my cultural artifact essay

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WRA 101: Writing as Inquiry

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Develop your Topic

Search for information.

• Disciplinary Literacies Assignment
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"Cultural Iceberg" Diagram

• The Cultural Iceberg This graphic may help you think about the ways your artifact connects with wider culture.
• The Cultural Iceberg (text-only version)

Do a Little Background Reading

Sometimes, it's hard to know what to write about without doing some background reading about your artifact. This will help you think about what is interesting about the artifact, and help you focus your topic. You probably won't cite your background reading directly in your paper (unless asked to by your instructor), but it's a good way to help you think about your artifact in new ways.

• Wikipedia Yes - we know you know this one already. Wikipedia can be particularly useful if you are looking at an artifact from popular culture and for topics that aren't covered in traditional encyclopedias.

Once you have a preliminary topic, you can start searching for information. Remember, this process is recursive. That means that your topic or focus will probably change as you see what kind of information is out there. For that reason, make sure you don't write your entire paper before finding sources - the sources you find will inform what you write about and are an important part of your writing process.

Start Here: Article Search

Try these next, cultural or national communities, academic communities.

If you want to find the perspective of a particular academic, disciplinary or professional community, try looking through some of the library's resources for that specific group.

MSU Communities

• Search  for websites of individual MSU-affilliated groups, departments, units, or organizations.
• Other information about MSU, including historical information and statistics.

Searching with a Purpose (video)

Video tutorial to help with your research focus and getting started with searching.

Direct link to "Searching with a Purpose" in MSU MediaSpace

Video credit: Megan Kudzia

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15 Examples of Cultural Artifacts (A to Z List +Pictures)

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

Learn about our Editorial Process

Cultural artifacts are man-made objects that are of importance to a cultural group. They are uniquely identified with that cultural group, usually because they are a product of their culture.

In archaeology, artifacts are objects crafted by humans and found in excavations. A cultural artifact is of particular importance because it can reveal information about the practices of the culture under analysis.

In general discourse, a cultural artifact can be any object – past or present – with which a group is identified.

Examples of cultural artifacts from the past include arrowheads and weapons dug up during archaeological digs. Examples from the present might include objects with which our culture may be identified in the future such as smartphones and motorcycles.

Examples of Cultural Artifacts

1. arrow heads – north america.

In many areas of North America, archaeological surveys need to be conducted before construction of new sites on virgin land. This is to ensure Native American cultural artifacts are not destroyed.

During these surveys, the most common artifacts that are extracted are arrowheads. Archaeologists can date the activities on the land by examining the construction of the arrowheads. Generally, over time, arrowheads in North America became smaller, due to technological advancements in arrow production.

Through this analysis, the movements and cultural activities of various tribes can be mapped out to gain a more thorough understanding of the history of the continent.

See more about weapons as artifacts in our article on examples of artifacts in archeology .

2. Boomerangs – Aboriginal Australian

Boomerangs are an artifact instantly identifiable with Aboriginal Australian culture. A similar artifact is the boomerang, which is also exclusive to Aborignal identity.

Images of boomerangs are depicted in Aboriginal rock art that is believed to be 50,000 years old. The oldest Aboriginal boomerang uncovered is about 10,000 years old, when Aboriginal peoples lived in a pre-industrial type of society .

Interestingly, while boomerangs are almost synonymous with Australian Aboriginals, they were used by other cultures as well. Several were found in Tutanhamun’s tomb, while the oldest remaining boomerang is from Poland and dates back 20,000 years.

Coins have been used by many cultures throughout history and are a sign of evolution from simple trade to market-based and retail cultures.

However, coins are excellent examples of cultural artifacts because each culture’s coin is different. They are very useful in dating findings in an archaeological dig because most coins only remain in circulation for 10 – 30 years before being lost, retired, or replaced.

Even today, we can tell the difference between an American and British coin with ease. One has the Queen’s head on it while the other usually has a republican emblem (which reveals information about each culture).

The first coins were used in the Kingdom of Lydia (modern day Turkey) before spreading to Ancient Greece.

4. Komps (Dutch Clogs)

Dutch clogs are a traditional dutch shoe made of wood that are instantly identifiable.

Known as the Klomp, they were a traditional workshoe for Dutch people and are still worn by some Dutch people to this day.

The Dutch clog is a full fitting clog carved from a complete block of wood. They’re often painted with bright colors and patterns that are emblematic of Dutch culture.

Today, around 3 million Klompen are made per year, although most of these are sold to tourists as they are not as fashionable today as they were in traditional Dutch society.

5. Murtis – Hinduism

Murtis are statues of Hundu deities that are often placed on shrines in homes and temples. In Hinduism, these statues are often treated as god-like manifestations that are to be cared for as honored guests.

In some traditions, they are awoken, fed, washed and garlanded daily as an act of devotion to the gods they represent. They are not believed to be gods personally, but are representations wherein the treatment of the Murti is a direct reflection of the devotees treatment of the God as an honored guest in the home or temple.

These are examples of cultural artifacts because they are unambiguously identified with a specific culture.

6. Kippah (Yarmulke) – Judaism

A kippah or yarmulke is a jewish headdress worn by men during worship. It is a disc-like brimless hat that often sits toward the back of the head.

The kippah is worn to observe the Jewish law that heads should be covered during worship, although the kippah is also worn at all times by some Orthodox Jews.

When a person is seen wearing one, they are instantly identifiable as a Jewish person. As a result, this item is unambiguously a cultural artifact of Judaism.

7. Matryoshka Dolls – Russian

Matryoshka dolls, also known as babushka dolls, are stackable dolls from Russia. They date back to just 1890, but are recognizable as a Russian cultural artifact today.

The dolls are unique in that the wooden doll breaks apart to reveal a smaller duplicate of it inside. That internal duplicate can also break open to reveal another smaller duplicate inside, and so forth.

8. National Flags – Various

All recognized nations have a national flag. This flag is usually flown outside government buildings and at sporting events.

The national flag acts as a marker of the cultural identity and allegiance of its owners. In some nations, such as the United States, it has also come to be flown by laypeople on flagpoles outside their houses as a sign of national pride.

National flags have their origins in naval military flags which were flown on ships to signify their allegiance to passers-by. The Union Jack was flown in 1606 by King James VI when the countries of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales were united under the one king.

Later, in 1777, the United States adopted a unifying national flag, which went through several iterations before the current version was finalized in 1960.

9. Rosary Beads – Catholic Cultural Artifact

Rosary beads are Catholic prayer beads that make their holder instantly identifiable as a practitioner of the Catholic faith.

While there are prayer beads of other denominations, the Catholic rosary beads are easily identifiable by the pattern of beads and the Christian cross at the base.

The rosary is a series of prayers, prayed all at once in sequence, and the beads help the devotee to keep track of their progress.

Generally, the devotee will hold one bead at a time, say its associated prayer, then move up to the next bead, until the full cycle of prayers is complete. Prayers in the cycle include Hail Mary, Glory Be, and the Lord’s Prayer (among others).

The rosary was practiced in early Christianity and was endorsed by Pope Pious V in the 16th Century.

10. Renaissance Art – European Renaissance Era

Renaissance art is instantly identifiable due to its common themes and techniques. Examples include Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and Michaelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling.

The focus of Renaissance art was perspective and depth. Techniques employed to achieve this included proportion, foreshortening, sfumato, and chiaroscuro. Themes in the art were generally reverent to God and Christianity as well as beautiful women or wars.

The artwork is associated with the humanist and enlightenment periods in Europe that were characterized by bursts in invention and creativity and a turn away from medieval Christian thought.

The greatest collection of Renaissance cultural artifacts is now held in the Louvre museum in Paris.

11. Smart Phones – 21st Century Cultural Artifact

Smartphones will be seen by future historians as the cultural artifacts of our current times. They are handheld items that reveal a great deal about our culture and society.

The smartphone will be able to place us at a particular moment in history (characterized by globalization and digitized social communication) and their effects will be debated for decades to come.

Already, we know that the smartphone has had a dramatic impact on our ability to travel (having a personal navigator), communicate, share knowledge, and seek help during an emergency. It’s also believed to be having an impact on humans’ abilities to concentrate due to its addictive nature.

12. Tartans – Scottish

Tartans are a distinctive dress worn by men in Scotland. The pattern on the tartan can identify a man with his traditional clan and their place of origin when Scotland was occupied by disparate clan groups.

Today, the tartan is still worn throughout the world by people of Scottish heritage. It’s a formal item of dress that can be worn at events such as weddings, funerals, and christenings.

The tartan is also associated with another Scottish cultural artifact, the bagpipes, because they’re often worn by the players.

13. Kirpan – Sikhs

The kirpan is a culturally significant knife worn by Sikh men. It is one of five items that Sikh guru Gobind Singh Ji decreed should be worn by Khalsa Sikhs in 1699.

The other four items to be worn at all times are: kesh (a beard), kangha (a wooden comb), kara (an iron bracelet), and kachera (a white undergarment).

The knife was to be worn by Sikhs in order to defend the needy and oppressed. Today, it is worn as an article of faith rather than a fighting weapon. It is a controversial item, however, where it is banned in some countries as a weapon, but given an exception in others because it is worn primarily as a religious item rather than for fighting.

14. Viking Helmets – Vikings

Viking helmets are occasionally found by archeologists in Scandinavia and the British Isles. They are easily identifiable by their style and shape.

This is an example of a cultural artifact that is of archeological significance. When extracted, the era and culture of the dig site is instantly known.

Vikings would wear these helmets during their many skirmishes in Northern Europe, and especially during raids of the British Isles. They were particularly feared people due to their unforgiving fighting style and ability to conduct fast raids from sea. The rise of Castles in the 11th Century allowed people to defend themselves more effectively against such raids.

The quill was a pen that was a pen without an ink reservoir and made of a bird feather. It was the primary writing implement in use between the 6th and 19th Centuries.

The Quill was superseded by the dip pen, which was also a pen without an ink reservoir, and then this was replaced by the fountain pen.

Quills can place a person in a particular place and time. They were the ‘technology of the day’ in Western Europe throughout times of incredible change and intellectual development . They were used to write some of the most important books in history, include great philosophical treatises from the Renaissance era.

Cultural artifacts are unique human-crafted objects that are of significance to a particular culture. When we come across a cultural artifact, it can be a compelling primary source that tells us about a culture and the conditions (technological, social, and so forth) at a particular place and time.

Similarly, our knowledge of cultural artifacts can also help us give context to a place that we are trying to learn more about. In archeology, for example, the identification of two artifacts side-by-side can give us information about both artifacts at once. We can make inferences about their association if we know the cultural context of one of those artifacts.

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 25 Number Games for Kids (Free and Easy)
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 25 Word Games for Kids (Free and Easy)
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 25 Outdoor Games for Kids
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 50 Incentives to Give to Students

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College Educator Workshops & Conferences

Student Success, Retention & Engagement | On Course

Cultural Artifacts

INTRODUCTION :  I teach a four unit college and life management class that is linked to a basic skills class in College Reading. When the class was doing a unit on appreciating differences and the concepts of culture, I sought an activity that complemented our readings and discussions on communication, diversity, and relationships.  I wanted to encourage students to think about their personal cultural identity in a safe environment.  I also wanted them to realize that, like themselves, their classmates have many facets of identity and experience important to them.

This activity can be adapted for use in a number of education settings. It’s a great icebreaker in any course, provides a great prompt for a writing assignment in English or a presentation in speech, an intriguing discussion starter in sociology or anthropology, and certainly would be valuable in any course or group that addresses issues of cultural diversity. Individuals, pairs, or teams of students could even present and explain symbols of college or campus culture, and the activity could be adapted for a career class where students can present professional artifacts to describe an employment area of interest.

The time required for this activity depends on the class size.  For a class of 20 students, I allocate about 90 minutes.

• To facilitate personal and cultural self-awareness.
• To help students become better acquainted with their classmates.
• To give students the tools to look beyond stereotypes.

SUPPLIES AND SET-UP:

• *Handout #1: CULTURAL ARTIFACT: A Self-Awareness Activity (appended below)
• *Handout #2: REFLECTIVE WRITING: Cultural Artifacts (appended below)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Provide Handout #1: “CULTURAL ARTIFACT: A Self-Awareness Activity,” which contains the assignment to bring an artifact to the next class and be prepared to speak about it for 3-5 minutes.

2.  During the next class, have each student show and explain their cultural artifact. Remind students to discuss their reasons for selecting the artifact, what it means to them, and how it represents their culture.  I share a cultural artifact first to model what students are to do in their presentations.

3. After the presentations, ask students to pair up and discuss their experiences and insights.  Post (or provide a handout of) the following questions for pairs to discuss:

• What was the purpose of this activity?
• How did this activity help you learn about or increase your awareness of yourself?  Of others?
• How does the difference between how you perceive yourself and how others perceive you affect you as a student?
• What have you learned about culture (yours and others’) during this unit?

4. Discussion: Ask volunteers to share with the whole group their lessons learned. 

5. As homework, provide Handout #2: “REFLECTIVE WRITING: Cultural Artifacts.” I gave students a week to complete this writing.

EXPERIENCES :

The students’ choices of artifacts, along with their explanations, effectively illuminated the great diversity in the class. One student brought a globe as his artifact, saying it represents all of the places that he has lived and his diverse group of friends.  The student was born in Iran, raised in Germany, and is now a United States citizen.  Another student, who was raised in the San Francisco Bay area, brought a book about Iran. She had never been there, but talked about how her parents were born in Iran and immigrated to the U.S. Neither student had known about their common Iranian roots.

Another student who grew up in the foster care system in California talked about not knowing her family history.  She admitted that this activity made her uncomfortable at first, because she could not talk about her family culture.  She shared that when growing up she had been told one story about her birth parents, but later learned that it was not true.  She brought a mirror to represent her personal culture of independence and honesty.  She explained that the mirror reflected what SHE saw, not what others saw. Her culture, she said, was a mix of difficult life experiences, independence, and relationships.

A student shared about the native culture in Taiwan . He brought a picture of a festival with Taiwanese dancers.  He mentioned the relationship between Taiwan and China.  He said that many native Taiwanese identified differently from Chinese, but that there was growing pressure to have a Chinese identity. This raised some questions from two classmates who did not know much about the political situation between Taiwan and Mainland China.

Another student who had served in the Navy shared how this experience had transformed him.  The class knew that he had served between high school and college, but the artifacts (pictures and a jersey that he wore when he worked on the flight deck of a navy carrier) and stories placed his experiences in a different light. Some students asked questions with amazement about his basic training and job responsibilities. By their comments and tone of voice, I could sense a new level of respect for their classmate.

Some students shared artifacts that had been passed on for generations. Two students had family bibles, another had a cross that his father gave to him, and another brought a Greek artifact called the Mati which translates as “Evil Eye.”  She talked about the belief that this object protects against all evils, envy, hatred, and bad luck.  Many students had heard or used the expression “evil eye” before, but did not know its origin.

Students mentioned how surprised they were that they had so much in common.  They indicated that appearance did not reveal much about each other’s backgrounds and experiences, but that these presentations really helped them to get to know each other.  One student connected with the others who brought their family bibles.  He shared more about the role of religion in his life.  Two students talked about how this activity helped them to reconnect with their grandparents with whom they had not spoken in years. 

When I asked students for feedback about the activity, a number of them wished that we had had more time for each presentation.  Students who expressed concern about having to speak for at least 3 minutes had no trouble sharing for that amount of time.  In fact, in many cases, I had to curtail the questions and follow-up discussions in the interest of time. 

OUTCOMES : 

This activity certainly met my first objective of increasing the students’ personal and cultural awareness.  In our follow up discussion, one student commented that he wanted to study his religion more because he felt that he had forgotten things that he had previously known.  A few said they felt more connected to their ancestors and families as a result of doing this exercise.  Many expressed a definite appreciation of family history and cultural background.  As one student said, “By knowing about my past, I now know where I am from, and where my ‘roots’ are.” One woman summarized her own awareness and the perceptions of others by stating, “Other people usually identify you as one thing, but you look at yourself as so much more and a lot different from the way that others look at you.”  Three students mentioned that this activity reminded them of a part of themselves with which they had lost touch.  One student said that she wants to continue her discussions with her grandmother about their family history.  Another said that he wants to restart his religious studies.  The tone of all essays expressed great pride in each student’s history.

My second objective for this activity was to help the students become better acquainted with their classmates.   I have used this exercise with a number of classes now and I find that students really enjoy learning about each other. More than one student commented during the class discussion that “you can’t judge a book by its cover” and that there is more to a person than meets the eye.  One student admitted, “I sometimes stereotype and prejudge when there’s more.”  She went on to say that she wants to change. Another said that it was a good reminder that “we often make assumptions based on differences.”  A student mentioned that she was not aware just how diverse the students in the class are. After this activity, students seem to bond more as a community of learners.

The presentations, discussion, and essays gave students the opportunity to look beyond stereotypes, my third objective. During the presentations, I observed the students listening to understand.  They asked questions to expand or clarify.  For example, one student talked about his talus and his Bar Mitzvah.  Another student, who was unfamiliar with Judaism, asked what the equivalent experience was for young girls.  In another presentation, one man brought a chain that his mother gave him after his baptism.  He is Mormon and described the importance of the baptism in his religion. Another student asked a question about the Mormon tradition. This experience was a great opportunity for the students to dispel some myths and stereotypes.  The questions were genuine without the assumption that any student spoke for everyone of his cultural background. 

LESSONS LEARNED:  

In the future, I plan to modify the assignment somewhat.  I will first provide students with a broad definition of culture to more closely model the assigned readings in the paired course. These readings will cover factors that shape cultural identity including ethnicity, race, religion, family, education, and occupation. 

On a personal level, I found it challenging to choose a cultural artifact of my own.  Like many of my students, I did not want to limit myself to one item.  I was very aware that the item that I selected would influence the impression the students had of me. I selected a pin which shows the United States and US Marine Corps flags.  This artifact represents my role as a military family member.  Most of my students did not know this about me.  (I do have a picture of my husband in uniform in my office but few had noticed.)  This gave me the chance to dispel some negative stereotypes and assumptions that people make about Marines and military families.  As a result of my own presentation, I recognize how much of a personal risk the students may feel about opening up in front of the class.

I adapted this activity from an assignment used by Hans Peeters, an Instructor at Ohlone College. Professor Peeters says he learned it from faculty members in the Speech Communications Department at CSU Hayward, but I suspect that the activity goes back even further to a source unknown to me.

SUPPORT MATERIALS:

Handout #1: CULTURAL ARTIFACT:  A Self-Awareness Activity

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT:  Select an artifact that tells a story about your cultural background that you can share with the class. This artifact can be a picture, a coat of arms, or an object (a piece of clothing, jewelry, a tool etc.). You will probably want to select something that is easy to transport so you can bring it to class.

If possible, choose an item that illustrates something about your cultural background that is not obvious. For example, a former student who appeared to be African-American brought an artifact that denoted her Filipino background; another, a “white” male, brought an arrowhead because his grandfather was Native American. We want to learn something about your background that is not readily apparent.

If you cannot find a “hidden” part of your background, teach us something we may not have known about your culture.

Turn to your family members to learn more about your background. If that is not possible, do research so that you have something significant to share with the rest of the class about your cultural heritage.

If you do not have an object to bring from home, copy an appropriate picture from a magazine or book, download an image from the Internet, etc. Remember, the visual component of this exercise is important. 

Be prepared to do a 3-5 minute presentation to describe your artifact, explain why you selected it, and answer any questions.   Students who do not come to class prepared on the date of the presentation will receive no presentation points.

Handout #2: REFLECTIVE WRITING: Cultural Artifacts

Write a one-page typed reflective essay discussing what you learned about your background and yourself from this exercise.  Please proofread your essay carefully for spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

by Kristin Samarov, Instructor/Counselor, Freshmen Experience Learning Community Program, Foothill College, CA

Ways I think the workshop could be improved? You can’t improve on perfect!

I arrived as a skeptic, but by the end of the first day I was converted. These strategies are practical and timely. I am looking forward to implementing them in my courses.

I told my Dean that if I took every workshop and conference I had ever attended and rolled them into one, it would not equal what I learned and gained from your workshop.

This was an awesome experience for an educator who was burning out!

I am going back to campus more empowered and energized.

You have created a workshop that, in my 25 years of professional development, is by far the best experience I’ve ever had.

This workshop has taken a hardened, crusty educator and softened her once again to be committed and energized to become the best person and teacher she can be.

I am so impressed with how well thought out and integrated every aspect of the workshop is!

In my 31 years of teaching this was the best and most critically needed of any workshop I have ever attended.

I have attended a lot of workshops and conferences–On Course is by far the best!

5.8 Spotlight on … Profiling a Cultural Artifact

Learning outcomes.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Read in the profile genre to understand how conventions are shaped by purpose, language, culture, and expectation.
• Read one of a diverse range of texts, attending to relationships among ideas, patterns of organization, and interplay between verbal and nonverbal elements.
• Analyze a composition in relation to a specific historical and cultural context.

If you would like to profile a subject other than a person, you may be unsure of how to make such a focus work. This section features a profile of a cultural artifact and discusses how the elements of profile writing work within the piece.

First, here is some background to help you better understand the blog post: On December 7, 1941, Japanese fighter planes attacked the United States military base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, damaging or destroying more than a dozen ships and hundreds of airplanes. In direct response to this bombing and to fears that Americans of Japanese descent might spy on U.S. military installations, all Japanese immigrants and Japanese Americans living on America’s West Coast—about 120,000 men, women, and children in all—were detained in internment camps for the remainder of the war.

As you will read in the profile, people living in the camps created newspapers for fellow detainees; the subject of this profile is the newspapers themselves. Author Mark Hartsell published his profile of the newspapers, Journalism, behind Barbed Wire , on the Library of Congress blog on May 5, 2017. Look at these notes to find out how profile genre elements can work when the writer focuses on a cultural artifact such as these newspapers.

annotated text As you find when you click on the link above to visit the blog post, Hartsell uses images to show his subject to readers. Providing images can be a particularly strong choice for profiles of places or cultural artifacts. end annotated text

public domain text For these journalists, the assignment was like no other: Create newspapers to tell the story of their own families being forced from their homes, to chronicle the hardships and heartaches of life behind barbed wire for Japanese-Americans held in World War II internment camps. “These are not normal times nor is this an ordinary community,” the editors of the Heart Mountain Sentinel wrote in their first issue. “There is confusion, doubt and fear mingled together with hope and courage as this community goes about the task of rebuilding many dear things that were crumbled as if by a giant hand.” Today, the Library of Congress places online a rare collection of newspapers that, like the Sentinel , were produced by Japanese-Americans interned at U.S. government camps during the war. The collection includes more than 4,600 English- and Japanese-language issues published in 13 camps and later microfilmed by the Library. “What we have the power to do is bring these more to the public,” said Malea Walker, a librarian in the Serial and Government Publications Division who contributed to the project. “I think that’s important, to bring it into the public eye to see, especially on the 75th anniversary.… Seeing the people in the Japanese internment camps as people is an important story.” end public domain text

annotated text Although the blog places almost every sentence in its own “paragraph” for easier online readability, the first four sections function as a cohesive opening paragraph as presented here. Notice how the author supports his points with information synthesized from a variety of sources: quoted material from both the newspapers and one of the project’s curators, background, historical context, and other factual information. end annotated text

public domain text Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an executive order that allowed the forcible removal of nearly 120,000 U.S. citizens and residents of Japanese descent from their homes to government-run assembly and relocation camps across the West—desolate places such as Manzanar in the shadow of the Sierras, Poston in the Arizona desert, Granada on the eastern Colorado plains. There, housed in temporary barracks and surrounded by barbed wire and guard towers, the residents built wartime communities, organizing governing bodies, farms, schools, libraries. They founded newspapers, too—publications that relayed official announcements, editorialized about important issues, reported camp news, followed the exploits of Japanese-Americans in the U.S. military and recorded the daily activities of residents for whom, even in confinement, life still went on. In the camps, residents lived and died, worked and played, got married and had children. One couple got married at the Tanforan assembly center in California, then shipped out to the Topaz camp in Utah the next day. Their first home as a married couple, the Topaz Times noted, was a barracks behind barbed wire in the western Utah desert. end public domain text

annotated text This section offers additional background information and information from secondary research, woven with specific details to help readers imagine the backdrop for the newspaper writing. Hartsell offers a brief overview of typical content found in these newspapers; this description indicates that he has reviewed primary documents. The section concludes with a brief anecdote to show the human face of the original camp newspaper audience. end annotated text

public domain text The internees created their publications from scratch, right down to the names. The Tule Lake camp dubbed its paper the Tulean Dispatch —a compromise between The Tulean and The Dusty Dispatch , two entries in its name-the-newspaper contest. (The winners got a box of chocolates.) Most of the newspapers were simply mimeographed or sometimes handwritten, but a few were formatted and printed like big-city dailies. The Sentinel was printed by the town newspaper in nearby Cody, Wyoming, and eventually grew a circulation of 6,000. end public domain text

annotated text After covering background and context, Hartsell turns to focus on his profile subject. He discusses specific details of naming and producing the newspapers; he also includes information about the writers and their decisions regarding newspaper content. end annotated text

public domain text Many of the internees who edited and wrote for the camp newspapers had worked as journalists before the war. They knew this job wouldn’t be easy, requiring a delicate balance of covering news, keeping spirits up and getting along with the administration. The papers, though not explicitly censored, sometimes hesitated to cover controversial issues, such as strikes at Heart Mountain or Poston. Instead, many adopted editorial policies that would serve as “a strong constructive force in the community,” as a Poston Chronicle journalist later noted in an oral history. They mostly cooperated with the administration, stopped rumors and played up stories that would strengthen morale. Demonstrating loyalty to the U.S. was a frequent theme. The Sentinel mailed a copy of its first issue to Roosevelt in the hope, the editors wrote, that he would “find in its pages the loyalty and progress here at Heart Mountain.” A Topaz Times editorial objected to segregated Army units but nevertheless urged Japanese-American citizens to serve “to prove that the great majority of the group they represent are loyal.” “Our paper was always coming out with editorials supporting loyalty toward this country,” the Poston journalist said. “This rubbed some… the wrong way and every once in a while a delegation would come around to protest.” end public domain text

annotated text People reading these newspapers in current times may be surprised that such newspapers often featured content with a focus on loyalty to the United States. While Hartsell does not dig deeply into alternative views held by internees, he does indicate that some disagreed with the emphasis on such content. Readers are often interested in learning surprising or counterintuitive information about a profile subject. end annotated text

public domain text … (section removed) end public domain text

public domain text As the war neared its end in 1945, the camps prepared for closure. Residents departed, populations shrank, schools shuttered, community organizations dissolved, and newspapers signed off with “–30–,” used by journalists to mark a story’s end. That Oct. 23, the Poston Chronicle published its final issue, reflecting on the history it had both recorded and made. “For many weeks, the story of Poston has unfolded in the pages of the Chronicle,” the editors wrote. “It is the story of people who have made the best of a tragic situation; the story of their frustrations, their anxieties, their heartaches—and their pleasures, for the story has its lighter moments. Now Poston is finished; the story is ended. And we should be glad that this is so, for the story has a happy ending. The time of anxiety and of waiting is over. Life begins again.” end public domain text

annotated text Hartsell closes with a chronological structure, concluding his piece with the closing of the internment camps and their newspapers. He allows the voices of the editors to have the last word. end annotated text

Publishing Your Profile

Because your individual profile is about someone or something related to campus, once you have developed your final draft, you may want to share your work with others at your school. Here are some suggestions:

Group Publication

One option for sharing your work is to create a class book that includes the profiles each student has written. As an alternative, each class member might contribute their own autobiographical profile in which they highlight a moment when they witnessed or enacted an admirable trait. When the individual pieces are complete, class members will work in teams to collect, compile, introduce, and produce the essay collection. The instructor or one of the class teams might compose an afterword to explain the project. The final project could be housed in the campus archives or linked on the campus website.

Campus Newspaper

Another option is to work either individually or in a small group to build on your profile about someone or something of interest to other students, faculty, or staff at your school. Check with the editor of your campus newspaper to learn whether they have suggestions for a revised angle, if needed, and whether they would be interested in publishing your completed profile.

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HUM 200 - Applied Humanities

Background research.

Exploring encyclopedias and similar high-level sources can quickly catch you up on a topic and help you make choices about how to shape your research. Generally speaking, these sources aren't the type of source you want to cite, instead they provide needed context to design strong searches in later stages of your research.

Resources for finding Artifacts

There are plenty of places to look for artifacts! The list below includes library databases and digitized / photographed museum collections. It's far from exhaustive, so feel free to explore.

• Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History This link opens in a new window

• Digital Public Library of America This link opens in a new window
• SNHU McIninch Art Gallery

Choosing Artifacts and a Theme

For the purposes of this course and project, cultural artifacts are examples of artistic expression including literature, poetry, music, film, dance, painting, sculpture, and more. With the wide range of artistic human expression to consider, choosing just two artifacts may feel daunting. You know that your artifacts need to be created by different artists and during different time periods (at least 50 years apart), and that you'll be expected to identify and discuss a theme they have in common. Choosing artifacts with a common theme carefully is important: your analysis of this theme is a big part of both of your projects in HUM-200. Your theme and artifacts will guide your research and discussion, so be sure you find them interesting.

Your course gives you many ways to identify artifacts for analysis. You can explore the Soomo webtext Gallery, but you can also choose artifacts from outside this gallery with instructor permission. Check out the Resources for Finding Artifacts information on this page.

We could pick two artifacts at random and attempt to connect them with a theme. This might be difficult or result in a theme that doesn't fit one or more of the artifacts very well. Instead, it may be helpful to find an artifact that appeals to you, identify a theme, then find a second artifact from another era and artist that touches on the same theme.

Ophelia by John Everett Millais Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

Let's consider an example. Suppose I browse ARTSTOR This link opens in a new window for inspiration and find Ophelia by John Everett Millais This link opens in a new window . If I don't know much about this painting, learning more is my first step. Background research allows you to learn more about the context of a topic. It's great for narrowing topics or helping you choose a direction for your in-depth research. Reading Ophelia 1851-1852 Painting by John Everett Millais This link opens in a new window in Credo Reference tells me that Ophelia is a literary painting from the Pre-Raphaelite period based on Queen Gertrude's description of Ophelia's death in Shakespeare's Hamlet. Additionally, the Tate, the museum that currently holds Ophelia, has more information about it This link opens in a new window . Searching relevant cultural institutions can be very helpful. I can tease out several themes here, including death, despair, and mental illness. I want to explore the theme of despair.

Next, I can look for other artifacts from other artists and time periods that touch on the theme I chose. I could choose the Weeping Woman statue This link opens in a new window , Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah This link opens in a new window , Anne Sexton's Despair This link opens in a new window , or one of so many more artifacts. Alternatively, you could choose a theme first, then select two artifacts that touch on that theme. For our example, I'll choose Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah. I like the juxtaposition between the musical artifact and the painting. Both artifacts also have religious tones and I think I can write about that, too.

When selecting your artifacts, try to think ahead to later stages of the project. You know you'll need to find supporting sources for your project. Make your job easier later by selecting well-known and well-studied artifacts now. You can always do a few preliminary searches to make sure scholars have researched your artifacts before moving forward with them.

• Ophelia 1851-1852 Painting by John Everett Millais

Guiding Questions for Choosing An Artifact

• Is the thing culturally relevant?
• Does the thing have a function beyond its initial purpose?
• Is the thing a specific item (rather than a broad concept or group of things, flags, phone, etc.)
• Is the thing personally relevant?
• Are there academic resources available to support your project?

Guiding Questions for HUM-200 Projects by Priscilla Hobbs-Penn

• << Previous: Home
• Next: Researching Historical Context >>

Cultures Comparison in Cultural Artifacts Report (Assessment)

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• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
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How My Cultural Perspective Shapes the Artifact

Cultural differences and similarities of artifacts globally, the historical and artistic contexts of the artifact, cultural values and features conveyed through the artifact.

Notably, poems are the art I consider a means of expressing my feelings. Indeed, it is the earliest form of self-expression that makes thoughts visible, allowing a person to communicate their ideas, construct knowledge, express feelings, and attempt to make sense of the inner world. Just like Shihab Naomi, who intended to serve some purpose by using their style of kindness and compassion, I aim to express my feelings to make a difference in how people feel. Therefore, since I was a child, writing poems has been a language of self-expression; hence, I spent many years collecting and interpreting the artifacts. The process of writing has been satisfying, enjoyable, and rewarding to my emotional, physical, cognitive, and social development.

The activity needs the coordination and integration of the hand, fingers, arms, and eye. As I think and sweep my arms around the paper, I usually gain grip strength and balance, which helps improve my brain’s ability to perform functions like execution and planning. Similarly, the process demands creative thinking to make a poem with appropriate lines and symbols correctly. Hence, the act is an emotional release that makes the mind relax. It sharpens the mind and problem-solving skills as the artist has to find a solution to imagine the line limitations and varying moods. The artwork provides a sense of happiness, pride, self-esteem, and inspiration, thus triggering feelings of love, sadness, or anger. Its vast benefits make many people in different cultures adore writing poems as their hobby.

Poems depict different subjects beyond diverse cultures, as every culture has its own. First of all, art uniquely identifies the way of expressing their identity through their foods, dress, religion, politics, and architecture. For instance, the late walk poem shows a depressing and pessimistic tone. However, the Gate A-4 poem has a delightful, cheerful style that indicates a compassionate and kind mood. Other verses show the themes of loss and death, while others focus on religion, nature, and changing seasons. Some poems consider alliteration by repeating consonant sounds, while others consider assonance. Other uses a simile to create a comparison, while other poets use metaphors.

In all poems, the art is meant to showcase the daily life of the people. The poets use symbolism and imagination to reveal essential truths about nature and people. Notably, art guides the modern generation to know their historical culture and how society functions, thus acting as a means of communication. The method is a universal language that crosses cultural and language barriers as it is the visual language that anyone can understand. Poets in both cultures use their thoughts and emotions to express themselves and create awareness. Similarly, the arts generate ambiance and beauty in people’s lives, making them feel good.

Artwork emerged in the prehistory period when people used to chant stories when performing ceremonies like funerals and weddings. The poems date back to when writing was invented; thus, humans began writing their stories. Poets like Virgil and Homer would recite their scripts publicly as a form of entertainment. The need for poems grew up due to the need to tell stories about the life people focused on. For instance, poets would recite poems about the power of God, rulers, wars, and the interactions between communities. The lyrics were vibrant and were used to imitate nature to its maximum realism. Through the historical arts, poems went viral in various societies and cities, making other poets famous.

The need to express scenes of expressive strength makes the artwork play a vital role in shaping people’s ideas, moods, emotions, feelings, hopes, and aspirations. Therefore, it is one of the primary forms of communication and representation from the primitive people to the present day. In this, the poet has to use mood and tone to help create a sense of sadness or happiness in the art. Poets can transcribe a poem depending on their current emotions to release the feelings. For instance, a Shihab Naomi poem uses a tone of compassion and kindness to relieve people of their distress and worries (Almarhabi, 2020). They use different lines to express what they feel. Indeed, they use a choice of words to indicate if they are frustrated, contemplative, or anxious. Other painters use words to show their confusion, thus making the poem sorrowful.

Similarly, the painters use art to indicate their happiness. Personification is used to indicate the happy feeling of love. For instance, the poem by Naomi shows laughter and contentment to tell their sorrowful moments have been replaced with the poet’s compassion and kindness. Other parts in the poem, like crying and sobbing, show sadness, mystery, and disgust.

By reading and writing using imaginative lines, my mind relaxes, and after completing the art, I relieve my mental strain. The process requires skillful concentration on every step needed. Hence, the mind forgets the disturbing aspects as one is forced to concentrate on the present moment. After creating a beautiful poem, I start feeling like I am creative, thus making myself happier and improving my mental health. I prefer people who feel stressed or happy to consider writing as an activity to pour out any emotions, thus cultivating emotional growth.

Almarhabi, M. (2020). Cultural trauma and the formation of Palestinian national identity in Palestinian-American writing [Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University].

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IvyPanda. (2023, May 10). Cultures Comparison in Cultural Artifacts. https://ivypanda.com/essays/cultures-comparison-in-cultural-artifacts/

"Cultures Comparison in Cultural Artifacts." IvyPanda , 10 May 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/cultures-comparison-in-cultural-artifacts/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'Cultures Comparison in Cultural Artifacts'. 10 May.

IvyPanda . 2023. "Cultures Comparison in Cultural Artifacts." May 10, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/cultures-comparison-in-cultural-artifacts/.

1. IvyPanda . "Cultures Comparison in Cultural Artifacts." May 10, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/cultures-comparison-in-cultural-artifacts/.

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CULTURAL ARTIFACT AND ESSAY ASSIGNMENT.pdf

2018, Culture Artifact

An example assignment for a first-year writing course.

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This course explores the relations of cultural artifacts in the contemporary world to their various social contexts. Culture is understood as the material expressions and images that people create and the social environment that shapes the way diverse groups of people experience their world and interact with one another. The course focuses on the critical analysis of these various forms of media, design, mass communications, arts, and popular culture. DETAILED COURSE DESCRIPTION & OBJECTIVES The present era is often characterized as an age of global integration and a truly world economy as well as an era of social and environmental crises. In the midst of these changes we can often hear " culture " invoked as both a positive expression of this globalism and sometimes as something that opposes it. The full meaning of culture remains a topic of fierce debate and so " culture " is used as a political weapon, a claim of privilege, a rallying point for identity, a reservoir of resistance, or refers to various artifacts and practices that must be either preserved (good culture) or eliminated (degenerate culture). Cultural Studies emerged from the attempts to understand these complex social and political uses of " culture " in such debates as those over " high & low " art, the value of the artifacts of popular culture (cinema, television, music, etc.), the deployments of knowledge and authority in the social relations of everyday life. We will examine how Cultural Studies offered a critical understanding of what Max Horkheimer termed " life as it is lived. " Attention will be paid to the fate of Cultural Studies as it became accepted and absorbed by various academic disciplines. In the final sessions, special attention will be given to the reception of Cultural Studies in the United States. This course is designed to give you a foundation in Cultural Studies. It will show you how Cultural Studies emerged and its subsequent variations and lines of descent. You are not expected to already know this, nor are you expected to already be familiar with the texts we will use and issues that will be raised. You are expected to engage the course materials seriously. You will finish the course with an introduction to different ways of understanding the history of the present day and the social relations of everyday life.

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Our underlying goal, in addition to broadening students’ exposure to other histories and ways of thinking, is to reinforce the notion that achieving a deeper level of sustainability in architecture requires a thorough-going engagement with culture.

Introductory Notes on Cultural Studies

Introduction to Cultural Studies is a course of study for students pursuing a Masters in English Literature. As part of the course, it will be helpful for the students if they get a quick-tour kind of an introduction to the discipline called Cultural Studies. As a study of culture, the title presupposes a knowledge about what encompasses the word 'culture', we may attempt a definition of it first. Culture can be defined as an asymmetric combinations of abstract and actual aspects of elements like language, art, food, dress, systems like family, religion, education, and practices like mourning and 'merrying', all of which we refer to as cultural artifacts. It is assumed that values and identities are formed, interacted and represented in a society in association with these artifacts. Cultural Studies, therefore, is a constant engagement with contemporary culture by studying, analyzing and interacting with the institutions of culture and their functions in the society.

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This course is part of the post-intermediate 300-level program that forms the introduction to the major or minor in Spanish. Its thematic focus will be the animal rights and human rights in the Caribbean, Latin American and U.S. literature, film, culture and media and will center particularly on the second half of the Twentieth-century and what goes of the Twenty-first century. In addition to building an understanding of the animal rights and human rights, this course is designed to provide students with structured and guided writing practice to assist them in progressing their writing skills in Spanish. We will practice textual forms of description, narration, exposition and argumentation, and interpersonal communication modes in social media as well. Texts include short stories, fragment of novels, essays, memoirs, films, songs, bailes, poetry, and news. A series of different writing projects —a description, a narration, an exposition, and an academic essay— will be assigned to improve students’ writing skills. This course will be conducted entirely in Spanish.

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Cultural Artifact Introduction

This activity combines an initial asynchronous step with a follow-up presentation activity in real-time during class. As a way of getting to know each other and building community, each student will contribute one “cultural artifact introduction slide” to a class slide deck 1-2 days before the first class. This activity offers an opportunity to share some event or object that connects to an aspect of students’ identities, histories, languages, and communities. A cultural artifact is an aspect of material culture (an action, event, or object) that gives us insight into its creators and users. Students’ cultural artifacts may be represented in the form of a photo, image, text, screen grab or embedded media.

Author: Jennifer Johnson

Course : PWR 2, PWR 1

Activity length and schedule:

• Asynch: 20 minutes: Developing a cultural artifact slide
• Synch: 20-25 minutes: Breakout rooms/Small group mini-presentations & group discussion

Activity timing : Best for first or second day of the quarter, assigned 1-2 days in advance

Activity goals:

• Builds community and offers students an opportunity to share some event or object that connects to an aspect of their identities, histories, languages, and communities
• Offers a low-stakes speaking/presenting with multimedia opportunity that asks students to consider their rhetorical situation

Activity details:

In this activity students will:

• Create a cultural artifact slide on a class slide deck
• Why did you choose this artifact? 
• How does this object, action or event give us insight into your cultural, linguistic or community practices at a specific time and place in your history or at present?
• Find themes, patterns and connections in the artifacts and presentations
• Discuss how presenters consider their rhetorical situation

Please find the student-facing handout here .

The activity directions can also be posted into a Canvas assignment.

Additional notes : This cultural artifact slide activity version was created for an on-line LSP. A special thanks to the LSP team for the conversations that helped me fine-tune the activity. To build early connections with students, LSP instructors found it very valuable to also create their own cultural artifact slide and send it to students 1-2 days before the first class as an example.  Other tips: 1. If you have two sections, be sure to create two google slide decks. 2. Link directions on the first slide and add “If google slides is new to you, feel free to reach out for assistance. Click the + button in the top left corner to add a slide.”

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Cultural Artifact, Essay Example

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It could be argued that the invention and mass-marketing of desktop computers triggered the industrial revolution at the end of the 20 th century. Desktop computers were the earliest forms of computing machines that were embraced by both businesses and private households at a massive scale. Desktop computers were usually comprised of four individual components which were monitor, motherboard, keyboard, and mouse. Monitor displayed the information while motherboard served as the brain of the whole system since it processed information and ran software. Keyboard would be used to enter data input while mouse, the smallest component, enhanced the user experience by making it easier to navigate through programs.

Desktop computers would be manufactured by several brands. Some brands would manufacture the entire desktop computer system while others would specialize in individual hardware components such as monitors and mouse. The hardware components would have brand logo and company name prominently displayed in plain sight. The desktop computers would mostly come preloaded with operating system of which Microsoft Windows was the most popular. The price of the operating system would be included in the purchase price of desktop computers.

Desktop computers because popular because they offered a promise to significantly speed up the pace of technological progress. Desktop computers had applications in almost all aspects of private and professional lives. They allowed business to improve their operating efficiency by making it cheaper and faster to store data and analyze them. Desktop computers also made it possible to crunch large amounts of data quickly, saving significant time and efforts in the process.

Part of the reason desktop computers were widely embraced might also have been group mentality. Computers were being heralded as the gateway to the future, thus, even those with low computer proficiency had to have it for the sake of keeping up with the Joneses. Parents were also concerned that not having desktop computer at home may deprive their children of valuable learning opportunity. Thus, desktop computers were embraced for both real expected benefits as well as perceived benefits.

Desktop computers also became a commodity because they were the first hardware equipment with internet capability. Even though more portable forms of computer had emerged before the end of the 20 th century, they remained relatively expensive and behind in technological performancefor some time. Desktop computers also suited those with special needs such as large thumbs or vision impairment since desktop computers would have larger monitors than portable computer devices such as notebook computers.

As usually happens with most technologies, prices of desktop computers eventually started declining, making them affordable for even low income groups. Training centers started offering courses and home-based learning programs. In addition, desktop computers also started replacing other lifestyle products such as gaming and video entertainment devices, thus, increasing their economical appeal.

Desktop computers were one of the earliest digital technologytools that changed the economics of several industries that were initially unrelated to the computing sector. Desktop computers triggered mankind’s journey towards globalization because they became the first enabler of internet technologies. Over time, their size became their greatest enemy and moreover, technological performance in other computing devices caught up. Desktop computers started dying a slow death by the end of the first decade in the 21 st century.

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Cultural Artifact Essay: What Are Cultural Artifact Examples?

Abstract This paper will discuss the selection of a single cultural artifact that I believe best represents the culture in which we live today. It will provide a detailed description of the artifact, analyzing in detail how the artifact relates to the values and beliefs of our culture. It will investigate and evaluate the deep cultural roots of the artifact. It will identify the historical roots that allowed this artifact to come into being. It will identify the cultural periods that may have influenced the overall development of this artifact as we see it today. It will explain how I anticipate this artifact being passed to future generations, and it will identify the different possible evolutions that this artifact might undergo as the culture changes.

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Keywords: representation, culture, cultural artifact, description, values, beliefs, roots, cultural periods, future generations, evolutions  

Cultural Artifact Examples

During the course of many different societies and cultures, there is often a single artifact that may be selected for the purposes of describing the culture as a whole for that time period. The 1960s had the Beatles, the 1980s had Michael Jackson, the 1920s had Ernest Hemmingway, and the 1990s had dial up. There are many different items that a person thinks of when they think of the 2010s, but perhaps one of the most accurate artifacts of today’s day and age is one that will not necessarily be first apparent, though after an explanation of the reasons for the choice, it will become clear as to the reasons this artifact has been chosen, and the reasons that the artifact is the most fitting for representation of our culture.

The Artifact I Have Chosen that Best Represents the Culture I Live in Today The artifact I have chosen that best works to represent the culture in which I live today is Fifty Shades of Grey; this particular book by E.L. James works to describe all that is wrong with society today, and how far society today has fallen from quality works. This artifact works to explain why nothing being created today is of any value, serves to show how a flight of fancy carries more weight with the total populace than something of substance, and indicates how deeply the quality of our society has gone down the drain. Furthermore, it goes to show exactly how much our society today seems to hate anything original; it shows how “crass, sycophantic, celebrity-obsessed, naïve, badly written, derivative, consumerist, unoriginal, (and) anti-original” our society today has become (Morrison, 2012).

A Description and Analysis of How Fifty Shades of Grey Relates to the Values and Beliefs of My Culture Fifty Shades of Grey has been described as both “mommy porn” and “Twilight for grown-ups,” an ironic turn of events considering the fact that this book started out as a badly written fanfic, or fan fiction, of the world of Twilight (Bosman, 2012; Morrison, 2012). This poorly written knock off of a book that wasn’t much better in quality (but was at least properly edited for spelling and grammar) sold more than ten million copies by 2012 alone, a number which is sure to be greater with the coming release of the movies based on the books (Eakin, 2012).

The Cultural Roots of Fifty Shades of Grey It is clear that the popularity of this book has less to do with quality, “talent, content, or luck” than it does with the desire of the public to read fan fiction, works based on favorite characters written by others in an attempt to continue the world from which they originate (Eakin, 2012).

The Historical Roots that Allowed Fifty Shades of Grey to Come into Being Fan fiction prior to the rise in popularity of this particular work, was “a genre that operate(d) outside the bounds of literary commerce, in online networks of enthusiasts of popular books and movies, brought together by a desire to write and read stories inspired by those works” (Eakin, 2012).

The Cultural Periods that May Have Influenced the Development of Fifty Shades of Grey The origins of fan fiction stem from the science fiction magazines of the 1920s and 1930s, though links to fan fiction and the origins thereof have come from both oral and mythical traditions (Thomas, 2011). It was not, however, until the advent of digital technologies and the internet that fan fiction truly became popular (Thomas, 2011), giving voice to any and all, regardless of ability, allowing them to write about the characters in their favorite universes.

How Fifty Shades of Grey will be Passed on to Future Generations Fifty Shades of Grey will be passed on to future generations via the internet, old used bookstores, if physical books continue to exist, and through the poor choices of Amazon to turn fan fiction into a marketable, commercialized genre, in spite of the many issues of copyright infringement that such a change may spark (Rothman, 2013).

The Evolution Fifty Shades of Grey May Undergo as Culture Changes It may be hoped that Fifty Shades of Grey will fall into obscurity as culture changes, calling for a return to the production of quality works, though with the creation of Kindle Worlds, a place for individuals to sell their fan fiction (Amazon, 2013), it is highly unlikely that such an event may occur. It is far more likely that such a cultural travesty will continue to live on the internet, and through Netflix as it is being turned into a movie, allowing future generations to point back across the ages and laugh that any person could ever quantify this so called book as something worth reading.

Conclusion There are many different artifacts that a person could select as being representative of the times, calling for various pieces of technology, singers, or movies as that which serves to best embody the culture of today, but the fact of the matter is that today’s culture is perhaps the shallowest that it has ever been. It is for this reason that the only thing that may be considered representative of the times is an artifact as shallow as the culture that has had the misfortune to embrace it.

In a world where everyone is always focused on the past or the future, often times the present is forgotten. The movie “Click”, released on June 23, 2006 and directed…

Pop art, a movement which took place in Britain and the US in the 1950’s and 60’s, certainly had a meaningful message. This message was that art should no longer…

My first idea of pop culture was purely music and I related the term with my favorite artists such as Eminem and Kanye West. The weekly readings have enlightened me…

In the recent years, smartphones, laptops, smartwatches, and other devices have become an inseparable part of most people`s daily lives. According to Gerard Goggin, the development of IT sphere provides…

In his article “Pop Culture: An Overview”, Tim Delaney illustrates the main elements of popular culture, using a wide range of examples to help the reader appreciate how various forces…

There is no simple way in which to define folklore theory, however there is a way of describing it in terms of being an academic discipline. According to Michael Owen…

There has been much discussion and observation leading to a conclusion regarding the global nature of society today. The common consensus is that, as medical, financial, electronic and other advances…

Many consider the British rock band, The Beatles, to be the greatest rock band of all time. Their popularity during the 1960s created a phenomenon known as Beatlemania. Before this…

In modern Western society, tattoos are a commonplace form of body art that can signify a variety of characteristics about a person. While the context of an individual’s tattoo itself…

Abstract This paper will discuss the selection of a single cultural artifact that I believe best represents the culture in which we live today. It will provide a detailed description of the artifact, analyzing in detail how the artifact relates to the values and beliefs of our culture. It will...

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Best Culture Essay Examples

Cell phones: cultural artifact essay.

827 words | 3 page(s)

The artifact that this paper will study is the use of cell phones and the effects that this use can be seen to have on contemporary social interactions. This form of social interaction lends itself to analysis both because the number of people who use such phones can be easily tracked, and also because a large degree of research has been done on cell-phone use, and especially on the effects that it has had with regard to social media technology.

The use of cell phones in contemporary society is extremely popular. Indeed, it is seemingly ubiquitous. Not only are the phones easy to come by, but their use can often be seen to mediate key aspects of social life. According to a recent study, 15% of Americans own and regularly use a smart-phone and this number increases dramatically amongst middle-class demographics, people under the age of fifty and college students (Smith, 2015). As well as this, as of 2014 it was estimated that at least 64% of Americans own some kind of phone and use it regularly (2014, PRC). As such, it can clearly be argued that any issues affecting cell phone users effect a very large number of people, and that this number is only likely to increase in the future.

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The specific forms of social interaction made possible by smart-phones are focused around social media websites such as Twitter and Facebook. Over 85% of people who regularly use the internet under the age of twenty five use these websites in order to coordinate their social interaction (PRC, Jan 2014). Given the large role that such media plays in the lives of young people, then it is clear that its effects should be of interest to all members of society, not least because these people are the future of society itself and, as such, whatever affects them will affect the future of every person in the world.

The specific nature of the interactions associated with social media is contentious, and has been argued to possess both positive and negative connotations. For example, even nine years ago studies were arguing that continuous exposure to the internet and social media through smart-phones has a retarding effect on the brain and is causing a fundamental change in the way in which people perceive reality (Small, 2007). More recently authors have noted that exposure to social media actually means that people live vicariously instead of experiencing life for themselves. Indeed, Jessica Rosenberg (2015) argues that not does Facebook turn people into observers of their own, and their friends, lives, but it can also create a false sense of intimacy that is ultimately unsatisfying. With regard to this feeling, it is important to note that the youngest generation who currently uses Facebook and social media have never known life without it. As such, their understanding of social interaction is entirely mediated by the social networking technology and the kinds of interaction that it normalizes.

Despite this experience of potential loneliness, however, it is important to note that smart phones and social networking have led to literally revolutionary ways of communicating and organizing These forms are predicated on the alienating effects of social media, but also show how these effects may be used to discover new forms of community. When speaking the Arab Spring uprisings in favour of Democracy, Paul Mason (2012) notes that the capacity to organize with social media and to spread messages of discontent was a crucial, and new element of social organization (p. 80). Likewise, Osman (2014) notes in Egypt that the availability of social media technology “enabled large scale meetings and demonstrations to be co-ordinated and organized in next to no time and with little need for advanced planning” (p. 880). Therefore, rather than negatively effecting people’s intelligence, social media can be shown to have positively accentuated it.

As such, it is clear that it would be wrong to simply analyze the effects of social-media and of the constant availability of internet access as being simply a retarding factor for the people who use it. Rather, it is also clear that this technology can provide new and exciting ways for collective intelligence to form and to express itself. While the full effects that social media will have on the world are not yet clear, what is clear is that these effects will surely contain both of these positive and negative elements, and that, at some point or other, they will affect almost everyone on the planet.

• “Mobile Technology Fact Sheet.” (2014). Pew Research Center. Web. 27Th January, 2016. .
• “Social Networking Fact Sheet.” (January, 2014). Pew Research Center. 27Th January, 2016. .
• Mason Paul. (2012). Why It’s Kicking Off Everywhere: The New Global Revolutions. Verso: London.
• Osman, Wazhmah. (2014). “On Media, Social Movements, and Uprisings: Lessons from Afghanistan, Its Neighbours, and Beyond.” Signs 39.4 : 874-887.
• Rosenberg, Jessica. (2015). Is Facebook Making Us Lonely?” Huffington Post. Web. 27Th January, 2016. .
• Small, Gary, W. (2007). “Your Brain on Google: Patterns of Cerebral Activation During Internet Searching.” AMJ Geriatr Psychology. 17 (12). 116-140.
• Smith, Allen. (2015). “U.S. Smarphone Use in 2015.” Pew Research Centre. Web. 27Th January, 2016. .

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Guest Essay

My Mother’s Favorite Music Taught Me How to Live Courageously

By Maria Garcia

Ms. Garcia is the creator and host of the Juan Gabriel podcast “ My Divo .”

In the thick of the pandemic I moved back to El Paso, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border, where I’d been raised, for what I thought would be a temporary stay. But then the desert whispered. After years away, my body hungered for the quiet wisdom of this land.

I’d changed since I’d left. In New York and Boston, I had lived openly as a queer woman. I found myself being more discreet around my family in El Paso and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, where I was born. There are plenty of queer people living full, open lives here. But none of them are in my family.

As soon as Covid restrictions eased, I began crossing the border into Ciudad Juárez by foot to sing karaoke with my queer friends whenever I needed release. My favorite songs to sing were those by the iconic Mexican showman Juan Gabriel. I loved reveling in my queerness and my culture all at once. I longed for that liberation around my family.

Music has the power to help us understand ourselves. Juan Gabriel’s tender femininity was a radical quality in a Mexico entrenched in machismo and homophobia. He managed to embody his Mexican roots while also exuding queerness — two ideas that were for so long at odds in our culture.

I inherited my love for Juanga, as he was affectionately called, from my mother. He was her first crush and her ultimate hometown hero. On those nights in Juárez when I’d belt out his songs the question would surface: If my Mexican mother could accept him as he was, could she accept me, too?

When I explain Juan Gabriel to American friends, I tell them to imagine an artist as revolutionary, innovative and singular as Prince and as peacockish, prolific (he composed more than 1,800 songs!) and canonized as Elton John. Someone once told me no one has made Latin Americans cry, laugh and dance more.

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17 Team-Building Activities for In-Person, Remote, and Hybrid Teams

• Rebecca Knight

Employees with strong relationships at work are more creative, collaborative, and likely to stay with their organization.

Managers sometimes turn to team-building activities to build connections between colleagues. But which activities and practices would work best for your team? And how can you put them into action most effectively? In this article, the author offers advice and recommendations from three experts. Their activity suggestions are intended to inspire ideas that you can then tailor to your team’s size, sensibilities, and circumstances. These activities don’t need to be extravagant or overly structured — what matters is being intentional about making team building happen. Stay attentive to your team members’ needs, involve colleagues in planning, and show sincere interest in getting to know them. By doing so, you’ll help build a positive, inclusive team culture that tackles loneliness and helps everyone succeed together.

In the era of remote work and scattered teams, managers face a key challenge: fostering connections among employees, no matter where they happen to be located.

• RK Rebecca Knight is a journalist who writes about all things related to the changing nature of careers and the workplace. Her essays and reported stories have been featured in The Boston Globe, Business Insider, The New York Times, BBC, and The Christian Science Monitor. She was shortlisted as a Reuters Institute Fellow at Oxford University in 2023. Earlier in her career, she spent a decade as an editor and reporter at the Financial Times in New York, London, and Boston.

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