HAWAII PACIFIC UNIVERSITY
FACULTY ASSEMBLY
Gen Ed Curriculum Subcommittee of UCC
(To select a
box, highlight it
and press “x”.)
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Proposal Type:
Five themes category . . . . . . . 
“Special” 5 themes category. .  
5 Themes with Cross Theme.
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UD Service Learning. . . . . . .
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UD Global Citizenship. . . . . .
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UD Research and writing. . . .
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GECS RECORD OF CURRICULUM ACTION AND REVIEW
(RCAR FORM)
[To be filled out by Proposal Author(s)]
School/Colle
ge:
Liberal Arts
Program
:
Course
Alpha/#:
SOC 3380
Proposed by:
Mary Sheridan,
Dan Morgan, Gordon Knowles,
and Paul Tran
Category or
Type of UD
course
Upper Division Global Citizenship
Title:
Sociology
Cross-Cultural Relations
Record of GECS Action
EMail:
msheridan@hpu.edu
Proposal received by GECS on: 12-1-06
Online reading Date: 12-7-06
1st Reading:
Date: 12-13-06
Discussion: This is a very popular course to fulfill cross-cultural requirements in some
current majors. In the new gen ed we think it will be popular as a global
citizenship course. The course clearly has focused on race relations in the
United States, but that might not be the appropriate lens for a global citizenship
course. Is there something in the course that deals with the weakness of using
the US as a case study? Or the problems of trying to understand cross-cultural
issues in other countries from the perspective of the US? For example
Americans either group all Muslims together or think divides between them are
religious, missing the political dimension the sectarian conflict has in the
middle east. We see that Uganda is used in a film but more international
examples are needed. Suggestion from GECS members: use a text or
supplementary text that draws on world cultures.
Action: Mary will go back to the instructors with these comments and submit a revised
proposal for a second reading. Marc Gilbert and Chris Fung willing to suggest
relevant readings.
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Second reading 2-16-07
Discussion
Action
Third reading
Discussion
a. This is a second reading. Proposers were not present.
b. Members noted that changes had been made especially to the application
portion that addressed some of the comments. However the syllabus did not
appear to have been modified. The proposal and syllabus include a second
text which addresses a set of issues outside of the context of the United States
(the book by Memmi) but this is listed on the syllabus as an optional text (the
other option being "Black Like Me") which seems to again de-emphasize
non-US course content in favor of US situations. Perhaps Memmi could be
identified on the syllabus as more central to the course content (it isn't
actually mentioned at all in the week-by-week list of lecture topics and
readings, for instance).
c. The topics in the week-by-week description are very broad. One could argue
that some of these might include non-US perspectives or case studies, but this
is not indicated clearly on the syllabus. Perhaps the syllabus might be made a
little more detailed so that we can see some examples of where the lecturer
plans to address non-US case studies.
d. Some of the videos listed on the syllabus do indeed refer to non-US situations
but again, there is no indication on the syllabus in what way these are
integrated into the course content, or whether they are simply added on to
provide a brief contrast with the main ambit of the course content which in
the absence of evidence to the contrary seems to continue to be heavily UScentric.
e. Chris Fung was concerned that we be careful to avoid the idea that simply
invoking "multi-culturalness" in the United States addresses intercultural
relations on a global scale. Understanding racism in the US involves some
discussion of the idea of otherness which may indeed be couched in the
language of foreignness, but the dominant political, social and cultural
structures remain those of the United States. Anti-Indian racism in Mexico or
anti-black racism in Brazil are very different things from anti-Indian or antiblack racism in the United States.
f. The course has potential to fit well into this category and we would like to be
able to approve it at our last meeting to accept proposals for the Fall 2008
implementation. Chris volunteered to work with the proposers to address
these concerns in advance of the final meeting.
3-12-07
A new syllabus was submitted to address concerns from last time.
Professor Paul Tran was present.
The updated syllabus looked a lot better and addressed GECS concerns.
Action
The GECS recommends that the UCC approve the course for Global
Citizenship
ATTACH PROPOSAL AFTER RCAR SIGNATURE SHEET ON NEXT PAGE
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HAWAII PACIFIC UNIVERSITY
FACULTY ASSEMBLY
GENERAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM
SUBCOMMITTEE OF UCC
GECS RECORD OF CURRICULUM ACTION AND REVIEW
SIGNATURE SHEET
Liberal Arts
SOC 3380: Cross-Cultural Relations
College/School
Course # & Title
Mary Sheridan
Program Chair for Curriculum Area offering
Course
12-1-06
Print Name
Date
Les Correa
Academic Dean
3-20-07
Print Name
Date
Catherine Unabia
GECS Chair
3-12-07
Print Name
Date
Curt Powley
UCC Chair
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Date
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HAWAII PACIFIC UNIVERSITY
GENERAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM
SUBCOMMITTEE OF UCC
GENERAL EDUCATION UPPER DIVISION GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP COURSE
APPLICATION
Course Alpha/#: SOC 3380
Title:
Cross-Cultural Sociology
Student Learning Outcomes
Required Gen Ed Learning Outcome #1:
Students should be able to apply their understanding of ethical systems and models to
develop and demonstrate a conscious value system as individuals, students, professionals
and citizens. [V&C 7]
Relevance to course content—provide examples of assignments, course readings,
supplementary materials, or in-class activities from the sample syllabus that will help
students to achieve this learning outcome and/or demonstrate their ability to do so.
The course mission states: “Students will be challenged to examine how these issues
affect their lives at a personal level, and also to understand how their own attitudes and
behaviors, in turn, affect these issues at a societal level.” Much of this examination and
understanding occurs in classroom discussion and in the journal or term paper. In
addition, readings from text, auxiliary readings, and global awareness documentaries/
films encourage students to examine dominant/minority relations in the US and other
world cultures, through exposure to concepts such as assimilation and cultural pluralism.
Student Assessment—According to the sample syllabus, how will the instructor assess
whether students have achieved this outcome? How will achievement of this learning
outcome be reflected in the grade for the course?
Students are graded on class participation/discussion/quizzes/journal or paper, and
answering review question at the end of each chapter from Parrillo’s text. These review
questions include reflective, value-related ones, e.g., “How would you answer someone
who claims foreigners are changing American culture” (Ch. 2), discussion of functional
and conflict perspectives (Ch. 3), issues of mass media (Ch. 4), etc. The kinds of
questions that students might be asked to reflect on in their journals or paper include,
“Identify a time when you have experienced prejudice or discrimination.” “Reflect on
your own ethnic heritage and how it fits into the ‘American mosaic.” “What do you think
John Griffin would experience if he conducted his experiment today? In Hawaii?”
Similarly, students will be asked to explore misconceptions of colonized Tunisians in
“The Colonizer and the Colonized” and provide analyses of similar portrayals in Hawaii
and other regions of the world.
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Required Gen Ed learning outcome #2:
Students should understand a range of meanings for concepts associated with individual
and social ethics such as rights and responsibilities, justice and impartiality, citizenship
and social responsibility. [V&C 8]
Relevance to course content—provide examples of assignments, course readings,
supplementary materials, or in-class activities from the sample syllabus that will help
students to achieve this learning outcome and/or demonstrate their ability to do so.
Rights and responsibilities are reflected in Parillo text topics such as, “Personal
Troubles and Public Issues (Ch. 1), material on social class and intergroup conflict in Ch.
2, prejudice and discrimination (Chs. 4 and 5), affirmative action (Ch. 5), dominant group
and minority group relations (Ch. 6), and “current ethnic issues” in Ch. 7. Black Like Me
presents a graphic and gripping illustration of what life was like under segregation,
raising issues of human rights, justice and institutional and social discrimination.
Material about justice and impartiality is included in Parillo, especially in Ch. 5 on
discrimination, Ch. 6 on dominant-minority relations, and Ch. 7 on current intergroup
issues in the U.S.
Material about citizenship as a cause of discrimination (i.e., immigration status) is
covered throughout the course, beginning with Parillo Ch. 1’s discussion of “the stranger
as a social phenomenon.” Material tending to promote “good citizenship” and “global
citizenship” includes specifics on overcoming prejudice (Parillo Ch. 4). More centrally,
though, the course is oriented towards raising an affective as well as intellectual
consciousness in students of the nature and consequences of injustice, and thus
inculcating in them a sense of social responsibility and encouraging them to take action
for improving relationships among groups of people and the community they live in. The
Griffin book is especially effective in this regard. Reading and discussing Memmi’s
“Colonizer and the Colonized” challenges students to place themselves in situations of
the “colonizer who accepts” and the “colonizer who refuses” and analyze similar
situations that occur in our social world today.
These themes are reinforced through journaling or the term paper.
Student Assessment—According to the sample syllabus, how will the instructor assess
whether students have achieved this outcome? How will achievement of this learning
outcome be reflected in the grade for the course?
Students are graded on class participation/discussion/ quizzes and answering review
questions at the end of each chapter from Parrillo’s text in their journal as well as the
thoughtful quality of the journal/paper. Questions that students might be asked to reflect
on in their journals include, “What responsibilities do you have to reduce prejudice and
discrimination locally, nationally, globally?” and “What do you understand about ‘social
justice,’ and how can you work towards achieving it?” Other questions posed include,
“What misconceptions do people hold about your culture? How would you respond to
these questions in the context of what Memmi wrote about colonization?”
Required Gen Ed learning outcome #3:
Investigate the roles that race, ethnicity, class, power, belief systems, and gender play in
past and present cultural systems. [WC 3]
Relevance to course content—provide examples of assignments, course readings,
supplementary materials, or in-class activities from the sample syllabus that will help
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students to achieve this learning outcome and/or demonstrate their ability to do so.
Parillo deals with these entities as follows:
Race: The concept is introduced in Ch. 1, and included in discussions throughout the
text on prejudice, discrimination, etc. Griffin, of course, deals extensively with race. The
videos, “Eyes on the Prize I and II” also present information about the 1960’s civil right
movement.
Ethnicity: There is considerable overlap in the discussion of race and ethnicity.
Ethnic stratification specifically is the subject of Ch. 3.
Class: Class is introduced under ethnic stratification in Ch. 3, and is included in
discussions throughout the text on intergroup relations.
Power: Power is discussed implicitly in connection with discrimination, and explicitly
as a factor in majority-minority relations. This is underscored in Griffin, where the
dominant white majority is shown as having the power to maintain a system of
dominance over the black minority and concepts of institutional and social discrimination
are discussed.
Belief systems: Prejudice is presented as a belief system that must be taken seriously
(and changed). Belief systems and their interaction with intergroup relations in the U.S.
is especially discussed in Ch. 7, “The Ever-Changing U.S. Mosaic.” The course uses one
of two films relating to prejudice: “Crash” about race relations in Los Angeles and
“Color of Fear.”
Gender: Gender is discussed as interacting with other statuses. Women, although
numerically a majority, are considered by sociology to be a minority, and so discussions
of majority-minority relations (Parillo Ch. 6) apply to women. The course uses the
videos, “Iron Jawed Angels” about the women’s suffrage movement and “Killing us
Softly” about mass media portrayals of women. The video “Tough Guise” shows mass
media portrayals of male violence. The videos “Story of Grace” on female child soldiers
in Uganda and “Tomorrow We Will Finish” (female child labor in Nepal) are also often
used.
All of these topics are appropriate for the journal or paper.
Student Assessment—According to the sample syllabus, how will the instructor assess
whether students have achieved this outcome? How will achievement of this learning
outcome be reflected in the grade for the course?
Students are graded on class participation/discussion/ quizzes and answering review
questions at the end of each chapter from Parrillo’s text, and on their journal or paper.
Questions that students might be asked to reflect on in their journals include, “What
social class are you in, and how has this affected your opportunities in life?” “What
would a culture without gender distinctions look like?” “How do mass media define
gender roles?” “Identify what roles a man or woman should take according to the past
and to the present societal norms.” “Where would you most likely place yourself in
Parrillo’s discrimination chart? Are you more of a non-prejudiced discriminator? A nonprejudiced, non-discriminator? What social forces have influenced your position?”
Required Gen Ed learning outcome #4:
Understand the impact of the process of globalization from a historical or cultural
perspective. [GS 7]
Relevance to course content—provide examples of assignments, course readings,
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supplementary materials, or in-class activities from the sample syllabus that will help
students to achieve this learning outcome and/or demonstrate their ability to do so.
Globalization is discussed as a cause of changes in the U.S. in Parillo Ch. 7 and the
discussion of the cross-cultural time line is developed. Videos may be used such as
“Invisible children,” dealing with child soldiers in Uganda.
Student Assessment—According to the sample syllabus, how will the instructor assess
whether students have achieved these outcomes? How will achievement of this learning
outcome be reflected in the grade for the course?
Students are graded on class participation/discussion, answering review question at the
end of each chapter from Parrillo’s text. and the thoughtful quality of their paper or
journal entries. Questions that students might be asked to reflect on in their journals
include, “What changes do you see in the dominant U.S. culture as America becomes
more diverse?” “How is HPU a model for an increasingly globalized nation?” Students
are also asked to bring in newspaper clippings from around the world that reflect topics
discussed in the course. Historical perspectives on racial categorization are also
examined, including those developed by Swedish botanist Linnaeus, and how these
categories have been socially perpetuated in light of evidence that they are biologically
flawed.
Additional Questions:
Explain how this course addresses the issue of “global citizenship.”
It is crucial that students be sociologically informed and culturally literate as they pursue
degrees in myriad academic fields. That is, they are aided in becoming “global citizens”
by the ability to look beyond their own embedded notions of what is “right” or “normal,”
and consider the ways that other societies approach the problems of living. This course
offers a critical examination of social phenomena often accepted as natural or normal, by
delving into how these phenomena are embedded in history, politics and economy.
Does this course address the relationship between the local and the global? If so, explain
how. (Answering “no” does not disqualify the course as a global citizenship course. The
question is meant to encourage thinking about making such connections when
applicable).
The discussion of the concept cross-culture time line develops this relationship. Some
videos, such as “Story of Grace” and ”Invisible Children” show international themes and
these are related to local issues and initiatives in class discussion. The Parrillo text
provides a foundation of sociological theory and constructs, while the Griffin and
Memmi texts provide vehicles for students to scrutinize how these concepts have come
into play in global communities throughout the world.
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Hawai'i Pacific University
SOC 3380 A/Cross-Cultural Relations
Instructor: __________________
Office location________________
Office Hours: ______________________
Office Phone: ___________
Day/time of class: ___________________
Catalog Description:
A course that addresses problems of residents of multiethnic societies and
immigrants and sojourners in a foreign country. Topics include how
characteristics of the individual, group, situation, and host society affect transcultural relations; and principles which maximize cross-cultural adjustment, work
effectiveness, and successful interaction. Special focus on the indigenous
population and immigrant experiences in Hawai’i and United States.
Pre-requisites: WRI 1200 and any two social science courses.
Required Texts:
Parrillo, Vincent N. 2005 Understanding Race and Ethnic Relations, second
edition. Allyn & Bacon ISBN: 0-205-41482-6
Memmi, Albert: The Colonizer and the Colonized Beacon Press, 1991. ISBN:
0807003018
Course Mission Statement and Goals:
This course will serve to familiarize students with historical, economic and
cultural developments that have influenced our attitudes and behaviors regarding
race and ethnicity in the United States of America and abroad. Students will be
encouraged to identify, develop and use their “Sociological Imaginations” when
examining these issues. Students will also learn how these developments and
subsequent problems relate to sociological theory. Students will be challenged
to examine how these issues affect their lives at a personal level, and also to
understand how their own attitudes and behaviors, in turn, affect these issues at
a societal level.
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
 Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts presented in class related
to culture
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 Identify the theories and theorists associated with the concepts presented
 Evaluate and synthesize theories presented in class in terms of utility in
particular situations in everyday life (workplace, government, etc.)
 Develop a working knowledge of terminology such as hegemony, racism,
sexism, ethnocentrism, discrimination, pluralism, multiculturalism, etc.
 Understand, locally, nationally, and internationally, the effects of
colonialization on the colonizer and colonized.
Some of the areas that will be addressed in class:
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Culture in Sociological Perspective
Theoretical and historical positions as they relate to race and ethnicity
Cultural Diversity
Global perspective
Cross-cultural perspective
Indigenous perspective
Race relationship
Colonialization
The Five Themes of the HPU General Education Core:
World Cultures represents an ability to relate to people of different races and ethnicities, and
understanding cultural interactions. In this course, we examine how those relationships have
been shaped by social phenomena such as globalization, cultural diffusion and colonization.
Values and Choices takes into account community responsibility, lifelong learning, and making
moral decisions with social responsibility. Cultural awareness is integral to these choices.
Global Systems refers to an understanding of contemporary civilizations and solving complex
problems. This is key when learning about concepts such as culture, dominant vs. subordinate
groups, norms and sanctions, in the United States, the Pacific, and in the world at large.
Research and Epistemology includes solving complex problems, including complex
quantitative and qualitative problems. For your research papers, we will discuss the ways social
scientists do research, as well as the results of their research. We will also spend time reviewing
sociological research and cultural bias, in the context of writing your research papers.
Communication involves performing as a member of a team, and the ability to think critically.
Communication varies across culture, and participation can take many forms, and includes
punctuality, submitting assignments on time, and participating in class discussions.
If approved: This course meets the Upper Division Global Citizenship
Requirement. General Education themes addressed in this course are as
follows:
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
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Students should be able to apply their understanding of ethical
systems and models to develop and demonstrate a conscious value
system as individuals, students, professionals and citizens. [V&C 7]
Students should understand a range of meanings for concepts
associated with individual and social ethics such as rights and
responsibilities, justice and impartiality, citizenship and social
responsibility. [V&C 8]
Students will be challenged to investigate the roles that race, ethnicity,
class, power, belief systems, and gender play in past and present
cultural systems. [WC 3]
Students who are successful in the course will understand the impact
of the process of globalization, cultural diffusion and colonization from
historical and cultural perspectives. [GS 7]
Grading:
Attendance & Class Participation: (5 points per class (28) = 130
points) Students are expected to attend each class prepared and actively
participate. I highly value student-instructor interaction and studentstudent interaction. I will be relying heavily on group exercises, interactive
activities, and the use of documentary/video as methods for teaching this
course. This is a course that can generate a great deal of feelings and
emotions. For that reason, it is imperative that contributions to class be
done in a mindful, respectful and professional academic manner. Refer to
the handout on good listening skills and the various types of intelligence.
Seven journal entries: (10 points per journal entry = 70 points)
Each journal entry submitted will be at least 2 pages in length. Students
will be responding to questions posed in class and from both texts.
Writing should be thoughtful and substantive. Journal entries are due at
the beginning of class period on the due date. Refer to the handout on
journaling. Late journals will not be accepted.
Seven in-class quizzes: (10 points per quiz = 70 points) Quizzes
will be pertinent to the material covered in class and in the assigned
reading from the text.
Cumulative Final Exam. (100 points) Note: material presented in
class presentations may be included in the final exam.
Points will be averaged and the following grade percentages will
be used to calculate final grades:
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Grade
A
B
C
D
F
Scale
360-400
320-359
280-319
240-279
<239
This course adheres strictly to HPU’s policy on academic honesty, and high
ethical standards are expected of students.
Course Content
Session 1: Welcome/Introduction/Syllabus/Course expectations
Session 2: Minorities: a Sociological Perspective (What are minorities?
Minority-majority issues worldwide)
Read for today’s class: Parrillo Ch. 1, “The Study of Minorities.”
Session 3: Minority groups: racial and ethnic perspectives in the US and
worldwide
Read for today’s class: Memmi—Introduction (Jean-Paul Sartre)
Session 4: Minorities: Intergroup relations in the US and worldwide
Quiz 1. Journal 1 due.
Video: Color of Fear (a group of diverse men confront the effect of racism
in their lives), or From Hawaii to the Holocaust: A Shared Moment in
History (how two very different peoples--Jews and Americans of Japanese
Ancestry--shared a common experience as victims of governmentsanctioned oppression, racism, and prejudice during World War II)
Session 5: Culture: The concept. Functions of culture. Diversity of cultures
worldwide. What we can learn from other cultures.
Read for today’s class: Parrillo Ch. 2, “The Role of Culture”
Session 6: Culture: Minority Integration—not just a US problem.
Video: Eyes on the Prize I and II (U.S. civil rights movement) or Amnesty
Interactive (produced by Amnesty International; growth of the concept of
human rights, prisoners of conscience)
Session 7: Culture: Is there a white culture? White privilege.
Session 8: Cultural change: conditions producing it, effects of globalization in the
US and worldwide
Quiz 2. Journal 2 due.
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Session 9: Ethnic stratification: Strutural conditions leading to ethnic stratification
in the US and worldwide
Read for today’s class: Parrillo Ch. 3, “Ethnic Stratification”
Video: Social class (systems of stratification worldwide) or Interracial
Marriage
Session 10: Ethnic stratification: Social class in the US and worldwide
Session 11: Ethnic stratification: Intergroup conflict in the US and worldwide
Session. 12: Ethnic stratification in the US and worldwide.
Quiz 3. Journal 3 due.
Session 13: Prejudice: Psychological and Sociological theories
Read for today’s class: Parrillo Ch. 4, “Prejudice”
Session 14: Prejudice: Stereotyping and the media
Video: Crash (stereotyping of various minority groups) or Killing us Softly
III (portrayal of women in the media) or Tough Guise (mass media
portrayal of male violence)
Session 15: Prejudice: How can it be reduced in the US and worldwide?
Video: Class Divided (classic on inducing and overcoming prejudice in a
3rd grade classroom)
Session 16: Prejudice: personal experiences
Quiz 4. Journal 4 due.
Session 17: Discrimination: terminology and levels
Read for today’s class: Parillo Ch. 5, “Discrimination”
Session 18: Discrimination—social and institutional aspects in the US and
worldwide
Session 19: Discrimination—racial profiling affirmative action
Session 20: Discrimination: sexual discrimination and harassment.
Quiz 5. Journal 5 due.
Video: Iron-Jawed Angels (women’s sufferage) or Shortchanging Girls,
Shortchanging America (problems girls face in schools); or That’s Why I’m
Working, or Tomorrow we will Finish (both about child labor
internationally)
Session 21: Dominant-Minority relations in the US and worldwide
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Read for today’s class: Parillo Ch. 6, “Dominant-Minority Relations” and
Memmi part 1, “Portrait of the colonizer”
Session 22: Dominant-Minority relations: Colonization
Read for today’s class: Memmi part 2, “Portrait of the Colonized”
Video: Africans: A Triple Heritage 4: Tools of Exploitation (the colonial
heritage in Africa)
Session 23: Dominant-Minority relations: The heritage of colonization in Hawaii
Quiz 6. Journal 6 due.
Read for today’s class: Memmi: “Conclusion” and “Afterword”
Session 24: Ethnic diversity in the U.S. and abroad: The changing face of
ethnicity and current ethnic issues
Read for today’s class: Parillo Ch. 7, “The Ever-Changing U.S. Mosaic”
Session 25: Ethnic diversity in the U.S.: the challenges of the immigrant
Video: We all came to America (American immigrant experience)
Session 26: Ethnic diversity in the U.S.: challenges in the workplace
Session 27: Last day of class. What can we conclude about cross-cultural
relations?
Quiz 7. Journal 7 due.
Session 28: FINAL EXAM
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