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CULTURE AND CHANGE (continued):Cultural Interrelations, Reaction to Change

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Introduction to Cultural Anthropology ­ SOC401
VU
Lesson 23
CULTURE AND CHANGE (continued)
Acculturation
Acculturation is a specialized form of cultural diffusion that is a result of sustained contact between two
cultures, one of which is subordinate to another.
Whereas diffusion involves a single or complex of traits, acculturation involves widespread cultural
reorganization over a shorter period of time. There are events in history, like colonization, which have
caused acculturation to occur in many parts of the world.
Some anthropologists have described situations of acculturation in which the non-dominant culture has
voluntarily chosen the changes. Other anthropologists claim that acculturation always involves some
measure of coercion and force.
Cultural Interrelations
Because the parts of a culture are interrelated, a change in one part of a culture is likely to bring about
changes in other parts of the given culture. This is the reason why people are often reluctant to accept
change since its consequences cannot be exactly predicted nor controlled. This insight of cultural
anthropology should be kept in mind by applied anthropologists, who are involved in planned programs of
cultural change.
Reaction to Change
In every culture there are two sets of opposing forces; those interested in preserving the status quo and
others desiring change. The desire for prestige, economic gain and more efficient ways of solving a problem
are reasons why people embrace change but the threat of loss of these can lead other people to oppose
change as well.
Barriers to Cultural Change
Some societies can maintain their cultural boundaries through the exclusive use of language, food, and
clothing. Some societies can resist change in their culture because the proposed change is not compatible
with their existing value systems.
Barriers to Cultural Change
Societies resist change because it disrupts existing social and economic relationships. The functional
interrelatedness of cultures serves as a conservative force discouraging change. Cultural boundaries include
relative values, customs, language and eating tastes.
Change Agents
Change agents including development workers for example facilitate change in modern times. Change
agents sometimes fail to understand why some people are resistant to change and should realize cultural
relativity and barriers to change.
Useful Terms
Facilitate: to make easier or to promote
Functional: useful or practical aspects
Cultural relativity: the realization that cultural traits fit in logically within their own cultural environments
and that since circumstances around the world differ, cultures are also different
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Introduction to Cultural Anthropology ­ SOC401
VU
Status Quo: The existing conditions or circumstances. There are always those who are interested in
maintaining the status quo since they are doing well due to it and others who oppose the status quo since it
tends to exploit them or puts them in a disadvantaged position
Coercion: An act of force rather than that based on the need or desire of a particular individual or society
Interrelations: interconnections
Subordinate: in an inferior or subordinated position
Dominant: in a position of power over others
Suggested Readings
Students are advised to read the following chapters to develop a better understanding of the various
principals highlighted in this hand-out:
Chapter 16 in `Cultural Anthropology: An Applied Perspective' by Ferrarro and/or Chapter 13 in `Anthropology' by
Ember and Pergrine
Internet Resources
In addition to reading from the textbook, please visit the following web-site for this lecture, which provide
useful and interesting information:
Culture Change1
http://anthro.palomar.edu/change/default.htm
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Table of Contents:
  1. WHAT IS ANTHROPOLOGY?:Cultural Anthropology, Internet Resources
  2. THE CONCEPT OF CULTURE AND THE APPLICATION OF CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
  3. MAJOR THEORIES IN CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY:Diffusionism
  4. GROWTH OF ANTHROPOLOGICAL THEORY (continued):Post Modernism
  5. METHODS IN CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY:Comments on Fieldwork
  6. METHODS IN CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY (continued):Census Taking
  7. COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION AND CONSUMPTION IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD
  8. ECONOMIC ANTHROPOLOGY (continued):THE DISTRIBUTION OF GOODS AND SERVICES
  9. FOCUSING ON LANGUAGE:Languages of the World, Structure of Language
  10. FOCUS ON LANGUAGE (continued):Levels of Complexity, Cultural Emphasis
  11. OBTAINING FOOD IN DIFFERENT CULTURES:Optimal Foraging, Suggested Readings
  12. FOOD AND CULTURE (continued):Food Collectors, Food Production
  13. OBTAINING FOOD IN DIFFERENT CULTURE (continued):Pastoralism, Agriculture
  14. RELEVANCE OF KINSHIP AND DESCENT:Kinship Criteria, Rules of Descent
  15. KINSHIP AND DESCENT (continued):Tracing Descent, Primary Kinship Systems
  16. THE ROLE OF FAMILY AND MARRIAGE IN CULTURE:Economic Aspect of Marriage
  17. ROLE OF FAMILY AND MARRIAGE IN CULTURE (continued):Family Structures
  18. GENDER AND CULTURE:Gender Stratification, Suggested Readings
  19. GENDER ROLES IN CULTURE (continued):Women Employment, Feminization of Poverty
  20. STRATIFICATION AND CULTURE:Social Ranking, Dimensions of Inequality
  21. THEORIES OF STRATIFICATION (continued):The Functionalists, Conflict Theorists
  22. CULTURE AND CHANGE:Inventions, Diffusion, Donor, Conventional
  23. CULTURE AND CHANGE (continued):Cultural Interrelations, Reaction to Change
  24. CULTURE AND CHANGE (continued):Planned Change, Globalization
  25. POLITICAL ORGANIZATION:Bands, Tribal Organizations, Chiefdoms
  26. POLITICAL ORGANIZATION (continued):State Systems, Nation-States
  27. POLITICAL ORGANIZATION (continued):Social Norms, Informal Mechanisms
  28. PSYCHOLOGY AND CULTURE:Emotional Development, Psychological Universals
  29. PSYCHOLOGY AND CULTURE (continued):Origin of Customs, Personality Types
  30. IDEOLOGY AND CULTURE:Ideology in Everyday Life, Hegemony
  31. IDEOLOGY AND CULTURE (Continued):Political ideologies, Economic Ideology
  32. ASSOCIATIONS, CULTURES AND SOCIETIES:Variation in Associations, Age Sets
  33. ASSOCIATIONS, CULTURES AND SOCIETIES (continued):Formation of Associations
  34. RACE, ETHNICITY AND CULTURE:Similarity in Human Adaptations
  35. RACE, ETHNICITY AND CULTURE (continued):Inter-group Relations
  36. CULTURE AND BELIEFS:Social Function of Religion, Politics and Beliefs
  37. LOCAL OR INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE:Changing Definitions of Local Knowledge
  38. LOCAL OR INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE (continued):The Need for Caution
  39. ANTHROPOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT:Influence of Development Notions
  40. ANTHROPOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT (Continued):Contentions in Development
  41. ANTHROPOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT (Continued):Operational
  42. CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY AND ART:Relevance of Art, Art and Politics
  43. CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY AND ART (continued):Art as a Status Symbol
  44. ETHICS IN ANTHROPOLOGY:Ethical Condemnation, Orientalism
  45. RELEVANCE OF CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY:Ensuring Cultural Survival