ICS 210 CULTURE AND VALUE

Spring 2000 Tuesday Evening COB #320

Course Title: Cultural Identity Development

Instructors:

Gay F. Meyers - Associate Professor, Education Department

COB #204 / Phone: 408-4686

e-mail: gmeyers@wilkes.edu

 

Gina Z. Morrison - Coordinator of Multicultural Affairs

Conyngham #311 /Phone: 408-4731

e-mail: morrison@wilkes.edu

Required Text: 1) One World, MaLiy Cultures, 3rd Edition. Authors: Stuart Hirschberg & Terry Hirschberg- 2) Additional journals and articles which will be distributed in class.

 

Course Description:

ICS 210- Cultural Identity Development is an interdisciplinary course designed to facilitate the exploration and understanding of individual identity development within the context of one's own cultural experiences. Students will explore the five stages of cultural identity development through psychological, sociological, and multicultural perspectives. Readings and lectures will be supplemented by films, interactive teaching strategies, group work, independent research, and written essays.

 

Course Objectives:

Students who complete this course will demonstrate the following competencies:

  1. articulate the ways in which personal experience, new knowledge, discoveries, history, traditions, events, societal influences, and personal perspectives lead to the development of a personal cultural identity
  2. compare the various disciplines and construct theories that account for the development of a cultural identity within a pluralistic society
  3. state basic content knowledge of the stages of cultural identity development
  4. state basic content knowledge of the primary American cultures
  5. express the ways in which personal experience, historical figures, events, and traditions influence the development of a personal cultural identity
  6. demonstrate respect for the power of theory to explain human behavior and beliefs

 

Course Requirements:
  • Read a variety of text material and journal articles
  • Complete personal journal writing (journal writing in response to in-class activities)
  • Write required essays connected with the textbook and an assigned film
  • Prepare a family history (Genogram)
  • Complete midterm and final examinations
  • Create and present a final project. Each student will create and present a final project in the genre of the student's choice. This project will demonstrate the understanding of cultural identity development and will contribute to the field of knowledge in this area. Some examples of final projects may be a performance, a short story, research project proposal, a painting or other art exhibit, a handcrafted item, or a video project. Final projects must be approved by the instructors in advance.

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    Course Policies:

    Attendance - Because class participation and group work contribute significantly to the objectives of the course, attendance at class is expected. Attendance will be taken at each class session and in-class points will be part of the grading procedure. Nfissed class activities cannot be made up and .5 point will be deducted from the final grade for each class missed.

    Grading:

    Each of the following areas will constitute one-fourth of the final grade.