Society and culture : preliminary and HSC

Chapter 1 - The Social and Cultural World
Preliminary course
One
Introduction
Fundamental concepts
Persons
Society
Culture
Environment
Time
Related concepts
Framework for society and culture
Combining personal experience and public knowledge
Micro, meso and macro
The nature of the social and cultural world
The multicultural and hybrid nature of societies and cultures
Interactions with individuals, groups and the community
Society as a construct that develops through time
Social expectation
Groups and institutions
Family
School
Peers
Work
Government
Media
The legal system
Social and cultural research
1 Decide on the topic to be researched
2 Develop a focus question or hypothesis
3 Gather background information
4 Design the research
5 Develop the research methods to be used
6 Apply the research methods ethically
7 Compile and organise the collected information
8 Analyse, synthesise and interpret the findings
9 Write up the conclusions
10 Check the final product
Quantitative and qualitative research
Content analysis
Interview
Observation
Participant observation
Questionnaire
Secondary research
Statistical analysis
Looking in/looking out: exploring the social
and cultural world
Maasai environment
Maasai culture
Roles, status and gender
Maasai power and authority
Decision making – dealing with change
References
Chapter 2 - Personal and Social Identity
Two
Personality, self-awareness and self-concept
Identity and the social self
The role of socialisation
Family and kinship
Ethnicity and culture
Gender
Sexuality
Beliefs
Location, class and status
Peers
School
Media
The ‘nature versus nurture’ debate
The role of socialisation IN UNDERSTANDING NATURE AND NURTURE
Rights and responsibilities in family life
‘Adolescence’ as a social construct
Adolescence and its validity for different cultures
Theories and the development of the physical and social self
Jean Piaget (1896–1980)
Erik Erikson (1902–94)
David Elkind (1931– )
Carol Gilligan (1936– )
Robert Havighurst (1900–91)
Jane Loevinger (1918–2008)
Transitions through the life course
Life stages
Changing rights and responsibilities
Theory of generations: Karl Mannheim
Generational theory: Strauss–Howe
Cultural heritage
International relations
Invasion
Family
Power and authority
Celebration of culture: Garma Festival
Yolngu culture and life stages portrayed in film
Yolngu Boy
Ten Canoes
Charlie’s Country
References
Chapter 3 - Intercultural Communication
Three
THE NATURE OF COMMUNICATION
High-context and low-context cultures
The process of communication
Verbal communication
The power of the voice in communication
Non-verbal communication
Proxemics
Semiotics in communication
The role of communication in maintaining social relationships and social control
Formal and informal controls
Rights and responsibilities in relation to communication, communication technologies and citizenship
Rights and responsibilities
For every right gained there are certain responsibilities
Impact of Communication technologies
Social media
The impact of changing communication technologies
Intragenerational interaction
Language usage
Cross-generational interaction
Social interaction
Cross-cultural interaction
Globalisation
Communication theorists and their theories
The role of silence
Truthfulness
Social discretion
Embarrassment
Defiance
The existence of group identity and commitment to cultural continuity
Potential intercultural misunderstanding
Strategies for dealing with misunderstanding
The role of intercultural exchange in gaining cultural perception and values
The role of intercultural dialogue in effective intercultural communication
References