Missiologists,
in aiming to understand worldview and culture change, have adopted the methods
of many disciplines and employed them to analyze and interpret people with whom
they work and study. A
missing connection exists between culture theory, methodology and cognition in
examining the core beliefs and values of a society. This course attempts to
bridge cognition and culture at the level of schema and cultural models that
combine meaning systems of a people with computer-based methodologies in order
to enhance the analysis and interpretation of worldview themes that largely
operate outside of explicit awareness,. yet These themes are motivational for interaction
and communication, both within and across cultures, thereby assisting .missiologists, as they aim to
understand worldview and culture change. This course is relevant for moving the student from the management of qualitative
data to quantitative applications.
• To
understand the core linkages between culture, language and methodology
expressed in Spradley’s Ethnographic Perspective.
• To understand and apply
psychologically plausible constructs to culturally embedded domains of
interaction, discourse and behavior.
• To analyze data via advanced
computer modeling software.
• To make connections between a
cognitive perspective on culture through analyzed beliefs, values and themes,
and apply these findings to missiological objectives.
• To make connections between a
cognitive perspective on culture and expressive forms in culture used to
mediate interaction.
COURSE FORMAT: This course will meet once a week on in Thursday an evenings seminar format. The classroom
experience will be a combination of lecture, discussion, computer program
demonstrations and presentations by students.
in a seminar
environment.REQUIRED
READING: If you have previously read
any of the required texts, please select an alternative text from the
recommended reading list or a book approved by the instructor.
Spradley,
J.P., Participant Observation (1980) OR The Ethnographic Interview (1979)
Harcourt Brace.
D’Andrade, R., The Development of Cognitive Anthropology (1995). Cambridge.
Moore, C.C. and H.F. Mathews, The Psychology of Cultural Experience (2001).
Cambridge.
Use of Anthropac 4.91x or higher (Current Version 4.98). Available from www.analytictech.com
Any one book from the Culture and Cognition Bibliography (To be handed out)
•
An annotated bibliography of assigned readings. Students
will write a term paper or carry out a methodological project applying the
theory and using computer modeling software as presented in class. Students
will give case based
examples from their research to describe the connection of theory and
methods as represented by a
computer generated analysis of data. The analysis can then be applied to the
missiological task in as explicit a manner as is possible giving case based examples from
their research. Each student will make a presentation in class
based on the research/computer
program assisted analysis conducted over the quarter.
• Th.M.
students: Add a two page paper indicating how this course content fits into the
conceptualization, research and writing of the student’s Research/Writing
Project.
• Doctoral
Students: This course may be used as a methods course for analyzing cultural
data. Doctoral students will be expected to critique the theoretical structures
and evaluate them for missiological application and/or relevance to their
dissertation topic. An addendum to the methods section of their Research Design
Paper will be added to the written assignments for this course. They will make
a presentation relating to their chosen research focus, showing the rationale,
theoretical objectives and missiological implications to their particular
research.