Culture/ Cultural Identity

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

1. Culture: Various Perspectives

Rick L Hamblin (1978:6) defines cultures as "a set of beliefs, objects and events acquired by individuals as members of society, and transmitted from one generation to another; it is also that which gives meaning to these beliefs, objects and events. Transcultural perspectives enable individuals to select those aspects of other cultures which blend with their own cultural being."

However, Morris and Pair (1976: 409) see that culture is more than a set of facts of beliefs, rather "it is that which gives special meanings to these acts, objects and events". Lisa Lowe (1998: 5- 29) makes it clear that culture that culture is the terrain through which the individual speaks itself as a member of the contemporary national collectivity, but culture is also a mediation of history, the site through which the past returns and is remembered, however fragmented, imperfect or disavowed." According to A.L Kroeber and Clyde Klucholm (1952) " culture consists of patterns, explicit and implicit of and for behavior acquired and transmitted by symbols constituting the distinctive achievements of human groups, including their embodiments in artifacts; the essential core of culture consists of traditional (i.e. historically derived and selected) ideas and especially their attracted values, culture systems way, on the other hand, be considered as products of action, on the other hand as conditioning elements of further action."

Tim Walters (1997) argues that culture is not the particular end, nor an end of any kind; it is not the static knowledge of a set of statements preserved in "cultural" documents but rather a process, an activity, the pursuit of perfection.

Culture as Capital

Culture gives impetus to, and serves as an index of economic boom. It is socially constructed. The thesis of culture as capital spells out a logic that seems self explanatory: the drive of market economy for profit inevitably produces the very condition for the boom of a mass culture industry (cf. Jang Wang). The centrality of culture and the prominence of symbolic consumption emerge undeniably as the most eye catching features that define urban life. (ibid)

Political culture

Political culture's intellectual antecedents can be traced as far back as the work of Johann Gottfried Herder, Alexis de Toqueville, Montesquiew or even authors in the ancient world, but its modern genesis began in political science with Almond's seminal article of 1956 'Comparative Political Systems" (cf. Formisano (2001). According to Almond (1956) cited in Ronald P Formisano (ibid), " every political system is embedded in a particular pattern of orientations to political action". He referred to this pattern as "political culture."

Global Culture

Culture has long been intimately related to geography. It has been understood as something that exits in fixed, determinate spaces whether this is the space of the nation and the region, villages or groups. However, with the speed associated with globalization it has been connected to the obliteration of the spaces in which culture was once thought to "naturally" dwell. Therefore, globalization names a new condition for culture that is related to the dissolution of culture's boundaries. It is widely agreed that there is indeed a globalization of culture. In this respect, Chen (2000) argues that "the globalization of culture is obviously part of the immense expansion and extension of global communications and world markets. In fact, one can make the argument that globalization proceeds most rapidly and visibly in contexts where relationships are mediated through symbols instead of material products. Yet despite the intrinsic (and dialectic) relationship between the economic and the cultural under globalization, the theoretical underpinning of the cultural process, at first glance seems to be at odds with the specialization of economic development."

Cultural Schizophrenia

Cultural schizophrenia is especially strong among those who have had to learn a new language along with the new culture. It seems that there is a feeling attached to speaking one language that is slightly different than that which is felt when speaking the other. In those who have emigrated while still quite young, speaking the original language may make one feel more like a child for example. Unconscious reflexes may be attached to the speaking of one language as well. For example,one may himself/ herself kissing people in the cheek to say Hi or "goodbye" if they have been speaking Arabic, and hugging if they are speaking English. This is completely done unconsciously. Between bilingual people, there is often the question of which language is primary. Most people can identify which language is the most dominant. Whether these language experiences are purely linguistic or whether they are a clue to understanding the complexities surrounding cultural identity could well be an interesting investigation.

2. Cultural Identity

To talk about identity is to try to answer who you are. Since 'Culture' refers to the customs, practices, languages, values and world views that define social groups such as those based on ethnicity, region, or common interests, cultural identity is important for people's sense of self and how they relate to others. It is the well defined and culturally sustaining connections between geographical place and cultural experience. These connections constitute one's- and one's communities - cultural identity. This identity is regarded by it owners as an undisputed possession, an inheritance and a benefit of traditional long dwelling, of continuity with the past (sse Neito 2004). A strong cultural identity can contribute to people's overall wellbeing. Identifying with a particular culture gives people feelings of belonging and security. It also provides people with access to social networks which provide support and shared values and aspirations. These can help break down barriers and build a sense of trust between people - a phenomenon sometimes referred to as social capital - although excessively strong cultural identity can also contribute to barriers between groups. A strong national culture or identity, and strength in artistic endeavors, can be a source of economic strength and higher material standards of living

It is to be noted, however, that Cultural identity is not exclusive. Peolple may identify themselves as Moroccans in some circumstances and as part of a particular culture- American culture for example- in other circumstances. They may also identify with more than one culture. It is important for people to feel a sense of national identity and to belong to a certain social or ethnic group.

References

Beatch, A (2001) "The Creation of a Classical Language in the Eighteenth Century: Standardizing English, Cultural Imperialism, and the Future of The Literacy Canon." Texas Studies in Literature and Language, Vol. 43, No 2.

Carens, J ( 2000) Culture, Citizenship, and Community. Oxford University Press

Chapdelaine, R and Louise Alexitch (2004) "Social Skills Difficulty: Model of Culture Shock for International Graduate Students". Vol. 45/2 pp 167-184

Chen, T. (2004) "Thinking through Embeddedness: Globalization, Culture and the Popular." Cultural Critique. V. 58. University of Minnesota.

Elteren, Mel (2003) US Cultural Imperialism Today: Only a Chimera? SAIS Review. Vol. xxiii. No 2.

Friesen, J. (1977) People, Culture and Learning. Detselig Entreprises

Lowe, L. (1998) "The Power of Culture". Journal of Asian American Studies.1/1. Pp. 5- 29

Neito, S. ( 2004) Affirming Diversity: The Sociopolitical Context of Multicultural Education. Pearson Education, Inc

Walters, T. (1997) "The Question of Culture (and Anarchy) MLN. 112.3 pp. 349-365.

Wang, J. (2001) Culture as Leisure and Culture as Capital. Duke University Press.

Contributed by Abdu Zouhir