11.3.4.4 SW2103 Cultural Studies (4.5 ECTS Credits)

Consists of the following parts:

Objective and content
The student:
•appreciates the importance of a sense of cultural belonging in identity formation
•understands the basic theories and themes which inform cultural studies
•comprehends the relationship between ideology, politics, globalization, and postmodernism on culture and cultural theory
•becomes familiar with the history, and modern challenges to Cultural Theory
•develops an awareness of the processes and practices that define the construction of cultural identity

Objective and content
The student:
•Understands the concepts of prejudice, stereotyping and racism and their effects on marginalizing ethnic groups
•Appreciates the impact of ethnic heritage and race on the identity formation of individuals, groups, and communities
•Understands the nature of issue based oppressions and incorporates this awareness in starting to think about effective strategies in holistic, anti-oppressive practice
•Is capable of placing Finland’s racial policy in relation to immigration, refugee policy, and integration in a comparative European context

Objective and content
The student:
•Appreciates the nature and importance of spiritual belief and religious affiliation in shaping identity and social life, and defining appropriate modes of moral and ethical conduct
•Demonstrates an understanding and tolerance of different religious philosophies
•Becomes aware of the implications for practice of working with individuals and groups with widely divergent spiritual belief systems
•Begins to evaluate the impact of his/her own spiritual beliefs on reflective Multicultural Social Work practice
•becomes familiar with the basic principles and foundations of Islam, Buddhism, and Christianity
•discusses religious belief and spirituality in relation to the implications for reflective Multicultural Social Work practice