1. Your performance in the seminar
In this Seminar I got a 6 and 7, which is okay for me.
2. The leaders’ way of managing the seminar
The seminar was managed very well by the leaders, Eric and Rhett. They prepared a clear sequence of questions and shared their own perspectives to guide the discussion. They also did an excellent job of moderating the session.
3. The content discussed
1. Shocking or hard-to-understand cultures: Many participants discussed practices from other cultures they found surprising, such as the headscarf in Islamic culture. We debated whether it is better to respect even problematic cultural practices or to try to change them, concluding that people’s ability to influence culture often depends on their social status and rights, so most individuals cannot easily influence established traditions.
2. Immigrant integration: We agreed that integration should be a two-way process of respect and balance, not one-sided assimilation. Immigrants should not be expected to give up their own cultural identities entirely; they should keep their traditions, language, festivals, food, and family values, while also adapting to local life. We believed in building a diverse society where different cultures can coexist.
3. Who defines rules: We explored the difference between formal rules created by governments (such as laws) and informal rules created by people (such as customs, traditions). We noted that these two types of rules often influence each other in shaping a community.