sociology
frankyfu
chapter3.pptxINTRO TO SOCIOLOGY
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Culture and Society
Evolution of Culture
Cultures have evolved over thousands of years.
They have evolved both biologically and socially
Sociologists are concerned with Social aspects of cultural development
CULTURE vs. SOCIETY
Society: A system of interrelationships that connects individuals
Society can’t exist without culture and culture can’t exist without society.
Cultural Universals
Some forms of behavior are found in ALL CULTURES
These are called Cultural Universals
Examples include marriage, religion, family, and communal eating.
Although these institutions exist in all human cultures, they are expressed differently across cultures.
Cross Cultural Wedding Rituals
show how marriage often reflects
different religious underpinnings.
Elements of Culture
Culture: Consists of the values a given group holds, the languages they speak, the symbols they revere, the norms they follow, and the material goods they create.
Language
Language is the most significant element of culture.
Language conveys meaning differently across cultures.
Language influences Perception
Language binds a society together by providing Cultural continuity.
Values
Values: Ideas held by individuals or groups about what is desireable, proper, good and bad.
Norms
Norms: Rules of Conduct that specify appropriate behavior in a given range of social situations
Symbols
Material Goods
Material Goods: The physical goods created by a society that influence the ways in which people live
WHAT VALUES DO WE HAVE IN U.S. CULTURE?
Wealth
Prosperity
Individualism
Judeo-Christian religious underpinnings
But above all else, our unifying value in the United States is…
CONSUMPTION
BUT IT WASN’T ALWAYS THIS WAY!!!
The American ideal of conspicuous consumption is a relatively new one.
It was propagated by media starting with the post World War II generation
REVIEW
Society: A system of interrelationships that connects individuals.
Culture- what societies produce.
Society can’t exist without culture and culture can’t exist without society.
Mass Media
The media socialize us into the dominant culture.
Media outlets are controlled by a handful of organizations...
Media socialize us into a unifying value of...
HEGEMONY
Cultural Hegemony is the domination of a culturally diverse society by the ruling class who manipulate the culture of that society so that their imposed, ruling-class worldview becomes the accepted cultural norm; the universally valid dominant ideology, which justifies the social, political, and economic status quo as natural and inevitable, perpetual and beneficial for everyone, rather than as artificial social constructs that benefit only the ruling class.
Cultural Diversity-Subculture
Subcultures: Groups within a culture whose values and norms are distinct from those of the majority.
For every culture there are several subcultures.
They often serve to change societies when they move into the dominant culture, but dominant culture also influences subcultures as subcultures move to the center.
Cultural Diversity-Subcultures
Because of the diverse array of cultures we come into contact with, it is important to be aware of one’s Ethnocentrism
One must always approach a culture with a sense of Cultural Relativism
Subculture and Hegemony
Many subcultures are Counter-hegemonic:
Counter-hegemony: attempts to critique or dismantle hegemonic power.
HOMEWORK-GRAFFITI VERITE
This is a subculture. That means that among its members there is shared language, symbols, values, and material goods. Please point out examples of each.
What elements of this subculture challenge dominant cultural norms in the U.S. and, more specifically, in Los Angeles? What elements of the dominant culture are supported by this community? Why?
2. This movie is over 20 years old. In what ways has the dominant culture changed in terms of its reception of this subculture? In what ways has dominant culture remained resistant to change in its reception of this subculture?
3. How is this sub-culture related to consumption?
GRAFFITI SUBCULTURE
