In this assignment, you are to pinpoint and analyze the intercultural ideologies, hegemonies, and structures of power that surround you every day.

Assignment Description:
In this assignment, you are to pinpoint and analyze the intercultural ideologies, hegemonies, and structures of power that surround you every day. You will apply critical intercultural communication course concepts from Halualani’s Chapters 1, 2, 3, and/or 4. In addition, you will discuss how you think these forces of power are permeable and changeable. For your analysis, include the following sections (in this specific order). I have provided page counts for the final paper in parenthesis.
Part 1: Defining Power and a Critical Intercultural Communication Perspective: (2 pages)
As informed by Halualani’s Chapter 2, introduce your paper by defining the concept of power as it relates to our lives.
Next, as informed by Halualani’s Chapter 1, describe and explain what a critical intercultural communication perspective entails and enables us to understand.
As informed by Halualani’s Chapters 1 and 2 in our textbook, discuss which contexts and structures of power are more significant today in shaping intercultural interactions.
Be sure to paraphrase information from our text as quoting is not allowed in this part in particular. You need to demonstrate your full understanding and grasp of the critical intercultural concepts of power.
Be specific by providing examples and arguments in this section. Discuss your reasoning. Integrate course concepts.
In this section, refer to at least 2 course concepts from Halualani’s Chapters 1, 2, 3, and/or 4.
Part 2: Uncovering Forces of Power and Intercultural Ideologies in Your Life: (4 pages)
In this section, please do the following:
Pinpoint and discuss which “invisible” and visible forces of power affect your life, by answering the following questions:
As highlighted in Halualani’s Chapters 1 and 4, which contexts, structures, and forces of power affect your life and those around you?
What kind of effects occur? Are they visible or invisible? Cultural or structural? Economic or social?
As highlighted in Chapter 4 of the Halualani textbook, what structures of power (or ideological state apparatuses or repressive state apparatuses) deeply impact our society and your everyday life? Be specific here.
Also as highlighted in Chapter 4 of the Halualani textbook, what intercultural ideologies (or ideologies that surround culture) deeply impact our society and your everyday life? Again, be specific. Some examples of such ideologies are:
Meritocracy
Color-blindness
Capitalism
Nationalism
Gender ideology (what women or men should be and act like)
Heterosexual romance
Cultural superiority (the notion that one particular cultural way is the superior way)
How are these forces of power – contexts and structures of power, ideologies – created and reproduced in our society? Be specific.
How do you know these forces of power exist?
How do these forces of power shape our intercultural relationships and interactions?
Develop a critical and insightful analysis! Provide specific examples from your life. Present justified arguments. Refer to course material for support. Do not quote-stream; paraphrase and discuss these concepts as you see them. Similar to part one, quoting our text is not allowed in this part.
Part 3: Stable or Changeable Forces of Power? (1-2 pages)
End your essay by completing the following:
Presenting your opinion of whether or not (or to what degree) these forces of power and intercultural ideologies are stable and fixed and or changeable.
Then, answer the following questions:
Are we doomed to the forces of domination or power or do we have options to change the structural conditions that surround us?
Or is this the wrong question to consider? How so?
Can we ever step outside of power and ideologies? How?
How can change these forces of power (contexts and structures of power, ideologies)?
To what extent might the ACT Framework (as highlighted in Halualani’s Chapter 1) help here?
Be sure to justify your evaluation. Explain and present cogent arguments. Be specific. Refer to course concepts.
No outside research sources and citations are required (although you may bring these in if you wish). You are more than welcome to use any of our course readings to help support your arguments.
I strongly encourage you to paraphrase and refrain from using quotes from the course material throughout this assignment; quoting is not allowed in the first two parts in particular. You need to demonstrate your full understanding and grasp of the critical intercultural concepts of power.
References:
Be sure to adhere to requirements of the latest edition of APA as stated in the syllabus.
Grading Criteria:
Since grades are employed to assess your learning and they may matter to you, below is a list of what I am looking for in this assignment:
Analysis: Thorough and thought-provoking analysis of power in relation to intercultural communication. Deep analysis should (a) incorporate and discuss course concepts/readings and (b) continually answer the How (i.e., How concepts are related to one another?) and Why (i.e., What are the reasons for this ____?) aspects/questions in this assignment.
Going Beyond the Surface: Moving beyond just cutting and pasting concepts onto your analysis to thoroughly examining the assumptions within the analysis (exploring the hidden, deeper, and complex issues). I want to see you create unique arguments (ones not merely offered in class or the readings) that display how you have independently re-thought this material.
Undergraduate Level and Competency in Writing/Argumentation: Writing competency that demonstrates undergraduate level work (proper grammar, spelling, clear sentence constructions, paragraph structure). Fully supported arguments (claims, evidence, articulation of reasoning) and demonstrated ability to argue points and discuss research (without merely “quote-streaming” and regurgitating material that is already accessible).
Remember that your drafts should include at least 3-4 pages of text which lay a solid foundation for your final paper and an additional page for references. Your final papers must be 6-7 pages, typed, double-spaced, in 12-point font, with one-inch margins, and also include an additional page for references.
Both papers should conform to the latest edition of the American Psychological Association’s (APA) style (this applies to in-text citations, references, and general rules of writing as well). My only request that deviates from APA guidelines is that I do not expect a separate title page nor an abstract.
Your work will be evaluated based on organization, depth, mechanics (including “formal” writing requirements), application of relevant communication concepts, and adherence to the assignment. You are expected to organize and express your ideas well.

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