Assignment: The Intersections of Life: Coming of Age
Experiencing the transition from childhood to adulthood, or coming of age, is a human universal. How these rites of passage happen, however, varies widely from culture to culture. The ceremonies announce societal values through carefully preserved, meaningful symbols. Similarly, coming of age rituals convey the responsibilities of the adult individual in a particular community or culture and mark the beginning of the next stage of life.
This Assignment provides an opportunity to research coming of age experiences from several different cultures. You are also encouraged to research additional examples of the transition to adulthood to better understand the values inherent in the rituals and what that means to the culture. Increasing the understanding of cultural values around the globe will better prepare you to successfully communicate with individuals in those cultures.
Photo credit: Microsoft Corporation. (Producer). MP900414104 [Photo of celebrating students in graduation robes]. Retrieved September 12, 2013, from http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.a…
Photo credit: Microsoft Corporation. (Producer). MP900442526 [Young girl praying outdoors]. Retrieved January 17, 2014, from http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.a…
To prepare for your Assignment:
- Review Chapter 2 of your course text. Consider the forces that create cultural differences. Why are some things valuable in one culture and not in another?
- Listen to the media examples and review a variety of the coming of age stories in your Learning Resources, and note the similarities and differences in how various cultures mark adulthood.
- Select one of the media examples or stories that resonated with you.
- Reflect on your personal experience of transitioning to adulthood.
By Day 7
Submit a 2- to 3-page paper including the following:
- A brief story of your personal coming of age experience and how culture was transmitted to you.
- A brief statement of what the experience meant to you.
- A brief explanation of the experience in the media or story from coming of age stories that resonated with you.
- A brief description of how the media example or story is a reflection of cultural norms.
- A brief reflection on how being exposed to the cultural experiences of others helps you increase your intercultural competence.
Note: Remember that all submissions should be academically appropriate. Please contact your Instructor if you have any concerns about content.
Submission and Grading Information
To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:
- Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK1Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
- Click the Week 1 Assignment Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
- Click the Week 1 Assignment link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
- Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK1Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
- If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
- Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 1 Assignment Rubric
Check Your Assignment Draft for Authenticity
To check your Assignment draft for authenticity:
Submit your Week 1 Assignment draft and review the originality report.
Submit Your Assignment by Day 7
To submit your Assignment:
Week 1 Assignment
Browse the following resources and select one to read and use in this week’s Assignment:
Ali, A. H. (2012). Shelter. Smithsonian, 43(3), 10–11.
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
Falah, G.-W. (2013). Growing up in rural Galilee, Palestine: Memories of childhood geographies. Cultural Geographies, 20(3), 299–318.
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
Kennedy, A. L. (2012). People will laugh at you if you sound like that. New Statesman, 141(5100/5101), 82–83.
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
Mahama, J. D. (2012). My first coup d’etat. Virginia Quarterly Review, 88(3), 169–179.
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
Mazumdar, S. (2009). Man bites “Slumdog.” Newsweek, 153(9), 34–35.
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
Rahmim, I. I. (2009). Unclean in Tehran, adrift in San Diego: A memoir. Commentary, 127(3), 39–45.
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
Tywoniak, F. E., & García, M. T. (2000). Migrant daughter: Coming of age as a Mexican American woman. Berkeley, CA.: University of California Press.
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
Ulysse, G. A. (2010). Little Gina’s rememory #2: An soudin (in secret). Feminist Studies, 36(1), 174–179.
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
Required Media
Walden Library. (Producer). (2013). Copyright basics. [Video file]. Retrieved from http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/c.php?g=81702
This Walden Library tutorial provides an overview of copyright issues and your responsibility as a scholar-practitioner to properly credit sources.
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 11 minutes and 30 seconds.
Laureate Education. (Producer). (2013a). Cultural case studies: Coming of age stories. [Audio file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 34 minutes and 30 seconds.
sasmakh2009. (2009, April 2). The use of silence in Japan (intercultural communication) [Video file]. Retrieved from
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 7 minutes.
Optional Resources
Putzi-Ortiz, S. (2008). A to Z world lifecycles 175 countries – birth, childhood, coming of age, dating and courtship, marriage, family and parenting, work life, old age and death. Petaluma, CA: World Trade Press.
