interview an individual a member of the culture you are studying for this semester (i.e., If you are writing your cultural communication practices paper on the culture of Peru, you would interview someone from Peru). Ideally, you should interview someone from a different civilization (not Western Civilization) and someone who is not a Christian; this will allow you to learn about different perspectives from your own on the concepts covered in this topic. Consult with your instructor early on in the process if you are having difficulties coordinating an interview.
This interview can be in person or over the phone (some people who have emailed have found that their interviewees actually plagiarized the responses so you may use email but be very cautious and check the Similarity Score before submitting). This may be someone you know personally or that you locate through a local cultural center, club, religious organization or even an embassy or consulate. You need to obtain permission from this individual to list their contact information in your paper in the event that your instructor needs to verify your work.
During your interview you should ask the following questions:
What do you identify as the most important or distinct practices of your culture?
How are gender roles addressed in your culture?
How is social power, authority, or social roles in a hierarchy expressed in your culture?
In class, we learned that in “honor-oriented societies,” worth comes from one’s role or group membership and in “justice-oriented societies,” worth comes from what one does or doesn’t do. What is the role of honor/shame in your culture? Are honor/pride and dishonor/shame important concepts in your culture?
After your interview, write a 750-1000-word paper summarizing and reflecting on the responses you received. What did you learn from this exchange? How did your perceptions change? Based on your discussion, how do you think your culture is perceived by others?
