• Formulate a research question that problematises a cultural experience you have had, and which addresses a ‘puzzle’, inconsistency, observation, question or curiosity you experienced, either in a familiar or unfamiliar culture
• Craft a literature review that draws on suitable course literature as well as appropriate extra-curricular academic literature for illuminating the chosen cultural issue (cf exam guidelines)
• Apply appropriate readings, theories/ concepts taught during the course to analyse the chosen cultural issue
• Evaluate the strengths and limitations of the theories/concepts presented during the course for explaining a chosen cultural issue.
• Reflect critically on own positionality and cultural assumptions, with a point of departure in analysis of experiences with a familiar or unfamiliar culture.
• Craft and apply a research methods approach that is appropriate for investigating the chosen research issue

Today’s BLC graduates are likely to be employed in multicultural organisations in Denmark and/or abroad. The ability to work effectively with people from a wide range of backgrounds is therefore increasingly crucial, both when in unfamiliar cultural contexts and when ‘at home’, e.g. in one's home country or own organisational/work environment. Awareness of one’s own cultural positionality and assumptions, both in unfamiliar and familiar cultural contexts, are important elements in enabling this. 
  
“Cultural Identity and Analysis” is designed to foster and train these abilities. The aim of the course is to encourage critical reflexivity concerning students’ own cultural identity and positionality, and about the ways in which they apprehend and negotiate difference. Students will be introduced to theories and concepts that will enable them to practice such critical reflection both in a familar context (where they regard themselves as 'insiders') and in an unfamiliar/foreign context (where they regard themselves as 'outsiders').  Different theoretical approaches to culture, identity and difference will be presented (e.g. social identity theory, communication accommodation theory, cross-cultural adaptation theory, inclusion/exclusion and belonging, acculturation, alterity, positionality, recognition, materiality and embodiment), as well as approaches to analysing and writing about one's own experiences in a scientific manner (autoethnographic approaches, sense-making).

These theories will be applied to students' experiences both in an 'insider' and  'outsider' context:

'Outsider' cultural context: we will follow up on students’ experiences of navigating unfamiliar cultural contexts where they regard themselves as 'outsiders' (for instance, the exchange semester abroad or another unfamiliar culture students have experienced in their lives (e.g. a holiday abroad, a new sports club, or a move from Jutland to Sjælland). Cases will be drawn from students' own experiences. Students' experiences will be discussed in the light of the cultural assumptions, positionality and identity issues that they raise.

'Insider' cultural context: with a point of departure in their own experiences, students will be introduced to the challenges, including cultural blind spots, involved in critically reflecting on their own cultural assumptions, identity and positionality in a familiar cultural context where they regard themselves as 'insiders', e.g. a Danish organisation or institution (such as CBS, a workplace, sports club or family context).

Students will thus be expected to draw on the perspectives and concepts taught during the course in explaining and reflecting on their experiences both as cultural 'insiders' and 'outsiders'. The cultural analysis techniques students learn during the course will also equip students with conceptual and methodological tools that they can deploy when writing their bachelor project if they choose to write about a cultural topic - notably the concept of 'positionality' which runs through the entire Cultural Analysis course and which will also be addressed in their IRM course.

Please note that this course will be discontinued and run for the last time in Spring 2027. The last exam will be offered in summer 2028.

To be announced on Canvas