1. Name: Humna Asghar
Email: butt1496@gmail.com
CULTURE
Culture has been derived from German word “Kaltoor” which means growing and harvesting
crops. As cultivation of land and harvesting of crops is the outcome of the peasant’s labor,
culture has evolved with human arts and artifacts well adjusted to their physical and social
environment. Culture is called “Saqafat” in Urdu which has been derived from Arabic word
“Saqf” meaning artifact used for skill. Just as a man is recognized by the company he keeps,
society is identified through its culture. So it may be defined as:
“Culture is that complex whole which includes knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, laws, customs
and other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.” (E.B Taylor)
“Culture is a way of thinking, feeling and action.” (Kluckhohn)
In short, culture includes in itself the whole of our way of life.
Characteristics
These include:
 Culture is not inherited biologically rather it is man’s learned behavior during the course
of his life through different means e.g. shaking hands or saying ‘salaam’ or ‘thanks’ and
shaving etc.
 Culture does not exist in isolation. Neither is it an individual phenomenon. It is a product
of society.
 Culture is transmissive. It means it travels from one generation to another.
 Culture exists as a continuous process and tends to become cumulative.
 Culture, in its development has revealed to a tendency to be consistent. At the same time
different parts of culture are interconnected. Change in one part of culture will cause
change in rest of the parts.
 Though culture is relatively stable it is not static.
 Culture provides proper opportunities for fulfilling our needs that may be social in nature.
 Every society has its own unique culture and every society considers its culture as an
ideal.
Elements
1).Norms:

2. Norms are social rules that specify appropriate and inappropriate behavior in given situations.
They tell us what we ought and must do as well as what we oughtn’t, and mustn’t do. They may
be mores, folkways and laws.
2).Values:
Values are broad ideas regarding what is desirable, correct and good that most members of a
society share.
3).Language:
Language is in fact the foundation of every culture. It includes speech, written characters,
numerals, symbols and non-verbal gestures and expressions. People communicate their ideas,
emotions to one another through it.
4).Sanctions:
Sanctions are rewards for conduct concerning a social norm. Positive sanctions include medal, a
word of gratitude or a pat on the back, while negative sanctions include fines, threats and
imprisonment.
Types:
1).Real Culture:
The culture on which we act upon in our social life is the real culture e.g. all of us claim to be
Muslims but how far we practice it is our real culture.
2).Ideal Culture:
The culture which is presented as a pattern to the people is called ideal. It is the goal of society
but can never be achieved fully because of lack of practice e.g. Islam is our ideal culture but how
far we practice is our real culture.
3).Material Culture:
Material culture is related to manmade objects such as buildings, books, tools, roads and other
physical things used by man. It also includes banks, parliaments, currency systems etc.
4).Non-Material Culture:
Non-Material Culture is related to abstract things such as languages, beliefs values, habits, rituals
and practices done by people.
Functions

3. Culture is determinant of identity. It provides knowledge which is essential for physical and
intellectual existence of man. It defines social situations for us.
Bibliography:
“Culture”. 8 April 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki /Culture
http://www.slideshare.net/saysolun/culture-29418770. 22 December 2014.
Citation:
Jenks, C. (1993). Culture. London: Routledge.