Concepts of Culture

1.Acculturation: the process by which a culture is substantially changed through interaction with another, more powerful culture

2.Artifacts: Tangible aspects of a culture

3.Assimilation: Immigrants become fully integrated into a new culture

The "melting pot" concept

4.Cultural Convergence: Cultures become more alike due to forces of globalization

5.Cultural Identity: One's belief in belonging to a group or certain cultural aspect

You can "identify with" a group or "identify against" a group (what you are, or what you are not)

6.Cultural Traits: Individual culture practices

7.Culture: a group's way of life, including the shared system of social meanings, values, and relations that is transmitted between generations, can be seen as "learned behavior."

8.Culture Complex: An interrelated web of cultural traits that are characteristic of a group or the individual culture traits practiced by a culture group is a culture complex

9.Culture Group: a group of people with shared culture traits

10.Culture System: Cultural complexes that have traits in common such as ethnicity, language, religion and others

A group of interconnected culture complexes

11.Examples of Cultural Traits: Food preferences, architecture unique to a culture, land use Silence,Private space,Touching,Hand gestures,Eye contact,Greetings,Perceptions of time,Gift giving

12.Examples of Culture Complexes: The Amish-No electricity or electronic devices

Hand tools

Horses used to farm and travel

Simple, plain clothing

Bearded men

The Mormons-Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

No coffee, tea, or strong drinks

Bible Study all four years of high school

Mission

Marriage ceremony at a Temple

13.Examples of Culture Groups: Amish, Mormons

14.Indigenous People and Cultures: People originating in and characteristic of a particular region or country

Usually associated with a more traditional way of life

15.Mentifact: Cultural elements expressing values and beliefs

Language

Religion

Folklore

Myths

Artistic expression

16.Multiculturalism: Different cultures in a society deserve value and respect for the unique differences...preservation of different cultures within a state or nation

The "mixed salad" concept

17.Sociofacts: Societal institutions that guide behavior

Government

Laws

Religious institutions

Education

18.Transculturation: occurs when strong cultures interact with each other and each acts as both a source and adopter;cultural transformation marked by the influx of new culture elements and the loss or alteration of existing ones

Cultural Globalization

1.2 Facets of Globalization: Economic Globalization and Cultural Globalization

2.Commodification: Something that had previously not been regarded as something to be bought or sold and turning it into something to be traded in a market economy

3.Consumerism: revolves around the concept people spending money on goods and services, these goods and services are not necessarily for meeting basic needs; usually has a negative connotation.

4.Cultural Globalization: As global interactions happen more frequently, cultures are tending to become more similar

Digital infrastructure allows rapid and voluminous diffusion of "Western" cultural trends, resulting in a loss of indigenous cultures.

5.Economic Globalization: The world interacts on a global scale economically more than ever before. The local-global continuum applies.

6.Factors Contributing to Globalization: 1 .The new international division of labor

--manufacturing production has been

decentralized from core to peripheral

regions.

--new specializations (high tech and producer services) have emerged within the core.

2. The internationalization of finance

3. Technological innovation

Robotics, microelectronics, biotechnology,

Digital telecommunications

4. Growth of consumer markets.

Similar trends in consumer tastes among the world's affluent--a new materialism in which people indulge in affordable luxuries that are marketed as symbols of style and distinctiveness.

7.Globalization: the expansion and intensification of linkages and flows of capital, people, goods, ideas, and cultures across national borders

8.Globalization: Changing Cultural Practices: Globalization of culture results in acculturation and transculturation

9.Globalization: Technology: Digital infrastructure feeds globalization

Diffusion of technology to periphery countries/regions can change culture and economics

10.______________________________ is in its early stages, and the local response is sure to be an important cultural struggle in the coming decades.: Economic globalization

11.Jihad: shorthand for cultural values, that are underpinned by religious fundamentalism, traditional tribal allegiances, and opposition to Western materialism

12.Maps and the spatial perspective: Ethnicity: Spread of ethnic groups resulting from migration brought about by globalization

Guest Workers

SEZs in China (Special Economic Zones)

EU

Immigration from former colonies

All of the above groups will redistribute ethnic groups. Guest workers come from foreign countries bringing their culture with them. SEZs in China will attract labor from around China and result in cultural diffusion. Freedom of movement in the EU allows any workers with an EU passport to move to an EU country for work.

13.Maps and the spatial perspective: Gender: Women left behind as men move to work re-balances distribution of the genders

Females in factories

Maquiladoras

China relaxing hukou system (females stay for benefits)

A hukou is a record in a government system of household registration required by law in mainland China and Taiwan, and determines where citizens are allowed to live.

Most of the workers in the maquiladoras were female. Maquiladoras are a result of economic globalization and the new international division of labor. Culturally, as women enter the workforce in a maquiladoras and other factors around the world, gender distribution and roles will change. In China, the relaxing of the hukou system has led to men moving to urban areas for work. Women stay behind in rural areas as at least one family member must stay in their designated hukou area in order to receive the associated benefits from the government.

14.McWorld: shorthand for the globalization of culture that has accompanied economic globalization

15.Placelessness: everything looks the same; isn't necessarily based on consumerism

16.Postmodern landscape: landscape oriented to consumerism resulting from economic globalization

17.Problems caused by Globalization: economic decline in some areas as capital flows towards more profitable ventures elsewhere.

undercutting of the power of national and local governments to regulate economic affairs.

loss of local diversity with the economic success of global products.

18.progressive changes have accompanied globalization: increased overall levels of economic well-being.

strengthening of free enterprise and democracy.

an enriched flow of products, ideas, and culture.

Diffusion

1.Barriers to Diffusion: anything that inhibits the spread of something

2.Contagious diffusion: a form of expansion diffusion where adjacent groups or individuals are affected. It is spread in a wave like motion.

3.Cultural Diffusion: the process of spreading an idea or an innovation from one area to another

4.Diffusion: the spread of something over space

5.Diffusion of Innovation: Spread of innovations

6.Diffusion of Language: Spread of a language

7.Diffusion of Religion: Spread of Religion

8.Hierarchical Diffusion: type of expansion diffusion in which the main channel of diffusion is some segment of the population that is susceptible (or adopting) what is being diffused. Diffusion takes place from larger to smaller locations. Diffusion happens from one segment of society to another (in a pattern). It happens top down. It can be urban to rural. The founder/early adopter gives it to someone who then takes it to a group.

9.Independent Invention: a trait with many different cultural hearths that developed independent of each other

10.Migrant Diffusion: a type of relocation diffusion in which an innovation has lost its strength in the source area by the time it takes to hold in a new location

11.Relocation Diffusion: This is the actual movement of individuals who carry their idea or innovation to a new location.

12.Stimulus Diffusion: the innovation is not directly adopted, but ideas promote local experimentation and eventual changes in ways of doing things. A group takes an idea and goes their own way with it.

13.three types of expansion diffusion: Contagious, hierarchical, and stimulus

Cultural Patterns

1.Cultural Ecology: the study of the relationship between culture and the environment

2.Ethnic Island: a small rural area settled by a single, distinctive ethnic group that placed its imprint on the landscape

3.Gendered Space: a space that is considered male or female

4.Place Making: How do cultures make place fit their identity?

How do cultures portray values in a landscape?

What things do we build in the landscape to show what we believe and value?

5.Sense of Place: feelings evoked by experiences and memories associated with a certain place, can also be described state of mind derived through the infusion of a place with meaning and emotion by remembering important events that occurred in that place or by labeling a place with a certain character

6.Sequent Occupance: Each group of inhabitants leaves their distinctive imprint on the landscape

7.Symbolic Landscape: implies that there is more to the landscape than meets they eye due to cultural significance

Cultural Conflicts

1.Armenia and Azerbaijan

Soviet Union's divide-and-diminish plan: Armenians Christian, Azerbaijani Shiite Muslim

Soviets determined to create atheistic state so discouraged religious practice on both sides of interfaith boundary that extended from Black Sea to Chinese border

Demolished religious paraphernalia and did not tolerate Islamic practice in young, wanted to wipe out religion

Tried to establish boundaries that would facilitate local control and discourage separatism

After WWI allies created Independent state of Armenia but it was soon swallowed by its neighbors

1921 Turkey and Soviet Union agreed to divide Armenia between them

Soviet portion became Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic and then independent country in 1991

1991 Breakup of Soviet union Azerbaijan became independent and so did Armenia-war also broke out between the two Christian and Muslim

Armenians and Azeris both achieved long held aspirations of forming nation states however two went to war over boundaries between them

War concerned possession of Nagorno-Karabakh a 5000 sq km enclave within Azerbaijan that is inhabited primarily by Armenians (Christians) but placed under Azerbaijan's control by the Soviet Union in the 1920's. It was created as an enclave within Muslim Azerbaijan

1994 cease fire has left Nagorno-Karabakh technically part of Azerbaijan but in reality it acts as an independent republic

Western part of country Nakhichevan (Azerbaijan exclave) is separated from the rest of Azerbaijan by 40 km corridor (25 miles) belonging to Armenia

2.Ayodhya: Ancient city in India, disputed

1528 Mosque built on site where some Hindus say Lord Rama, one of most revered deities in Hinduism was born

1992 mosque torn down by a mob of Hindu extremists

Demolition sparked religious riots across country that killed more than 2000; dozens mosques and temples attacked

Hindu groups since pushing for new temple to be built and have already assembled ornately carved columns and blocks to build it

Sept 2010 court announced that land where idols of Ram are present shall be given to Hindus and rest of land divided by 3 parties involved

3.Canada's Conflict: Language is not only divide

Intrafaith religious conflict as well - Quebec is predominantly Catholic, while the rest of Canada is predominantly Protestant Christian.

Seeking Autonomy

The Quebecois has pushed (mostly non-violently) for increased autonomy (self-rule) - all the way up to voting on a referendum to declare themselves independent from Canada in 1995. The vote failed, but was extremely close (50.5% to stay, 49.5% to leave)

4.Civil War in Sudan: Slavery

Since 1983, attempts to impose sharia law on the Christian south

Truce did not last

Formal independence of South Sudan in 2011.

Interfaith Boundary

Northern Sudan was Arabic/Islam and South was African (tribal/traditional religions) and Christian

Independence from British-combined the two territories when they left.

Regime (group in control) in Khartoum wanted to impose Islamic rule on this portion of the African Transition Zone that formed Southern Sudan -- Civil war ensued

The war lasted almost 30 years. Estimates that as many as 2 million people died and as many as 4 million refugees fled the country (crossed borders) or were internally displaced (within the country)

South Sudan became a country on July 9th 2011.

5.Conflict in the Horn of Africa: Coptic Christians in the highlands

Islam in the lowlands

Indigenous religions remain in pockets

Includes countries of Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Djibouti, Sudan, and Kenya - conflict primarily centered around Ethiopia.

Interfaith boundary dispute between highland Coptic (Christian) and Lowland Islam

Horn of Africa has Islam, ancient Christian sects, and Christian sects of colonization

Over last 2000 years Eritrea has been ruled by many different groups

Mountain/highland area of Ethiopia is the cultural core of the Amharic (Coptic) Christians, they have controlled area for centuries

As Islam spread some converted at the base of the Mountains

Islam surrounded the Coptic Christians to the N, NE, and SE

In 1600's Ottoman Empire (Islam) controlled area but Amharic's remained

1930s Italy (Christian) colonized area.

After WWII Britain (Christian) took control of the Italian Horn of Africa colonies (Italy was part of the Axis powers in WWII - the Allies took control of their territories when the war was over)

1950 United Nations decided Eritrea to become part of Ethiopia

Muslim Eritreans did not accept control of the Amharic Ethiopians

Amharic rulers controlled Muslim Eritreans to the North and Muslim Somalis to the East

1991 Eritrea gained independence after 30 years of war for Independence

This did not end religious multiculturalism in area.

Still large Muslim population of Somalis in Eastern Zone, South and West have non-Muslims, and Amharic still in highland domain

6.Conflict over Kashmir: Pakistan and India never agreed on location of boundary separating the 2 countries in northern region of Kashmir

2 countries maintained a "line of control"

Muslims in region fought guerilla war to secure reunification of Kashmir either as part of Pakistan or as an independent country

India blames Pakistan for unrest and vows to retain parts of Kashmir

Pakistan argues that Kashmiris should choose their own future in a vote as they are confident that the majority Muslim population would break away from India

India's religious unrest is further complicated by 25 million Sikhs who have long resented not being given their own independent country when India was partitioned.

Although only 2% total population

majority of Punjab State (south of Kashmir), fighting for control over Punjab

7.Conflicts along Cultural Boundaries: Religious Boundaries (interfaith and intrafaith) and Linguistic Boundaries

8.Darfur: Situation in Darfur is not a religious conflict--both groups are Islamic.

Racial conflict

Darfur is a conflict but not a religious one; Darfur divided by Islamic African Fur people to South, Arab North;

Khartoum regime blamed African Fur for sympathizing with anti-Khartoum rebels.

Arab Muslim began campaign of genocide against non-Arab Muslims (darker skinned) in Darfur. Government supported Janjaweed.

Genocide is the systematic deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a particular ethnic group, with the goal to exterminate the group

9.The Former Yugoslavia (Balkan Peninsula): Genocide

Ethnic Cleansing

A number of religious and linguistic fault lines run through the Balkan Peninsula

Both Interfaith and intrafaith boundary:

Dividing line between Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox runs right through Balkans

Slovenians and Croats in west of Peninsula are Catholics

Serbians and Montenegrans Eastern Orthodox

To add to conflict 1300's Islam introduced to region by the Ottoman Empire and converted some Serbians to Islam

Bosnia is majority Islam.

Balkan Peninsula also divides languages.

West of line use roman alphabet

Writing: Croats (Roman Alpha/Catholic) Serbs I(Cyrillic/Eastern Orthodox)

Long history of conflict

1389 Battle of Kosovo-Ottomans took control of Serbian Land; now pockets of Islam in region

1910s: Cultural Conflict between Bosnia, Serbia, and the Austrian-Hungary Empire was catalyst for World War I (a Bosnian terrorist group known as the "Black Hand" orchestrated the assassination of Austria's Archduke Franz Ferdinand (the heir presumptive of Austria-Hungary - next in line for the throne)

1930s and 40s: During War War II, Croats who supported Nazi's fought anti-Nazi Serbs. Croats committed acts of genocide against Serbs who lived in Croatia and Bosnia

After 1945 (end of WWII) region came under control of Josip Tito (communist dictator who took control)

suppressed ethnic divisions (in reality just pushed them out of view)

After Tito died in 1980, Serbian nationalist leader Slobodan Milosevic ruled for benefit of Serbs

By late 1980s with disintegration of Soviet Union, Slovenia declared independence from Yugoslavia, followed by Croatia and Bosnia

Serbia tried to force Republics to stay

Multi-ethnic Bosnia and Herzegovina caught in middle

Muslims in Bosnia and Herzegovina were attacked by both camps

Ethnic cleansing of Bosnian Muslims ensued; Serbs and Croats sought to "cleanse" each other's territories (ethnic cleansing is the attempt to remove an unwanted ethnic or religious group from a society, either through mass expulsion or killing)

International community became involved, Yugoslavia was dissolved, and the partition planned for Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Plan divided Bosnia Herzegovina into 2 republics; one for Croats and Muslims, and one for Serbs

Future is uncertain, central government has little power and wounds of war are still raw; 60,000 NATO peacekeepers from Europe and US had divided the two but now under control of EU force

1990's Albanian Muslims in Kosovo (autonomous region in southwest Serbia) demanded greater autonomy; Serbian leadership responded with campaign of ethnic cleansing against Kosovo Albanians in 1999; International community slow to intervene;

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), led by U.S. initiated bombing campaign against Serbia that brought hostilities to halt

2008 Kosovars declared founding of new independent state of Kosovo, many countries recognize it as an independent country (US does) but others do not (Russia and Serbia)

10.Interfaith Boundaries: Boundaries between the world's major faiths.

11.Intrafaith Boundaries: Boundaries between sub-divisions within a single major faith.

12.Israel and Palestine: Aftermath WWI, European colonialism came to a region that had previously been controlled and fought over by Jews, Romans, Christians, Muslims, and Ottomans

League of Nations recognized British in control of land, calling the territorial mandate Palestine

at that time vast majority in region were Muslim Palestinians

Goal of British government was to meet Zionist goals and create a national homeland for Jewish People in area

British assured the world that religious and civil rights of existing non-Jewish peoples in Palestine would be protected; result, however, was not peaceful

In wake of WWII and the Holocaust, more Jews moved to region

Civil disturbances erupted immediately, and by 1947-1948 Jews and Palestinians engaged in open warfare

After the war, the British mandate ended and the United Nations voted to partition Palestine, creating Independent Israeli and Palestinian states

Partition map set up for failure; Palestinians and Israelis were to live in noncontiguous states (with the Israelis having control over most resources)

Surrounding Arab States reacted violently to Israeli states and the partition

Israel survived through numerous wars in which Palestinians lost lands, farms, and villages; Palestinians migrated or fled to refugee camps in neighboring Arab States

1967 Arab-Israeli War, Israel gained control of Palestinian lands in Gaza, West Bank, and Golan Heights (The international community refers to these lands as Occupied Territories) - Israel does not have legal right to these lands, but maintains de facto (by matter of fact) control over them.

In last decade, Israelis built Jewish housing settlements throughout the West Bank and have expanded the city of Jerusalem eastward into the West Bank to gain more control of territory

Israeli government restricts new buildings by Palestinians even on lands in Palestinian zones of the West Bank (of the Jordan River, where Jerusalem is located)

1990's self-government awarded to Palestinians in Gaza and small areas inside West Bank

Palestinian Arabs empowered to run own affairs within these zones

1995 parties hammered out a peace accord (Oslo Accords) that would have created a substantial Palestinian state

2000 Palestine rejected peace terms and the Oslo framework

Sept 2005 Israeli government shifted policy towards Gaza Strip - Israel evacuated the settlements that had been built there, burned down the buildings that remained, and granted autonomy to Gaza

Days later border with Israel was closed, making it impossible for many Palestinians to travel to their places of work in Israel. Border with Egypt was closed as well--although they had more freedom, they became economically isolated and the standard of living dropped

Israeli government tightly controls flow of Palestinians and goods into and out of West Bank and Gaza Strip

Bloodshed on both sides:

Palestinians, attack Israelis: terrorist attacks against busses, coffee shops, restaurants, sidewalks

Israeli military hunts suspects Tiny region has multiple interfaith boundaries, especially the west bank

Both groups believe they have historic right to the land (hearth of religions and location of holy sites for both (plus Christianity)

13.Linguistic Boundaries: Boundaries between languages

14.Nigeria's Conflict: Islam to the North, Christianity to the South

Cultural divide-Yoruba in the South (Christian), Ibo Dominated East, Ibo in Southeast, Hausa (Muslim) to the North

Ibo in SE (secessionist sentiment there)

Free election of a president in 1999 raised hopes; however, soon after Nigeria's northern states (beginning with Zamfara) decided to proclaim Sharia Law (strict Islamic law) rather than secular law.

Kaduna State followed suit and riots between Christians and Muslims devastated the old capital city of Kaduna (the current capital is Lagos). Sharia law was adopted by 12 of the country's 36 states.

The imposition of Sharia law led Christians to flee to the south.

This intensified the cultural "fault line" that threatens the cohesion of the country

Now Nigeria, one of Africa's most important economic states and the cornerstone of West Africa may succumb to devolutionary forces (process by which regions within a state demand and gain political strength and growing autonomy (self-rule) at the expense of the central government - in essence, the breakup of a country) arising from its location in the African Transition Zone (division Muslim and Christian)

15.Northern Ireland (Intrafaith conflict): Identities are tied to Religion, but are

deepened by:

economics

colonial experiences

-Protestants moving to Ireland from Scotland and England

activity spaces (segregation)

For centuries Ireland was its own entity mixed with Celtic religions and Roman Catholicism

1200s, the English began to infiltrate island. Colonization began in the 1600s and by the 1700s Britain controlled entire island

Protestants migrated to the island to control the farms and take advantage of the political and economic power granted to them in the colony by the English

British treated Irish Catholics harshly, took their lands, legal rights to own property, or participate in government

Rebellion: Early 1900s Irish Catholics rebelled against the English colonizers

1922 Britain partitioned Ireland into two zones to protect Protestants in North East

Independence: 26 Counties formed the Republic of Ireland with a vast Irish Catholic Majority.

6 counties of the North voted to form Northern Ireland and part of UK.

Home to both Catholics and Protestants.

Catholic minority felt unprotected and discriminated against

Inequality

Protestant majority in North (2/3 population) possessed most of economic and political advantages

Catholics felt repressed

Terrorism

Irish Republican Army (IRA) began terrorist acts which brought British troops to area in 1968 (terrorism is the use of violence and intimidation in pursuit of political agendas)

Segregation and separation

Catholics and Protestants segregated their lives and homes from one another. The cultural landscape marks the religious conflict as each group clusters in its own neighborhoods and celebrates their own important religious dates

Younger generation does not have as much conflict with each other

Peace Agreement

1998 Belfast Agreement and Good Friday Agreements raised hopes of peace

2007 Northern Ireland Assembly reinstated

16.Partition of India: Interfaith conflict between Hindu and Muslim

British ended colonial rule in 1947 partitioned colony into two irregularly shaped countries: India and Pakistan

Pakistan was 2 noncontiguous areas (West and East Pakistan)

E. Pakistan became independent 1971 (changed name to Bangladesh)

Religion separate the two, Pakistan was predominantly Muslim and India Hindu

Antagonism between the two religious groups was so great that the British government decided to place them in separate states

Hinduism became source of national unity in India

Since British colonization in early 1800's 3 way struggle for land

Muslims have long fought the Hindus for control of territory

Gandhi advocated for non-violence and reconciliation with Muslims but was assassinated in 1948-ended possibility of single state in which Muslims and Hindus could live together

Partition resulted in Massive migration, approximately 17 million people were caught on the wrong side of the boundary in late 1940's and scrambled to get to their preferred side of the border.

6 million Muslims moved from India to west Pakistan and about 1 million from India to East Pakistan

Hindus moved approximately 6 million from West Pakistan and 3.5 from East Pakistan

Many lost their lives as they were killed by members of the rival religions on both sides of the border.

17.Sri Lanka: Good example of both a religious and linguistic conflict.

Island of 20 million off Indian coast, inhabited by 2 principle groups Tamil (Hindu-Dravidian) and Sinhalese (Buddhist-Indo-European language)

Sinhalese majority population

Tamils minority population

Sri Lanka one of Buddhism world centers

Dispute goes back 2000 years but was suppressed during 300 years of European control

Since independence 1948 Sinhalese dominated government, military, commerce

Tamils feel discriminated against

Rebellion began 1983 and ended 2009 with the defeat of the Tamil

Tamil fear that Sri Lanka's multinational state jeopardized after defeat; fear loss of ethnic identity

Back in 1956 Sinhalese made Buddhism sole official religion and Sinhala sole official language of Sri Lanka

18.Sunni-Shi'ite Conflict (intrafaith conflict): Origins of Schism (a split or division between strongly opposed sections or parties, caused by differences in opinion or belief)

Sunni and Shi'ite Division occurred immediately after Muhammad's death - caused by conflict over his succession (632 CE)

Sunnis believe in the effectiveness of family and community in solving life's problems - should have an assembly of leadership

Shi'ites believe that the imam is the sole source of true knowledge. Imams are Shi'ite Muslim leaders whose appointments are regarded as sanctioned by their god

Shi'ites also believe the Caliph (supreme leader) should be a descendent of the Prophet Mohammed

19.transition zones: the overlap between regions that sometimes experience cultural conflict

20.The West Bank: a proposed security wall, parts of which the Israeli government has already built.