Monday, December 9, 2013

Final course reflection

Final course reflection 
Culture diversity is one of the best courses I had got, I love the way we study and the benefits of this course in my daily life, it changed my thinking way to the people and the different culture, also I feel happy when we work in groups.

The best class I have got in this course the slavery class because before this class I didn’t know how many slavery work for me, and it is good for me to know what, who and how the slavery in our world. Also I liked the Emirati video project because it was something new in my life to interview tourist and research for our project. I didn’t enjoy the third class I enjoyed the whole classes that got in this course.

This course is important for student to know more about the diversity between cultures, and the best age to study it before reaching 20 years because this is the jump in the life when people after 20 starts communicate with others and most of them from other culture specifically in the work and business.

The most interesting thing that I learnt in this course that before black people faced racism in America and now the president of America is black, that is improvement in the world life style and I like it very much.
If we have harmony day, it will be so exciting for tourist and citizens, I think it most to be in winter because of the great weather and it will be tourism season. The celebration most to be in a big open stage to enjoy the weather, and the government must to advertising it and call it The UAE regularity day.


This is so important course and I like it so much because of the benefits how I mention earlier and its easy, to be honest when I miss this culture diversity classes I feel sad.

Monday, November 18, 2013

Exercise #10

Blog Exercise 10A: Write a reflection of 50-100 words (#10A) about modern slavery today. What do you think?? Figure out how many slaves work for you.. and post on your blog..


Slavery is an old bad thing that happen in our world, when I saw the two videos I was so sad for the slaves in somewhere, they go there thinking that they will get a number of dollars and after the arrive to this place they got another contract with less salary, there are many places in world do this thing specifically the rich countries. These workers have human rights and we must to give them all the rights.


I build my house on www.slaveryfootprint.org and I got the result that 49 slavers work for me.


Blog Exercise 10B: 
Add 50-100 words (#10B) to your reflection about

What else has the UAE done to try to ensure human rights for its workers and to stop human trafficking? Why is this important for the (your) government to take this stand??


Thanks god that our government ensure human rights for the workers, we have the freedom of speech but in a limit, also freedom of religion that every person from any religion can do his prayers, in UAE we also have women rights, the trafficking is illegal in our country and the government make the best to stop this bad thing, In march 2007 it was reported that the UAE has deported over 4,300 sex workers mainly from Dubai.


Giving people specially the workers them rights is very good thing that stop riots from the workers, so its keep our country safe for the citizens and tourists.



Exercise #10c:

Ways to fight discrimination:

By Jackie Robinson:

1) Collegiate athletics had been haphazardly integrated for decades. At UCLA, for example, Robinson starred in baseball, football, basketball, track, tennis, golf, and swimming.

 2) Fifty years ago, on April 18, 1946, Jackie Robinson broke organized baseball's color barrier with a characteristic bang, homering and scoring four runs in his historic first game for the Brooklyn Dodgers' top farm team. This anniversary will no doubt unleash a wave of media meditations, since it combines the two national pastimes of the American male intellectual: denouncing racism and waxing nostalgic over the Brooklyn Dodgers. Spike Lee is preparing The Jackie Robinson Saga, and I'm sure Stephen Jay Gould will favor us with his thoughts.

By Rosa Parks:


1) When she refused to give up her seat because it was a white passenger seat on a city bus, this is an event that is generally seen as the beginning of a decade-long battle against segregation which mobilized millions and won the support of workers all over the world.

Monday, November 4, 2013

Portfolio Exercise #8

Exercise #8a:

Below is a brief explanation of the cultural dimensions:- 


·         Low-context and high-context culture.

Low-context
High-context
Swiss have a low context culture.
The UAE have a high context Culture


·         Individualism and collectivism.

      


Individualism
Collectivism
Australian people work individually.
I and my friends are collective.


·         Low power distance and high power distance.

Lower power
Higher power
The UAE is a low power distance country.
USA is a high power distance country.



·         Uncertainty tolerance and uncertainty avoidance.
Uncertainty tolerance
Uncertainty avoidance
Singapore and Jamaica are an uncertainty tolerance countries.
Germany is an uncertainty avoidance country.

.          Task orientation and social orientation.
Task orientation
Social orientation
A college friends have an assignment, they work together in one assignment but each one do his work invidiously.
The UAE citizens are a social orientation citizens.



Exercise #8b: 



 In our Emirati culture, our first culture dimension that; I and the other citizens are high context, we communicate with others easily and trust each other because of the old traditionals that we learn from our grandparents. The second cultural dimension that we are collectivism. The third one that we are a low power distance that we can give and get from the leaders and the all Emirati citizens are same employees, bosses and leaders. In the UAE there is a high uncertainty avoidance (65) compared with Jamaica and Singapore the lowest two countries in the uncertainty avoidance. Finally we are in the UAE a social orientation that everything we do it in a group because of the laziness of us that we cannot work alone.

Exercise #8b: part 2

Cultural Dimension
Character
Todd, Puro, Aisha or other
Outsourced Scene
or Circumstance
Low-context culture
Todd
Class
High-context culture
Aisha
Class 
Individualism
Todd
He stay lonely
Collectivism
Aisha
staying at a group (family picture)
Low power distance
Todd
Talking to his boss
High power distance
Puro
Asking every time he wants to talk
Uncertainty tolerance
Todd
Cursing his boss
Uncertainty avoidance
Aisha
every time she want to talk
Task orientation
Puro
Boss
Social orientation
Aisha
communicator and good talker

Exercise #8c:

Reflection - For #8c
Create a reflection about the movie Outsourced using the sheets I give you. Show that you really understand the above cultural concepts by answering the following questions: (short answers OK)


1. As soon as Todd arrives, he experiences the discomfort of being disoriented in a
strange new place. What happens at the airport?

 He struggled trying to walk through the huge crowed at the airport, which was an abnormal scene for him. Then he got annoyed by all the taxi drivers around him, who were fighting over him


2. When a friendly traveler helps him get on the train, what does he tell him to do?

He advised him to jump into the train

3. When he gets on the train, he cannot find an empty seat. How is this problem
solved for him? How might this be a cultural solution?

 The young kid offered him his seat and then sat in his lap, because of the high population in india people are used to such a solution such as sharing seats, standing and squeezing in the train cabins.

4. As any exchange student, he has a lot of experiences trying new food. His first
encounter is with an iced drink. What happens?

He got stomach ache, and got sick because of the polluted water used in the iced drink

5. First encounters with a culture can be shocking – Todd sees crowded streets with
cows, noise, and a man urinating in the street. But how does his host describe the
city?

“Bombay is terrible, but here it’s very clean”


6. Even though the host Puro speaks English, Todd uses American slang a lot
without thinking. So as not to insult Puro, what does he say the meaning of
Schmuck is?

“That means like a nice guy”

7. Todd wants to check in to a hotel. But Puro insists he come to a boarding house.
What is the reason he gives Todd?

That he will feel lonely if he stays by himself in the hotel.

8. As soon as they meet, Aunti Ji starts asking very intimate questions that
Americans who have just met would never ask. What kind of things does she ask?

What does your father do, are you married, what’s your salary, do you have a girlfriend? Why did you break up?


9. During his first conversation with Aunti Ji he makes two big mistakes. What are
they?

He ate with his left hand which considered not clean in india and he placed the same hand he ate with back in the food


10. The Golden Rule says do unto others as you would have them do unto you. That
means his Indian hosts and friends are trying to make him comfortable the way
they would be comfortable. How does this apply when the servant is preparing
tea for Todd?

She poured the tea for him and even put sugar just the way they do.

11. How does Todd figure out why one does not eat food with the left hand?

The owner of the boardinghouse explained to him by sign language why Indians think left hand isn’t clean to eat with


12. What is ethnocentric about his statement "You need to learn about America"?

He thinks that America better than India.

13. Why do they disagree on how a "native" speaks English?

Because of the way Americans pronounce some words with an American accent not proper English, they think it’s a matter of different accents which doesn’t mean their English is wrong in India at the end it is a matter of correct English
He was shocked and didn’t understand why Aysha said that. High-context culture


14. What doesn't Todd understand about the Indians' response to the "cattle brand"?

He was talking about it in an insensitive way without knowing how sensitive and holy cows are in India

15. What is Todd's reaction to "You need to learn about India"? What stage of culture
shock might it represent?

He was shocked and didn’t understand why Aysha said that. High-context culture



16. He calls home several times. Why? What stage of culture shock might provoke
calls home?

Because he is homesick.

17. What mistakes in language usage are represented in the recording of the call about
"a rubber"?

Rubber means eraser in English – British accent, as it doesn’t mean the same in the American English

18. Why is he so eager to go to McDonnells?

Because heve been having troubles with food since he arrived plus he’s homesick and craving for a meal that reminds him of home

19. Todd doesn't understand bargaining. How does the Indian respond to this?

 He thought that Todd is barging and started barging back immediately without even paying attention to whats Todd’s actually saying as it’s a very common habit in india

20. What does I.N.D.I.A. stand for?

 I’ll Never Do It Again,

21. What advice does his fellow American have for him?

That once he gives in and stops resisting he will do much better.

22. When Todd develops the incentive system, he has begun to adapt to India. How
has he adapted?

Once he saw improvement from the team he apologized to them and admit that he should learn more about India. He also asked for suggestions and opinions on how to create a better environment from them to work

23. When he looks at the cow in the office the second time, why is his reaction so
different?

Because he started to adjust and fit in which was shown in his second look, it was friendlier and more receptive that his first look and reaction when he just arrived to india

24. Explain the difference between American and Indian cultures when Todd and
Puro discuss how often he visits his family and why he doesn't live with them.


American family each lives separately from each other and rarely they visit or see each other, while Indians they live with each other visit them everytime.


25. What cultural values are involved in the exchange between Aunti Ji and Todd
about ironing his underwear?
In India they iron everything but in America they don’t iron the underwear.

26. How well does Todd handle himself when he is invited over the wall to an Indian
home for a meal?


Very well, that showed us how open he became to new things from a different culture and class than what he’s used to

27. In what ways does he show he has adapted?

He ate as the same way as them, The old lady was happy from him.

28. When the call center floods and they are shut down, Todd finds an "Indian"
solution. What is it?

He brought the Indian friend to help with the electric connections.

29. When Todd comes home, there are several signs that his Indian experience has
influenced him. Name three ways he has become more "Indian".

He called his family to visit them and he adapted the Indian cultural.
He has the third eye that will look after him.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Portfolio exercise #7

Ethnocentrism Assignment : Portfolio exercise #7
1.    Read about Ethnocentrism

2.    List three examples of ethnocentrism from history

A-Nazi Germany by Adolf Hitler.
B-the "Mandate of Heaven" proliferated by the Chinese philosopher Confucias.
C-The Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare.

3.    What country is known for being ethnocentric today?
America
4.    What is the famous quote from Shylock which reminds all of us of our humanity?

"If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not seek revenge?"

5.    Look at the two maps of ethnocentric Americans and Ethnocentric Indians.

Ethnocentric America



Ethnocentric India


6.  Now make a map showing how Emiratis see the world.



Monday, October 21, 2013

Portfolio exercise #6

Adverse Reactions to Diversity – Portfolio exercise #6

Course:      Cultural Diversity                                  Code:  LSSS N205


Name:Eissa AlMehairi                             ID#H00269455                    

With a partner, please answer the following. You may use internet resources to help you.

1.      Define:
a.       Stereotyping: An exaggerated belief, image about a person or a group of people.

b.      Prejudice: An opinion, prejudgment or attitude about a group or its individual members.
c.       Bias: A cause to feel against some people especially in a way considered to be unfair.
d.      Discrimination: Behavior that treats people unequally because of their group membership.

2.      Give an example of each.
a.      All teachers are smart.
b.         All Saudis are stupid.
c.         Non- locals are treated not as well as locals.
d.         It is where some of them are racist; they hate people from different nationalities.

Watch Class Divided
ü Understanding
With partners, answer the following:

1.      Where, when and with whom did this experiment take place? 

        - In 1950, primary school in a grade 3 classroom.  
                                                                              
2.       Describe the experiment.  
    
 -It was based on children eyes, in a day the blue eye children are smarter, in the next day the brown eye children are the smarter.

3.      What were the results?    

         -it was affective, they thought that they are out of the group.
                                                                                                              
4.      How successful do you believe it was?  
    
       -I believe that it was very successful also after they grew up. 


                                                                                                   
Going Deeper
In groups of four, discuss the following:


Ø  a time she or he experienced prejudice or discrimination

-I was in Spain, and stayed in a apartment locate in a place where there are all Spanish people there, they saw me as stranger; where the police came and searched me.

Ø  a time she or he discriminated against somebody else

-An emirate person shout on Indian guy to go away because he is not-local.

Ø  a time she or he witnessed discrimination and did nothing about it

-I saw a Bengali guy get beat up by his boss because he didn’t get that little job done, I didn’t do anything because I was with my family.

Ø  a time she or he witnessed discrimination and did something about it.

-I saw an employee get hit by his boss in a coffee shop because he broke a cup of tea, I advised him after he recognized his mistake and he apologized to the employee.