Schontasha Dyce

October 16, 2013

Identity and cultural space

In my observation of the Identity and cultural space project students used speech edict to show their personal experiences and distinctions between their personal identities and their diverse cultural space or heritage. Most were mixed with more than two cultural constructive. For example, one student in particular was an American as well as from England, two different systems and school frame works. She used the example of the word color. Were here in the “American” system me spell the word as “color” and here this is the color spelling. In “England” on the other hand the word is spelled “colour” and if not spelled in this fashion the spelling is considered wrong.  I was very impressed with the way the students facilitated personal experiences in the communities in which they live.  The diverse opinions throughout the class explained the influence that society has on their identity as well as the dislikes in addition to the impacts of having to adapt to the communities in which they live that may be different from their own cultural space.  Taken as a whole, most students understood domestic thinking, acknowledging that communication: coming in contact with norms:  is the direct line to identity and cultural space.

Examining the class I also noticed that many students felt most comfortable at home. Mostly, because home is the one place that safely lies and scrutiny is checked at the door.  Since there is a difference in the social-economic factors between the various dissents like: Mexican-American vs. Mexicans, Arab-canadian vs. Arabs, and Muslim-American vs. Muslims leaving identity questions, and stereotypes throughout a community. It was remarkable listening to the students discuss the cultural space complex associations and disassociation which goes hand in hand with identity. One of the stereotypes perceived as “if you were born in America you are rich” while truth be told, many of us know this is not the case.  These were very critical, individual speeches that were well organized and composed around social experiences, awareness from their identity and cultural space.