1. Defining Culture
The importance of
understanding
culture in a diverse
society
Dr. Sarah Nixon
Missouri State University
28.8.23 {August 28, 2023}

2. What does “culture” mean
to you?
 What is your culture?
 What are the attributes or characteristics of
your culture?
 How would you describe your culture to
another person?
 Take a few minutes to think about your
culture.

3. Sources of Cultural Identity
The cultural identity of all individuals (i.e., our knowledge,
attitude, values, skills) is formed through our experiences
with these 12 attributes & the intersectionality among
them.
 Race
 Ethnicity or
Nationality
 Social Class
 Sex/Gender
 Language
 Age
 Geographic Region
 Sexuality
 Religion
 Social Status
 Health
 Ability/Disability

5. So what is culture?
10% of culture consists of the visible,
tangible elements of a group
 These are the most objective elements of
culture that are most commonly thought of
when cultural differences are considered—
the surface elements.

6. Surface elements of a culture:
 Artifacts people produce (i.e., art, folklore)
 Languages
 Clothes
 Foods
 Music
 Holidays

7. 90% of culture consists of the invisible,
intangible subjective aspects of a group —
deep culture.
 These include: Values, morals, ethics, health &
medicine, money
 Beliefs, ceremony, myths & superstitions, taboos,
religion

8. Deep Culture Also Includes…
 Norms of behaviors, attitudes, personal behavior &
appearance, manners
 Learning styles, rewards & privileges, gestures and non-
verbal communication, time, space & proxemics
 Hierarchy of social roles—family, friends, courtship &
marriage, gender roles, rights & duties, ownership

9. In this respect, culture can be likened to an
iceberg: only 10% of the whole is seen above the
water. Yet it is the 90% that is hidden below the
surface that most concerns the ship’s captain.

10. Like an iceberg, the most meaningful (&
potentially dangerous) part of culture is the
invisible or subjective part that is continually
operating at the unconscious level that shapes
people’s perceptions and responses to those
perceptions.
It is this aspect of culture that leads to most
intercultural misunderstandings.

11.  We sometimes forget that our classrooms are made up
of young people who know very little about their own
culture and that of their classmates.
 As teachers we need to look for ways to create bicultural
moments so our students can learn about each other.
 But we also need to ask ourselves…
How much do we know about our own culture?
How much do we know about our students’
cultures?

12. Resources
 Cushner, McClelland & Safford. (2022).
Human diversity in education: An integrative
approach. 10th ed.
 Gollnick & Chinn. (2017). Multicultural
education in a pluralistic society. 10th ed.
 Grant & Sleeter. (2011). Turning on learning:
Five approaches for multicultural teaching
plans for race, class, gender, and disability.5th
ed.