If you would like to investigate and learn more about a certain culture, you need to ask the right questions. The good questions to ask people about culture and society is sometimes hard to find. There is always a possibility that people will feel offended with your questions especially if you do not phrase your questions correctly.
You can probably get to know the good questions to ask people about culture and society by taking a look at the different categories that the questions will fall under. It is always wise to start with general questions so that you will know more about the typical things that people do. The more things that you learn about their normal, everyday life, the more likely that you are going to ask the proper questions that will amuse people.
Here are some questions you can ask:
- What is one major stereotype about your culture that you want to dispel right now?
- What are the things that you consider acceptable that may not be accepted in other cultures?
- How is your culture maintained even with all the changes that have occurred in the world?
- What is one characteristic that describes your culture as a whole?
- How will you describe a typical day in your life?
Now that you have asked general questions, it will be easier to ask questions that are more personal such as the following:
- Who do you consider to be your family?
- Does your family live together in one house?
- Who is considered to be the head of the family?
- What are the responsibilities of the various family members?
- What are the rights of each family member?
- When do you consider a person to be an adult?
- Are there some things that children are expected to do?
- What is the type of attitude that is expected towards males?
- What is one behavior that is considered to be unacceptable?
- What is the main language that you use to communicate with each other?
- Is education relevant and required for certain individuals?
- What are the traits that are considered to be positive?
- Do people need to be competent in a language before they become qualified for certain groups?
- Can girls study with boys?
- Can girls work with boys?
- What has changed the culture for the past decades which turned out to be positive?
- Are there any negative changes with your society as well?
- Who do you think are the heroes of society?
- How will you know if the culture is happy and contented with what they have?
- What are the causes of illness in your society?
- What do you normally use in order to allow people to become cured?
- Can you recommend some home remedies that are guaranteed to be effective for certain conditions?
- Will people be allowed to seek the help of modern medical doctors and medications?
- Are there some beliefs that are associated with childbirth?
- Are there some beliefs that are normally followed when women are undergoing menstruation?
- What are the practices that are considered to be part of good hygiene for the society?
- What are the normal food products that are eaten?
- What are some of the delicacies that are unique to this culture and cannot be found anywhere else?
- What food products will never be eaten?
- Are there some rules that are followed when people eat together?
These good questions to ask people so far have tackled different issues from family to food. There are still a lot of other questions that you can ask that will inform you about the culture that you are going to immerse yourself into.
- What are the types of clothing that are considered to be typically worn by men and women?
- Is there a distinction about how people dress depending on their social class?
- What is considered to be modest?
- What are the facial features that are considered to be attractive?
- Are people allowed to give compliments?
- Are there some colors that are being used for certain events?
- Are there some ceremonies that that are re-enacted from time to time to commemorate an event that has taken place before?
- What are the changes of the children now with the children before?
- What are considered to be important holidays in the society?
- What are the holidays that are appreciated more by children?
- What are the cultural values that children are exposed to immediately?
- Do parents provide gifts for their children?
- What are some marriage traditions that are unique to the culture?
- What kinds of work are considered the be prestigious?
- Do people believe that natural occurrences are based on something that people have done?
With all of these good question to ask people, you have a higher chance of getting to know more details about their culture.
