Chapter 5: Culture Flashcards
Define “culture”
A collection of learned ideas, practices, symbols, customs, and material objects.
Society vs. Culture
Society is a group of people that live in a particular location (in a defined geographic area with a defined government). Culture does not have a defined territory. Culture exists within society.
Two important things to remember about culture
it is changing and plural. culture is human-made and therefor not static. there is no one culture, it varies across time and place.
Define “ethnocentrism”
it refers to the tendency to negatively judge other cultures based on the standards of your own culture.
Define “cultural relativism”, what is their central idea?
the practice of assessing the components of a culture in the context of the culture itself, and not compared to another culture. their central premise is that all cultures have their own norms, values, customs, and practices that must be understood and evaluated on their own terms.
True or False: if occupying a purely cultural relativism position, there is no basis to judge what is moral or immoral.
True
What is “multiculturalism”?
the practice of promoting and respecting cultural diversity. sometimes refered to as cultural pluralism
what is in the middle of ethnocentric and cultural relativism?
multiculturalism; as it is the notion that multiple cultures can co-exist with equal value within one nation
give an example of multiculturalism
grocery stores with an international aisle and different restaurant cuisines in a city
What is assimilation in contrast to and what does it mean?
it is in contrast to multiculturalism. it is the process which an individual takes on the norms, values, and practices of a dominant culture. it is achieved through some forceful ways.
define “colonization”
the process of one nation acquiring control over another nation
what are treaties?
legally binding agreement between two nations over responsibility and rights
define “cultural appropriation”
adopting cultural elements from another culture without fully understanding or acknowledgement, especially by the members of the dominant culture
what is the main issue with cultural appropriation?
dominant culture vs marginalized groups
high culture vs mass culture
high culture refers to elements of a culture that are high status and are therefore associated with a society’s elites. mass culture refers to cultural practices and goods associated with the majority. it is more pervasive and commonly shared than high culture.
