Culture and Language for Cross-cultural Engagement

Upon successful completion of this unit, it is expected that students will be able to:

Undergraduate

Level 1:

1. Describe the links between culture and language
2. Articulate the principles associated with the Growing Participator’s Approach
3. Demonstrate the activities associated with Phase 1 of the Six Phase Program
4. Identify some of the differences between emic and etic perspectives on social situations
5. Demonstrate an ability to observe and participate in a social situation and inquire about it from an actor in the social situation.
6. Articulate a “thick description” of a social situation and the meanings attached to it by members of the community.

Level 2:

1. Describe the links between culture and language
2. Analyse the principles associated with the Growing Participator’s Approach
3. Demonstrate the activities associated with Phase 1 of the Six Phase Program
4. Identify and critique differences between emic and etic perspectives on social situations
5. Demonstrate an ability to observe and participate in a social situation and inquire about it from an actor in the social situation.
6. Articulate a “thick description” of a social situation and the meanings attached to it by members of the community.

Postgraduate

1. Describe the links between culture and language.
2. Articulate the principles associated with the Growing Participator’s Approach.
3. Demonstrate the activities associated with Phase 1 of the Six Phase Program.
4. Identify some of the differences between emic and etic perspectives on social situations.
5. Demonstrate an ability to observe and participate in a social situation and inquire about it from an actor in the social situation.
6. Articulate a “thick description” of a social situation and the meanings attached to it by members of the community.
7. Evaluate the multiple perspectives that actors may offer on social situations and the relevance of this cultural complexity for emic description.

Undergraduate

Level 1

• GPA Phase 1 & ECWIP Activities Participation
  (approximately 1,000 words) (20%)
• One essay (2,000 words) (40%)
• Two 500-word Thick Descriptions of Social Situations (40%)

Level 2

• GPA Phase 1 & ECWIP Activities Participation
  (approximately 1,000 words) (20%)
• One essay (2,000 words) (40%)
• Three 500-word Thick Descriptions of Social Situations (40%)

Postgraduate

• GPA Phase 1 & ECWIP Activities Participation
  (approximately 1,000 words) (20%)
• One essay (3,000 words) (40%)
• Four 500-word Thick Descriptions of Social Situations (40%)

Set texts recommended for purchase are highlighted in blue

• Angrosino Michael V. Projects in Ethnographic Research, Long Grove: Waveland Press, 2004.
• Angrosino Michael V. Doing Ethnographic and Observational Research (Qualitative Research Kit) Los Angeles: Sage, 2007.
• Agar, M. Language Shock: Understanding The Culture of Conversation. New York: Perennial, 1994.
• Atkinson, R. The Life Story Interview. Thousand Oaks: SAGE, 1998.
• Elmer, D. Cross-cultural Servanthood: Serving In The World In Christlike Humility. Downers Grove: IVP Books, 2006.
• Emerson, R. and R. Fretz and L. Shaw, Writing Ethnographic Fieldnotes. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2^nd edn 2011.
• Fetterman, D. Ethnography: Step by Step. Los Angeles: SAGE, 3^rd edn 2010.
• Geertz, C. The Interpretation of Cultures. New York: Basic Books, 1973.
• Kramasch, C. Language and Culture. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998.
• Kraft, Charles, Communication Theory for Christian Witness, Maryknoll: Orbis, 1991.
• Rynkiewich, Michael. Soul, Self, and Society: A Postmodern Anthropology for Mission in a Postcolonial World. Eugene, OR: Cascade, 2012
• Spradley, J. P. Participant Observation. Orlando: Harcourt, 1980.
• Spradley, J. P. The Ethnographic Interview. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1979.
• Thomson, G. and A. Thomson. The First Hundred Hours: Interacting about the Here and Now: Introduction to Growing Participator Approach, Phase 1A, Version: Mar06, edits Sep09.
• Thomson, Greg and A. Thomson. The First Hundred Hours: Interacting about the Here and Now: Add Constrained Two-Way Communication, Phase 1B, Version: Mar06, edits Sep09.