Assignment: Cultures and Values

Understanding Multiculturalism:
Cultures and Values

Communication Studies is a Liberal Art, so is Sociology. Analysis of a social institution or societal segment as a self-contained entity or in relation to society as a whole is one definition of Sociology and that is what we are attempting with the Sixties as a society. A millieu is a mixture. We will be devolping a systematic way to examine the role that Mass Media plays in developing culture. It is informative to understand that Communication Practitioners may utilize Sociological methodologies in their exploration of a subject.


Please review Jill Kerper Mora's, PowerPoint presentation regarding Multiculturalism. While the presentation as a whole misses the specific role of media, it does provide a valuable Sociological Context. Pay particular attention to the slides isolated below, and respond with a blog post by Wednesday, Feb. 9.

Multiculturalism is viewed by some as being an aspect of Political Correctness. This is a myopic viewpoint. How else would one describe studying a society that contains many cultures? Please examine this Sociological term with more objectivity if you find yourself as initially adhering to the "PC" definition.


Slide 2 through 5: Defintion of Culture: which definition do you find more useful for Communication Practitioners and why?

a. Kroeber and Kluckhorn, 1952
b. Tylor, 1974
c. Spradley, 1972
d. Hall, 1959
e. Robinson, 1985
f. Brooks, 1968
g. Steele, 1990

Slides 6-7: What is the difference between Cultural Universalism and Cultural Relativism?

Slides 8-9: Homogeneous or heterogeneous? If Jill Kerper Mora, Ed.D. is correct about the Melting Pot Myth and that there are many culturally different groups in a given society, what metaphor may be a more suitable choice for describing a mass culture as a whole?

Slide 18 presents four areas that form Cultural values. Which of these four would Communication practitioners be best suited to examine with a greater degree of competency?

Slide 19 presents Instrumental Values and Terminal Values.
Instrumental Values are basically values that are a “means to an end”. Considering education, for example, one goes to medical school to get a career that will bring a great deal of wealth in the form of money or social esteem. Terminal Values are Values that are complete in themselves. Applied to education, one becomes a doctor to serve humanity.
How would you describe your motivation for studying Communication?

Slide 20 posits aspects of Personal Values Formation but does not include a specific section regarding media. How would you include “Mass Media” in this section?


------

I have summarized the study questions here to make your reply easier. Copy and paste the questions to your post and fill them in as appropriate.

#1 , "X's defintion is more useful for Communication Practitioners because...

#2, The difference between Cultural Universalism and Cultural Relativism is...

#3, Since "Melting Pot" suggests all ingredients lose individual distinctions and merge to a new product, a more suitable Metaphor for describing a mass culture as a whole would be...

#4, Communication practitioners would be best suited to examine "this aspect" of Cultural Value Formation because...

#5, I would describe my motivation for studying Communication as Intrumental OR Terminal because I intend to ...