Although it might not be readily apparent by looking at a map, East L.A. is a long way from Beverly Hills—at least in cultural terms. Ana Garcia understands this better than most. Her dilemma involves figuring out how to successfully navigate the nuances of mainstream American culture without fraying the deeply rooted bonds of traditional Mexican culture which bind her both to her family and to the local Latino community in general. For this assignment, after viewing the film “Real Women Have Curves,” you will write a 2 page double-spaced essay applying the conceptual framework of “culture” as discussed in class and detailed in your textbook. Specifically, please address the following issues:
1) Ethnocentrism is a term used to describe “the tendency to use our own group’s ways of doing things as a yardstick for judging others.” Conversely, cultural relativism is the practice of “not judging a culture but trying to understand it on its own terms.” From the film, identify and discuss one example of each of these concepts.
2) Which character(s) exhibit a high degree of cultural pluralism (multiculturalism)? That is, who successfully adapts to another culture without surrendering their own cultural identity? Explain.
3) Marianismo is a Latino cultural norm which prescribes for women a higher moral character than men, typically expressed in terms of purity and submissiveness. Did Ana conform to this norm? Justify your answer.
4) Considering her social location (the position she occupies in society, which includes such qualities as her ethnicity, age, gender, socioeconomic status, etc.), did Ana ultimately make the “right” choice or the “wrong” choice? Explain.
Bonus (worth 4 extra points): Values is a term used to describe what a group defines as desirable—good or bad, right or wrong, and so forth. Norms are expectations or rules which are rooted in values. Señora Garcia contends that one value and its associated norm changes when a certain social phenomenon occurs. What is the change and what is the phenomenon?
Grading criteria• Organization: Are main points clear, logical, and well organized? Does the essay meet the 2 page minimum requirement?• Critical Thinking: Does discussion incorporate “reasonable, reflective thinking?”• Concept application: Are sociological concepts thus far discussed in class and included in class handouts integrated into essay (particularly concerning the topic of culture)?• Grammar/punctuation: Is writing free of major grammatical, syntax, punctuation, and spelling errors?