ANTH 106 American Mosaic
Overview
In this class, we will explore America's diversity through questions of immigration, race, gender/sexuality and class--some of the major ways our culture is organized. It is comprised of 9 lessons based on online resources, plus 2 auto-ethnography assignments. This class was originally taught by Huma Mohibullah at Renton Technical College.
What is Anthropology?
These lessons are originally from ANTH 106 American Mosaic, taught by Huma Mohibullah at Renton Technical College. In this class, we will explore America's diversity through questions of immigration, race, gender/sexuality and class—some of the major ways our culture is organized. This content was originally a asynchronous online (Canvas) course, but the lessons can be adapted to different classroom settings.
Week 1: What is Anthropology? What can it do for you?
So, you're in an anthropology class! But what is anthropology? Learning a bit about the subject will make what we learn in this class make a lot more sense. So let's begin.
STEP 1: Watch this 10-minute video, which explains what anthropology is.
What is Social Anthropology?
STEP 2: Now watch this 1-minute clip of anthropologist Kenneth Guest explaining how you can apply anthropology to do better in any experience: your career, your relationships, your world. [Kenneth Guest is the author of our first reading!]
Why Cultural Anthropology is important?
STEP 3: Below, post two things you learned about anthropology (2.5 points) and one way in which you can see it applying to your life [Ex: your major, your career path, your relationships.] (2.5 points).
Culture
These lessons are originally from ANTH 106 American Mosaic, taught by Huma Mohibullah at Renton Technical College. In this class, we will explore America's diversity through questions of immigration, race, gender/sexuality and class—some of the major ways our culture is organized. This content was originally a asynchronous online (Canvas) course, but the lessons can be adapted to different classroom settings.
Week 2: What is Culture?
Read the chapter on The Culture Concept. Post your 1-2 paragraph reflection on the following:
- List 2 things you learned about what culture is. (2 points)
- Tell us about one new concept you either found interesting or disagreed with/questioned? (2 points)
Respond to a classmate with your thoughts. Here, you should engage with the other person and what they are saying to provide constructive remarks, rather than simply "I agree" or "lol!" etc. Your response should be at least 2-3 sentences long. (1 point)
Race
These lessons are originally from ANTH 106 American Mosaic, taught by Huma Mohibullah at Renton Technical College. In this class, we will explore America's diversity through questions of immigration, race, gender/sexuality and class—some of the major ways our culture is organized. This content was originally a asynchronous online (Canvas) course, but the lessons can be adapted to different classroom settings.
Week 3: Race
1st paragraph: Omi and Winant state that "Race is a socio-historical concept." What do they mean by this? According to the authors, how have race and racial categories such as "black" and "white" been defined and used in the US? (2 points)
2nd paragraph: Explain/summarize the author's position in "Monuments to Hate," and connect it clearly to our week 2 lesson on culture and symbols. How might it be useful to American culture to remove Confederate statues? (2 points)
Respond to a classmate, and make sure you are respectful! (1 point)
Racism
These lessons are originally from ANTH 106 American Mosaic, taught by Huma Mohibullah at Renton Technical College. In this class, we will explore America's diversity through questions of immigration, race, gender/sexuality and class—some of the major ways our culture is organized. This content was originally a asynchronous online (Canvas) course, but the lessons can be adapted to different classroom settings.
Week 4: Racism
For this week's discussion, please answer the following in your reflection:
According to Michelle Alexander, what is "colorblindness" and why is it a problem? (2 points)
According to the author, how does the "War on Drugs" and our legal system work to continue the racist legacies of the Jim Crow era? How do these racist policies affect black Americans? (2 points)
Please provide your thoughts on Michelle Alexander's point of view and work. What did you learn that stood out to you? (1 point)
Gender
These lessons are originally from ANTH 106 American Mosaic, taught by Huma Mohibullah at Renton Technical College. In this class, we will explore America's diversity through questions of immigration, race, gender/sexuality and class—some of the major ways our culture is organized. This content was originally a asynchronous online (Canvas) course, but the lessons can be adapted to different classroom settings.
Week 5: Gender
In one paragraph, explain what Lorber means in her article "Night to His Day" when she talks about "doing gender" (2.5 points), and about gender as something that is socially constructed. (2.5 points) Hint: you can find this answer right on the first page of the article!
Marriage Equality
These lessons are originally from ANTH 106 American Mosaic, taught by Huma Mohibullah at Renton Technical College. In this class, we will explore America's diversity through questions of immigration, race, gender/sexuality and class—some of the major ways our culture is organized. This content was originally a asynchronous online (Canvas) course, but the lessons can be adapted to different classroom settings.
Week 6: Marriage Equality
Using examples from our reading, explain how God/religion was used as a justification against same sex and interracial marriages. (4 points)
Respond to a classmate! (1 point)
Please base your responses in the reading only. Your personal or religious views on same sex or interracial marriage are irrelevant in this classroom. Your discussion posts must be respectful to people of all backgrounds and must demonstrate knowledge of the reading.
Here are the two readings:
1) Klarman, M. (2013) “How Same Sex Marriage Came to be.” Harvard Magazine. http://harvardmagazine.com/2013/03/how-same-sex-marriage-came-to-be
2) Toobin, J. (2015) “God and Marriage Equality.” The New Yorker. http://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/god-and-marriage-equality
Immigration
These lessons are originally from ANTH 106 American Mosaic, taught by Huma Mohibullah at Renton Technical College. In this class, we will explore America's diversity through questions of immigration, race, gender/sexuality and class—some of the major ways our culture is organized. This content was originally a asynchronous online (Canvas) course, but the lessons can be adapted to different classroom settings.
Week 7: Immigration
In a short paragraph, briefly discuss what Kevin Johnson says about the historical treatment of poor people in the United States? (3 points)
Use at least 1 clear example from the reading. (2 points)
No need to respond to a classmate this week!
Auto-Ethnography Assignment 1
This assignment is originally from ANTH 106 American Mosaic, taught by Huma Mohibullah at Renton Technical College. In this class, we will explore America's diversity through questions of immigration, race, gender/sexuality and class—some of the major ways our culture is organized. This content was originally a asynchronous online (Canvas) course, but the lessons can be adapted to different classroom settings.
Auto-ethnography 1
- Due _____
- Points 20
What is an Auto-ethnography?
Auto = self + ethno = culture + graphy = scientific study of
Auto-ethnography is a genre of writing that has been described as:
A "...highly personalized accounts that draw upon the experience of the author/researcher for the purposes of extending sociological understanding’ (Sparkes, 2000, p.21).
An essay that ‘lets you use yourself to get to culture’ (Pelias, 2003, p. 372)
What will you be doing?
You will write a 2-4 page, journal-style essay that explores a formative aspect of yourself. This could be anything that you think is important to your identity. For example, it could be your immigrant experience; it could be your life as a mother; your experience within the criminal justice system; your appearance--anything that you think has shaped you. From this, you conduct research and analysis to draw larger conclusions about the culture of that particular American subgroup ("Immigrants", "Moms," etc.).
Step 1: Brainstorm Ideas
Think about which aspect of yourself you'd like to discuss and how this is shaped. Then, choose a specific incident from your personal history that demonstrates this aspect and serves as the foundation for your sociocultural analysis. To begin, consider that who you are can be shaped by any of the following:
- things you have (e.g., I am a mom – because of things I have – kids)
- things you do (e.g., I am an athlete – because I play sports often and possibly on a competitive level)
- things you believe (e.g., I am a Baptist.)
- places you’ve been/lived/spent a lot of time (e.g., I am a New Yorker.)
- physical construct (e.g., I am petite.)
- heritage/ethnicity (e.g., I am African-American.)
- social and/or cultural construct (e.g., I am a widow.)
STEP 2: Apply course concepts
Choose one of our reading discussions or course concepts that you can relate to and apply to the main component of your story. The goal here is to see how broader social and cultural forces have shaped who you are, your experiences, and your place in the world.
STEP 3: Research and Analyze
Once you have steps 1 and 2 nailed down, conduct basic research about your main component. In other words, find statistics or ideas and/or quotations from media sources that complement and support your narrative. Your essay should have at least 2 outside sources.
STEP 4: Write
You can choose any style of writing (even poetry!), as ethnography lends itself to creativity. Whichever tone you choose, keep in mind that the goal is to write for a diverse audience. Do not assume that the reader is familiar with everything about American culture; write as if you are explaining the culture to someone who is new to it. Within the introduction, write a clear sentence explaining your topic and its significance. As you write, always check to make sure that you have answered two key questions:
Why is the component you chose so central to you?
What does your personal story and research reveal about American culture?
Conclude your essay by answering the following question:
Why is understanding this topic important?
Be sure to cite your in-class and research sources in a bibliography! I am not picky about whether you choose MLA, Chicago or APA, but whichever format you choose, I require consistency.
STEP 5: Proofread, Proofread, Proofread!
Once you have drafted and revised your auto-ethnography, be sure to run it through the spelling and grammar check in the very least, and proofread twice. If you have trouble writing, or if you'd just like to run your essay by another set of eyes, know that there are some great tutors available in the LRCC!
*This assignment has been adapted from Dr. Sansburn's English class at Eastern Michigan University.
Rubric
| Criteria | Ratings | Points | |||
Applies class concept-You have successfully applied one of the major concepts we have learned in class, either through readings, lecture, or film discussions. | 5 pts Exceeds Expectations Course concept is included, clearly defined, and its relationship to the overall narrative is articulated concretely. | 3 pts Meets Expectations Course concepts are included with a basic explanation tying it to the overall narrative. | 0 pts Does not meet expectations Course concepts are not included at all, or are alluded to only vaguely/in passing. | 5 | |
Analyze a topic to arrive at reasonable conclusions. -Analyze a topic to arrive at reasonable conclusions. | 5 pts Exceeds Expectations | 3 pts Meets Expectations | 0 pts Does Not Meet Expectations | 5 | |
| Combine and connect ideas from multiple sources. | 5 pts Mastered: The student has mastered the concepts and/or skills being assessed. | 4 pts Developed: The student is developing mastery of the concepts and/or skills being assessed. | 3 pts Introductory Level: The student has mastered the introductory level of the concepts and/or skills being assessed. | 0 pts Not Started: The student has not yet learned the concepts and/or skills being assessed. | 5 |
| Explain the impact of diverse perspectives on individual and group behaviors. | 5 pts Exceeds Expectations | 3 pts Meets Expectations | 0 ptsDoes Not Meet Expectations | 5 | |
| Total Points 20 |
Identity
These lessons are originally from ANTH 106 American Mosaic, taught by Huma Mohibullah at Renton Technical College. In this class, we will explore America's diversity through questions of immigration, race, gender/sexuality and class—some of the major ways our culture is organized. This content was originally a asynchronous online (Canvas) course, but the lessons can be adapted to different classroom settings.
Week 8: Identity
Using our reading for the week, explain what it means that identity is a "social and historically constructed" thing. (2 points) What are some categories we use to identify ourselves? (1 point)
Then, using clear examples from our second reading on media representations, explain how black men are depicted in media and what are some of the impacts this has on their real lives and opportunities? (2 points)
No need to respond to a classmate this week!
Islamophobia
These lessons are originally from ANTH 106 American Mosaic, taught by Huma Mohibullah at Renton Technical College. In this class, we will explore America's diversity through questions of immigration, race, gender/sexuality and class—some of the major ways our culture is organized. This content was originally a asynchronous online (Canvas) course, but the lessons can be adapted to different classroom settings.
Week 9: Islamophobia
How does our reading this week define Islamophobia? (1 point)
Answer after watching the film “US Islamaphobia Inc:
How does the film describe the "Islamophobia network?" (1 point)
Provide ONE example from the film of a political leader tapping into the power of Islamophobia to stir up supporters? (1 point)
Share 1 moment from the film that you found compelling, and explain why you found it compelling. (2 points)
Auto-Ethnography Assignment 2
This assignment is originally from ANTH 106 American Mosaic, taught by Huma Mohibullah at Renton Technical College. In this class, we will explore America's diversity through questions of immigration, race, gender/sexuality and class—some of the major ways our culture is organized. This content was originally a asynchronous online (Canvas) course, but the lessons can be adapted to different classroom settings.
Auto-ethnography 2
- Due _____
- Points 20
The instructions are exactly the same as for your first autoethnography essay. Just make sure you choose a different story from your life and a different course concept to apply to it.
So if you wrote about being an immigrant the first time, write about something else this time: your identity as a student, a parent, a worker, an illness you struggled with—literally ANY aspect of your life that was important in shaping you. If you used "culture" as a course concept the first time, forget that and use any others clearly from our assigned readings.
Here are the instructions again, as a reminder:
What is an Auto-ethnography?
Auto = self + ethno = culture + graphy = scientific study of
Auto-ethnography is a genre of writing that has been described as:
A "...highly personalized accounts that draw upon the experience of the author/researcher for the purposes of extending sociological understanding’ (Sparkes, 2000, p.21).
An essay that ‘lets you use yourself to get to culture’ (Pelias, 2003, p. 372)
What will you be doing?
You will write a 2-4 page, journal-style essay that explores a formative aspect of yourself. This could be anything that you think is important to your identity. For example, it could be your immigrant experience; it could be your life as a mother; your experience within the criminal justice system; your appearance--anything that you think has shaped you. From this, you conduct research and analysis to draw larger conclusions about the culture of that particular American subgroup ("Immigrants", "Moms," etc.).
Step 1: Brainstorm Ideas
Think about which aspect of yourself you'd like to discuss and how this is shaped. Then, choose a specific incident from your personal history that demonstrates this aspect and serves as the foundation for your sociocultural analysis. To begin, consider that who you are can be shaped by any of the following:
- things you have (e.g., I am a mom – because of things I have – kids)
- things you do (e.g., I am an athlete – because I play sports often and possibly on a competitive level)
- things you believe (e.g., I am a Baptist.)
- places you’ve been/lived/spent a lot of time (e.g., I am a New Yorker.)
- physical construct (e.g., I am petite.)
- heritage/ethnicity (e.g., I am African-American.)
- social and/or cultural construct (e.g., I am a widow.)
STEP 2: Apply course concepts
Choose one of our reading discussions or course concepts that you can relate to and apply to the main component of your story. The goal here is to see how broader social and cultural forces have shaped who you are, your experiences, and your place in the world.
STEP 3: Research and Analyze
Once you have steps 1 and 2 nailed down, conduct basic research about your main component. In other words, find statistics or ideas and/or quotations from media sources that complement and support your narrative. Your essay should have at least 2 outside sources.
STEP 4: Write
You can choose any style of writing (even poetry!), as ethnography lends itself to creativity. Whichever tone you choose, keep in mind that the goal is to write for a diverse audience. Do not assume that the reader is familiar with everything about American culture; write as if you are explaining the culture to someone who is new to it. Within the introduction, write a clear sentence explaining your topic and its significance. As you write, always check to make sure that you have answered two key questions:
Why is the component you chose so central to you?
What does your personal story and research reveal about American culture?
Conclude your essay by answering the following question:
Why is understanding this topic important?
Be sure to cite your in-class and research sources in a bibliography! I am not picky about whether you choose MLA, Chicago or APA, but whichever format you choose, I require consistency.
STEP 5: Proofread, Proofread, Proofread!
Once you have drafted and revised your auto-ethnography, be sure to run it through the spelling and grammar check in the very least, and proofread twice. If you have trouble writing, or if you'd just like to run your essay by another set of eyes, know that there are some great tutors available in the LRCC!
*This assignment has been adapted from Dr. Sansburn's English class at Eastern Michigan University.
Rubric
| Criteria | Ratings | Points | |||
| Applies class conceptYou have successfully applied one of the major concepts we have learned in class, either through readings, lecture, or film discussions. | 5 ptsExceeds ExpectationsCourse concept is included, clearly defined, and its relationship to the overall narrative is articulated concretely. | 3 ptsMeets ExpectationsCourse concepts are included with a basic explanation tying it to the overall narrative. | 0 ptsDoes not meet expectationsCourse concepts are not included at all, or are alluded to only vaguely/in passing. | 5 | |
| Analyze a topic to arrive at reasonable conclusions.Analyze a topic to arrive at reasonable conclusions.threshold: 3.0 pts | 5 pts Exceeds Expectations | 3 ptsMeets Expectations | 0 ptsDoes Not Meet Expectations | 5 | |
| Combine and connect ideas from multiple sources. | 5 ptsMastered: The student has mastered the concepts and/or skills being assessed. | 4 ptsDeveloped: The student is developing mastery of the concepts and/or skills being assessed. | 3 ptsIntroductory Level: The student has mastered the introductory level of the concepts and/or skills being assessed. | 0 ptsNot Started: The student has not yet learned the concepts and/or skills being assessed. | 5 |
| Explain the impact of diverse perspectives on individual and group behaviors. | 5 pts Exceeds Expectations | 3 pts Meets Expectations | 0 ptsDoes Not Meet Expectations | 5 | |
| Total Points 20 |