Culture and Socialization: Understanding the Production and Transmission of Knowledge and Skills

Learning Outcomes

Introduction This week we will examine culture and socialization. Culture includes our ways of doing, knowing, and interacting, while socialization is how we learn culture. Sociologists study the “production, diffusion, evaluation, and application of culture across institutions, organizations, and groups” and the lifelong process of how we acquire the knowledge and skills to be a member of society (American Sociological Association: Culture) Your textbook provides a good overview of the elements of culture including, language and norms at the macro-level of society and socialization at the micro-level. We will extend this knowledge and apply it to a variety of examples. You will then apply your Sociological knowledge to our conceptualizations of childhood and marriage. To work through this module, first read the chapters from your textbook as listed below, then work through the Course Material, then watch the two videos about child marriage which are the basis for this week’s assignment. Learning Outcomes By the end of this week, you’ll be able to identify and describe the elements of culture and socialization, explain the development and transmission of culture and process of socialization, distinguish different theoretical perspectives on culture and socialization, explain what it means to study a social process, and apply your knowledge to an example. Readings and Resources Required Readings Culture: Read pages 93-117. (Macionis and Gerber. 2018. Sociology, 9th Edition.) Socialization: Read pages 123-144. (Macionis and Gerber. 2018. Sociology, 9th Edition.) Required Video Banda, M. (2015). A Warrior’s Cry Against Child Marriage. TED Women [Video]. (~13 min.) White, S. (2013). Fighting Child Marriage in Malawi. CNN. [Video]. (~9 min.) Course Material 5.1 Examining Culture 5.2 Culture as a Toolkit or Repertoire 5.3 Examining Socialization: A Note on Social Processes 5.4 Extending our Knowledge of Culture and Socialization Activities and Assignments Week 5 Quiz Once you have done the week’s reading and worked through the course materials, take the Week 5 Quiz. For more information about the Week 5 Quiz, read the Quizzes page. Week 5 Written Assignment Culture and Socialization Action Assignment: The Case of Child Marriage After working through this week’s material and watching the two required videos linked above, apply your knowledge to the questions below. Compare and contrast enthnocentrism and cultural relativism approaches to child marriage in Malawi. Describe how ingredients of culture such as norms, symbols, and values and beliefs articulate and support (or challenge) child marriage. Explain how culture shapes the socialization of young girls in Malawi. Apply the culture as meaning or culture as a toolkit approach to describe the challenges and/or opportunities activists like Banda and White should consider when attempting to change this practice. Consider how agency, structure, culture and socialization intersect. For more information about the weekly assignments, read the Written Assignments page. How Your Assignment Will Be Graded Rubric Outstanding   Quality of Response Demonstrates an excellent understanding of the difference between ethnocentrism and cultural relativist approaches to child marriage. Excellent description and application of how ingredients such as norms and values support or challenge child marriage. ‘Ingredient ‘is explained and applied accurately. Excellent explanation of how culture shapes socialization in Malawi. Demonstrates an excellent understanding and application of how culture as meaning or cultural toolkits influence efforts to change cultural norms. Demonstrates a good/very good understanding of the difference between ethnocentrism and cultural relativist approaches to child marriage. Good/very good description and application of how ingredients such as norms and values support or challenge child marriage. Ingredient ‘is explained and mostly applied accurately. Good/very good explanation of how culture shapes socialization in Malawi. Demonstrates a good/very good understanding and application of how culture as meaning or cultural toolkits influence efforts to change cultural norms. Attempt to explain the difference between ethnocentrism and cultural relativist approaches to child marriage. Attempt to describe and apply of how ingredients such as norms and values support or challenge child marriage. Ingredient is mostly explained and applied accurately. Attempt to explain how culture shapes socialization in Malawi. Attempt to apply culture as meaning or cultural toolkits. Poor, vague, or incorrect explanation of ethnocentrism and cultural relativist approaches to child marriage. Ingredient of culture is not well explained and/or applied accurately. Discussion of how culture shapes socialization in Malawi is unclear/vague. Application of culture as meaning or cultural toolkits is vague or inaccurately applied. Organization and Writing Assignment instructions are followed. Assignment is clearly written and free of spelling or other errors. Assignment instructions are followed. Assignment is clearly written and free of spelling or other errors. Assignment instructions are not followed well. Assignment is clearly written and mostly free of spelling or other errors. Assignment instructions are not followed. Assignment is not clearly written and/or has spelling or other errors.