Different Aspects of Culture as One of the Main Keywords in American Studies - Coursework Example

s Keyword: Culture Introduction The term culture de s a society’s way of life. Many Anthropologists view culture as a structured pattern of customs, practices, symbols, traditions, and beliefs commonly used by human beings when developing attitudes towards different aspects of life. The term has been in use since the eighteenth century. However, the current definition of culture is very different from the definition attached to it in the eighteenth century. In that era, many people associated culture with civilization and used the term when indicating aspects related to cultivation and growth. However, the term has changed its meaning over the years to denote three different aspects, namely the intellectual, esthetic, and spiritual ways of life of a specific society. In daily use, many people perceive culture as a combination of the intellectual and artistic activities such as films, theater works, literature, and music. Historical changes have contributed to a wider perception of what culture means, especially when used in a political context. In recent times, culture is becoming an economic resource with many people seeking to harness all the utilities associated with culture. This paper will discuss different aspects of culture as one of the main keywords in American studies. The keyword culture serves to enable different critical projects. Understanding of culture brings into context the anthropological understanding of the evolution of societies. In the American context, culture has become a highly debated aspect of the civil society and political arena. Other critical projects include the understanding of the existing view that the European culture was more important and significant than other cultures. The expansion of the European and American culture in the twentieth century is also a critical project worth studying. The American society is comprised of different cultures that have served to define civic and political activities. For this reason, a close analysis of culture opens up numerous projects that need critical considerations (Burgett and Hendler 71). As highlighted above, culture has existed since the twentieth century. However, it is difficult to present a clear history of culture because it has varied definitions as used in different disciplines. In the eighteenth century, the Universalist notion was more prominent. Many people interested in understanding the culture in that era did not view it as anything more than a disinterested end. Towards the end of the century, there emerged scholars who viewed culture as “the best which has been thought and said in the world” (Smith 32). During that time, the European culture was regarded highly a factor that explains why many colonized nations easily adopted the European culture. Worth noting is the fact that there are controversial debates surrounding the European imperialism and the imposing of European culture on other societies. The emergence of other scholars who developed a pluralistic view of culture served to highlight the fact that different societies had varied cultures (Chang 35). Therefore, it was impossible to highlight that one culture was higher than the other was. In the view of the pluralist scholars, each specific culture had a unique value. Some people adopted a view of culture as associated with the civilizing process in support of ideas developed by Carl Marx. Marx opined that cultures emanated from the social relations that took place during the rigorous process of economic production (Burgett and Hendler 73). In the 1920s, anthropologists sought to understand the different origins of societies. Therefore, they understood culture as defined by different parties, belief systems, and behaviors that people used when expressing their attitudes towards life. The pluralist cultural view mentioned earlier emerged in the 1920s. The pluralist view served to challenge the existing records of scientific racism that defined the Universalist understanding of culture. In the 1950s, many people viewed culture as a form of social communication as well as action governed by symbols. The 1950s also saw the emergence of systemic analysis in anthropology in an effort to understand the culture (Chang 45). In the twentieth century, the emergence of popular culture as well as different forms of media also served to diversify the understanding of culture. Popular culture was regarded as a complex hybrid of processes that combined different cultural aspects from varied nations and social classes. Aspects related to globalization also feature as critical aspects in the understanding of culture. Globalization has contributed to an increasing cultural exchange in different parts of the globe (Burgett and Hendler 74). The Universalist use of the term culture serves to obscure certain ways of thinking. If cultural institutions are viewed in a Universalist perspective, regardless of whether they are museums or literary canons, then the uniqueness of each culture cannot be given consideration. Notably, the Universalist use of culture does not create the right platforms for inclusion. On the contrary, it promotes the imperialist and racist view of cultures. For this reason, some societies, whose cultures do not exhibit similar criteria, may eventually be excluded. These aspects are common in the United States whereby some groups have constantly been rejected and discriminated against because of their culture (Burgett and Hendler 72). The use of culture in the modern day specifically to its use in the popular culture prevents the appreciation of culture’s critical value. The twentieth century saw the development of an expanded view of culture a factor that has reduced the appreciation of the critical values associated with different cultures. For this reason, the use of culture in some disciplines does not communicate its real value (Smith 65). In addition, the use of the term culture in the modern day serves to challenge the existing assumptions of the aspects defining the human society. The use of culture in modern context, especially in projects pursued by the World Bank, United Nations, Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and other non-governmental organizations does not denote the common meaning (Chang 65). In the context of these organizations, culture is viewed at the intersection of both economic and social justice agendas. However, its use in such contexts does not reflect the layman’s understanding of culture. Worth noting is the fact that there are different perspectives of understanding the culture in the modern day (Burgett and Hendler 71). The use of the term may, therefore, highlight new concepts associated with culture while obscuring other obstructing. In other cases, the use of the term does not denote the fact that it is a resource at both the economic and social levels. Other keywords that intersect culture include civilization, globalization, identity, and ethnicity. Notably, in the twentieth century, civilization was viewed as a synonym for culture. In addition, civilization also exhibits a measure of tension in its operation with culture. Understanding the process of civilization involves a close analysis of traditional cultures as well as modern cultural perspectives. For this reason, there are many points, tying together civilization and culture as keywords in for American cultural studies. For many years, there was no distinct difference between culture and civilization (Radway 56). In addition, ethnicity is closely related to culture. Notably, ethnicity denotes the unique contents of a group’s culture that make it distinct from other groups. Therefore, understanding ethnicity must consider a group’s culture. Understanding ethnicity is based on aspects such as language, religion, as well as behavioral patterns, aspects that define culture. For this reason, ethnicity constellates around culture. An individual interested in understanding culture must also give attention to ethnicity (Burgett and Hendler 73). It is practically impossible to completely separate ethnicity and culture because each ethnic group has a unique culture. The keyword globalization is also closely related to culture. In a real sense, globalization denotes an economic, political, as well as social interdependence exhibited by different cultures. For globalization to be real there must be evidence of cultural exchange between two societies. Globalization has also affected the modern understanding and perception of culture. Worth noting is the fact that the understanding of identity also intersects the understanding of culture. Cultural aspects may determine the identity of an individual or a group (Chang 76). The unique belief systems, social norms, and practices that each society exhibits define its identity. Research into identity issues considers culture. The use of the term culture can be used in the decolonization of communities. In the United States, societies are identified on the basis of their culture. For this reason, their cultural forms a basis on which they can enjoy certain rights. Notably, the fact that cultural citizenship has been given a consideration, serves to include more communities. However, the Universalist view of culture serves to impede the decolonization of some communities because of the perception that the European culture was superior. The superiority of the European culture was closely tied to scientific racism (Radway 26). For this reason, races that believe they were superior needed to take advantage of other communities during the colonial era. Unfortunately, many individuals in such communities faced the compulsion of adopting the European culture. Many postcolonial studies have highlighted that the occupation by the colonial imperialist led to a transnational hybridity of culture. With the introduction of industrialization, which was a defining aspect of the European culture, many communities became colonized and were transformed into industrial centers especially in agriculture. On a positive note, societies may use their culture in establishing an internal control when they have sovereignty. In such a case, culture is used to decolonize the community (Burgett and Hendler 75). In such a setting, the use of culture ensures that the subjects are manageable and they are willing to work together to achieve identified agendas. The United States have also exhibited a form of imperialism based on cultural differences. Europe and the United States define the center of popular culture. Modern day imperialism is evident in some societies with the developed world, exerting control on communities and imposing their culture on them. Conclusion Evidently, understanding culture as a keyword for American cultural studies is an important aspect. The use of the term culture in the modern day is contrary to its earlier use in the eighteenth century. As highlighted above, the term culture was easily confused with civilization in the eighteenth century. However, over the years, the meanings of culture have diversified and differs according to the discipline in context. Worth noting is the fact that culture denotes the belief systems, practices, traditions and customs used by people when expressing their specific attitudes towards life. In a broader sense, culture denotes all the intellectual, spiritual, as well as esthetic development that defines a specific group. There is an evident interest in understanding the modern perceptions of culture as well as the effect of globalization on the spreading of popular culture. Other keywords such as ethnicity, civilization, identity, and globalization are closely related to culture. Worth noting is the fact that culture can be used in either colonizing or decolonizing communities. The European view that their culture was superior is a clear example of culture being used to colonize communities. Works Cited Burgett, Bruce, and Glenn Hendler. Keywords for American Cultural Studies. New York: New York University Press, 2007. Internet resource. Chang, Jeff. Who We Be: The Colorization of America. New York : St. Martins Press, 2014. Internet resource. Radway, Janice A. Reconfiguring American Studies: A New Anthology. Oxford: Blackwell, 2007. Print. Smith, Linda T. Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples. London [u.a.: Zed Books [u.a., 2012. Print. Read More