Revising UK proj

I have already submitted the first draft of my analysis to Richard and got fairly positive feedback. What I think I will do now is finish up a couple more interviews and add a couple of questions inquiring into scenarios such as "what do you think would happen if you sat down at a table of strangers". I will probably take my analysis portion and paste it directly into my paper, adding background information in the beginning about commons and my personal observations. Then I will get into the analysis and conclusions. I still have no background info, I hope to chat with a librarian tomorrow in between classes, but is has been hard for me to get a chance thus far with my tight schedule. I will post my first draft of the analysis below in case anyone wants to take a look at it and give me any feedback. As far as the showcase goes, looks like we're all going to be working on it together, I think this is a good idea and look forward to see what we will come up with.

Raw Data Analysis
My area of research was the Commons Market Cafeteria area. This on campus location rests between the Kirwain and Blanding dorms, and is a popular spot for evening dining crowds. I hypothesized that this location served as a juncture for people to gather in and eat together, and would then lead to further social interaction. I envisioned people coming together in the need of eating, and then being able to share through these common bonds personal information that could lead to socialization and friendship development.
Through the process of interviewing, I received some varied results. I was correct in stating that numerous people congregate in the Commons Market with the intention of eating, and then eventually lead in to socializing. However, it seems that most people come into the Commons with pre formed groups of friends, and do not break away from these friends. They all eat and talk together, but not with anyone else in the location. I speculate that part of the reason people do not engage with outsiders is due to the implicit social rules set up by the area.
Due to the fact that tables are set up individually and oriented away from each other with a lot of space in between indicates that the tables are to remain separate. Because of this people sit at their own table and don’t interact with other tables. Another rule is that if you are with a group, you sit with that group at your own table; if you are alone, sit at an empty table. I know from personal experience that table orientation and set up can govern the way social interactions take place. I ate at a restaurant in Rome one time, quite close to the Vatican City and Saint Paul’s Cathedral. In this restaurant, food was served up at the front, and then an attendant would come and seat you at a table. The tables were large with several seats on each side, and every table would be filled with people, whether they came in together or not. Save language barriers of this touristy area, I observed increased social interaction at these tables between strangers. It is not that people refuse to talk to strangers; it is just that some situations offer different social behaviors.
If someone at the Commons went so far as to sit at a table with a person they did not know, there are a few outcomes probable. The first outcome is that the stranger will just ignore the outsider, and just continue eating. A second possibility is the stranger will get up and leave. The final outcome is that the stranger will actually accept the approach, and begin a conversation. Although any of these outcomes seem plausible, and have been derived by the people that go to the Commons Market themselves, I feel as though it is highly unlikely for scenario three to occur. Given the atmosphere of the location, and the observed social rules being followed by dozens of people each day, it seems quite unlikely that anyone would go so far as to break this trend. I speculate that much different results, cosmopolitan principles, would be found if the seating area was set up differently. If the tables were pushed together and sitting with strangers was encouraged, people would no longer feel intimidated to walk into the venue without a group of friends, and would make new experiences each time.
It is through this method that people could act in the cosmopolitan principles set forth by Appiah. Appiah’s two fundamental principles of cosmopolitanism (our obligation to others, and our caring for the individual) are principles that cannot be denied by anyone. Appiah states the importance of reaching out to the imaginary stranger, The problem of cross-cultural communication can seem immensely difficult in theory, when we are trying to imagine making sense of a stranger in the abstract. But the great lesson of anthropology is that when the stranger is no longer imaginary, but real and present, sharing a human social life, you may like or dislike him, you may agree or disagree; but, if it is what you both want, you can make sense of each other in the end. By taking a chance and talking to others we can really begin to branch out and make connections with people we wouldn’t do so with otherwise. These connections can be made possible much easier if people engage in an environment in which they feel comfortable. In Anderson’s essay Cosmopolitan Canopy, the way in which people use their environment to help them feel comfortable in cosmopolitanism is explored. It is by this that I believe rearranging the Commons Market could lead to a radically different experience. Moving people together harmoniously would increase the fellowship and inspire an on campus community. In doing this Anderson’s Cosmopolitan Canopy could be created and practice Appiahs principles towards man. The same charming experience I had in Rome could be relived by myself and many of my peers.