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Course Outline

Opening Question

What does the phrase “cultural appropriation” mean to you?

Definitions

Cultural appropriation via Rogers (2006).

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Transculturation:

Rogers (2006) “Transculturation: cultural elements created from and/or by multiple cultures, such that identification of a single originating culture is problematic, for example, multiple cultural appropriations structured in the dynamics of globalization and transnational capitalism creating hybrid forms” (p. 477).

Small Group Discussion

What are the conflicting goods in practicing yoga in the United States?

History

Yoga’s Migration to the United States

How Consumer Culture Re-Articulated Yoga

Upper-Caste Hinduism and Yoga

Lower-Caste & Muslim Perspective

Group Discussion

Re-answer this question: “What are the conflicting goods when practicing yoga in the United States?”

The Yoga Sutras

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Adapted from Whinnen (2017) Diversity in Yoga. Unpublished presentation, Gonzaga University.

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Kriya Yoga - Action: Show up, try new things, put new ideas out into the world (Humpf, 20017).

Svadyaya - Study: Be self-reflective (Humpf, 20017)

Ahimsa - Loving Kindness: Root every action in loving compassion.

Satya – Truth: Believe someone’s experience. It is “real” for them (Small, 2017).

Asteya - Non-Stealing: See difference, do not ignore it (Small, 2017).

Brahmacharya  - Restraint: observe the rules of polite conversation and avoid stereotypes (Small, 2017).

Aparigraha - Non-Covetousness/Possessiveness/Generosity: Remove preconceived notions of what it should be

Exercise #1

Practical Application: Small Group Break Outs/Practical Application

 

Step 1: In your group, following the guidelines of the materials provided, answer the following questions:

1. What do these two systems have in common?

2. How are they different?

3. Using these tools, how do you come to better understand the differing views of yoga and cultural appropriation?

4. How do these tools address (or not address) the concerns of cultural appropriation?

 

Step 2: Work together to create a dialogic presentation that explores essential messaging for these systems and how they can be applied to the issue of cultural appropriation.

Hermenuetics

Presentation Adapted from Whinnen (2017) Diversity in Yoga. Unpublished presentation, Gonzaga University.

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Bias + Willingness to Play + Dialogue = new Truth

 

Limits of Self Expression:

Self-expression “provides little space for delighting in the difference that makes our encounter with the ‘other’ rich with possibility” (Deetz, Simpson, 2004, p. 152).

“When “the ‘other’ is silenced by successful [self] expression, the capacity to engage in reclaiming difference is limited" (Deetz, 2004, p. 147).

The point “is to overcome one's fixed subjectivity” (Deetz, 2004, p. 143). “The ideal is not …the successful assertion of one's point of view, but a transformation into communion, in which we do not remain what we were” (Deetz, 2004, p. 146).

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Developing an Appreciation of Otherness:

“Is central to developing a responsibility appropriate to the contemporary age” (Deetz, 2004, p. 143).

“Only through our encounter with radical difference does transformation becomes possible” (Deetz, 2004, p. 145).

“When we encounter the ‘other’ in this way, we not only challenge the status quo, but also open the door to deeper self- awareness” (Deetz, 2004, p. 145).

“Failure to attend carefully to the ‘otherness’ around us limits our own perspective, produces incomplete and inadequate decision[s], and does violence to those who are often marginalized (Deetz, p. 157).

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Relationship to Meaning and Common Ground:

“Most of our ‘personal’ meanings …are inherited meanings [produced] by someone else to serve their purposes.

 [They] are uncritically taken on as our own.

We are able to understand the distinctions of this versus that, but distinctions that would organize the world differently are hidden and suppressed” (Deetz, 2004, p. 144).

“A quest for ‘common ground’ inherently favors the already-dominant [group]. …Marginalized members of society must be bi- or multi-cultural. [They] must learn not only to navigate their own culture, but must also be fluent in the dominant culture. …Calls for ‘coming together’ and ‘finding common ground’ reproduce the status quo because the ground that is common …is that of the dominant culture” (Deetz, 2004, p. 145).

“This inhibits, rather than supports, the radical disruption of self that is central to productive understanding” (Deetz, 2004, p. 145).

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Conflict Resolution

“Both the loss and the growth are critical to human social conduct” (Deetz, 2004, p. 147).

“The ability to make mutually satisfactory decisions together may be a stronger basis for community” (Deetz, 2004, p. 151).

Encouraging “expression of difference may also create space for empowering encounters with disagreement that have the potential to allow participants to ‘survive the disgraceful fact of our mutual difference’” (Deetz, 2004, p. 153).

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Exercise #2

Adapted from Whinnen (2017) Diversity in Yoga. Unpublished presentation, Gonzaga University.

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Exercise #2: Empathy Role Play; Assuming the role of Other 

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With a partner, dialogue from the perspective of a marginalized community member

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Partner #1:

Adopt the perspectives of a marginalized community member.

What are conflicts you see from that vantage point?

Use “I” language. For example; “I am a Desi woman coming into a yoga class of white women. I feel awkward.”

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Partner#2:

Adopt the perspective of privilege, and follow these steps for dialogue:

Do not strive for common ground. It robs marginalized people of the chance to be heard.

Recognize, value, and celebrate difference

Reconsider that otherness is a construct from the past adopted as our own; an outcome of a specific social/historical context (Deetz, 2004).

“The ideal is a transformation into communion, in which we do not remain what we were” (Deetz, 2004, p. 146). How does not self-identifying change the dynamic of the conversation?

Provide space that encourages differences and empowers respectful discourse and disagreement

Do not worry about getting your point across. Be open to expansion of ideas

 

Switch Partners

Each partner assumes both roles

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Debrief

What did you notice, observe, etc.?

What came up for you?

What was particularly difficult/accessible?

Why?

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