Exploring Extreme Cultural Change

Materials to Accompany Exploring Cultural Change: Canadian Residential Schools


Here you have access to the presentation, handout, and videos from class.

Residential Schools in Canada: Ethnocentrism and Acculturation. on Prezi

Residential Schools Handout


CBC News Clips

Culture Shock

Here is the presentation for culture shock, with the handout below. You can download and print the handout if you need. I hope these are useful resources for you!

Culture Shock on Prezi

Culture Shock Handout

Culture Change

Cultures don't stay the same forever. We will look a little bit at how and why cultures change.


Here is the presentation from class:

Cultural Change on Prezi

And here is the reading material, with the questions below. ^^


Linton's One Hundred Per Cent American


Questions for Reading Material: 

1. What is the author doing here? What is his goal?
2. What attitude does he suggest Americans have? (see the intro)
3. Which innovation were you most surprised about?
4. What lesson can we learn from this?
5. Can you list any other innovations and their sources?


Finally, here are a couple of songs by K'naan, who is a Somali-Canadian who has moved from Somalia to the United States, and finally to Canada. His music includes many clues of multiculturalism and cultural change, including varied topics and use of multiple languages and styles of music.  (Also the music is really good, among Dan's favorite. ^^)

Is Race More than Just a Social Construct?

Hello! Here's the presentation for our lessons on race. I hope it can help you.  If you need or want copies of the articles we read, just let me know and I'll get some for you!

Is Race More than a Social Construct? on Prezi

Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help you! :)  Remember, you have to hand in your answer to the question one week from the day it was assigned. ^^

Initial Concepts of Race

Here are our initial ideas about race, and some metaphors to describe how we can think about race. These ideas are in response to the following questions:


1. What is race? What does it mean?
2. How many races do you think there are in the world?
3. Do you have any metaphors to describe or explain race?




Some of the responses each class came up with:


Class 1:

Class 5:

Guns, Germs, and Steel - Jared Diamond

We have performed a simulation based on the book Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond in class. The simulation is intended to help you understand some of the main concepts from the book, and hopefully help you see that there are explanations for differences in technological level between cultures other than racist or ethnocentric arguments. I hope looking at Guns, Germs, and Steel has helped you to understand these differences from a less biased viewpoint!


Here is the Simulation Presentation:
Guns, Germs, And Steel - Simulation Presentation


And here are the handouts we used in class, just in case they might help you:
Guns, Germs, & Steel - Region Specific Lifeforms Sheets


Guns, Germs, & Steel - Simulation Worksheet


As always, feel free to ask me if you have any questions or concerns!

Methods for Studying Culture

Here is the presentation on Methods for Studying Culture. I hope it can be useful for you!

Methods for Studying Culture on Prezi

Let me know if I can help you somehow!