Z+BSA+CULTURAL+DIFFERENCES

=Welcome to Cultural differences =

 You can contact me by email at ** belen.san-antonio@cpe.fr **
**This module** gives you the opportunity to share your ideas on topics pertaining to cultural differences, in other words, how people around the world do things differently. We will look at cultural diversity, customs, festivals, etc. around the world, and how understanding these may help you adapt better to your host country when you travel or live abroad.

** To start ** you will have to become members of this wikispace as you will have to put your ideas for discussion on this page by the **Friday** of the week preceeding the class. (You can see some examples below. Please be more creative than most of last year's students!!!!)


 * It is very important that you __#|participate__ in any activity we do in class. You are the 'actors' in your learning here, so be active!! This will make up **33%**of your final grade. Your participation is particularly relevant for the small group discussions that will take place every week, based on the questions you posted the previous Friday. ** Penalties will be applied to students who fail to post at least one question on the wiki every Friday. **
 *  Everyone will give ** a short presentation ** (min.10 mins, max. 20 mins.) during the semester. This will be about a subject related to the module. There should also be some powerpoint slides to make your talk more interesting. Your presentation must also include a fun, **interactive element**, for example a game or quiz for the whole class to participate in, a debate, etc. This will make up **33%** of your final grade. Below are some examples for inspiration:


 * 1) ethical/responsable tourism
 * 2) festivals around the world
 * 3) cultural clashes
 * 4) cultural differences – __#|TV__
 * 5) cultural differences between countries
 * 6) cultural differences in business
 * 7) cultural differences in communication
 * 8) cultural differences in the workplace
 * 9) cultural differences in marketing
 * 10) cultural diversity
 * 11) cultural diversity in schools


 *  There will be a ** writing element ** to the module. You are to produce a short __#|dossier__ on 3 of the topics introduced during the semester. This should include: i) Information you gleaned from the talk and discussion in class, ii) information on the topic that you have researched, iii) a personal comment. These 3 elements will be the written evaluation mark of the module and will be worth **33%** of your final grade. This should be handed in to me on the last but one class.

Subject: || Subjet: Communication across cultures || Subject: __#|Seduction__ across cultures || Subject: || Subject: || Subject: The Iron Lady || Subject: || Subject: Mascots in sport, how are they choose ? why are they like that ? || Subject:celebrations around the world || DEADLINE FOR DOSSIERS || Presentation: Xiao and Thomas Subject: Different wedding ceremonies around the world || Subject: ||
 * Timetable for presentations:**
 * 1 ||  ||   ||
 * 2 ||  ||   ||
 * 3 ||  ||   ||
 * Presentation:
 * 4 || **25 FEB 2013** || ** VACANCES **** HIVER ** ||
 * 5 || **4 MARCH 2013** || ** VACANCES **** HIVER ** ||
 * 6 || **11 MARCH 2013** || Presentation: __#|Charlotte__ and Cecile
 * 7 || **18 MARCH 2013** || Presentation: Marine and Marion
 * 8 || **25 MARCH 2013** || Presentation:
 * 9 || **1 APRIL 2013** || ** FERIE ** ||
 * 10 || **8 APRIL 2013** || Presentation:
 * 11 || **15 APRIL 2013** || Presentation: Paul
 * 12 || **22 APRIL 2013** || Presentation:.
 * 13 || **29 APRIL 2013** || Presentation: Kevin and Cyril
 * 14 || **6 MAY 2013** || Presentation:.Maud and Marie
 * 15 || **13 MAY 2013**
 * 16 || **20 MAY 2013** || ** FERIE ** ||
 * 17 || **27 MAY 2013** || Presentation:.Maxime and Julien
 * Questions for discussion 27 may 2013**

1) A zoo worker who was attacked by a tiger has died of her injuries. Do you think that it would be preferable that wild animals stay in their natural environment? (Charlotte)

2) After the attack against the English soldier in London by two terrorists on last Thursday, are you more afraid of the terrorism than after the attack of September 11th, fifteen years before ? (Maud)

3) Analogue Media Technologies, a company created to help bands market their music, believe cassette tapes are bound to return. Do you think people will give up on CD and go back to cassette? What about vinyl records? (Maxime)

4) Do you think that slips of tongue are always Freudian slips? (Julien)

5) D o you think the demonstration against gay marriage yesterday is really the last one? (Marion)

6) W hat do you think of illegal immigration? How can we allevaite this phenomenon? (CHEN Xiao)

7) There is 78,000 candidates from the whole planet for Mars first colonization in 2023. What do you think about this? (Thomas)

8) E cigarette sales increase more and more each day. What do you think of this new sort of technology ? Do you think that real cigarettes are going to disappear ? (cecile) 9) The first gay marriage will be celebrated this week in France. Do you think that the couple have to hire a lot of policeman to protect them ? (Marine)

9) What do you think about the weather ? Is it due to the global warming ? (Paul)


 * Questions for discussion 13 May 2013**

1) In the science fiction series X-men the mutants who have different superpowers appear as the humans evolve. There are two sides of them, ones who want to keep in harmony with ordinary people and ones who want to destroy the human race to complete the history of evolution. If you are one of them, which side will you choose? (CHEN Xiao)

2) Do you think we tend to focus more on what makes us different from each other rather than what makes us similar? (Maxime)

3) The Cleveland tragedie was such a choc. All the neighbbours said that they saw anything, how was it possible ? Do you think we live in safety when you heard stories like that ? (Maud)

4) Do you think that the new coronavirus represents a danger ? (Marie)

5) Is the debate about slavery still justified 200 years after abolition? (Marion)

6) Why do we consider as unfair what displeases us ? (Julien)

7) Do you t hink that the thriller series TV influence the behavior of people?

8) Nowadays the lifetime of a man is nearly 85 years old, so do you think we have to work longer than before or not ? (Cyril)

9) Do you think that there is a lot of long weekend in May ? What do you think about news during these long weekend ? (marine)

10) The Cleveland kidnapping affair as chocked the whole world last week. Some neighbours said that they saw/heard nothing. Was this phenomenom amplified by the fact that nowadays in the US (and in Europe) we are living in a "individual society" in which we don't know our neighborhood ? Could this fact be possible in an other cultural context (Africa? Asia? South America ?) (Kevin)

11) Is it ethical to create by accident a pandemic virus and keep it?


 * Questions for discussion 6 May 2013**


 * 1) D** o you think the demonstrations against gay marriage are still justified given that the law has been passed ? (Marion)

2) Talking about staying connected to family, friends, and co-workers on the go, sure, there's Facebook and email, but both often take more time than a simple instant message. Now, Facebook is making several counterattacks like lancing the Facebook IM to consolidate his position but the tendency is always to be quicker in getting information. Do you think Facebook will fall into disuse someday? (CHEN Xiao)

3) Do you think that the cultural difference within a business team is important? (Charlotte)

4) What do you think about Wikipedia and its community self-control content ? (Paul)

5) Can the world art be understood whithout knowing the culture of his author ?(Julien)

6) Cécile Kyenge, a black woman integrated the new italian government. She is victim of racism, what do you think about that ? (Marie)

7) A woman went missing without a trace for 11 years and was declared dead. She came back a few days ago. Why do you think people would disappear for such a long time and eventually return? (Maxime)

8) Today in Germany there is a important lawsuit, it's about crimes commited by neo Nazis people during the last 10 years. Do you think that this movement is still important or it's just an isolated p henomenon ? (Cyril)

9) Does a person think about his/her identity through their own culture?

10) Rat and fox in chinese food instead of beef. When the meat food will come to its end ? (cecile)

11) In "Le Petit Journal" in Canal +, a report shows a woman in a FN demonstration with a sausage in her French flag. She said that is was in order to make a security perimeter. Do you think that supporters of FN are all racists ? (Marine)


 * Questions for discussion 15 April 2013**

Margaret Thatcher passed away last week. What do you know about the way she transformed the UK? Belén

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/apr/14/margaret-thatcher-20-changes-britain

=**Anti-Thatcher song 'Ding Dong the Witch is Dead' misses top spot in Radio 1 charts**=

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/antithatcher-song-ding-dong-the-witch-is-dead-misses-top-spot-in-radio-1-charts-8572547.html

=BBC chief refuses to ban Margaret Thatcher death song=

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/margaret-thatcher/9988527/BBC-chief-refuses-to-ban-Margaret-Thatcher-death-song.html

1) Do you think about the level of safety of the French prisons ? (Charlotte)

2) Is it appropriate to celebrate the death of personalities as Margaret Thatcher? (Marion)

3) What do you think about the media today ? Do you think that the journalists are still relevant in their job ? (Cyril Lesage)

4) Do you think the quality of a violin is in relation with the caracteristics of the wood from which it is crafted? For instance its number of branches, its age or the dryness of its heart. (Maxime)

5) In George Orwell's dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, Newspeak was the official language of Oceania and had been devised to meet the ideological needs of Ingsoc. The Party use it to regulate people's minds. For example, in the Newspeak "free" still exists but can only be used in the phrase like "this would free resources that are badly needed" meaning making something available, but we can't use it by its original meaning since there is no freedom in Oceania. How do you think about it? Can we control human's minds by changing the language?(CHEN Xiao)

6) Today every one wants to do TV show, do you think like Andy Warhol said " In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes?" Maud

7) Why do you think people become parents for the first time older since some years ? (Marie)

8) Why do people are always attracted by what is forbiden ? (Julien)

9) What do you think about the fact that the politicians should declared in public all what they own ? Is it normal ? Is'nt it against the protection of the private life ? (Kevin H)

10) Today, all the ministers have to declare what they own. Do you think that policitians have to be poor to be popular ? (Marine)


 * Questions for discussion 8 April 2013**

1) What do you think about paparazzi's method to take hollywood stars in photography? (Charlotte)

2) Japanese scientists are studying a way to "read" dreams thanks to brain scans of asleep people. Do you think it will ever be possible to do so? (Maxime)

3) With what it happened in North Korea and the United States'decision to withdraw an experimental firing not to provoke Koreans, do you think that the Cold War still exist ? (Marine)

4) In relation with the Cahuzac case, can French always trust their politicians? (Marion)

5) There is less and less koalas in Australie because of the urbanisation. Do you think that we can still save the ecosysteme ? (Maud)

6) Do you think that we are able to create something (in art, science,...) whithout being influenced by what already exists? (Julien)

7) The French series «Les revenants» is very popular in china now. Some people find the French philosophy is very interesting. Do you watch the TV series of other countries from time to time ? For what reason? Do you have a favorite one and can you tell us why do you like it? (CHEN Xiao)

8) What do you think about the conflict between the US and North Korea ? Are you affraid about the rumor of the 3rd world war ? (cecile)

9) Jamaica has one of the highest crime rate, 600 persons are assassinate each year because of the gangs war. And there are more than 30 different gangs in the suburbs of the capital Kingston. Is there a link between the number of gangs in a country and the poverty ? Is the gang a mean to overcome the difficulties of poverty (parallel economy, etc...) ? (Kevin H - Slot A)

10) Every year the equivalent of France's area is destroyed in the Amazonian forest. How can we change our consumption in order to reduce that ? (Marie)

11) A recent survey shows that 9% of the french population don't buy precooked meal anymore when there is beef on it. What do you think of it ? Did you change your habits ? (cecile)

12) Do you think that celebrations like Saint Patrick's day or Halloween have to be celebrated even in other countries ?


 * Questions for discussion 25 March 2013**

1) A car which folds itself is currently being developped. Do you think it can solve parking problems? (Maxime)

2)During the first day of shooting of the broadcast Koh-Lanta, a 25-year-old young person dies from a heart attack during the first event. Do you think that the broadcasts of adventures as Koh-lanta, express Beijing are dangerous broadcasts for the candidates? (Charlotte M)

3) What do you think about the real-TV "stars" ? Do you think you can become someone by doing nothing ? (Maud)

4) There is an application on the twitter called "The liveson Project" which can learn your preferences, tastes, grammer habits and help you to publish twitters after you die. There is also a British television drama series called "black mirror" which describes "a twisted parable for the Twitter age". Every story in that series reminds us our contemporary unease about the modern world. The black mirror- the shiny screens of TVs, monitors and smartphones tracks us everywhere. What do you think of the phenomenon that we use too much facebook and twitter and google + to share our lives? (CHEN Xiao)

5) Nowadays, can we still consider Christmas as a religious celebration ? (Marion)

6) Do you think the climate has an impact on people's personality? (Marie)

7) Some cultures lead to unsafe ways of life, in what extent culture can be dangereous for oneself ? (Julien)

8) Do you think it's possible to create a real European Union without destroying every culture of the countries ?

9) A new study shows that 86% of the French are in favor of strengthening the law on the wearing of signs of religious affiliation in places where we take care of children or in private companies. What do you thing about this subject ? (cecile)

10) What do you think about Wikipedia and its public contribution fonctionment. (Paul)

11) Who own the knowledge? Is it normal editors make benefits on scientific discoveries? (Thomas)

12) Nicolas Sarkozy will be judge for something he did during his mandate. The judgement can't take place before, because he was the french president. Do you think that such a priviledge is normal ? (Kevin)

13) In your opinion,which kind of people give the most ? The ones who are in need or the ones who already have everything ? Do you give some money or some time for others ? (Marine)


 * Questions for discussion 18 March 2013**

1)Do you think that feast days of certain countries as the Saint Patrick's Day native of the North of Ireland can propagate abroad? (Charlotte M)

2) last week end, a greek football player celebrate his goal by a nazi salute to the the supporters. For his defense he said that he didn't know the meaning of this special sign and that it was a way like an other to celebrate. Do you believe him ? Can a 20years old boy do not know this sign ? (cecile, a)

3) Two years ago the revolution in Syria began and today Assad continues to kill his people. Last week France and the Great Britain said they think about giving weapons to the rebels. During the revolution in Lybia we decided to give weapons to the rebels and now theses weapons are used by the terrorists in Mali against the french army. So do you think to give weapons is the best solutions to end the crisis in Syria ? (Cyril)

4) What do you think about the personality of the new Pope ? (Maud)

5) Do you think that the different educations have an impact on the integration in a foreign country ? (Marion D)

6) UNO could continue the action of France in Mali in July. Do you think it is a good decision ?(Marie)

7) Do you think that the fact that sometimes our culture restricts our acts is a good thing? (Julien)

8) What do you think of the idolaters, i mean why they are so crazy about their idol sometimes even more than the music itself? (CHEN Xiao)

9) A British tourist following Buddhist philosophy got Buddha's head tattooed on his arm. When visiting Sri Lanka, local autorities considered it as offensive and he was forced to go back to London. Don't you think they overacted ? (Maxime)

10) Curiosity robot on Mars proved life was possible a long time ago on the Red planet. What impact on human cultures do you think the discover of extraterrestrial lifeform could have? (Thomas G.)

11) Does utilisation of social networks depend on our culture ? (Marine A)

12) The problem of horse meat in prepared meals, showed to the society that the horse meat was a meat like the others (beef, sheep, chicken...). Do you think that riding a horse is like playing with food ? (Kevin H)


 * Questions for discussion 11 March 2013**

1) Do you think that the sport has an importance within the culture of a country? (Charlotte M)

2) The number of unemployed people in France surpassed three million for the first time since 1999, do you feel worried for your future and would you be ready to leave the country to be sure to find a job ? (cécile, a)

3) Do you have a stereotype when you meet the people from other culture, and how it affects your communication? (CHEN Xiao)

4) Like Ho Chi Minh and Lenin, Hugo Chavez will be embalmed and put on display in a glass casket. Do you think such funeral rites are related to one's culture? (Maxime)

5) A recent survey showed that Austria is the most hospitable country, followed by Spain and Belgium. Do you think some countries are more hospitable than others? (Marion D)

6) Do you think the recent food sandals (ikea pies, horse meat crisis) are a consequence of the overconsumption society ? (Maud G)

7) Do you think that music reflects the culture of a country ? (Cyril Lesage)

8) Two years after Fukushima, Japanese Prime Minister want to restart reactors soon as possible. Many Japonese demonstrated this Sunday against nuclear energy. What is your opinion about that and do you think in others countries the problem would have been handled differently ? (Marie)

9) Horse meat, feces in Ikea's pies, p ork with detergent, eggs with paraffin, sodium nitrite duck, rice with heavy metal...It seems the greed of some companies are beyond cultural differences, but what about the solutions? (Thomas G)

10) The movie "Idiocracy" is a story about a man of an average intelligence who awakes 500 years later after a failed hibernation programme. Then he discovers a society of incredibly dumb people complety assisted by technologies. They can't think normally because the average IQ is about 60. Is it a plausible scenario for us? (Julien)

11) What do you think about the international women's day ? (Paul)

12) Last week, it was the first anniversary of Mohammed Merahs crimes. In order to "celebrate" that, the French tv-channel France 3 programmed a report in which a very realistic reconstitution of the crimes scenes has been filmed. This report has really shocked the french televiewers and a lot of journalists had very strong reactions. Are this reactions a matter of culture ? Would it be the same in the US ? South Afrika ? China ? etc... (Kevin- Slot A)

13) Do you think that pope's nationality has an influence on his policy ? (Marine)


 * Questions for discussion 18 February 2013**

1) Do you think that the Pope has an importance and an impact different according to the culture of the country? (Charlotte M)

2) Is the knowledge of a language the only way to integrate a new country ? (Marion D)

3) What do you think of celebrating the festivals of other cultures? Is it a good way to know more about another culture? (CHEN Xiao)

4) What do you think of the impact of the football in our cultures ? And do you think there is a link between the politic and the football area? (Maud G)

5) In your opinion, what would be the impact of the horse meat crisis in others countries ? (Marie)

6) Indian government has decided to lower the number of sexual assaults on women by selling a special watch. Tanks to it, potential victims would be able to both alert the closest police station and be located by a GPS system. Do you think it is really going to be useful? (Maxime)

7) This week, Oscar Pistorius, the "Blade Runner", assassinated his girlfriend by with 4 shoots of gun. For his defense, he said that he thought she was a burglar. In South-Africa, the insecurity is a big problem. After days, the police concluded that it was not the truth, Could the insecurity in a country be the only reason for legalizing weapons ? (Kevin- Slot A)

8) Last month, Francois Hollande decided to go to Mali to fight against the islamists. Do you think this war is a way to hide the difficulties of his governments to solve the economics problems ? (Cyril Lesage)

9) If someone doesn't learn any language, can he think ? How would it be? (Julien)

10) To what extent should we be concerned about exploitation and commodification of the surrogate mother's bodies, especially in cases where there are large wealth and power differentials between intended parents and surrogates ? Do the surrogacy pregnancy have to be legalized in France, as it exists already in the UK or in Greece ? (Marine)

11) French people are rude, Americans are selfish, English ones are prude... We are all the time doind stereotypes but during your travels did you think that these stereotypes are true ? (cecile)

12) Do you think it is possible to create a Human culture without erasing every country's own culture? (Thomas G.)

13) Do you think religions are boundaris between culture and people ? (Paul M.)


 * Questions for discussion 11 February 2013**

1) Since the year 2000, the legalization of the same-sex marriage was adopted in 6 European countries, do you think that the decision-making for or against this legalization is influenced by the culture and the population’s mentality of the country? (Charlotte Montécot)

2) what is the impact of the cultural differences in the decisions of the intervention in a war by a country ? (Maud G)

3) Do you think the culture differences will influence the job market? For example, in some countries some jobs are hotter than others or to some people the job-hopping is more likely to happen? (CHEN Xiao)

4) Would the third world countrries have the same culture if they were world powers? I mean is the occidental culture the culture of world-power? (Julien R)

5) Do you think that the French military intervention in Mali is largely justified by economic interests ? (Marion D.)

6) Should "shooting rooms" have to be create in France, as it already exists in Switzerland, Germany or Canada? (Marine Abtan)

7) The world's top 100 universities of 2012 has been revealed and it appears that the first french school is the 34th in this list, how could you explain this ? Do you think that we are not good enough in comparison with others students in the world ? (cécile, a)

8) Do you think people enjoy unexpected gifts the same way in western countries and in eastern countries ? (Maxime M)

9) Can we judge a country or a culture by looking how the most vulnerable are treated ? (Cyril Lesage)

10) The 30 april 2013, Queen Beatrix, the queen of Netherlands, will retire. Her son will be the first King of Netherlands since 1890. Will this "sexual" change bring something new to Netherlands (politic ?, social ?, new points of view of differents subjects (war,economy...) ?...) ? (Kévin, Slot A)

11) The 9th february 2013, the national malian football team had finished at the third place of the african football cup. Is it a real benefit for the Mali ? Does this performance improve the climate of peace in Mali (at short/long term ?) ? (Kévin, Slot A)

12) There is much more TV ads in the United States than in France. How do you explain that ? (Méric A)

13) What should be the consequences if the United Kingdom leaves the European Union ? (Marie, A)


 * Questions for discussion 5 February 2013**

20) Two years after the beginning of the **A**rabic springs, most of these countries are still in trouble. Do you think that they have done **these** revolutions for nothing? romain c

21) After the murders in Connecticut, do you think Americans are able to change their mentality? To accept to have fewer guns?(Clément - Slot B)

22) Do you think that the "Lord of the Rings" saga have a good impact on the culture of New Zeland? (Jonathan B)

24) Do you think that the situation in Syria threatens world peace? ( François-Régis B)

25) A French teacher (medium school) asked his students to do some writing about suicide. What do you think about that ? (Justine - c)