Culture, Civilisation, Cultural Studies
KEY CONCEPTS
 The word ‘CULTURE’ is philologically related to the
agricultural and horticultural processes of cultivating and
nurturing.
 Became metaphorically associated with the notion of
cultivating persons socially
 The particular systems of beliefs, practices, and values that
identify a people
 The natural disposition towards one’s own culture and kind
of (‘us’) make people aware of others (‘them’).
Some definitions of Culture
 Culture is not Erudition (acquired knowledge, wisdom…).
Erudition only defines the Culture of a person, not that of a
People
 Culture is the whole “Way of Life” that identifies a people. It is
a system of expressions and repressions of the full spectrum of
human ways of being and behaving.
 This encompasses language, religion, history, morality, values,
laws, customs, traditions, and beliefs. It may or may not also
include an inherited political system.
 In the case of British/American Culture, its inclusion is obvious
due to the its political institutions played in other nations
Where then is Culture Found?
 Culture is found in society, as the individual, living in
isolation, does not produce culture.
 It is in society that the individual is provided with a historical
past and a sense of future.
 Culture cannot exist without society, being a response to the
needs of the society that produced it.
 According to T. S. Eliot, in a society there is a Collective
Culture (unconscious), and an Élite Culture
(conscious), the latter drawing its vitality from the
collective culture and being responsible for its preservation
and transmission. Culture consciousness can be a means of
uniting a nation against other nations (egs. Nazism;
Communism, Islamism).
 The defence and preservation of an inherited culture indicate
a resistance to change, but can also be interpreted as, or
attributed to, racism, discrimination, and/or the means by
which the dominant majority preserves its power.
What is National Culture?
 National Culture can only be defined in comparison with
other Cultures. Peoples living in isolation are not aware
of their own Culture.
 The Culture of a people is assessed by the history of its
contribution to the Cultures of other peoples
(egs: English Culture >>> USA >>> France >>>
World).
Culture and Civilisation. What is the Difference?
 Culture produces values, Civilization consumes them. A
society that ceases to produce cultural values is in
decline/disintegration. It only consumes the old values (egs:
Classical Culture; Egyptian, Roman,… Portugal (discoveries).
 There is a multi-secular barrier, difficult to cross, between Culture
and Civilization. Both have History as its source and driving force.
History is behind all civilization and cultural phenomena.
 To fully understand the Culture of a People, one must, therefore,
have a good grasp/knowledge of its History. As Cicero put it:
“History is the witness of epochs, the light of truth, the
memory and master of life” (Cited in T.S. Eliot, Notes, 1948,
pp. 18-19).
Culture and Religion: Relationship?
 According to T. S. Eliot,
 “Culture is the product of religion or vice-versa”
 Culture and Religion are different aspects of the same
thing”
 “The Culture of a People is the incarnation of its
religion” (egs. Christianity; Buddhism, Islamism,
Paganism…).
CULTURAL STUDIES
 Academic Discipline
 It is an interdisciplinary area of study which deals with
the study of a Culture in its national dimension, as well as at
regional and international levels.
 It highlights the diversity of cultures within a nation
(regionalisms), as well as the cross cultural influences in its
relations with other nations, and the impact thereof on
individuals and societies.
 Key topics of study are: regionalism,
colonialism, post-colonialism, migration,
multiculturalism, gender, racism, and
discrimination.
 Sources: Study based on a diversified corpus
combining literary sources and other mediums of
expression, such as cinema, TV, music,
photography, painting, painting, etc...