Culture and Way of Life (4cr)

Evaluation scale

1-5

Objective

Students learn to examine relationships between individuals, communities and societies at global, national and local level. They can describe meanings that cultures and ways of life can have in the construction of the individual's identity. Students learn to explain the concepts of multiculturalism and diversity. They learn to describe and analyse relationships between minorities and majorities, describe the global migration and, especially, refugeeism as a general phenomenon and individual experience. Students learn to describe discrimination, prejudice and racism, and identify underlying factors. They examine their national and ethnic identity and preparedness to encounter ethnic and cultural diversity. Students are able to recognize transnationalism as part of global development. They independently seek and evaluate the reliability of information about multiculturalism, ethnic minorities and global migration. Students become aware of different perspectives and justifications pertaining to these issues and use the existing knowledge to form an informed opinion.

Content

- forms of ethnic and cultural diversity, cultural differences, majorities and minorities
- global migration, immigration, refugees
- the concepts of multiculturalism and diversity
- acculturation, contact and conflict theory
- national and ethnic identity, stereotypes and prejudices, racism
- the effect of immigration and minority role on the individual's identity
- levels of examining difference
- multicultural competence and cultural sensitivity

Materials

Hiitola, Anis ja Turtiainen 2017. Maahanmuutto, palvelut ja hyvinvointi: kohtaamisissa kehittyviä käytäntöjä, where applicable
Keskinen, Vuori ja Hirsiaho 2012. Monikulttuurisuuden sukupuoli: kansalaisuus ja erot hyvinvointiyhteiskunnassa, where applicable
Pasi Saukkonen.2020. Vimmainen maailma: kirjoituksia muuttoliikkeestä,
monikulttuurisuudesta ja nationalismista, where applicable
Teacher's material in Moodle.
Students will receive a list of literature or documentary material to choose from at the beginning of the course.

Teaching methods

multimodal learning, including classroom hours, independent study and worklife wisiting

Employer connections

the study course does not include practice

Exam schedules

The course includes a preliminary assignment.The exam is taken at the end of the course

Student workload

104h
- in the classroom and independent study

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

Students recognise global processes, which cause migration and refugeeism. Students recognise the contents of the key concepts Students are for the main part able to describe the relationships between ethnic groups in Finland. Students are able to find up-to-date information about key concepts. Students are able to formulate and justify an opinion on one of the issues discussed. Students can describe the experiences of a person belonging to a minority. They can describe their own ethnic identity and factors connected with its development. Students can name a concrete aim of how to develop their intercultural competence.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

Students competently describe the relevant concepts, when discussing migration and refugeeism caused by global processes. They find information about relationships between ethnic groups and use the information to present their opinions. With help of the concepts, students analyse the experiences of a person belonging to an ethnic minority. Using the relevant concepts, students reflect on their own ethnic identity and the factors that influence its development. Students describe and justify concrete aims of how to develop their intercultural competence.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Students analyse the global processes that underlie migration and refugeeism. They critically evaluate the key concepts of the item. Students are able to connect individual people's experiences as members of minorities with the social background factors. Competently using the concepts, students extensively reflect on their ethnic identity and the factors that influence its development. Students express their aims concerning the development of their intercultural competence, they use the concepts learnt during the course and justify their aims extensively.

Qualifications

previous studies are not required