Diversity Core B Assignment

These questions are based upon readings in Wiesner-Hawks, Sources of World Societies.

Answer each question individually in the order in which they are asked and number your answers. Your answers should be numbered and can be written on a word processing program (ex. Microsoft Word) and then cut and pasted into Blackboard, or written directly in Blackboard. Whichever you prefer. I would rather not battle with a PDF or GoogleDoc, but if these are your only options, I will. While there is no length requirement, a through response to all four questions will usually run at around 1000 words, with some variation between questions. So for example, question 1 typically takes longer to answer than do any of the others. These are not collaborative assignments, very similar answers from two different students will imply plagiarism. These assignments will not be specifically graded for grammar, however if the composition is so flawed that the argument does not make sense, students can expect to lose points.

Use specific examples from the passages in your answers. There are two options for completing exercise two. Your completed assignments should contain (4) four answers, no more, no less.

There should be four, numbered answers (1, 2, 3, & 4) on your assignment -no more no less.

No 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, etc.

No 1-a, 1-b, 1-c, 1-d, etc.

No 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, etc.

As you have probably guessed by now, I receive several versions of these bizarre responses every semester despite my best efforts.

First Core B Diversity Assignment: An Analysis of Diverse Cultural Values and Traditions through the Exploration of Past Cultural Encounters. (50pts)

Some politically right-wing members of our society seem to demonstrate a deep-seated terror of almost anything deemed “foreign.” At the same time certain left-wing individuals are routinely triggered by so-called “cultural appropriation” when they see people emulate elements of different cultures. Many ancient and medieval writers had no such qualms and fears of other peoples and expressed deep interest in societies that were foreign to them. The ways these past writers tried to come to grips with other societies can help us understand our own cultural values and assumptions. Read the following passages (including the introductory information): Sima Qian (80), Benjamin of Tudela (117) Yaqut al Hamawi (120), Abu Ubaydallah al Bakri (124), Zhao Rugua (157), Marco Polo (167). Then answer the following four (4) questions.

1) Setting the Stage: What is the context (look this word up if you do not know its meaning) for each passage? What person or persons wrote them? What culture or people are they writing about? Where? At what period of time? 15 pts

2) Cultural Worldview Framework. How well did the writers of these sources seem to understand the other cultures they had encountered? Does it seem as if the culture has been described fairly, or unfairly? How might the views of the authors of these passages have been influenced by their own society’s history, values, politics, economics, beliefs, practices or any other aspects of their culture? 15 pts

3) Curiosity: What questions do these particular passages raise? What possible answers do they suggest? If you could speak with the authors of these passages, what sort of things would you like to ask them? Contrarily, is there anything you might like to tell them? 10 pts

4) Application. Role Play your Answer! Respond as you really would. In other words, do not write “I would say nice things and try to get them to be nice” or other comments in that style. Simply write as if you are speaking. Use your own words but demonstrate your historical knowledge. Imagine you are attending a trade show. You find yourself having dinner with three business representatives, one from China, one from the Middle East, and one from Europe. The discussion centers on international relations between these three geographic locations. Some of the comments are pessimistic, others are optimistic.

It is time to impress your possible future international business partners. You decide to weigh in and boldly say “History tells us…” Complete your argument. Use examples from the passages above to either support the idea that international relations can be good, bad, or both based upon historical precedence. Again, role play this. The point is to impress the people. I will pretend to be one of the audience listening to your comments when I grade this. 10 pts

Again, your completed assignment should contain (4) four answers, no more, no less.

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