CULTURE

Cultural relativity:

Cultural relativity is the argument that customs should be not be evaluated by our own standards, but in light of the society’s own culture.  Customs should not be evaluated by an “absolute” standard. (Text, p. 93)

· In what situations should cultural relativity be practiced or adhered to?  Are there circumstances that would warrant not following cultural relativity?

Ethnocentrism:

Ethnocentrism refers to a universal tendency to deprecate the ways of people from other societies as wrong, old fashioned, inefficient, immoral, and to think of the ways of one’s own group as superior (as the only right way).  One’s own race, religion, or society is the center of all and therefore superior to all. (Text, p. 84)

· “The ethnocentric child is one whose parents tend to lack genuine affection, are preoccupied with status, and place great pressure on the child to conform to strong parental discipline. The child, unable to express hostile feelings to his parents, displaces these aggressive tendencies onto his peers in a bully fashion” (Else Frenkel-Brunswick quotes in Andrea Rich’s Interracial Communication, 1974).

· Why does ethnocentrism widely exist?

Globalization versus localism?

The world at the beginning of the twenty-first century is faced with contradictory trends. One is toward convergence--toward a common language, acceptance of science and rationality, and a sense of pluralism and inclusion. But the processes of globalization trigger movements that create localized, cultural specific identities, emphasizing difference and exclusion. … The economic power and culture of the West (especially the United States) has led to an ethnic, religious, or nationalist resurgence or jihad in various parts of the world. The resistance to globalization is found not only in the Islamic world. (Text, p. 95)

· If the above statement were true, what can be done to diminish antagonism felt towards the U.S.?

Epistemology argues that all meaning is created out of a world that generates no meanings of its own. All reality is socially constructed.

· "Meaninglessness produces terror. And terror must be dissipated by participating in, and believing in, collective fictions. They constitute society's 'noble lie,' the lie that there is some sort of inherent significance in the universe. It is the job of sociology to understand how people impute meaning to the various aspects of life" (Farberman and Goode, 1973; from the textbook, p. 92).

Discuss the following in small groups:

1. Define culture and how it develops or evolves.

2. "Culture is not freedom but rather constraint. It constrains not only actions but also thinking” (Text, p. 83).  How do you feel culture to be constraining?

3. What culturally dominant values in the U.S. would you like to change?  What cultural values do you appreciate?  Why?

4. How did cultural diversity enter into your discussion and the views that were expressed in your group?