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Similar to Chapter 3CultureThis chapter will help youUnderstand
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Chapter 3CultureThis chapter will help youUnderstand
- 1. Chapter 3 Culture This chapterwill help you: Understand culture and its different features Describe how cultures develop Distinguish between subcultures and countercultures Understand the difference between ethnocentrism and cultural relativism Outline the properties of Canadian culture What is Culture? Culture: A shared set of influences such as: Values Beliefs Rules Behaviours Objects Language What is Culture?, cont’d Culture is passed on from generation to generation Culture is learned Culture is socially transmitted and reinforced People use the features of culture help them make sense of the world
- 2. Features of Culture MaterialCulture The physical objects that members of a culture create and use Non-Material Culture Aspects of culture that are not physical objects Ideas, values, beliefs, etc. Also referred to as symbolic culture because we use symbols to interact and communicate Features of Culture, cont’d Norms Written and unwritten rules that guide behaviour Sanctions Positive sanctions are rewards for good behaviour Negative sanctions are punishments for unacceptable behaviour Features of Culture, cont’d Language A system of symbols used for communication Language is shaped by location and culture Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis Language provides a way of thinking about the world This way of thinking reflects cultural values It influences the way we see the world
- 3. Languages shape andreflect the reality of cultures Features of Culture, cont’d Non-verbal Communication The use of gestures to communicate We learn the meaning of gestures over time, like other forms of language Gestures do not have the same meaning in all cultures Pierre Bourdieu - Cultural Capital We learn “taste” in our families Some types of cultural “taste” have more status than others Used by a social group to maintain superiority of other groups For example, why is graffiti valued less that art in an art gallery? Cultural Universals These are practices that are found in every known human culture Some examples are: Language Sports Religious ceremonies Ritual gift-giving Laws Music Cultural Universals, cont’d
- 4. The practices (likeplaying sports) are universal But the content (what sports are played) vary from culture to culture Innovation Humans are creative New technologies and products are constantly being produced Innovations can have significant cultural impacts The way we use cell phones (texting, emojis, etc.) has created a cultural shift in communication Diffusion and Globalization Diffusion When cultural items or practices are transmitted from one group to another Pokemon and Pokemon Go illustrate how globalization influences diffusion These Canadians are playing Pokemon Go (a Japanese creation) in Winnipeg Cultural Diversity - Subcultures A subculture is a cultural group that: Shares elements of the dominant culture Also has its own distinctive values, norms, and behaviours Cultural Diversity - Countercultures
- 5. A counterculture isa cultural group that: Rejects conventional norms and values and adopts alternatives Is at odds with the larger society i.e., the Hippie movement of the 1960s Culture Shock A feeling of uncertainty and disorientation when we encounter new or different cultural practices Can happen when we encounter other cultures Can happen within our own culture Ethnocentrism The tendency to evaluate cultures based on our own cultural lens Seeing one’s own culture as superior to others Cultural Relativism The attempt to understand cultures on their own terms Attempting to understand why cultural practices exist rather than judging them Understanding does not necessarily involve supporting or agreeing with the cultural practice Xenocentrism
- 6. Assuming that everythingabout another culture is superior to one’s own For example, the assumption that products produced in other countries are always superior to domestic products Canadian Culture Canadian culture is hard to pinpoint Canadians tend to identify as “not American” Canada does not have a strong unified sense of culture Some people argue that it is a collection of regional cultures Multiculturalism Diversity is a central aspect of Canadian society Multiculturalism is considered an important part of Canadian identity It is protected in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms Multiculturalism, cont’d The Multiculturalism Act (1985) Mandates equality before the law Protects people from discrimination Protects language rights Allows people to practice any religion Allows people to maintain their ethnic and social identities Multiculturalism, cont’d
- 7. Some people believethat multiculturalism has solved social inequality However, racism, xenophobia and social inequality still exist in Canada Therefore, sociologists argue that we must continue to critically examine our social system Theoretical Perspectives on Culture - Functionalism Functionalists argue that cultural practices contribute to social stability Culture allows people to understand one another and to work towards common goals Theoretical Perspectives on Culture – Conflict Theory Culture serves to maintain the privilege of certain groups Culture reflects the dominant ideology of society Oppressed groups may come to see their own culture as inferior and adopt the dominant culture Countercultures develop to question the dominant social order Theoretical Perspectives on Culture – Symbolic Interactionism Study how culture is maintained through face-to-face interactions Culture is perpetuated through daily interactions
- 8. These interactions define(or redefine) the norms and values of a cultural group Theoretical Perspectives on Culture – Feminism Aspects of culture perpetuate social inequality Norms of behaviour may reinforce gender roles Cultures reflect societal views o men and women Summary This chapter introduced: The differences between material and non-material culture Features of culture such as norms, values, language, beliefs How innovation and diffusion contribute to cultural change How subcultures and countercultures differ from the mainstream culture Multiculturalism as an important aspect of Canadian culture How the four major sociological perspectives view culture