Characteristics of Culture, Race and Ethnicity - Assignment Example

For example, people of certain society learn to understand and apply certain norms, beliefs, and expectations of society. It is symbolic in that way of communication uses symbols to identify the given norms, values, traditions and actions of the people. It is patterned and integrated into that is aligned by a specific dimension of society such as political and economic activities. These norms must be followed for the survival of the community. It is adaptive and compulsory in that adaption to culture is an evolutionary process that shapes the social life of people in a given society. In addition, people usually consider a harmonious relationship with other groups. For instance, violation of values and norms has specific sanctions. 2. Define, compare, and contrast race and ethnicity. Discuss the origin and history of each term, and discuss its social implications today. Race can be defined as biological subspecies comprising of more or different people with anatomical traits or features that differentiate it from other races. On the other hand, ethnicity is defined as selected cultural features used to categorize people into groups considered to be significantly distinct from others. Ethnicity involves a loose group of people with less or no cultural traditions in common while race involves a strong and integrated group with common cultural tradition (Huntington, 2001). The race is biological and that it has caused societal discrimination. For instance, African Americans in the U.S.A were discriminated and looked down upon. On the other hand, ethnicity evolved as a result of shared traditions, values and customs. Ethnicity has resulted in conflicts due to struggling over scarce resources in different countries such as Sudan. 3. Compare and contrast the three modes of food production strategies. Discuss the relationship between the natural environment and food production strategies. Foraging is the first mode of food production for the survival of humans. It is the act of hunting wild animals and gatherings fruits for food. Cultivation is also a form of food production strategy which involves the process of growing plants on arable land. In this case, water, seeds, and land are essentials for crop growing. Read More