Culture outline - Coursework Example

Culture outline Introduction and meaning of culture Culture – the shared behaviours and beliefs of people within a community (Inglis, 2004). Ethnocentrism – considering one’s own culture as more superior to other’s Cultural imperialism – forcing a culture into another cultureCulture shock – frustrations caused by the confrontation of one’s ethnocentrism by a new culture.Cultural relativism – assessment of a culture based on its own standards instead of using the perspective of another culture to assess it.

Xenocentrism – believing that the culture of other people is more superior to one’s own culture.Elements of CultureValues and beliefs – A value is something that the society uses to determine whether something is good and just in the society (Inglis, 2004). Beliefs are the convictions that the people hold to be true. Values shape a society because they determine what is wrong and what is bad. It is difficult to meet he values of a given culture. Ideal culture – the values that the society wishes to demonstrate.

Real culture – the actual way of living in the society.Social control – is a way of encouraging members of the society to respect cultureSymbols and language – Members of a given community may speak a given language or use common symbols. Symbols such as gestures and body movements help members of a community to understand what goes on in the world. Pop Culture, Subculture, and Cultural ChangeHigh culture and popular culture – High culture refers to the culture or ways of living of the highest classes in the society while popular culture is practiced by the mainstream section of the society.

Subculture and counterculture – a subculture is a smaller culture within a larger culture e.g. an ethnic groups sharing common languages and cuisines. A counterculture is a type of subculture that rejects some of the larger group’s way of life.Theoretical perspectives on cultureThe functionalist theory – many parts of a culture work together to fulfill the society’s needs (Inglis, 2004). Conflict theory – culture is characterised with inequalities in terms of gender, race, age and race.

Interactionist theory – considers culture as a platform of interaction between various members of the society.Works citedInglis, Fred. Culture. Cambridge: Polity, 2004. Print.