concept of culture
Post on 05-Mar-2015
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Concept of Culture
Reviewy Anthropology = the systematic study of humankind
everywhere to understand uniqueness and diversityy 5 Subfields y CA = Focus on the customs and beliefs of a
human group, through participant observations
From Gary Weaver in Culture, Communication and Conflict: Readings in Intercultural Relations
Viewing Culture as Successive Levels of Understanding
Diagram by Lloyd Kwast
y What are the key elements of culture? y What makes up culture? y How do cultures differ? y How are they the same? y Define culture
Culture is what makes you a stranger when you are away from home Learned patterns of behaviour What makes us us and them them Complex, integrated coping mechanism
The Pa Dong Village of Nai Soi, Thailand
Definitionsy There are over 160 different definitions of
culture
Tylor: that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom, and any other capabilities acquired by man as a member of society popular entertainment, from everyday behavior to the development of sophisticated technology. It contains the plans, rules, techniques, design, and policies for living
All aspects of human activity, from the fine arts to
More Definitions Shared way of life that includes values, beliefs, and
norms transmitted within a particular society from generation to generation through symbolic learning and language knowledge that is shared by a society
Culture is the historical accumulation of symbolic Culture is based on shared meanings that are beyond
the mind of any individual; culture is also within the mind of individuals
Tattooing comb, The plate of the comb is made of bone and turtle shell (Samoan Islands, 19th century)
Operational Definitiony The ideals, values, and beliefs members of a
society share to interpret experience and generate behaviour and that are reflected by that behaviour
Portrait of a Maori chief, New Zealand, 19th century
Tattooed chief at Taiohae, Nukuhiva drawing, 19th century
Culture is LEARNEDy Enculturation = process by which a society's
culture is transmitted from one generation to another y Learn correct value systems and appropriate modes of behavior y Social learning (observation) parents, teachers, friends, TV y Situational learning (trial-and-error/ conscious and unconscious) y Direct instruction y E.g. contact vs. no contact
Culture is SHAREDy People from one culture share the same
meanings for symbolsy There can be variabilityy Age (may determine what you can/can t do) y Gender (e.g. women as imams) y Subcultures (e.g. Amish)
A woman with pierced ears and stretched lobes, Borneo, 1988
Culture is SYMBOLICy The human ability to use symbols is the basis of
culturey Symbol = something verbal or nonverbal within a culture that comes to stand for something else (e.g., a flag, wedding rings, crucifix) y Language is most important symbol y primary means by which culture is transmitted from one generation to another
Culture is INTEGRATEDy All aspects function as an inter-related whole y If one part changes it tends to affect another party E.g.: Women in work-force
Woman with face painting Papua, New Guinea, 1982 Decorated for an annual festival
Culture is ADAPTIVEy Ever-changing, non-static y Different from what they were years ago y E.g. Human relation to the sun y Change can come from outside (= domination of other culture) or inside (economic changes) y Adaptation has resulted in exploitation of marginal environments; use of weaponry; pollution y Not all cultural behaviors are adaptive
Additionally,y SUBCULTURES = smaller groups with distinct pattern of
learned and shared behavior and thinking found within larger culturesy These groups generally strive to preserve
their cultural identity within the larger groupy Diversity through race, ethnicity, religion,
genderNdebele woman, S. Africa
Finally,y Ideal Culturey Normative descriptions of a culture given by it s
natives y i.e. what people say they doy Real Culturey Actual behavior as observed by anthropologists y i.e. what people actually do
Cultural Universalityy = Features that are found in every culture y Biological universals = e.g. long period of infant
dependency, year-round sexuality, complex brain that enables us to use symbols, languages, and toolsy Psychological universals = common ways in which humans
think, feel, and process informationy Social universals = incest taboos, life in groups, families,
food sharing
70 Cultural Universalsage-grading athletic sports bodily adornment calendar cleanliness training community organization cooking co-operative labor cosmology courtship dancing decorative art divination division of labor dream interpretation education eschatology ethics ethno-botany etiquette faith healing family feasting fire-making folklore food taboos funeral rites games gestures gift-giving government greetings hair styles hospitality
by George Murdochhousing hygiene incest taboos inheritance rules joking kin groups kinship nomenclature language law luck / superstitions magic marriage mealtimes medicine obstetrics penal sanctions personal names population policy postnatal care pregnancy usages property rights propitiation of supernatural beings puberty customs religious ritual residence rules sexual restrictions soul concepts status differentiation surgery tool-making trade visiting weather control weaving
NINE CULTURAL UNIVERSALS1. Place and Time 2. Family Life 3. Economics 4. Food, clothing, shelter and transportation 5. Communication 6. Government 7. Arts and Recreation 8. Education 9. Quest for the Supernatural
Cultural Generalityy Features that are common to several, but not all,
human groupsy E.g. nuclear family since it is present in most, but not
all, societiesy Other examples?
Cultural Particularityy Features that are unique to certain cultural traditions y That these particulars may be of fundamental
importance to the population is indicative of the need to study the sources of cultural diversity E.g. FGM, finger mutilation,
foot binding
Gestures?y A-ok? y Presenting food/gift with right hand y Shaking hands y Eating with hands y Thumbs up y Showing someone the finger y Sticking tongue out y Palm out y Eye contact y Kissing shoulder y Men kissing men on the cheek (greeting)
Gestures - Examplesy In Asian culture: y both hands used to show appreciation of a gift/object y Don t place hand on the head - the crown of the head is the residence of the soul in Buddhismy Don t slap on the back - considered aggressive and
invasive y In Hmong culture (a mountain group from Laos), if a woman taps the top of a man's foot with her foot, she is indicating that she is available for sex
Diffusiony Spread of culture traits through borrowing from one
culture to anothery Has been a source of culture change throughout
human historyy Direct or indirect y Forced or unforced
Acculturationy Exchange of features that results when groups come
into continuous firsthand contacty May occur in any or all groups engaged in such
contact
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