My Big Fat Greek Wedding: Comparison between American and Greek Cultures
COMSTU100: Assignment 1
Location: Blackboard—Course Materials—Assignments
Watch My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and respond to the following questions. http://ffilms.org/my-big-fat-greek-wedding-2002/ 1) Based on your understanding of cultural variations, please compare the U.S. American culture and the Greek culture in the following dimensions
(Word limit: Short Answer):
Individualism/collectivism
Power distance
Please use examples from the movie to support your arguments.
2) Previous studies have found that there are 4 major acculturation strategies that immigrants use in cultural adaptation. They are:
Assimilation: abandon one’s own cultural habits and values in order to accept the new host culture totally.
Separation: maintaining own cultural values and avoid contact with the majority culture as much as possible.
Integration: espouse cultural values and practices from both one’s own culture and the new cultural environment (bicultural identity).
Marginalization: don’t hold on to your original culture, nor integrate in the new culture
Of course, any one individual may use a variety of strategies in adaptation. For example, a Chinese immigrant may choose to only speak English to his/her children, so the children grow up not knowing how to speak Chinese. This represents the assimilation strategies. However, in social life, he or she tends to socialize only with Chinese individuals and may insist that the children marry only a Chinese individual, representing separation strategies.
What do you think are the major acculturation strategies that Toula’s father uses? For example, how is that reflected in his child-rearing practices and attitudes toward Ian at first? (Word limit: Short Answer)
Location: Blackboard—Course Materials—Assignments
Watch My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and respond to the following questions. http://ffilms.org/my-big-fat-greek-wedding-2002/ 1) Based on your understanding of cultural variations, please compare the U.S. American culture and the Greek culture in the following dimensions
(Word limit: Short Answer):
Individualism/collectivism
Power distance
Please use examples from the movie to support your arguments.
2) Previous studies have found that there are 4 major acculturation strategies that immigrants use in cultural adaptation. They are:
Assimilation: abandon one’s own cultural habits and values in order to accept the new host culture totally.
Separation: maintaining own cultural values and avoid contact with the majority culture as much as possible.
Integration: espouse cultural values and practices from both one’s own culture and the new cultural environment (bicultural identity).
Marginalization: don’t hold on to your original culture, nor integrate in the new culture
Of course, any one individual may use a variety of strategies in adaptation. For example, a Chinese immigrant may choose to only speak English to his/her children, so the children grow up not knowing how to speak Chinese. This represents the assimilation strategies. However, in social life, he or she tends to socialize only with Chinese individuals and may insist that the children marry only a Chinese individual, representing separation strategies.
What do you think are the major acculturation strategies that Toula’s father uses? For example, how is that reflected in his child-rearing practices and attitudes toward Ian at first? (Word limit: Short Answer)