Week #3 Question #3

*Pick one concept from the assigned reading that you found useful or interesting and discuss it*

I found the final section on the cultural studies perspective to be very interesting. While many of the practices, I believe, are similar to those in the social constructionist perspective (viewing how cultures form norms), the cultural studies perspective demands the deeper question be asked. It is not only concerned about how these norms are formed and passed on, but how the norms themselves are transmitted, acted upon or forced on those within or outside of the culture. I believe as time goes on and the world becomes more and more interconnected with the global economy and global mass media it will become more and more important to use the cultural studies perspective in order to successfully communicate.
I also found the cultural studies perspective to be very useful as it promotes an awareness of one's own ethnocentrism (belief and practice that one's own culture has the correct ideology and all others have it wrong) and pushes the speaker and listeners to get past that same ethnocentric boundary. Being able to speak with others with an awareness of their cultural backgrounds, beliefs, and practices is absolutely imperative in order to secure success during international/intercontinental speech.