Day 1

M-Tu Jan. 7-8

Homework

➤ Speaker tasks

(2-3 minutes each)

Speaker 1: Do some research online, and tell us a little bit about Lin Yutang and My Country and My People. Who was Lin Yutang? Why did he write My Country and My People? Why is the book famous, both in China and the West?
Speaker 2: Summarize the main “take-home points” from Handout 1 (“Definition”). What are the three reasons why writers define words, according to this handout? And what are the three ways writers define words described in this handout?
Speaker 3: Answer Questions 1-5 on Handout 2 (“What is ‘culture’?”).

Library

In this personal essay from The New Yorker, novelist Yiyun Li writes about adjusting to cultural differences when she first comes to the United States.

Hofstede, Hofstede, and Minkov, "Cultures and Organizations"

A sweeping study of cultural differences between the world’s societies that attempts to explain these differences in terms of different “cultural dimensions.”

Rebekah Nathan, "My Freshman Year"

Pretending to be a student, anthropologist Rebekah Nathan goes “undercover” to research the culture of American undergraduates.

Chinese Stuff

An illustrated catalog of everyday Chinese objects, with brief essays on their cultural significance.

Harry Collis, "101 American Customs"

A lighthearted introduction to American customs and habits, written for learners of English and newcomers to the United States.

Christian Lander, "Stuff White People Like"

This satirical collection pokes fun at the typical tastes and habits of younger white, middle-class, educated Americans.

Han Shaogong, A Dictionary of Maqiao

A novel in the form of a dictionary, this book paints a portrait of the village of Maqiao through short “entries” documenting local phrases and customs.

Yu Hua, "China in Ten Words"

Novelist Yu Hua (author of “To Live”) attempts to capture the cultural complexities of modern Chinese society in ten essays on important cultural “keywords.”

Boye Lafayette De Mente, "The Chinese Have a Word for It"

Sinologist Boye Lafayette De Mente attempts to capture the features of the Chinese psyche in short essays on culturally specific and difficult-to-translate words.

Kathy Flower, "Culture Smart: China"

A pocket guide to Chinese culture and customs, intended for foreigners visiting or residing in China.

Hu, Zhuang, and Grove, "Encountering the Chinese"

An in-depth analysis of Chinese habits, customs, values, and communication styles, written by scholars of intercultural communication.

Gary Althen and Janet Bennet, "American Ways"

A guide to American culture and habits of daily life, written for visitors to the United States.

Lin Yutang, My Country and My People

Written in 1935, My Country and My People is Lin Yutang's magisterial introduction to Chinese society and culture, and remains a classic today. Lin subsequently translated the book into Chinese as 《吾国与吾民》.

➤ READINGS

Read Handout 1 (“Definition”) and Handout 2 (“What does ‘culture’ mean?”). Be ready to share your responses to Questions 1-5 on Handout 2.

Skim the table of contents and excerpts I’ve posted from the various examples of “writing about culture.” Think about these questions, and be ready to discuss:

What are some of the similarities and differences you notice about the ways in which these authors write about culture?
Which of these books do you find most interesting, and why?
If you were to write a book about culture, which of these books would you look to as a model?

➤ Writing Exercise #1: Three True Sentences

(Due next class. This an ungraded assignment, which means that as long as you do it, take it seriously, and follow my formatting guidelines, you’ll get full credit. See Course Handbook -> Grading for details.)

As you read the readings, jot down 3 new words or phrases you think you might like to use in the coming week, either when speaking or writing. Using each word or phrase, write me one interesting sentence. Tell me something true. Tell me something you find intriguing, or troubling, or confusing; something you particularly like or dislike; something you firmly believe, or something you are wondering about, a question you care about that you’re trying to find an answer to. Or: ask me a question about anything. Your choice.

Underline or bold the new word or phrase so I know which is the one you’re trying out. I will give you feedback on how you’re using it.

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Formatting Guidelines for Written Work

Everything you need to know about how to format your written assignments.

Follow the Formatting Guidelines for Written Work. In addition, do not exceed one page (one side of one printed page).

➤ Preview the Course handbook

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Course Handbook

EAP102 ~ Writing about Culture ~ Duke Kunshan University

Everything you need to know about how class will work.

Look over the Course Handbook. This is the document that explains all my class policies, and how this class will work. You do not need to read everything in detail, but make sure you know what kinds of things are in the document.

day-1Austin WoernerJanuary 5, 2019

EAP102 Spring 2019