August 2, 2007
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“1. As a class, develop a list of common stereotypes people have about individuals of specific groups. Next, develop categories such as gender, race, religion, etc.”
That may be the activity that starts the brainstorming into possible research questions/thesis statements for the Global Blogs Analysis Project… once students identify a stereotype, they’ll have to either back it up with their research or undermine it. Either way, they’ll be connected to another culture via a blog from that culture & may find that whether the stereotype was backed up or not, not everyone easily falls under the stereotype.
Students will have to pin down what they feel is an “American” blog (is an American someone born here, can they find out on the blog, etc) or a “Chinese” blog, for example, and how narrow their research will be (will both bloggers be the same gender? same age? and why…).
Definition: stereotypes – fixed impressions, exaggerated or preconceived ideas about particular social groups, usually based solely on physical appearance.”
The danger in relying on stereotypes to guide our thoughts and actions stems from their being:- simplified ideas, whether negative or positive in nature
- overgeneralizations that do not represent all, or perhaps even most individuals within a group
- designed to enhance our own self-identity
- the foundation for prejudice and discrimination
- obstacles in getting to know others for whom they are versus who we think they might be
Even ‘positive’ stereotypes are harmful to those they target. They, like negative stereotypes, result in negative self-image, stress, mental illness, pressure to conform, and ineffective intercultural interactions.Examples: Negative stereotypes:Positive stereotypes:- All Blacks are lazy
- All Asians are sneaky
- All Latinos are on welfare
- All Whites are racist
- All Blacks are great basketball players
- All Asians are smart
- All Latinos dance well
- All Whites are successful
The goal from here, then, is to take the stereotype and decide how that stereotype will come across in that culture’s blog entries (if at all). If Asians are sneaky, how can a student code that in a blog? If Whites are racist, will one find racist remarks in just the American blog and not the (insert another culture/country) blog?
I’m unsure whether to use stereotypes as the jumping point, but when it comes to other cultures, we have all made judgements on them based on appearance or stories. If I can use this module to disperse stereotypes in my students, they should become more open to the possibility that they shouldn’t “judge a book by it’s cover,” and move closer to what the Chinese (as I’ve learned) consider important in their society: Harmony.
