4. Identity & Social Formation Flashcards
The major migratory groups and their settlement, creation of a society, and emergence of a culture have led to
the three major social formations in the region. They are 1. Cultural diversity 2. Social stratification 3. Creolisation and Hybridization
Social stratification is
The ranking of various social groups within society, based on power, wealth, race, education and heritage
Social stratification emerged during
slavery and continues up to post-emancipation.
It was very rigid and inflexible.
what challenged the notion of inflexible social stratification
free education
diagram of social stratification of the caribbean
check notebook #5
Free education gave the people of the Caribbean opportunity to (3)
1) study
2) get good jobs
3) improve economic & social well-being
Social stratification so well rooted in Caribbean society that
there is still evidence today
evidence of how social stratification so well rooted in Caribbean society that there is still evidence today (4)
1) some schools are seen as superior to others
Queen’s College, Harrison’s College (Barbados)
Queen’s Royal College (Trinidad)
Jamaica’s College, Kingston College (Jamaica)
Parents encourage students to do well in 11+ exams so they may attend these places.
2) Places of abode where heights, terraces and gated communities are seen as better, professions/workplace.
3) Involvement in certain activities like sailing, surfing, social club
4) Churches - some are seen to be better and for richer people than others. (not as rigid as it used to be)
Plantocracy is
the influence wielded by planters in society, effectively as a ruling class
Intelligentsia are the
intellectual elite
those who have had the benefit of higher education; the intellectual elite comprising of the managerial and professional class.
Middle class
A social class made up of skilled workers, professionals, business people, and wealthy farmers
Bourgeoisie means
middle class
working class are
A social class broadly composed of people working in blue-collar, or manual, occupations.
Under/Lower class
The underclass is the segment of the population that occupies the lowest possible position in a class hierarchy, below the core body of the working class
Caste is a
a rigid and hereditary social class
Social Mobility refers to
movement of individuals and groups between class positions the movement of individuals from one social class to another. This is a characteristic of a meritocracy. Often achieved through marriage, education or business achievements
Cultural Diversification is
Different races, different people, living in a geographic space, practicing their particular way of life or culture. Emphasis on differences
Cultural diversification is manifested in the region through (8)
- Language
- Religion
- Sporting interests
- Architecture
- Festivals
- Music
- Legal system
- Culinary practices
how cultural diversification is manifested through language
there are many languages
English, Spanish, French, Dutch, Hindi, Patois (St. Lucia), Papiamento (Curacao), Creoles
how cultural diversification is manifested through Religion
there are many religions
Christianity (Anglicans/Roman Catholics, Methodists), Muslims, Hindus, Jewish, Rastafarian, Obeah (Jamaica), Voodoo (Haiti), Spiritual Baptist, Mormons
how cultural diversification is manifested through Sporting interests
there are many sports
Cricket, Road tennis, Football, Track and field
how cultural diversification is manifested through Architecture
there is many architecture
Chattel House, Victorian Era, Georgian
how cultural diversification is manifested through festivals
there are many festivals
- Crop Over (Barbados), Vincimass (St. Vincent), Sumefest (Jamaica), Carnival (Trinidad), Creole
Festivals (St. Lucia, Dominica)
how cultural diversification is manifested through Music
there is many music
Zouk (French-speaking), Calypso, Reggae, Parang, Spouge, Soca, Dance Hall, Dutty Wine, Bashment
how cultural diversification is manifested through the Legal system
- In Guyana, they have a hybrid system and it is called the Roman Dutch traditions
- St. Lucia practices civil law
- rest of English-speaking Caribbean practice common law
- Dutch islands practice civil law based on the Dutch model
how cultural diversification is manifested through culinary practices
- Trinidad - Doubles, pealau, callaloo, bake and shark, curried crab, dumplings
- Grenada - ‘ils’ dung, saltfish
- Belize - Bammy (fried cassava cake), bile up (boil up) o
- Barbados - Pudding and Souse, Coucou, conkies, sweetbread, pone
- Jamaica - ackee and salt fish, bammy, peas and rice (read kidney beans)
Benefits of cultural diversity
Little hostility and social cohesion
good aesthetic beauty across the region pertaining to architecture, like chattel houses, churches, mosques
and temples.
area can be used for active research by anthropologists
Negatives of cultural diversity
Possibility of ethnic tension, intolerance, hostility, segregation, isolation and non-cooperation
society can become polarised and can affect the electoral process in terms of people, or a particular ethnic group, voting for a specific party, thus in this kind of environment minority groups can become socially invisible
Creolisation is the
combination of the cultures of the Europeans and Africans, as well as other minority groups to
form a Caribbean cultural identity.
Creolisation was verbalised by
Edward Kamal Brathwaite
Hybridisation is the
process of cultural and ethnic mixing to produce new ‘creole’ forms
Manifestations of Creolisation
Mulattos
Mestizo
Douglah
Creole
Mulattos are
European and African
Mestizo are
Amerindian and European
Douglah
pretty hair and african hair - Indian/African
Creole
a person born in the Caribbean
