Cultural Change

Changes in Cultures There two ways a culture can change… 1. From within… Innovation 2. From outside… Diffusion

Innovation An innovation is a new idea, technology, or style created within a culture to meet a need Innovations can be on purpose or by accident The types of Innovations possible depend on available resources Example:Need: Liquid food storage Innovation: Clay availablePottery Clay not availableExtra good baskets

Cultural Hearth The culture in which the innovation was invented is called the Cultural Hearth of that innovation.

Diffusion Diffusion is when an innovation spreads from one culture to another This can happen when … Cultures are in direct contact and it is observed By Trade with or Travel to a distant culture

Acculturation The spread of an innovation through a culture is called acculturation. If an innovation matches the culture’s values it spreads rapidly. If the innovation is contrary to the culture’s values it will not be accepted and acculturation won’t occur Eventually a contrary innovation may be accepted and radically change the culture …even change its values or beliefs.

Cultural Conflict When an innovation from within a culture challenges the culture’s values, beliefs or worst of all worldview some in the members of the culture may reject the innovation…. Strongly… even… Violently! A cultural conflict results Example: Currently in America the innovation of gay marriage is causing cultural conflict.

Culture Clash When two different cultures make contact and diffusion of an innovation contrary to one culture’s values, beliefs and/or worldview occurs A clash of cultures occurs Members of one culture may even see the other culture as a threat to theirs, even as ‘evil’ This may lead to intercultural violence or… WAR! Example: Members of Al-Qaeda feel that the spread western culture is a threat to Islamic Culture and are doing terrorist acts to stop it.