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[Sample]
CMCL-C 427Part V: Suggest/Develop a framework for analysis
Thesis: Based on my research during the semester, the history of my family and community inwhich I was raised construct the ways I communicate, and the language used in both my family
and community promoted development of particular aspects of my identity, specifically my
gender, religious, and racial identity. Clear central idea here
1. Point 1: The language used in both my family and community promoted development ofmy gender identity.
a. According to the text cite the authors here, gender identity is created, reinforced,ad reconstructed by society through communication.
b. In the interview with my grandmother, I determined that my family puts heavyemphasis on women performing traditional feminine duties.
i.
Because my grandpa worked a large number of hours, the responsibilityof shopping and cooking fell on my grandmother. My mom continued thisin our own family by also being primarily in charge of both activities.
ii. My grandma didnt work at all outside the home. My own mother took 8years off work after I was born, and my eldest sister is an unemployed,
stay-at-home mom.iii. My grandmother (and my own mother) was in charge of child-rearing.
i. Children are greatly valued in my family, as the primaryreason my grandparents and parents stayed in my community
for so long was to raise the children.ii. People ask my grandmother about her kids and grandkids, and
she very much appreciates this and owns motherhood as her
main identity. That makes it (the town) feels like home, shesays.
c. Feminine appearance is also important in my family, as my mother, grandmother,and sisters have all had some form of cosmetic change to conform to theAmerican standard of beauty (from hair dye to collagen injections and breast
implants to Botox.)
d. Within my community, power is given to married, older, wealthier people wholive in certain areas of the town. No power at all is given to unwed mothers, forexample. Very solid argument in this point
2. Point 2: The language used in both my family and community promoted development ofmy religious identity.
a. I was born and raised in ---, attending the ---- public school system fromkindergarten through high school. The town was originally founded by an
influential Quaker, Samuel Moore.i. In my research I found that both the Quaker and Methodist denominations
were prominent in the early development of the community.
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ii. I am not surprised by this fact, as there are a large majority of Methodistchurches in the community, one of which I was raised in for the first 10years of my life.
b. Though the Quaker population has significantly decreased, religion still plays abig part in the community.
i.
Religious diversity is rare, as the majority of all people in Mooresvilleidentify with some form of Christianity.
ii. The majority of the town is incredibly faux- religious, all attending onevery powerful nondenominational Christian church. It is a cult-likephenomenon shared by kids and adults alike.
c. The reading states that core symbols are fundamental beliefs that are shared bymembers of a culture group. In my opinion, these traditional Christian beliefs arethe epitome of a core symbol to the Mooresville community.
i. In analyzing my community utilizing the Ethical Imperative, it is easilyseen how judgmental they are, using the Ten Commandments as a basis
for cultural ethics.
ii.
The townspeople tend to not be accepting of homosexuals, premarital sex,and other taboo topics found in the Bible. The people of the town share
similar prejudices and stereotypes.d. The people are extremely condemnatory, and above all hypocritical.
i. The Face Negotiation Theory explains that people in town are in touchwith saving face, and dont want to be judged because they know howharshly they judge others.
ii. This explains what turned me off of religion over the years, and why Ihavent explored many religions outside Christianity.
3. Point 3: The language used in both my family and community promoted development ofmy racial identity.
a. My people have a history dating back to German and Switzerland, where myancestors originated. My background is American, specifically Caucasian, tracing
all the way back in my lineage with little diversity.
b. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, my community is 98.5% white. I was noteven around anyone of another race until I got my first job in high school and
more so later when I went to college.
i. To make matters worse, Mooresville is a part of the county in which thesecond Klux Klan was formed.
ii. Just this week WRTV in Indianapolis did a story about residents beingangry after finding Ku Klux Klan fliers at their homes. The towns cultural
identity is shaped largely by history in this way; as there is truly nodiversity to this day.
iii. Residents do not even attempt to suppress the Anglocentrism thatcharacterized early U.S. history; rather, townspeople joke about thingssuch as the KKK among one another.
iv. As a child I was afraid of people of other races or cultural backgroundswho looked different than me. I would not have felt comfortable
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communicating with them, and likewise they might feel uncomfortable
communicating with me because I came off as so unapproachable.c. McIntoshs reading on The Invisible Knapsack led me to consider the everyday
privileges of being white.
i. She compiled a list of white privileges, like counting on skin color not tocount against financial reliability.ii. It is stated in the reading that these privileges are most clearly visible tothose who are not white, and this made me consider how I recognize my
place within the dominant group and more so all of society.
Conclusion:Based on my research during the semester, the history of my family and communityin which I was raised construct the ways I communicate and shaped my gender, religious, and
racial identity. Regarding gender, I claim that the readings on power greatly shape my gender
based on what my community values. Chapter 3 of the text states that power comes from the
roles individuals occupy, and gender-specific roles are highly valued in my family. The textalso discusses the power of advertisers in the context of cultural standards of beauty, which are
reflected within my own family. Regarding my religious identity, I claim that the EthicalImperative and Face Negotiation Theory play a role in examining the judgmental nature of mycommunity, using the Ten Commandments as a basis for cultural ethics and being preoccupiedwith saving face, as community members dont want to be judged because they know howharshly they judge others. Finally, regarding my racial identity, I use the example of
Anglocentrism to describe my community, and focus on what I have learned from McIntoshs
reading on The Invisible Knapsack, for example, that white privileges are most clearly visible
to those who are not white.
References
Martin, J. N., & Nakayama, T. K. (2010).Intercultural Communication in Contexts, (5th ed.).McGraw-Hill.
2006. Town of Mooresville, Indiana.http://www.mooresville.org/Overview/tabid/52/Default.aspx
Excellent work: coherent structure; clear main points, well supported, use variety if
evidence from your research. I am not sure if you cited all sources in your reference
list. Can you look into this please?
http://www.mooresville.org/Overview/tabid/52/Default.aspxhttp://www.mooresville.org/Overview/tabid/52/Default.aspxhttp://www.mooresville.org/Overview/tabid/52/Default.aspx