Cultural Diversity

Drill  List 5 examples each of material & non- material culture here in the United States.

Material vs. Nonmaterial Culture  Material Culture  The physical objects that people create and use in one ’ s daily life  Nonmaterial Culture  Abstract human creations ~ beliefs, family patterns, language, rules, etc.

The Components of Culture  All Cultures have certain basic components  Technology  Symbols  Language  Values  Norms

Technology  A society ’ s culture consists of physical objects & rules for using those objects  What is considered acceptable behavior when using material culture?  Ex. – “ hacking ” into a computer

Symbols  Through symbols we create culture & communicate it with future generations  A symbol is anything that represents anything else  Words, gestures, images, sounds, objects, events or element

Language  The organization of written or spoken symbols into a standardized system  Used to express ideas & needs/wants

Lost in Translation  As the economy has become increasingly more global ~ there have been some funny mistakes  General Motors wondered why their Chevy Nova cars were not selling well in Spanish- speaking countries  No va in Spanish means “ it won ’ t go ”

Values  Shared beliefs about what is good or bad, right or wrong, desirable or undesirable  A society that values war & physical strength will be very different than one that values cooperation & sharing

The Cossacks of Russia  The modern descendants of groups of soldiers for hire from Central Asia  Over 5 million Russians identify themselves as Cossacks, but it is not an identifiable ethnic group  They have preserved values from their history as a race of warriors  Revere military service  Value extreme order  Value harsh punishment for wrong-doings

The Yanomamo  Farmers who live in small villages along the border between Brazil & Venezuela  Warfare & feats of male strength play a very important role in their way of life  Once called “ the Fierce People ” by anthropologist Napoleon Chagnon  Approximately 30% of all deaths among Yanomamo males result from wounds in battle  Conflicts in the village cause groups to form new settlements & war occurs between villages that were originally part of the same settlement

The San  The indigenous people of southern Africa, whose territory spans most areas of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola  Traditionally hunter-gatherer tribes  Their way of life is based on cooperation ~ all members (except for very young, very old and sick) search for food and they share everything with all members

Norms  Created to enforce the cultural values of a group  Folkways  Norms that describe socially acceptable behavior but have little moral significance  Mores  Norms with great moral significance attached to them

Examining Culture  Features of a culture are divided into 3 levels  1. Cultural Traits  An individual tool, act, or belief that is related to a particular situation or need Ex. ~Using fork, knife or spoon to eat or specific greetings  2. Culture Complexes  A cluster of interrelated traits Ex. ~ Football combines material traits, specific acts, beliefs & finance/marketing  3. Culture Patterns  The combination of a number of culture complexes into a whole Ex. ~ Football, Baseball, Tennis, Golf, Basketball, Swimming, Track, Lacrosse all form the American Athletic Pattern

Homework Use old magazines & newspapers to create a collage that illustrates each of the five components of culture here in America. Be sure to include culture traits, complexes and patterns as well.