The starting point for this comparative study on the role of English within the media worlds of European youth is the recognition of the increasing importance of communication with peoples from other cultures and countries.
Within the European Union (EU), English has a special role in this regard. While EU policy promotes all languages spoken in member states, and although English is not the most frequently spoken first language, it is the language two Europeans are most likely to use to make themselves understood. This lingua franca phenomenon occurs not only in the fields of science and technology, but also in business and everyday, personal interactions. The media, which plays an important role in intercultural communication, serves as a cultural forum, and both creates culture and transmits representations of other cultures. Its offerings are often highly internationalized, especially in pop culture, films, TV series, and variety shows, which exercise great influence on cultural and linguistic issues in the multilingual, multicultural EU.
Broude (psychology, Vassar) has produced a work that is more anthropological than psychological in nature, placing its emphasis on societal and tribal customs rather than on individuals' motivations. Broude uses the concept of sociobiology to explain why so many cultures have similarities in ideals-if not in the way these ideals are carried out. For example, in almost all cultures people will help their own kin before helping strangers, which Broude explains as an instinctive attempt by a person to make sure their genes (some of which are shared by their kin) survive. Similarly, Broude repeatedly explains the differences in male-female sex roles from an evolutionary perspective. Whether or not one agrees that biology is destiny, Broude makes a convincing case in several articles that this is a possible motivation for behaviors that occur across cultures.
The unvarying essential meanings of around 1,000 symbols and symbolic themes commonly found in the art, literature and thought of all cultures through the ages are clarified.
Edited by: Maria - 1 December 2008
Reason: Uploaded picture to ET server, please do it yourself next time, thank you!
Kids will have a great time learning about each culture's distinctive foods and traditions while they cook up easy and yummy recipes, including a variety of cuisine such as Mexican, Irish, Chinese, Moroccan, Turkish, Ethiopian, Nigerian, and many more.
It is a great second part of the previously published "The US History Cookbook" by the same authors.
Shi-xu critiques universalism in discourse studies in terms of the cultural consequences of its current white, western standpoint and advocates a culturally pluralist approach, a theory and research methodology from an innovative position between Eastern and Western cultures. Practical research strategies are illustrated by examples drawn from culturally wide ranging discourses.
