What is Culture? Part 2

Ethnocentrism, Cultural Relativism, and Human Rights Stereotype Cultural Generalization

Cultural Practices Discussion on cultural practices that differ from traditional American and European practices Free-write: During discussion: Maintain a cultural relativistic perspective Focus on the cultural reasoning Not on whether or not you approve

Foot Binding After a long 1000 years, the government of China finally made this ritual illegal in 1911. Even though foot binding is not done anymore, most elderly women in China have bound feet. This process can not be undone even with today’s medical technology All the women who had this done to them lived in pain, or will live in pain, for the rest of their lives

Foot Binding Origins & History Early 10th century ___________________ _____ – illegal in china Why? What has changed? After a long 1000 years, the government of China finally made this ritual illegal in 1911. Even though foot binding is not done anymore, most elderly women in China have bound feet. This process can not be undone even with today’s medical technology All the women who had this done to them lived in pain, or will live in pain, for the rest of their lives

Foot Binding: Cultural Ties Social perception __________ Marriage ______________ _________________ ____________________ Any women in the upper class society was banished or even killed if they did not have their feet bound. If a girl did not have bound feet they were considered unsuitable for marriage. Having bound feet made it difficult to walk, and so a man who had a wife with bound feet looked as if he had so much money and status that his wife did not need to work

Female Genital Cutting

What is Female Genital Cutting? ________________________________ Practiced in ____________________________ WHO recognizes ________________________

Female Genital Cutting FGC attendants in Indonesian elementary school classroom

Female Genital Cutting: Cultural Significance Tradition ____________________________ __________________________ _________________________________ _____________________________ ____________________

Differing Views - FGC Spiritual and Social Obligation ____________________________ Economic Necessity More ____________: _____________________ Men ____________________________________ __________________in a _________________ Society (“if a penis contacts a clitoris you can die”)

Differing Views - FGC Violation of ___________________ ________________________ A symptom of ____________________________ A form of _______________________

Why perform Female Genital Cutting?

Rite of Passage: A Male Example Ritual Insemination - Etoro, Papua New Guinea Male Rite of Passage ___________________________________ Highly Regulated and Culturally Significant ______________________________ _______________________________

Efforts: Eradication or Education? ___________________________ Emerged as a ________________ __________in several countries ______________________ Focus on _____________ Transform the ________________ Maintain _______________________

Efforts: Eradication or Education? Tostan in Senegal 1997 Community Empowerment Program Not meant to ________________ 4-pronged educational platform: 1. 2. 3. 4. What We’re Doing Our human rights-based Community Empowerment Program (CEP) allows community members to draw their own conclusions about FGC and lead their own movements for change. In the CEP class sessions on human rights, participants learn about their right to health and the right to be free from all forms of violence. They also discuss the responsibilities they share to protect these rights in their community. In sessions on health, they learn about the potential, immediate, and long-term harmful consequences of the practice and discuss ways to prevent these health problems in the future. Rather than blaming or criticizing, we encourage dialogue around these and other practices that communities feel hinder their vision for their community’s development. Participants and Community Management Committee (CMC) members speak with friends and family as well as travel to other communities to raise awareness about what they have learned. Through this process, many communities decide to end FGC together, some without having directly participated in our classes.

Efforts: Eradication or Education? Tostan in Senegal Community decision making Traditional teaching methods: ____ _____________________________ ________________ceremony with multiple villages Hold communities responsible Focus on __________________ Aim for ________________________ What We’re Doing Our human rights-based Community Empowerment Program (CEP) allows community members to draw their own conclusions about FGC and lead their own movements for change. In the CEP class sessions on human rights, participants learn about their right to health and the right to be free from all forms of violence. They also discuss the responsibilities they share to protect these rights in their community. In sessions on health, they learn about the potential, immediate, and long-term harmful consequences of the practice and discuss ways to prevent these health problems in the future. Rather than blaming or criticizing, we encourage dialogue around these and other practices that communities feel hinder their vision for their community’s development. Participants and Community Management Committee (CMC) members speak with friends and family as well as travel to other communities to raise awareness about what they have learned. Through this process, many communities decide to end FGC together, some without having directly participated in our classes.

Human Rights Cultural Relativism: How does this concept then relate to the issue of a global system of human rights? What constitutes a violation of rights? Line between cultural tradition & human rights Over time, cultures have changed attitudes about what practices are considered a violation of human rights. Today, some actions, such as genocide, seem clearly to fall under a violation of human rights.

Human Rights & Ethnocentrism Ethnocentrism may make it difficult to define clearly in every case and for agreement to be reached about what is truly a human rights violation. Example: FCG Note: This does not mean that all behavior should be excused or tolerated just because it can be defined as a cultural custom Culturally relativistic standpoint, practices like female circumcision that have developed within a cultural context over many generations can be understood and perhaps even accepted if examined in context.

An agreed upon violation: Violence Against Women (Extreme) Example: Dowry Death & Bride Burning _____________________________ Research illustrates ________________ ___________________________ Isolated incidences in the US

France & the Veil Banning the ________________ Preserve ___________________ _______________worry about their rights Opponents: _____________________ Secular country

Human Rights & Anthropology Why is it important to have a dialog about human rights? How can anthropology contribute to this dialog?