Critical Intervention
Action Plan
ETHNOCENTRISM:
The Truth is Out There
Sarah Sparks
ARE 6641
Research Brief
Issue:
Ethnocentrism is a learned natural trait that affects every member of society. Beginning as
a tactic for survival by forming in-groups and out-groups, ethnocentrism has now become just
another excuse to hold prejudice or stereotypes against specific cultural groups. Although there is
differing evidence on the ethnocentric tendencies of rural communities being higher than urban
communities, it is an issue that needs to be addressed in classrooms throughout the world. This is
a problem that I have seen in my own rural classroom, therefore I feel the need to intervene now
rather than later.
The United States is known by its worldwide neighbors as having ethnocentric attitudes in
feeling superior in culture, customs, and their economy. The universal chance for citizenship,
freedom, and “chasing the American Dream” cause Americans to feel superior in their treatment
of individuals searching for individual expression. What happens, however, is a close-minded
intolerance for cultures and customs that are different or unlike our own. These views and beliefs
are passed down over generations and the path to change will not be easy.
Teachers have obstacles that they need to overcome as well in order to present quality
multicultural units to their students. Addressing personal bias and opinions need to occur first
before even beginning to plan for a multicultural unit. Interviewing the community to discover
history, heritage, and group bias is also a recommended starting step to find the source of these
beliefs. Also, a deep, cultural understanding of a particular group that is research-based needs to
occur in a unit, not a skimming, whimsical glance at selected customs that we can Americanize
when teaching them.
It is important that students are allowed the chance to identify sources of this bias by
discussing our textbooks, media coverage, and entertainment business. By seeing the wool that
has been pulled over their eyes, students can begin to become more knowledgeable about the
“truths” that are presented to them about other cultures and select their news sources more
wisely. I firmly believe that by molding students who are open-minded and sensitive to different
cultures around them, teachers can truly make a difference for our future.
Research Summary:
 Alisa Miller- discusses how US media coverage includes very few news events from around
the world and how this affects the youth and future of America. Informational maps and
graphs are presented that visually assess the situation quickly and effeciently.
http://www.ted.com/talks/alisa_miller
_shares_the_news_about_the_news.ht
ml

Media Awareness Network- website dedicated to the topic of how ethnic groups and
minorities are represented in the media and news. Past and current offenses are viewed
and discussed.
http://www.mediaawareness.ca/english/issues/stereoty
ping/ethnics_and_minorities/index.c
fm

INTIME- group website that lists methods for evaluating children's books for cultural bias.
Stereotypes are ingrained in children's head at a very early age.
http://www.intime.uni.edu/multicult
ure/curriculum/children.htm

Ken Barger- essay on ethnocentrism that includes definition and associated terms, why people are
ethnocentric and methods for combating ethnocentric behavior.
http://www.iupui.edu/~anthkb/ethn
ocen.htm

Robert Axelrod and Ross A. Hammon- paper that discusses the evolution of ethnocentric behavior
and possible hypothesis for why humans began utilizing this behavior. Scientific study is explained
and results are discussed as evidence.
http://wwwpersonal.umich.edu/~axe/research/A
xHamm_Ethno.pdf

Michael Carter- column that examines ethnocentrism after 9/11 and throughout American history as
well as suggestions for combating this behavior. Although this author was targeting the health
field, his concepts and beliefs can be applied universally.
http://www.dhep.astate.edu/ojdh/ca
rterdoc.htm

LovetoKnow corp.- YourDictionary.com site that defines ethnocentrism and provides examples
from history (US and world, past and present) and pop culture (movies and literature).
http://examples.yourdictionary.com/
examples-of-ethnocentrism.html

Dipti Desai- article about techniques and reasons for creating accurate and authentic
representations of cultures within the arts curriculum. Failed multicultural units are viewed and
discussed.
“Imaging Difference: The Politics of Representation in Multicultural Art Education.” Studies in Art Education
(2000), 41 (2), 114-129.

Elizabeth Delacruz- article discussing current myths and misconceptions about teaching
multicultural art education and common mistakes made by teachers who do incorporate
multicultural studies. Helpful resource for study of the origins of ethnocentrism within the
classroom.
“Multiculturalism and Art Education: Myths, Misconceptions, and Misdirections.” Art Education (1995), 48
(3), 57-61.

Advameg, Inc.- website listing of thousands of cultures with articles, images, and sub-culture links.
Good source for the research portion of my unit.
http://www.everyculture.com/
Action Plan
Unit Title: Ethnocentrism- The Truth is Out There
Big Ideas:

Art is a reflection of culture

Art expresses universal aspects of a society

Art gives shape to a culture

Art shows us more than one perspective on an issue, idea or emotion
Essential Questions:

How have cultures used art to reflect their customs, beliefs, and identity?

How are other cultures like our own (American) culture? How are they different?

How have other cultures helped to shape our American culture over history?

How can art help us to see other cultures outside of the “lens” of our own identity?
Lesson Goals:
After completing this unit, students will be able to:

Define ethnocentrism and identify ways that themselves, their community, and their world
participate in and encourage this way of thinking.

Understand how stereotypes and prejudice are created and brainstorm possible ways of
combating these negative behaviors.

Describe how specific cultural artworks reflect the customs, beliefs and identity of a
particular culture.

Discuss how other cultures are similar and different from our own (American) culture.

Define ways that other cultures have helped to shape our American culture over time.

Create individual, expressive artworks that show the influence of another culture on their
own personal identity as well as their national cultural identity.
Activities:

Students will read
“Body Ritual Among the
Nacerima” by Horace Miner
aloud as a
group.

Students will complete the Reading Reflection worksheet over the reading, discussing how
their feelings and opinions changed throughout the reading of the story.

A teacher-led discussion of the definition of
follow the story. Students will discuss
ethnocentrism
examples
will
of ethnocentrism that they
see in themselves, their families, their community, and their nation. Students will
brainstorm and discuss possible reasons for or influences of this behavior as well as the
consequences of this behavior. Prejudice and stereotypes will also be discussed and
students will think about ways that they themselves and our nation could work to reverse
the effects of such negative behavior both locally and globally.

Students will break into small groups to complete one of several empty maps of the
United States North America
,
,
South America Europe Asia
,
Africa
,
, and
. Afterward, we will discuss which groups had the most difficulty
completing their map and possible reasons for this lack of knowledge. Students will be
given the correct answers to complete each map (
AS AF
,

US NA SA EU
,
,
,
,
).
Students will then view a presentation of 10 cultures' artworks (Indian, African, Japanese,
Chinese, Oceanic, Russian, Arabic, German, Hispanic/Latino, and Native American). Students
will analyze the works and try to interpret the cultural meaning of each work using their
base knowledge of that particular culture.

Students will be separated into groups and then assigned one of the ten cultures from the
presentation to research further. Students will use the Cultural Research Handout as their
guide to research each aspect of the culture. They will create a visual presentation of their
findings to present to the class. Within this presentation, students will discuss ways that
American culture has been influenced or shaped by their culture of study as well as how
America has positively and negatively affected this culture over history.

After the presentations, students will individually create artworks, using their choice of
media, that interpret how they have been personally influenced by particular aspects of the
culture they researched. These projects will be presented upon completion and analyzed
and discussed as a class.

Students will complete the Cultural Influence Self-Assessment sheet as a summative
assessment. In this written assessment, students will reflect on how their attitudes and
behaviors about cultures have changed over the course of the unit as well as an
explanation of the thoughts, symbolism, or themes behind their final artwork.
References
Advameg, Inc. (2012). Countries and Their Cultures. EveryCulture. [Web site]. Retrieved from
http://www.everyculture.com/
Axelrod, Robert & and Hammon, R. A. (2006). The Evolution of Ethnocentrism. Journal of Conflict
Resolution, 50(36) 926-937. doi: 10.1177/0022002706293470.
Barger, Ken. (2008). Ethnocentrism: What is it? Why are people ethnocentric? What is the problem? What
can we do about it? Recognition and control of Ethnocentrism as a basic methodology for understanding
ethnic behavior...both our own and others. Indiana University Indianapolis. [Web site]. Retrieved from
http://www.iupui.edu/~anthkb/eth
nocen.htm
Carter, Michael. (date unknown). Cultural Connections in Our Changed World. Michael Carter, DNSc, FAAN,
APN, BC. [Web site]. Retrieved from
http://www.dhep.astate.edu/ojdh/ca
rterdoc.htm
Delacruz, Elizabeth. (1995). Multiculturalism and Art Education: Myths, Misconceptions, and Misdirections.
Art Education, 48 (3), 57-61.
Desai, Dipti. (2000). Imaging Difference: The Politics of Representation in Multicultural Art Education.
Studies in Art Education, 41 (2), 114-129.
INTIME (2002). Evaluating Children's Books for Bias. INTIME. [Web site]. Retrieved from
http://www.intime.uni.edu/multicul
ture/curriculum/children.htm
LoveToKnow, Corp. (2012). Examples of Ethnocentrism. YourDictionary. [Web site]. Retrieved from
http://examples.yourdictionary.com/
examples-of-ethnocentrism.html
Media Awareness Network. (2010). Media Portrayals of Ethnic and V isible Minorities. Media Awareness
Network. [Web site]. Retrieved from
http://www.mediaawareness.ca/english/issues/stereoty
ping/ethnics_and_minorities/index.c
fm
Miller, Alisa. (2008). Alisa Miller shares the news about the news. TED [Web site]. Retrieved from
http://www.ted.com/talks/alisa_mille
r_shares_the_news_about_the_new
s.html