Sophomore Culture unit
For a global overview of issues in different cultures, go to:
District 214 Library Resources
World History, modern under Social Studies
Advanced search on left-hand column
Check these: Emergence of modern Europe
World beyond Europe
Time of revolutions
Spheres of influence
Global world hit Search
Select Essays
Useful sections:
Once you know what cultures you will focus on you can begin to do specific searches.
Some questions to consider:
Gender
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What is the history of women’s movements around the world?
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What are the different roles of women and men in the family/clan?
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What are differences around the world between women and men in the work place, including salary?
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Are there maturation rites for men or women in different parts of the globe?
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What kind of physical mutilation or gender killings go on?
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Are there cultural differences in how men and women are expected to act in public?
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What are political differences between men and women, such as voting rights, holding office, etc.?
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What differences are there in dating and marriage customs for men and women?
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Do men and women have different expectations for roles in the home and childcare?
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What progression of traditional roles, if any, can be found in cultures?
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How do children of different cultures learn gender roles?
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Is one gender more violent than the other if various cultures?
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What gender stereotypes exist in different cultures?
Economy
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What differences are there in the international trade practices of various countries or areas?
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What impact do the products, agricultural commodities, and natural resources have on different areas?
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How does the coming of a global economy affect different cultures?
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What impact does the monetary system have on different countries?
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What impact has technology had on various areas?
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How do differences in infrastructure impact economies? (roads, communication, etc.)
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How do wars affect economies?
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How do media and advertising impact economies?
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How does economy affect the kinds of careers people have in different countries?
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How is the economy different for various social classes, and is there social mobility?
Education
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What causes differences in school calendars in societies?
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What are extra-curricular activities like in different countries?
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What are differences in quality of education in countries?
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What are differences in the importance of education to families and/or society in different cultures?
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What is the impact of tracking and required passage of tests to get higher education?
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What are differences in stress levels of students around the world?
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How are teachers perceived differently in different countries?
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What are differences in attendance expectations and workloads in different cultures?
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What impact does education have on getting jobs in different cultures?
Environment
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How do differences in infrastructure (electricity, plumbing, etc.) affect home environments around the world?
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What are endangered animals/plants/biomes in areas of the world?
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What are major health issues in world cultures?
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What is the impact of natural disasters on regions?
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How does the environment affect health in different regions?
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What does culture reveal about environment?
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How does culture affect environment?
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What impact will groundwater depletion have on world cultures?
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What are expected implications of global warming on different cultures?
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What is the environment like for the elderly inn different areas of the world?
Government and Politics
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What are implications for nations that want to be isolationist?
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What causes governments to offer support or opposition to other governments?
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What are some of the major challenges for politicians around the globe?
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What causes people under one type of government to fear another type of government?
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What makes leaders rise to power and/or be effective?
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What governments have been involved in human rights violations, and why?
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How does governmental structure/political beliefs affect society at large in various cultures?
War and Revolutions
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What are various causes of war, and for what reasons are groups in cultures involved?
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Are there trends to be found in the revolutions/civil wars of different countries?
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What can be learned about wars based on religious reasons?
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What has been the history of wars for the purpose of gaining land (imperialism?)
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How and why has terrorism played a part in war and politics?
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How well does it work for countries to have a neutrality policy?
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How have racial issues influenced war and revolution?
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How does culture influence war?
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When analyzing wars in particular cultures, how has history repeated itself?
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How are wars and economics issues related?