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1 Running Head SELF-REFLEXIVE JOURNAL

Self-reflexive journal

Rhoda Hayes

Ashford University

Instructor: Evangelia Tsesmeli

May 19, 2016

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What was your initial response to what you read?

After reviewing my research sources, I have gained a lot of understanding on my final

research topic (Rites of passage) from different perspectives as written by the authors. As Crapo

describes it, the rite of passage involves changes in social statuses that members of given society

undergo in their life cycles. Notably, such rites are marked by symbolic expressions to denote the

importance of achieving such new statuses in life (Crapo, 2013). After reading all my sources, I

was able to evaluate different perspectives that authors look at various cultures they have

examined in their work, thus, enabling me to appreciate different rites of passages observed in

various cultures across the world. I believe, with such understanding, I will be able to look at

different cultures in an unbiased perspective and make a rational judgment in the final paper that

is not influenced by my cultural beliefs.

Can you identify any biases that you might have about the cultural practices you will

discuss in either Part I or Part II of your Final Research Paper?

Yes. For instance, there some cultural beliefs presented by Tsuji (2011) in his article, “Rites of

passage to death and afterlife in Japan,” that I feel like I will be biased towards them because

we don't practice them here in America. Similarly, there those which have been discussed by

Miner (1956) concerning making bodies more appealing that I feel like I will be biased because I

truly believe that natural beauty is supreme to any other ritual practiced to improve the beauty of

our bodies.

Identify any problems you might be having in looking at your culture from an etic

perspective or the other culture from an emic perspective.

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1

1. Miner (1956) concerning

Bear in mind, Miner does not

talk about any culture.

Please, read Week 1

Instructor Guidance about the

nacirema and why Miner's

article is important not for its

content so much, but for its

methodology. [Evangelia

Tsesmeli]

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I think the family setting that I have been brought up in will be a big challenge for me when I

am doing my final paper, especially when looking on my culture from an etic perspective. I have

been brought believing that my culture is paramount and a great contributor to my well-being. As

such, this will also give me a challenge when looking into other cultures from an emic

perspective because there are some cultural beliefs practiced by the cultures I will examine that

do not rhyme with the one I have been brought up in. Indeed, as I have been observing from our

week 1 assignments and tasks, I believe the role this course has played in my life will be

paramount as it has taught me to appreciate the cultural diversity around me and as such I believe

I will be able to overcome all those challenges by holding onto this belief.

References

Crapo, R. H. (2013). Cultural anthropology [Electronic version]. Retrieved from

https://content.ashford.edu/

Miner, H.. (1956). Body Ritual among the Nacirema. American Anthropologist, 58(3), 503–

507. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.proxy-library.ashford.edu/stable/665280

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Tsuji, Y. (2011). Rites of passage to death and afterlife in Japan. Generations, 35(3), 28-33. Retrieved from the EBSCOhost database

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