ETH 114 - Achieving Cultural Competence

Credits: 3
3 Lecture Hours

Description
This course will equip students with the tools to understand people of cultures other than their own. Students will be exposed to the aspects of culture that lead to our value systems. They will study how value systems determine behavior and can lead to unfair treatment of others. Students will learn what aspects of our lives are culturally determined. Major aspects of culture will be explored as well as how culture is transmitted, by whom, to whom, sanctions, and other issues will be explored.

Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, the student will:

Students will be able to explain the concept of culture.
Students will be able to explain the difference between folkways and mores.
Students will be able to explain the cultural underpinning of value/belief systems.
Students will be able to discuss the melting pot theory and analyze the inherent flaws of this theory.
Students will be able to discuss three (3) components of our belief system that are culturally determined.
Students will be able to explain the concept of non-verbal communication. They will be able to discuss two (2) areas of conflict that may result from misinterpreted non-verbal communication.
Students will be able to discuss and compare the differences between bias, prejudice, racism and discrimination.
Students will be able to explain gender bias and its impact on equality for women.
Students will choose two (2) cultural groups and compare their treatment of the elderly.
Students will explain the concept of unearned privilege and will choose two (2) aspects of the phenomenon and compare/contrast the treatment of white and non-white individuals.

Listed Topics

What is culture
How to identify sub-culture, how does it differ from a culture
The cultural basis of value systems. Value systems grow out of cultural norms
The inherent problems associated with the Melting Pot Theory
An understanding of folkways and mores and societal sanctions associated with violations
Identification of everyday life that is societally determined
Non-verbal communication and culture. Avoiding major faux pas
What is racism? How it differs from bias and discrimination
Sexism in America. Is it rooted in all cultures
Age discrimination and cultural norms. Do other societies treat the elderly as we do
The concept of unearned privilege. Each day we are granted or denied privilege based on cultural norms. What is the historical basis of this

Reference Materials
Lectures, videos, classroom demonstrations and student classroom reports.

Approved By: Sutin, Stewart Date Approved: 02/23/2004

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ETH 114 - Achieving Cultural Competence