Aims:
(i) To demonstrate an awareness and understanding of different perspectives and be able to relate these to one’s own perspective .
(ii) identify and analyse the various kinds of justifications used to support knowledge claims.

Real Life Situation: Cargo Cults of South Pacific.

YouTube Video: Cargo Cults explained quickly.
Cargo Cults & Religion (3min 22secs)

Life Documentary on Cargo Cults (9 mins)
Reading: Succinct Article from San Jose State University
Scientific American long & detailed article

Knowledge Claims:
Write a first order Knowledge Claim which could be developed from the RLS of Cargo Cults.
Now write this first order Knowledge Claim as a second order Knowledge Claim.

As a class – vote on the most interesting 1st & 2nd order KC presented.
As a class – brainstorm the various ways in which each KC selected might be justified.

Scope of Area of Knowledge:
Referring to The Knowledge Framework, look at the Scope of each AoK to decide which AoKs would investigation of Cargo Cults come under, explain why for each AoK that you list.

Does the phenomenon of Cargo Cults support, or detract from, the coherence of Indigenous Knowledge Systems as an Area of Knowledge ? Explain your answer.

Perspectives:
Using WoKs & AoKs explain some of the perspectives that could be used to understand Cargo Cults.
Is it possible for people who live outside of the Melanesian culture to develop a valid understanding of Melanesian Cargo Cults ?

Have you ever developed a personal belief system similar to a cargo cult ?

Modern Day Applications:
To what extent is Knowledge of Cargo Cults (incl. their historical development) useful to understanding the contemporary world ? You may like to consider:
– Competing belief systems.
– Hegemonic belief systems.
–  Networking of ideas.
– Whether evidence is required for knowledge.
– The relationship between personal and shared knowledge.

and many other contemporary knowledge issues!