Journal Assignment
For this week’s journal assignment you will explore how you have been socialized into some of your identities as well as take a deeper look at how you “perform” some aspects of your identities. In particular, you will apply these concepts to an in-depth examination of your ethnic identity.
For this journal assignment, address the following:
What is your ethnic background? Remember, ethnicity is not race. Rather, ethnicity refers to a category of people who share a common culture, ancestral, and/or national experience. Ethnicity is often reflected in language, religion, material culture . For more information and assistance identifying your ethnic background refer to this website Links to an external site..
What did your family teach you about your ethnic background? Are there any rituals that you engage in which reflect your ethnic background? Give an example of how you learned that these rituals were connected to your ethnicity.
In what ways do you perform your ethnicity? In other words, what activities do you engage in, what food do you eat, and/or what clothing do you wear that may identify you as a particular ethnicity? Think about any symbols that you may use to represent your ethnic background.
You may find the following resources helpful as you complete this assignment:
Traditional and Modern Tattoos Popular on IslandLinks to an external site.
Traditional Zulu Women’s Clothing: An Introduction Links to an external site.or Clothing of South African Zulu Tribe WomenLinks to an external site.
What Harajuku Girls Really Look LikeLinks to an external site.
This journal assignment should be two to three pages in length. You should integrate concepts from the week’s resources you reviewed, while also providing examples from your personal experiences that help support your ideas. Journal assignments provide you the opportunity to focus on exploring your own ideas rather than simply repeating the speaker’s ideas.