CULTURAL IMMERSION PROJECT: INTERVIEW PAPER (PART 3) ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS

Individual Encounter and Synthesis
You will conduct an in-depth, 1-hour interview with an individual or married couple from your selected cultural group in order to develop an understanding of the cultural factors that helped shape that individuals or couples cultural identity.

A variety of issues may be explored in the interview. The knowledge you gained from the Research and Events parts of the Cultural Immersion Project as well as your sense of the person/couple you interview will guide you in how personal you can get with your questions. Cultural groups and individuals vary on how private they are. Use their feedback regarding what areas you can probe. If the person is very open, go deeper. If not, respect that cultural boundary and ask yourself why that boundary is there. Issues that you may wish to explore during the interview include, but are not limited to, the following:
    Early childhood experiences and parental values;
    Earliest memories of recognizing membership in a culturally different group;
    The role of religion/spirituality;
    Immigration experiences;
    Similarities/differences between couples interactions in the U.S. to couples interactions in the individuals culture;
    School experiences as a member of a cultural minority;
    Experiences with subtle racism or discrimination;
    Experiences with overt racism or discrimination;
    Ways the person/couple chose his/her/their career(s) or made career choices;
    The experience of being culturally different;
    Attitudes regarding the majority culture;
    Extent of desire to assimilate majority cultural attitudes, values, and lifestyles;
    Feelings of oppression;
    Feelings of anger toward majority culture;
    From the persons/couples own cultural background, any potential racist attitudes toward or stereotyping of individuals from other particular cultures; and/or
    Strengths identified from the persons/couples cultural background that help him/her/them cope with living in the U.S.

Once your interview is complete, you will answer the questions listed below. First person may be used in your answers, and you must observe correct and current APA style. The paper must have a correct title page, and you must use a reference page (no abstract is needed). A word estimate is beside each question; however, the quality of your answer is more important than the word count. You may expand further, but you do not have to do so. In addition, your paper must be supported by at least 2 scholarly sources, and at least 2 internet and/or media sources, used in project part 1. It is recommended that you use the following questions as level 1 headings to organize your paper (you can shorten the question into a level 1 heading/title). A template is provided for this assignment to help with APA formatting and organization.

1.    Share some of the background of your interviewee (or couple). What is this persons/couples story? (approximately 300 words)

2.    How open was this person/couple? Why do you think this was? (approximately 100 words)

3.    What were some key cultural events (interactions with the majority culture, experiences of racism, positive experiences with the majority culture, etc.) for this person/couple? (approximately 250 words)

4.    What was your sense of this persons/couples acculturation level and racial/cultural identity development? Why do you think this is the case? (approximately 200 words)

5.    How did you respond emotionally toward this person/couple during the interview? Given aspects of your personal experience, why do you think you reacted this way? (approximately 250 words)

6.    Based on the interview experience, what knowledge about this cultural group was added that you did not get from the previous parts of this assignment? (approximately 200 words)

7.    Summarize briefly culturally sensitive theories and techniques discussed in Part II and discuss ethical and legal aspects that counselors need to consider when providing counseling services for this specific group, including issues of conflict, bias, prejudice, oppression and discrimination (approximately 200 words).

8.    Summarize briefly your findings in Part I on group characteristics and reflect on the significance of multicultural sensitivity for your work as a professional counselor (school, clinical mental health, or marriage and family, whichever applies to you; approximately 150 words).

9.    Remind yourself of the biblical worldview lens material considered in this course (see the presentation titled Interpreting Culture in the Module/Week 1 Reading & Study folder). What are some strengths or elements of common grace that you see operating in this cultural group? How can individuals pray for people in this cultural group? (approximately 200 words)

10.    Which part of this immersion experience (Part 1, 2, or 3) was most helpful to you in learning about this cultural group? Why do you think this was? (approximately 100 words)

Note: Your assignment will be checked for originality via the SafeAssign plagiarism tool.