Warm-up: Thursday
What traditions do you
and your family practice?
Human geography examines how people are affected by their physical
setting and how they create their own culture.
- Learned behaviors, traditions, beliefs, and a way of life created by a
group of people
Understanding culture helps us to understand cultural regions which are areas of the
world with certain characteristics in common, such as history, language, food, beliefs
and religion.
An example of a cultural region would be Southwest Asia which is more commonly
known as the Middle East. While the Middle East is a physical region because the
countries here share the same type of climate and physical features, it is also a cultural
region because the people living here have a common history, heritage , language and
religion.
Which picture would you most likely find people living in a greater
proximity to one another? Why?
How people live together is very important. In some cultures, people
live mainly in the countryside or in rural settings with a traditional way
of life, while other people live in large cities or urban areas with
advanced levels of technology.
Holiday traditions vary from country to country. In the USA many families hang stockings from their
fireplace and expect “Santa” to fill them. In Holland children put shoes (traditionally wooden shoes)
outside their door or by their fireplace for Sinterklaas to fill with candy.
Culture includes customs which are things people usually do, such as how they
dress, the foods they eat, how they celebrate holidays and turning points in
life such as birth, coming of age, marriage, parenthood and death. Within our
customs, we learn roles. Roles are based on rules for the proper behavior of
individuals in particular positions and situations. For example a woman who
has children is expected to take on a role of mother and treat her children a
certain way based on her societies customs. Once a role is learned, people
know how they are supposed to act in society.
Culture is everything that makes people who they are. Culture not only affects our
lifestyles but also how we perceive those from other cultures. For example someone
from a traditional culture might have a hard time understanding a person from a more
modern culture. These perceptions can lead to misunderstandings or conflicts. During
the Cold War for example, people from communist and democratic cultures were
suspicious and distrustful of each other. Today, we have a better understanding of each
other partially due to cultural diffusion or the exchange of information and goods
around the world.
Diffusion refers to how something diffuses or spreads. So cultural diffusion would be
how culture spreads. One of the first ways that culture spread was trade along the Silk
Road. The Silk Road was an overland trade route from China through Central Asia all
the way Europe. Another example of cultural diffusion is the Columbian Exchange
which was an exchange of goods between Europe and the Americas.
Cultural diffusion often leads to cultural convergence, where different cultures
become similar. It can also lead to globalization or the creation of a common
global culture. Examples of cultural convergence and globalization are the
spread of democratic ideas, the English language (lingua franca), new
technologies and even global sports. What are some examples of sports that
have become global?
One of the most important aspects of culture is religion. Religion is a set
of beliefs about the meaning of life, the nature of the universe and the
existence of the supernatural. There are seven major religions in the
world today. They are Animism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism,
Christianity, Islam and Sikhism.
This pyramid shows the class system of
Japan during its feudal period. Who is the
political leader of Japanese society? Who
are the warrior class? Who is at the bottom
of this social structure? What was the
largest class?
Another aspect of culture is its social structure. In every society, some members enjoy
greater wealth and wider opportunities than others. People who share similar wealth,
power and prestige are said to belong to the same social class. Most societies have
the following social classes: Upper, Middle, Working, Peasant and Lower Classes. The
difference between social classes vary from culture to culture and change over time. In
some classes, people can move from one class to another. This is called social mobility.
Yet another aspect of culture is family structure. In some societies parents live with
just their children while in others grandparents, aunts, uncles and other extended
family members all share a house. Within a family structure we find gender roles.
Gender roles are duties assigned to men and women. In traditional societies gender
roles often consist of men working outside the home while women are expected to
take care of the family and to perform household chores. In this type of society,
women lack the opportunities that men have. In modern societies, gender roles are
changing and both men and women share the responsibility of work, raising children
and household chores. While men and women are more equal in modern societies,
women still remain under represented in top jobs in government and business.
In many traditional societies and
cultures, the gender roles of men and
women are very clearly defined. Not
long ago the same was true in the USA.
How have women’s (and men’s) gender
roles changed in the USA? Why do
some people see these changes as
controversial?
When looking at culture it is important to consider how a culture treats its ethnic and
religious minorities. An ethnic group refers to a group of people with a common
ancestry and common culture and minority means a group with less power, property
and prestige than the dominant group. Around the world there are two basic types of
societies: Homogeneous and Heterogeneous.
In homogeneous societies like Saudi Arabia and Japan almost everyone belongs to the
same ethnic group and shares the same language and traditions. In a heterogeneous
or multicultural society there is a mix of people and cultures. The USA and Brazil are
examples of heterogeneous societies.
Every one of us is a product of our culture. What we eat, what we wear , how we
worship and how we interact with each other are all based on the norms and values
our society has deemed necessary. Understanding our culture and the culture of
others allows us greater prosperity in this ever-globalizing world.
Ethnocentrism
The belief that one’s own group or culture
is superior to all other groups or cultures.
The tendency of most people to use their
own way of life as a standard for judging
others; now also indicates the belief, on the
part of most individuals, that their race,
culture, society, etc., are superior to all
others
Info taken from: nku.edu website
Culture is like an
Iceberg…
Culture Pizza Categories
1. Language and communication (verbal and non-verbal)
2. Family structure
3. Recreation
4. Values and beliefs
5. Social relationships (interactions, gender roles)
6. Dress and other body decoration
7. Food
8. Traditions and customs (holidays)
12 Aspects of Culture or Ethnicity
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
History-time period and conditions under which a group
migrated or immigrated.
Social Status Factors – education, occupation, income
Social Group Interaction Patterns: Intra-group (within
group relations) and Inter-group (between-group relations)
Value Orientation – standards by which members of a
culture judge their personal actions and those of others.
Language and Communication: Verbal and Nonverbal
Family Life Processes – gender roles, family dynamics
Healing Beliefs and Practices – attitudes and beliefs about
health.
Religion – spiritual beliefs and practices
Art and Expressive Forms – art, music, stories, dance, etc.
Diet/Foods – preferred food eaten by groups.
Recreation – activities, sports for leisure, etc.
Clothing – types, styles, and extent of body coverings.