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Assessment 1: Cultural Artifact Analysis

Choose an artifact and then use the four steps provided for analyzing artifacts. Build your problem-solving skills by following the steps to analyze cultural artifacts and articulate your own self- and social-awareness through looking at the experiences of yours and others.

Introduction

The calling of the humanities is to make us truly human in the best sense of the word.

– J. Irwin Miller, Industrialist

What makes humans . . . human? Part of the answer lies in the very different ways we express ourselves and our experiences (through art, architecture, music, religion, literature, and more). And with over 7.6 billion people on planet Earth, understanding how those expressions connect and distinguish us from one another is a critical part of becoming better citizens of the world (U.S. Census Bureau, n.d.).

Just a few generations ago, the odds of people from completely different backgrounds or communities crossing paths were small. But in today’s digital world, we have instant access to communities and cultures unlike our own. As we all come together to live, work, and share experiences, it is more important than ever that we understand our own perspectives and the perspectives of others so that we can see the big picture when facing complex issues.

You’ll explore how different cultures and groups demonstrate their unique perspectives on what it means to be human. As you do, you’ll discover how broadening your own perspective will help you better collaborate with others and solve problems in today’s global world.

In this course, you’ll develop three skills that will help you adapt in a global world. They are:

• Problem solving: As you examine the art, literature, and music of other cultures, you’ll use critical thinking to frame problems, explain other people’s viewpoints, and create solutions informed by diverse and ethical perspectives.
• Relationship building: While learning about cultures across different time periods, you will discover that even the earliest humans understood the importance of working with others.
• Self-awareness and social awareness: Recognizing your thoughts, emotions, and intentions is a uniquely human trait, which is why it is fundamental to the study of humanities. By managing your responses to unfamiliar experiences and being open to new perspectives, you will better understand the people you encounter in your personal and professional life.

As you use these skills together, you’ll become better equipped to build collaborative relationships and solve diverse problems in a global workplace. You’ll also gain the awareness you need to recognize how social and cultural differences may impact the ways you interact with others.

In this assessment, you’ll learn more about the benefits of studying humanities and discover how you can strengthen your problem-solving, relationship-building, and self- and social-awareness skills in this course and beyond. Now get ready to explore other cultures, broaden your perspective, and discover what makes humans . . . human.

If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.

– Wayne Dyer, author and motivational speaker

Tacos or lasagna. Sushi or curry. Pickles or kimchi. The foods we were exposed to as kids—by our families, communities, religions, and geographical locations—shape our preferences as adults. And it’s not just about food. Our backgrounds influence the perspectives we have on music, literature, television, art, and more. By acknowledging this influence, we become better able to consider how the perspectives of others with different cultural backgrounds might also differ from our own.

In this assessment, you will strengthen your problem-solving and self- and social-awareness skills by exploring strategies that will help you examine artifacts from other cultures more objectively. Being able to recognize how perspectives affect the way we see the world will also help you better understand other points of view so you can tackle the challenges you face at home, work, and school and make the best decisions for your future.

Changing your perspectives will not only transform you, but also the whole world.

– Ji-Hae Park, violinist

Who was your favorite musician when you were a child? Are you still a fan of that artist today? You may still be an avid admirer, or you may cringe at the music you used to love. Either way, your perspective of that artist has probably changed over time. Your perspectives on music, art, culture, and more are constantly evolving as you grow, meet new people, have new experiences, travel, and learn more about the world around you.

In this assessment, you will continue to strengthen your problem-solving skills as you examine the personal and cultural experiences that influence the choices you make. You’ll also hone your self- and social-awareness skills by learning how to manage your reactions to things that may initially surprise you. As you explore more about your perspectives and how they are influenced by your experiences, you’ll be better able to consider new perspectives, look at cultural artifacts objectively, and navigate through difficult issues at work or with friends.

References

BrainyQuote. (n.d.). Ji-Hae Park quotes. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/jihae_park_5675…

BrainyQuote. (n.d.). J. Irwin Miller quotes. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/j_irwin_miller_…

BrainyQuote. (n.d.). Wayne Dyer quotes. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/wayne_dyer_3841…

Overview

This assessment gives you the opportunity to practice the skill of problem-solving and self- and social-awareness as you analyze how your personal experiences and perspective influence how you make decisions when examining artifacts that illustrate diverse and ethical perspectives.

In this assessment, you will choose a cultural artifact and analyze it using the strategies you’ve learned so far in the course. You’ll explore how your own personal experiences and perspective may have influenced your reaction to the artifact. By using these strategies, you’ll be better equipped with information to help you make more objective and informed decisions, solve complex problems and think through situations related to diversity and ethics, and build relationships and collaborate in the workplace and at home. As you follow these steps to analyze a cultural artifact, you are actively practicing the process of thinking through a problem and breaking it down into its parts, helping you to become a better problem solver across the board.

Additionally, self- and social-awareness and articulation skills are critical in navigating the workplace and working with others, whether at work or at home. This assessment will leverage what you have learned so far in the course to continue to explore information about the human experience and understand what perspectives you hold and how they impact the choices and decisions you make. In Assessments 2 and 3, you will be able to take the insights from this assessment and apply them to explaining the perspectives of others and collaborating with your fellow classmates toward a common goal. All along the way, you will continue to hone your self- and social-awareness skills to help you engage with others more effectively and more compassionately.

Preparation

Choose one of the artifacts to use in this assessment:

• Lawrence’s 1943 painting, A Family.
  1. Visit MoMA website: MoMA. (n.d.). https://www.moma.org/
  2. Click the search (magnifying glass) icon.
  3. Type in the search field ?”Jacob Lawrence A Family 1943.”
  4. Click The Collection Jacob Lawrence. A Family. 1943.?
• van Gogh, V. (1890). First steps, after millet [Oil on canvas]. The Met Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, United States. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/43…
• Thayer, A. (n.d.). Scott and Jen at the hydrant II [Photograph]. https://www.ashthayer.net/kill-city/yulyan2ob3rv42…
• Oldies55. (2008, August 23). Soulful strut/Young-Holt unlimited [Video]. YouTube.
• TJaep. (2006, October 19). Maple leaf rag played by Scott Joplin [Video]. YouTube.

Instructions

Use the four steps for analyzing artifacts to analyze your cultural artifact. Use the Cultural Artifact Analysis Assessment Template [DOCX] to complete the following:

• Step 1: Describe your reactions to the artifact including the artistic elements, time period, and materials used to create the artifact.
  • Describe your reactions to the artifact and how it makes you feel.
  • Identify elements such as shapes, colors, instruments, et cetera, that you see or hear.
  • Explain the reasoning and possible influences for choosing this artifact.
  • Identify additional information about the artifact such as the artist or musician, when it was created, and materials used.
    • If it’s a painting, what materials were used?
    • If it’s a piece of music, how long is the piece?
• Step 2: Describe the historical and artistic contexts of the artifact.
  • Describe the historical context such as the time period, the place, and reasons why the artist might have had for creating the artifact.
  • Describe the artistic context such as the visual and aural techniques and symbols. Include reasons that explain why these techniques were used.
• Step 3: Interpret the meaning of the artifact using the historical and artistic contexts to support the interpretation.
  • Discuss what you think the artist was trying to say through the artifact.
  • Use the historical context, artistic context, and specific details to support your conclusions about the artist’s message.
  • Connect your interpretation of the artifact to your own cultural lens and identify how your cultural lens influenced your interpretation.
• Step 4: Connect to the cultural values conveyed through the artifact.
  • Identify two cultural values that you believe the artist was trying to convey through the artifact.
  • Relate the artist’s cultural values to your own. Examine the similarities or differences that you see between your cultural values and the artist’s cultural values.
• Step 5: Reflect on what you learned about how culture shapes our perspectives and impacts the decisions you make about the meaning of the cultural artifact.
  • Explain how your cultural perspective shaped your response and connection with the artifact.
  • Describe how using the four steps for analyzing artifacts helped you to engage with the artifact and if your feelings about the artifact stayed the same or changed after you engaged with it more deeply.

Save your assessment with this title: Your Name_HUM-FPX1100_Assessment _1_Cultural_Artifact_Analysis.

Additional Requirements

Your submission should meet the following requirements:

• Written communication: Write in complete sentences free from errors that detract from the overall message.
• Font and font size: Arial, 12 point.
• Citations: Include complete APA citations of your sources. Review the Evidence and APA section of the Writing Center for more information on how to cite your sources.

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the course competencies through the following assessment scoring guide criteria:

• Competency 3: Analyze cultural differences and similarities of people globally.
  • Describe one’s reactions to the artifact including the artistic elements, time period, and materials used to create the artifact.
  • Identify two cultural values conveyed through the artifact.
• Competency 4: Analyze the role of culture and artistic expression in human thought and behavior.
  • Describe the historical and artistic contexts of the artifact.
  • Interpret the meaning of the artifact using the historical and artistic contexts to support the interpretation.
  • Reflect on the learnings on how culture shapes one’s perspectives and impacts the decisions one make about the meaning of the cultural artifact.
• Competency 5: Address assessment purpose in a well-organized text, incorporating appropriate evidence and tone in grammatically sound sentences.
  • Write in a well-organized and concise manner that adheres to the rules of grammar, usage, and mechanics.

  Resources: The Human Connection
  

Developing a Broad Perspective

Ever wonder why urban graffiti in NYC and Michaelangelo’s sculpture of David are both considered art? Or, notice how text messaging is changing the way we communicate today? Or, maybe you’ve heard a sample of a country song on your favorite rap album and wondered how the artists inspired each other to create something new.

Humanities helps us explore all of these things and more through the study and analysis of artifacts like art, language, philosophy, architecture, and music. And because every single one of us is viewing these artifacts from a slightly different perspective (shaped by our culture, background, and personal history), studying humanities can also help us connect to others with different perspectives than our own. Doing so opens us up to new experiences and helps us be more respectful of other people’s opinions. That’s why this course is so important.

By exploring the way others uniquely express themselves, you’ll better understand what it means to be human on a global scale (Strauss, 2017).

Having a broad perspective is essential in any career. Whether you’re trying to boost global sales or partner with colleagues from different backgrounds, understanding what is important to others will help you move forward. It will also help you see a problem from multiple perspectives in your personal life as you plan a vacation with a large group of friends or resolve disagreements with your partner.

• Exploring Cultures.
  • This media will introduce you to ways of engaging with artifacts such as artwork, music, and literature along with an explanation of how the study of humanities can help you to expand your perspectives and develop skills to be effective in your personal life, at the workplace, or at school.
    • Chapter 1: The Human Connection.
      • Read about why studying humanities is important for developing problem-solving skills through creative thinking and recognizing your cultural lens. You will also see examples from experts in art and music who will guide you through the process of analyzing artifacts. Before you read the chapter, view or listen to the following artifacts. Chapter 1 will refer to these artifacts:
        • Owens, M. (2014, July 9). Ernie Barnes and the Sugar shack. Michael Owens Blog. https://www.michaeloart.com/ernie-barnes-and-the-s…
          • When you view the painting The Sugar Shack, take a moment to focus your attention. Look at the painting as a whole, and then look at different parts of it. Notice how it makes you feel.
        • NPR Music. (2011, May 2). Booker T. Jones: NPR music tiny desk concert [Video]. YouTube.
          • This video gives you a background on the song Green Onions.
        • Rhino. (2018, September 11). Booker T. & The M.G’s – Green onions (Official vinyl video) [Video]. YouTube.
          • When you listen to Green Onions, take a moment to focus your attention and eliminate any distractions so you can really experience the music. Remember that the first step in the process is to consider the musical work and notice how it makes you feel. Before reading our music expert’s reaction, take a few minutes to carefully listen to the song below and describe your own reaction to it.
• Li, J., Moore, D., & Smythe, S. (2018). Voices from the “heart”: Understanding a community-engaged festival in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 47(4), 399–425.
  • This article highlights the importance of a festival practiced by members of an urban community in Vancouver, Canada. The festival features the work of local artists and community members and gives members of this community a place to express themselves and contribute to the community traditions.
• Managing Your Reactions in the Moment [PDF].
  • Because this course deals with some topics that may make you uncomfortable, take a look at this infographic, which will help you manage your reactions to different situations you may find yourself in.

Reference

Strauss, V. (2017). Why we still need to study the humanities in a STEM world. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/w..

Resources: Your Cultural Lens

Our Cultural Lens

Have you ever heard the expression about seeing something through rose-colored glasses? This phrase refers to viewing the world with a specific outlook or lens. For example, a fan who gushes over a band’s new album, even though the record is critically panned, has an individual perspective of that band that prevents them from seeing how other people might dislike the music.

The truth is that we all see the world through our own unique perspective or lens all the time . . . and it’s not always a rosy one. In humanities, this individual perspective is called our cultural lens because it is formed by the culture (or cultures) we live in. Our cultural lens filters the world around us and informs how we make decisions about what’s right and wrong, what’s acceptable and unacceptable, and what we like and don’t like. And because we all come from different backgrounds, we all have different lenses and see the world in unique ways. Understanding how our lenses were formed is critical in the study of humanities because it can affect the way we view and interact with other cultures every day.

You’ll strengthen your self- and social-awareness and problem-solving skills as you explore how your background has shaped your perspective and how that perspective influences the choices you make. Specifically, you’ll begin to consider how you are influenced by four key factors:

• Family: For example, how might your perspective be different if you were raised by two women or a single man?
• Community: For example, what kinds of activities were important in your hometown? Do you seek out those same activities in the town you live in today?
• Religion: For example, how did your religion influence your morals—your beliefs on what is right and wrong?
• Geographical location: For example, do you know what to do when you hear a tornado siren?

As you consider these questions, you’ll probably begin to recognize how your cultural background has contributed to your perspective today. Just like a pair of rose-colored glasses, your background has filtered your world in a particular way and contributed to your likes and dislikes, beliefs, behaviors, and norms.

The more you understand about how your cultural lens developed, the more you will begin to consider how others’ different points of view are also a product of their cultural lenses. This, in turn, will help you strengthen your self- and social-awareness and problem-solving skills because by considering others’ perspectives, you can avoid applying your own lens to everyday situations.

For example, in some cultures, shaking hands is considered rude. If you’re not aware of this perspective, you might jump to conclusions about the friendliness of your new business partner who refuses to shake a client’s hand. Being aware of your own cultural lens will help you go beyond it to think about solutions more objectively, which will ultimately lead to better outcomes for yourself and others and a more accepting and empathetic world.

• Exploring Cultures.
  • Chapter 2: Your Cultural Lens.
    • This chapter explains what constitutes your cultural lens and factors that inform your cultural lens. Before you read the chapter, view or listen to the following artifacts. Chapter 2 will refer to these artifacts:
      • Figure: Seated couple [Wood, metal]. (n.d.). The Met Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, United States. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/31…
      • Bearden’s 1941 painting, The Visitation.
        • Follow the steps to view this artwork:
          1. Visit MoMA website: MoMA. (n.d.). https://www.moma.org/
          2. Click the search (magnifying glass) icon.
          3. Type in the search field “Bearden The Visitation 1941.”
          4. Click The Collection Romare Bearden. The Visitation. 1941.
      • Gqola, P. D. (2020). Zanele Muholi walks in with the ancestors. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/02/arts/zanele-muh…
        • Scroll down to see Zanele Muholi’s photograph Beloved V, 2005.
      • Barlow, L. (2017). Kelsey, Sergio, Aaron, and Zen [Oil, pastel, and acrylic on panel]. https://www.lesliebarlowartist.com/#/loving-1/
      • Struth, T. (1987). The Hirose family [Photograph]. http://thomasstruth32.com/smallsize/photographs/fa…
      • Davis, J. (2013, February 24). Brahms: Wiegenlied, Op. 49, No.4 [Video]. YouTube.
      • Lohbek, A. (2013, August 14). Itsuki no komoriuta – Lullaby of Itsuki village [Video]. YouTube.
      • Bearden, R. (1975). The family (around the dining table) [Oil on canvas]. Wikiart. https://www.wikiart.org/en/romare-bearden/the-fami…
      • van Gogh, V. (1885). The potato eaters [Oil on canvas]. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/collection/s0005V1…
      • Weems, C. A. (1990). The kitchen table series [Photograph]. http://www.carriemaeweems.net/galleries/kitchen-ta…

      Resources: Evolving Your Perspective

    • Culture Shock

      Imagine someone who grew up in a culture where hugging, kissing, and other displays of affection were reserved only for spouses and family members. Now imagine that person traveling to France for the first time and their reaction as someone they just met kisses them on both cheeks.Their likely surprise is called culture shock, and it’s common as people travel the world and are exposed to the norms and customs of other cultures that are different from what the traveler is used to. This shock isn’t only brought on by traveling abroad; it can come from starting a new job, making friends in a different social circle, or learning about other cultures. And culture shock isn’t always negative. You may be exposed to a different way of doing things that, while surprising at first, you decide is a great improvement. For example, maybe the person we mentioned above grows to love greeting others with kisses on each cheek. As you meet new people and explore other cultures, your perspective is likely to evolve and change the way you think, behave, and make decisions in the future.You will continue to strengthen your problem-solving skills by applying your knowledge of different cultures to situations that require diverse thinking. This ability, called intercultural competence, is essential in our connected world, where you will work with people from different backgrounds and who have different perspectives than your own. Considering the cultural lenses of others and evolving your own perspective over time will make you a better problem solver as you learn to look at difficult ethical issues more objectively, such as dealing with hiring discrimination in the workplace or helping your child’s school acknowledge religious differences among students.You will also develop your self- and social-awareness skills as you learn techniques for managing your initial reaction to something that surprises you. It’s important to recognize these gut reactions, where they come from, and what information they can give you.

      Self-Awareness and Social Awareness in Action

      Now, read the scenario below to see what these skills look like in action.

      When Alex was growing up, her parents believed that only criminals had tattoos, and they often shared these thoughts with their daughter. Alex now works as a restaurant manager, where, among other responsibilities, she is in charge of hiring the waitstaff. One day, a man named Kai enters the restaurant, looking for a job

      

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