Essay

PLEASE NOTE:  I have adjusted the due dates for this discussion board forum.  It was not available for you until Tuesday (my mistake).  I also would like your personal post to be substantial (two full paragraphs with details and some discussion of the differences between mainstream North American culture and your co-culture).

Co-culture defined:  As your textbook explains, social scientists use the term co-culture to describe the perception of membership in a group that is part of an encompassing culture (p. 39).  This means that people who perceive themselves as belonging to a co-cultural group recognize that they share with others a special cultural connection -- one that may differ greatly from the "mainstream" culture of a particular society.  Some people use the term sub-culture when discussing a co-culture.  The problem with using that terminology is that it suggests that a sub-culture is less important than the mainstream or dominant culture in a society.  This is not true, especially if we are describing how we live our lives.  A co-culture is simply a cultural group.  There are many co-cultures in a society; they all co-exist with the larger "mainstream" culture.  

In North American society, co-cultures can be based on many things, including:  age; race; ethnicity; nationality; sexual orientation; geographic region; physical disability; religion; or an activity or professional orientation.  To belong to a co-culture you must perceive yourself that way -- and others in the same co-culture should perceive you as belonging to the same co-cultural group.  Although this is always a matter of perception, belonging means you and others share a similar way of viewing the world, similar values, interests, or a similar background. For example, in New York City, many people living in Washington Heights perceive themselves as Dominican-American (or simply Dominican).  What does that mean?  It may mean they share a similar family background (ethnicity), love for a type of music or food, and importantly similar values.  But not everyone in Washington Heights of Dominican heritage necessarily perceives themselves as part of the Dominican-American co-culture.  They have to share the values of that group to identify themselves as such.  

In this forum.  I want you to discuss one co-culture that you perceive yourself as belonging to (this is part of your cultural identity as you also belong to mainstream American culture and may perceive yourself as belonging to more than one co-culture).  When you discuss the co-culture with which you identify, provide specific examples to illustrate what it is that is unique about that particular co-culture.  Also, explain how your co-culture differs or fits in with mainstream American culture.  For example, if you feel that your co-culture is more collectivist than individualistic, state this and then include an example to show how the collectivist orientation occurs.  Don't feel that you need to discuss your cultural heritage or ethnicity to complete this assignment.  One can feel connected to a co-cultural group based on other things such as an activity (for example, a sport or an artistic activity such as photography or acting), a disability, one's age, religious orientation, gender identity or sexual orientation, or many other possibilities.