts from our course and find examples of these two concepts in the news.
For your Analysis:
• Define your two concepts.
• Offer a brief summary of why you chose these two concepts.
• Choose at least 2 news stories that relate to these concepts.
o Locate your stories through both US and Foreign media if possible.
o You must use at least 2 different sources for your articles. Compare and contrast facts where
applicable.
• Describe the news stories.
• Apply the concepts to the news stories.
• Share what you learned from this activity. What can we learn from this show or series if we apply the
concepts you’ve chosen?
Television Series, Film, or Podcast Review:
Pick a Film, television show, TV series, talk show, web series, podcast, or something similar and apply at least 2 different
concepts that we’ve discussed this semester.
For your Analysis:
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Define your two concepts
Offer a brief summary of why you chose these two concepts
Briefly describe the example you’ve chosen
Apply the concepts to the example - how do these topics apply to the film, episode, topic, show, guests
of the show, audience, etc.? Share relevant characters, plot lines, episodes, etc.
• Share what you learned from this activity. What can we learn from this example if we apply the concepts
you’ve chosen?
Review Products or Brands for Intercultural Concepts:
Pick 3 brands you think try to embody or personify a cultural identity or cultural ideal.
• Describe these brands and any specific products you wish to highlight
• Use at least 6 concepts from class to evaluate these items in terms of culture as they relate to our
course and to help evaluate ways in which the brand tries to use culture to promote its brand to
customers. Put these terms in bold.
• You can choose brands that are successful at this or you may choose brands that are not promoting an
ethical branding of their products.
Pop Culture Analysis:
Pick any 3 items or events from world culture and talk about their influence and what you think they represent in terms
of concepts we’ve discussed this semester.
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Talk about ways in which these items or events influence or interact positively or negatively with the
culture.
Use at least 6 concepts from class to evaluate these items/events in terms of culture as they relate to our
course. Put these terms in bold.
Examples: Status symbols, clothing styles, hair styles, smart phones, artifacts, trends, movements (ecoawareness, independent labels, fair trade, organic, Occupy Wall Street), songs, sports teams, music artists,
artists, actors/actresses, directors or films, TV shows.
Interpersonal Conflict:
Identify any group or individuals that may have a conflict with one another. This can be past or present, personal or
professional, people you know or people you don’t know.
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Try to see if you can pinpoint what these groups or individuals fight over.
Use at least 6 concepts from class to help interpret/clarify/describe your chosen conflict issues as they relate
to our course. Put these terms in bold.
Try to see if you can understand the root cause of the conflict in from the standpoint of concepts we’ve
discussed so far this semester.
See if you can offer a suggestion in terms of how these groups or individuals could resolve their differences.
Examples include: previous conflict you’ve observed, siblings, city conflicts – Ferguson, MO or NYC,
businesses, parents, relatives, significant others, movie stars, musicians, sports teams, social icons, political
rivals, business rivals, etc.
Change the World:
Analyze a problem, activity, object, concern, concept, tradition, ritual, trend, event or idea.
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What role does this ___ play in a culture?
If you could change it in some way, what would you do and why?
See if you can identify any root causes of trouble or downsides to the topic and also identify how your
proposed change would be good, beneficial or better than the current status quo.
Use at least 6 concepts from class to help interpret/clarify/describe your chosen topic as it relates to our
course. Put these terms in bold.
Examples: add a new kind of class to K-12 schools, add a new holiday, take away the internet, forbid a
common habit, change a custom or tradition, change the number of work days per week, change a ritual,
change the layout of a building, design a new kind of city, change the food or transportation system of a
culture, fix a water shortage, provide money solutions, education, make everyone learn a second language,
provide healthcare, outlaw nursing homes, provide more swimming pools, provide local exercise facilities
free of charge, cap salaries, outlaw fast food, invent a new kind of restaurant, etc.
The Ties that Bind:
Pick out 1-3 topics, habits, traditions, customs or policies that you think are beneficial to a culture.
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Talk about how these traditions are beneficial in terms of concepts we’ve discussed this semester.
Discuss what you think would happen if these traditions were removed.
Use at least 6 concepts from class to help interpret/clarify/describe your chosen topic as it relates to our
course. Put these terms in bold.
Examples include: Talking to everyone at dinner, family game night, family movie night, town hall meetings,
farmers markets, internships, social media, telephones, special events, gift-giving, holidays, picnics,
celebrations, festivals, anniversaries, hugging, hand shaking, kissing, tucking in kids at night, reading to
children before bed, greetings, eye contact, pet ownership, group prayer, special interest groups, choirs,
volunteering, fundraising, summer camp, respecting elders, childcare practices, parks and community
gardens, community spaces, public pools, movie theatres, outdoor venues, etc.
Ah-Ha Moments:
Choose 3-5 topics, conversations, chapters, theories, videos or ideas we’ve discussed this semester and talk about how
these topics have influenced your thinking.
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Has anything we’ve discussed in class changed your way of thinking? If yes, in what way?
Have topics from class offered you a deeper insight into human nature or society? What have you learned?
Do you have any new theories based off of concepts we’ve discussed in class?
Any ideas you didn’t agree with?
Anything you’ll do differently now after learning about a topic?
Most helpful ideas you learned this semester?
Anything life-changing you can share?
Use at least 6 concepts from class to help interpret/clarify/describe your chosen topics as they relate to our
course. Put these terms in bold.
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