Role Plays on Female Genital Cutting: Understanding Multiple Perspectives and Evaluating Cultural Relativism

Abstract

Female genital cutting (FGC) is a controversial practice that allows students to explore
the concept, and possible limits of, cultural relativism as well as multiple dimensions of
human rights. In this assignment students perform role plays in which they enact a
character with a particular understanding and/or experience of FGC, including a...

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Details

Subject Area(s):

Sex and Gender

Resource Type(s):

Assignment

Class Level(s):

College 200

Class Size(s):

Small

Usage Notes

Most suited for classes on Sociology of Gender, Women in Cross-Cultural Perspective, Peace Studies or Human Rights and small classes; I have had 12 and 13 students enrolled while using the role play assignment. Students can pair up on role presentations; additional roles could also be added.

Early in the class, and before any significant...

Learning Goals and Assessments

Learning Goal(s):

1. 1) objectively describe the geographic locations, forms, incidence, emic (perspectives of participants) and etic (perspectives of outsiders) explanations for female genital cutting;
2. 2) evaluate different ways of knowing about a controversial practice;
3. 3) explain how female genital cutting reflects tensions between cultural relativism and universal human rights;
4. 4) comprehend another culture on its own terms, using the categories of thought and behavior of that culture;
5. 5) articulate your own position on FGC, and
6. 6) demonstrate depth of empathy and personal connection to another person who is unlike yourself in significant ways.

Goal Assessment(s):

1. 1) Role play performance, class discussion, student portraits and scripts, subsequent take-home essay exam question;
2. 2) Class discussion, role play paper;
3. 3) Role play performance, class discussion, student portraits and scripts, role play paper, take home exam essay;
4. 4) Role play performance, student portraits and scripts, role play paper, take home exam essay;
5. 5) Class discussion, role play paper, and
6. 6) Role play performance, role play paper, take home exam essay.