Understanding Global Cultures--University of Minnesota Duluth

All readings except "TBA" are from the textbook listed on the textbook web page:

Text Reading Assignments
Understanding Global Cultures
(along with Video Explorations and News-of-the Week features)

(assigned readings are in bold letters)

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Today is Saturday, 18 January 2025, 00:51 (12:51 AM) CST, day 018 of 2025

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first/last days of classes

UM holidays

spring break

study days

final exams

links to current weeks

to textbooks

GC Index of Major Items
GC "Sunday Memos"		GC Video Schedule
GC Slides Schedule		GC Text Assignments Schedule
GC Other (check Canvas)		GC Exams . . . (wk-7) and (wk-16)
GC REM: Work on Project		GC Discussion(s)
GC Main Due Dates		GC Spring 2025 Calendar
Checklist for the Semester

READINGS

News-of-the-Week
and
Video Explorations

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Week 1
15 - 18 January 2025

Preface: Understanding Cultures in Depth

PART I: INTRODUCTION
	Chapter 1: Understanding Cultural Metaphors

(assigned readings are in bold letters)

In-the-News starts next week

Video

Many Ways to See the World: A Thirty-minute Tour of World Map Images

(30 min., 2005)

on-line access

course viewing guide

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Week 2
19 - 25 January 2025


PART XII: SAME METAPHOR, DIFFERENT MEANINGS
	Chapter 34: The Spanish Bullfight
	Chapter 35: The Portuguese Bullfight

(assigned readings are in bold letters)

In-the-News (you need to report this week only if you signed up for one of these countries)

Video

Extranjeras
(Foreign Women [in Spain])

(74 min., 2005)

on-line access

course viewing guide

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Week 3
26 January - 1 February 2025

Pick at least one of the following "Authority Ranking Cultures" . . .

PART II: AUTHORITY RANKING CULTURES
	Chapter 2: The Thai Kingdom
	Chapter 3: The Japanese Garden
	Chapter 4: Bedouin Jewelry and Saudi Arabia
	Chapter 5. Dòn Gánh: The Two Sides of Vietnam
	Chapter 6: Kimchi and Korea

(assigned readings are in bold letters)

In-the-News (you need to report this week only if you signed up for one of these countries)

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Week 4
2 - 8 February 2025


PART III: SCANDINAVIAN EGALITARIAN CULTURES
	Chapter 7: The Swedish Stuga
	Chapter 8: The Finnish Sauna
	Chapter 9: The Danish Christmas Luncheon

(assigned readings are in bold letters)

In-the-News (you need to report this week only if you signed up for Finland)

Finland

Video

Aatsinki: The Story of Arctic Cowboys
(Reindeer Herders of Finnish Lapland)

(84 min., 2014)

on-line access

course viewing guide

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Week 5
9 - 15 February 2025


PART IV: OTHER EGALITARIAN CULTURES
	Chapter 10: The German Symphony
	Chapter 11: Irish Conversations
	Chapter 12: The Canadian Backpack and Flag
	Chapter 13. Australian Outdoor Recreational Activities
	Chapter 14: French Wine (See Week 12)

(assigned readings are in bold letters)

In-the-News (you need to report this week only if you signed up for one of these countries)

Video

Babakiueria
[Australia]

(30 min., 1986)

YouTube

course viewing guide

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Week 6
16 - 22 February 2025


PART V: MARKET PRICING CULTURES
	Chapter 15: American Football
	Chapter 16: The Traditional British House

(assigned readings are in bold letters)

In-the-News (you need to report this week only if you signed up for the U.S.A.)

America (U.S.A.)

Video

The Split Horn:
Life of a Hmong Shaman in America

(58 min., 2001)

on-line access

course viewing guide

Recommended, but optional

Ch. 19 "The Sacrifice," from The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, pp. 278-288

Anne Fadiman
1953-

Google Drive Link (UM Only)

Life Went On Around Her, Redefining Care by Bridging a Divide
-- Margalit Fox, The New York Times (15 September 2012)

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Week 7
23 February - 1 March 2025

Midterm Exam

s2025 Global Cultures Midterm Exam will be available Week 7, 24 - February - 1 March 2025 (up to 400 points)

NOTE: There will be at least one question in the pool from each of the assigned videos from Weeks 1-6, so be sure not to miss watching them.
Video Listings: <https://www.d.umn.edu/cla/faculty/troufs/anth1095/fsvideo_schedule.html#week01>

Midterm Exam

s2025 The Live Chat for the GC Midterm Exam will be from 07:00-08:00 CST, on Tuesday, 25 February 2025

s2025 Global Cultures Midterm Exam will be available Week 7, 24 - February - 1 March 2025 (up to 400 points)

After the Midterm Exam>


PART VI: CLEFT NATIONAL CULTURES
	Chapter 17: The Malaysian Balik Kampung
	Chapter 18: The Israeli Kibbutzim and Moshavim
	Chapter 19: The Italian Opera [as a case study in Metaphorical Analysis]
	Chapter 20: Belgian Lace

(assigned readings are in bold letters)

In-the-News (you need to report this week only if you signed up for one of these countries)

Video

Great Gatherings
[Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Peru, U.S.A.]

(55 min., 2018)

on-line access

course viewing guide

"The greatest gatherings on Earth are rituals. They bind us together and keep communities alive. In Siena rival districts battle for supremacy in a 700 year-old horserace. In Japan, two thousand men perform a chaotic fire ritual to be renewed; while in Malaysia, one devotee joins millions to fulfill a grueling vow to god. At the world's highest mass ritual in the Peruvian Andes, men are initiated into their ancient clan; and in the desert, Burning Man's new rituals fulfill our desire to belong."

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Week 8
2 - 8 March 2025


PART V: MARKET PRICING CULTURES
	Chapter 21: The Mexican Fiesta
	Chapter 22: The Turkish Coffeehouse

(assigned readings are in bold letters)

In-the-News (you need to report this week only if you signed up for one of these countries)

Mexico

[Türkiye, fka Turkey]

Video

I Named Her Angel

[Türkiye, fka Turkey]

(29 min., 2008)

on-line access

course viewing guide

Work on Readings for Your Project

Spring Break
10 - 14 March 2024

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Week 9
16 - 22 March 2025


PART VIII: THE BASE CULTURE AND ITS DIFFUSION ACROSS BORDERS (CLUSTERS OF NATIONS): THE EXAMPLE OF CHINA
	Chapter 23: China’s Great Wall and Cross-Cultural Paradox
	Chapter 24: The Chinese Family Altar: The Expatriate Chinese Outside of China
	Chapter 25: The Singapore Hawker Centers

(assigned readings are in bold letters)

In-the-News (you need to report this week only if you signed up for one of these countries)

Video

The Pig Commandments
[Chinese and Malay in Malaysia]

(72 min., 2005)

on-line access

course viewing guide

Food for Body and Spirit
[China]

(29 min., 1984)

on-line access

course viewing guide

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Week 10
23 - 29 March 2025


PART IX: INDIA, TRADITION, MODERNITY, AND DIVERSITY
	Chapter 26: India: The Dance of Shiva
	Chapter 27: India: A Kaleidoscope of Diversity

(assigned readings are in bold letters)

In-the-News (you need to report this week only if you signed up for India)

India

Video

Ganges: River to Heaven
[India]

(52 min., 2003)

on-line access

course viewing guide

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Week 11
30 March - 5 April 2025


PART X: AN AFRICAN PERSPECTIVE
	Chapter 28: The Nigerian Marketplace
	Chapter 29: South African Townships
	Chapter 30: The Sub-Saharan African Bush Taxi

(assigned readings are in bold letters)

In-the-News (you need to report this week only if you signed up for one of these countries)

Video

A little "Romantic Love" from Strange Relations

(60 min.,1992)

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Week 12
6 - 12 April 2025


PART XI: THE STRUGGLE FOR CULTURAL IDENTITY AND THE SPLINTERING OF NATIONS: THE CASE OF THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE
	Chapter 31: The Russian Ballet
	Chapter 32: Estonian Singing
	Chapter 33: The Polish Village Church

PART IV: OTHER EGALITARIAN CULTURES
	Chapter 10: The German Symphony
	Chapter 11: Irish Conversations
	Chapter 12: The Canadian Backpack and Flag
	Chapter 13. Australian Outdoor Recreational Activities
	Chapter 14: French Wine

(assigned readings are in bold letters)

In-the-News (you need to report this week only if you signed up for one of these countries)

Video

Après l'hiver, le printemps:
(After Winter, Spring)

(74 min., 2013/2015)

on-line access

Bullfrog Film's viewing guide

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Week 13
13 - 19 April 2025

See Student Presentations in Your

folder


PART XII: SAME METAPHOR, DIFFERENT MEANINGS
	Chapter 34: The Spanish Bullfight (Review)
	Chapter 34: The Spanish Bullfight (Review)

Pick at least one of the Modern-day Latin American cultures with a musical metaphor . . .

PART IV: OTHER EGALITARIAN CULTURES
	Chapter 36: The Brazilian Samba
	Chapter 37: The Argentine Tango

(assigned readings are in bold letters)

In-the-News (you need to report this week only if you signed up for one of these countries)

Video

"Weaving Stories"

(56:56 min., 2015)

[Aymara; Bolivia]

On-line Access

click ↑ here

course viewing guide

Work on Readings for Your Term Paper
(which is due next week)

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Week 14
20 - 26 April 2025

See Student Presentations in Your

folder


PART XIV. OVERLAPPING CULTURAL METAPHORS FOR GEOGRAPHICALLY RELATED NATIONS
	Chapter 38. Cultural Metaphors for the Caribbean

(assigned readings are in bold letters)

In-the-News (you need to report this week only if you signed up for the Caribbean)

The Caribbean

Video

Watch at least one of the three
full-length presentations on the Caribbean . . .

Caribbean . . . “Episode 1”
[The island of Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Puerto Rico]

Episode 1:
preview

(02:54 min., 2015)

Full feature Episode 1:
on-line access

(59:22 min., 2015)

Caribbean . . . “Episode 2”
[Barbados, St. Vincent, Venezuela, Colombia]

Episode 2:
preview

(02:37 min., 2015)

Full feature Episode 2:
on-line access

(59:37 min., 2015)

Caribbean . . . “Episode 3”
[Nicaragua, Honduras (mainland and Roatan Island), Jamaica]

Episode 3:
preview

(02:49 min., 2015)

Full feature Episode 3:
on-line access

(59:53 min., 2015)

course viewing guide

BBC Caribbean with Simon Reeve Homepage

Q&A with Simon Reeve

How well do you know the Caribbean?
(Take the Quiz)

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Week 15
27 April - 3 May 2025

See Student Presentations in Your

folder


PART I: INTRODUCTION
	Conclusions

(assigned readings are in bold letters)

News-of-the-Week

Video

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Week 16
4 - 9 May 2025
Final Exams Week

Catch up, and Review for Final Exam

Final Exam

s2025 The Live Chat for the GC Final Exam will be from 07:00-08:00 CST, on Tuesday, 6 May 2025

s2025 The Global Cultures Final Exam is scheduled for Monday - Thursday, 5 - 8 May 2025 (up to 400 points)

NOTE: There will be at least one question in the pool from each of the assigned videos from Weeks 7-15, so be sure not to miss watching them.

Video Listings: <https://www.d.umn.edu/cla/faculty/troufs/anth1095/fsvideo_schedule.html#week07>


UMD > CAHSS > Department of Studies in Justice, Culture, & Social Change > Anthropology > Tim Roufs > Global Cultures

© 1998 - 2025 Timothy G. Roufs Page URL: http:// www.d.umn.edu /cla/faculty/troufs/anth1095/fsread-s.html Last Modified Monday, 23 December 2024, 12:25 (12:25 PM) CST, day 358 of 2024 Site Information / Disclaimers ~ Main A-Z Index
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