MODULE 1

(3) Characteristic of Society and Culture

SOCIETY
Generally, a society is a group of people that originate from a common place or a
group that calls a particular location home.
A society can also be defined sociologically as involving the sharing of certain
values and attitude that causes values and attitudes that serves as standards by
which behaviour are measured and controlled. It should be noted that a society is a
collection of people living in the same area over time while culture is the way of
life of people.
A society is not only defined by political borders on a map but also by the
similarities among the group that are used to identify them. Groups made up of
members of a society may migrate to other places because of war, shortage of
food, natural disaster or even political and religious differences and thus transport
their societies with them.
These general similarities in lifestyle practices, products, values and beliefs, are
collectively known as culture.
A sense of belonging (to a society) leads to a formation and reinforcement of
shared values and beliefs (culture). Whilst adherence to and sharing a set of values
and beliefs in turn, increases a sense of belonging. The culture of a society has
characteristic traits that can be used to identify those who belong to that society, a
deeper interpretation encompasses the customs and generally accepted social
behaviour of a group of people that is drawn on as a means of communication and
transmitting the history, values, ideals, beliefs and the future goals of a society.
Being able to associate and feel like part of a group or society based on its culture
is referred to as ‘cultural identity.’
Different Types of Culture of People
Cultural forms can be categorized into
- Material Culture (tangible)
- Non- Material Culture (intangible)
Material Culture
Skills, Produce, Products and practices
such as;
- Architecture, dress and jewelry,
cuisines, technology, child
bearing practices, farming
practices, religious practices,
festivals, artistic creations (such
as art, music, literature)
Non Material Culture
Values, Ideas and beliefs such as;
- Language, moral codes and
ethics, norms and roles, societal
institutions including family and
religion and the beliefs enshrined
within us.

CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIETY
1. Shared common purpose
Whilst society is often defined as a group of people who share common
experiences, interests, objectives and values, in the Caribbean people of various
territories share a history of colonization, slavery and the plantation system. These
shared experiences have given rise to a commonality in culture, norms and values
system that helps to structure people’s relationships and interactions e.g. in the
Caribbean, racial discrimination is not prompted and the principle that all people
have equal opportunities to improve their standing in society is generally accepted.
Despite this big picture, the Caribbean can be viewed as culturally diverse or even
a plural society. Plural societies transcend the uniformity that usually defines a
society. Many different groups operate under the one social and societal umbrella,
acknowledging and accepting each other while also understanding and viewing
each other’s cultural practices as normal e.g. Christians, Rastafarian, Hindu and
Islamic people understand that they share a common space in the Caribbean and
are governed by a broad but common set of values that enable this shared society
to function. However, where conflicting views of the purpose exist, they have
developed a distinct attention in the Caribbean.
2. A defined territorial space
A basic characteristic of society is the sharing of a physical space by a group of
people who have similar cultural identity (common and distinctive beliefs and
ways of doing things). The physical and territorial space can be used to define the
area where a society exists e.g. Caribbean society is often identified on the map as
those countries whose shores are washed by the Caribbean Sea. This is a
geographical definition of the Caribbean.
3. Continuity of time and space
The existence of a group and the most permanent aspect of their culture within a
space over a period of time is also a characteristic of a society e.g. Mexico is a
physical state or society where specific forms of language, dance and cuisine have
been identified in that space of Central America since the coming of the Spaniards.
This is in contrast to the Haitian migrants who fled to Jamaica after the violent
political outbreak in that time and who have not been present long enough or in
great numbers in the country for one to be able to say that a Haitian society has
been formed within that space.
4. Citizenship within a space
This aspect of a society identifies the group of people native to a state or country of
which they are citizens or nationals. This is a political characteristic or society.
Nationals are part of a society through their birth rights. They are born in a
territory where a society exits and have government issued documentation to verify
this. This also serves to formalize their membership of the society in some ways.
Their proven descendants can also claim citizenship and thus membership of that
society.
Citizens do not necessarily live in that space identified however, some may have
migrated for work or study, also there are those who reside within the state but are
not citizens. Illegal immigrants may also be considered as part of the society but
not as a national nor a citizen. Korean and Chinese immigrants working and
operating businesses in Jamaica but they are not citizens, but they are considered
part of the society overtime and have become accustomed to the Jamaican culture
over a long period of time.
CULTURE
Culture is best described as the way of life. That is the way the people worship,
celebrating, voting, earning a living and interacting with the different societal
groups in the country.
Culture as products
Certain terms in everyday use tends to equate culture with everyday products. That
is popular culture, high culture or elite culture, mass culture.
Popular culture refers to the music, visual and performing art, literature, festivals,
cuisines, poetry and artistic and designer’s creation that are promoted mainly
through the efforts of the mass media or even foreign mass media. Here we see one
understanding of culture that tends to be overlooked, these culture become popular
because of mass media.
The era of globalization where through ICTs we are all becoming increasingly like
each other
High culture is an elitist understanding of culture and was first put forward by
Matthew Arnold in the 19th century. It refers to values that promote the best
thoughts and ideas that human beings have developed and perfected for beauty,
intelligence and truth. Examples are classical ballet, classical western music,
literature and literary drama, sculpture and various schools of painting.
Human’s society on this view can be transformed by contact with these products of
high culture. It is undoubtedly an ethnocentric concept as it seems to value only the
culture and products of the western culture, primary those of Greece and Rome but
also of Europe and European influences of North America. This understanding still
persists in statements like, “He is highly cultured.”
Culture as ordinary
In 1958, Raymond Williams put forward the view that culture is ordinary, he was
opposing both the ways of life and cultural product view be stressing its symbolic
nature. In this view, what should be emphasized is the process by which common
meaning comes to be accepted, debated and modified by people in society through
contact with them and the varied experiences each has had with them. Thus culture
is ordinary because in developed in every individual according to his or her own
experiences.
In addition, it is not something that has a tangible existence, culture is the meaning
people have for something. These are seen through behaviour, acts, rituals and
norms.
Culture is not alone what is manifested but also the deep personal meaning of
ordinary people as it is expressed in different ways.
CHARACTERISTICS OF CULTURE
1. Learned Culture common to all human beings
Culture shapes our behaviour and culture is learnt. We are not born knowing how
to behave. Enculturation is the process by which culture is passed down from one
generation to the next and from one society to another.
It is part of a complex web of communication, voluntary and involuntary called
socialization that tells the members of a society what are accepted behaviour and
what is unacceptable. The teaching of basically social accepted behaviour such as
not cursing in public, sitting upright in a chair and even proper grooming and
hygiene practices are all things we learn through primary socialization, behaviour
learned through the family and later secondary socialization transmitted through
institutions like church and school.
- Enculturation is the process whereby an individual learns their group
culture through experience, observation and instructions and gradually
assimilate its practices and values.

- Socialization is the process through which individuals learn the behaviour

required of them from other members of society who communicate, express
and transmit the societies values, customs, belief systems and laws

Cultural practices eventually become ritualistic behaviour or customs that seems

normal to all in a society, even sub-groups that may not share the same beliefs,
accept the same cultural practices of their region as normal behaviour.
These practices or normal behaviour are called cultural norms
2. Customs and traditions
Customs and traditions are expressed on practices that have been passed on from
generation to generation. They are important parts of our Caribbean societies as
they preserve and maintain Caribbean culture and identity.
These customs and traditions help to determine in the mind of Caribbean citizens
what they stand for, while at the same time enabling other societies to identify
people from the Caribbean. Examples of cultural traditions are dance, arts and
craft, festivals and celebrations and even rituals that form part of religion and
superstitious beliefs.
3. Norms and Values
Both values and beliefs act as guides of acceptable social attributes and behavior
that help to form what is considered normal behavior, or norms. Adherence to
norms usually brings with it rewards such as praise, acceptance or advancement
while those who go against norms can find themselves disadvantaged, criticized
and open to ridicule. Thus, Christians, for example, engage in rituals that have
become customary, such as attending church on a Sunday and praying before
meals, because they are seen to be actions that will be rewarded in some way.
Abstaining from sex before marriage, shaking hands upon greeting friends, family
and even strangers, refraining from certain acts that are considered cruel or strange;
and refraining from eating certain foods because they are considered unclean or
unusual are all considered cultural norms,
Value systems and norms are upheld and protected by sanctions (positive and
negative) and laws. A very basic example is theft: those who steal are often
ostracized by their community and theft is an illegal act.
Many Caribbean territories have ‘buggery laws’, which outlaw any act deemed to
be homosexual. These laws were enacted at a time when homosexuality was
viewed as a criminal act the world over. Nowadays, views of many have changed
and The Bahamas was the first Caribbean country that abolished the law, thus
decriminalizing same-sex relationship.
4. Institutions that prescribe behavior
Societal institutions, such as religion, the justice system, education, the economy
and the family, are an important part of the socialization process. They serve to
teach and influence what is accepted as normal behavior and help determine the
value placed on particular attitudes and behavior. They also play a significant role
in determining and meeting out the sanctions and rewards associated with values
and norms.
Societal institutions are the main defenders and upholders of a society’s cultural
forms as they perpetuate their usage among, and reinforce their value and
significance to, members of that society. In the modern world, globalization seems
to be an irresistible force and with it often comes cultural imperialism. In the
Caribbean, for example, North American cultural traits and patterns have become
pervasive and can easily be identified in food, entertainment, literature language,
religion and other cultural forms.
It is the institutions of religion, family and education in the Caribbean that continue
to promote and protect local forms of culture in the face of this cultural incursion.
Likewise, the extent to which indigenous and African forms of culture have been
retained in the region is mostly due to these institutions, in particular the family.
5. Gendered Practices
Gender is a factor that determine one’s identity- who we are. A significant cultural
influence exerted by social institutions, especially the family, is on gender
ideologies and gendered practices. For example, gender roles and behaviors are
transmitted and practiced within all types of Caribbean family, Africans, East
Indians, Europeans and Chinese, from a young age. Children observe and emulate
the behavior of adults in the home. Young boys take on the roles of ‘protector’ by
being exposed to the elements through being allocated outdoor chores, while
young girls practice their roles as caregiver and nurturers by taking on the indoor
chores of cooking and keeping house.
Young boys are encultured from an early age by being encouraged to have sexual
relations only with women. Caribbean boys and young men are strongly ridiculed
or sometimes even physically abused by their families and neighbors for
expressing feminine or homosexual tendencies. This done to ensure that the
commonly held conservative Christians belief of the Caribbean are upheld.
The education system also aids the perpetuation of traditional gendered practices in
the choice of subjects at both secondary and tertiary levels that students tend to
make, either on their own account or because of their choices offered them. Girls
tends to the arts and ‘caring’ subjects while boys are directed, intentionally or not,
to more technical or scientific subjects. In this, education reinforces the norms,
values and beliefs about gender roles already learnt in the family environment.
This then in turn influences the employment opportunities open to each sex,
notwithstanding the traditional family roles of the woman/ mother as the caregiver
and main child rarer and the man/ father as the provider and protector.
4. Identity and Social Formation
A society can be defined by its cultural identity and the Caribbean society is no
different, cultural identity is a unique blue print that distinguishes us from other
societies.
Our cultural identity is composed of the unique traits of Caribbean people, these
fall under broad categories of ethnicity, language, religion, customs, laws and art
forms. The sum total of these factors distinguishes Caribbean people from other
regions. For example, someone from North America can easily distinguish a
member of Caribbean society of African descent from other people of African
descent around the world by the way they speak or the religious group they belong
to.
This individual may sport Dreadlocks to proclaim their religion as Rasta and speak
in Caribbean patois and as such would not need to proclaim themselves to be
Caribbean to an individual who is cognizant of Caribbean culture.
Despite their being a recognizable overall Caribbean identity, they are present
beneath this a myriad of difference, this is what makes Caribbean identity unique.
In that although its people can be considered a society, their differences are easily
recognizable.
We can easily identify the Amerindians, Africans, European and Asian cultures
that are ever present in our society. There also big differences among Caribbean
countries, as each have developed their own unique way, geographical location,
size and type of government and ethnic makeup of each Caribbean state.
This contributes to making them different, one from another. Caribbean diaspora
societies that develop outside of the Caribbean have also formed their own identity
and this too might be different from their own Caribbean identity.
Little Havana in Florida has a distinct identity, one that has differences from its
Cuban counterpart, for example, their political outlook as Cuban migrants is one
opposing Marxist Cuban regime.
(A) CULTURAL DIVERSITY:
In the Caribbean, there are many cultural influences which has given rise to many
cultural diversity, from the early fifteen hundreds there has been a strong Spanish,
French, Dutch, British presence in the Caribbean imparting various form of
Caribbean culture.
After which the widespread forced migration of West Africans bringing their
culture from their homeland, then the Asians, East Indians and Chinese who came
in the 1930s and also brought their culture.
The Caribbean is now very diverse in race, ethnicity, language, dress, traditions
and belief, music and value systems.
Positive Effects of Cultural Diversity
1. When different cultures mix, new cultural practices are created resulting in
interculturation (the means by which the creolisation process occurs).
For example, new genres of music (Chutney, Soca) have been created in the
Caribbean as a result of the merging of culturally disparate musical forms.
Other examples are the wide variety of foods, methods of food preparation,
languages, dress, festivals and religious occasions, dances (French, British, East
Indian, Spanish and African). This is the idea of unity in diversity.
2. People who belong to different cultures usually have different ways of
thinking and analysing issues from a variety of perspectives.
Different cultures bring different experiences, which can be beneficial as they
provide Caribbean society with a sound and vast knowledge base.
3. Different cultural practices among the diverse population can be shared
which means that different cultural groups can learn about each other’s
culture. This exposure to different cultures can lead to the development of
tolerance and acceptance of different groups. People become more broad
minded.
4. Bigotry and discrimination are viewed as unacceptable. People are tuned to
recognize discriminatory acts and readily point them out for sanctions to be
applied.
 5. There can be a relatively peaceful co-existence of different groups within
society, which can translate into an enrichment of culture.
For example, many traditional festivals in the Caribbean are now shared among the
various communities, to include other cultures and feature different foods and
cultural craft items (for instance, during the festivities at Diwali – a Hindu festival
– items from both black and Indian culture are on display and sold).
6. Cultural diversity aids tourism, which a lot of Caribbean countries depend
upon to survive: tourists are intrigued by the diversity of the Caribbean and
enjoy travelling to a place where multiple cultures can be experienced.

7. Diversity can enhance an export market: products of significance, such as

curry and spices, are marketed and sold under the diversity umbrella.

8. A reputation for diversity and tolerance can encourage immigration from

other communities, which can serve to further enrich society generally.
Many ethnic groups migrate to the Caribbean knowing that they will be
accepted, offering their skills and resources to the region.
For example, Trinidad has a sizeable Syrian-Lebanese population and many Asian
groups continue to arrive in Jamaica, establishing businesses on the island.
Negative Effects of Cultural Diversity
1. When different cultures mix it can give birth to new cultural practices.
Therefore, there is a greater risk for erasure of cultural practices and
traditions, especially of ethnic minorities or sub groups in society. For
example, no one really knows the true method of preparing meats that the
Tainos called barbecuing as different ethnic groups have added their own
style to the mix.

2. The existence of different cultures can lead to racial/ethnic discrimination.

3. People from different cultural or ethnic background have different and
inflexible views concerning lifestyle, religion and politics that can lead to
tensions, strife and conflicts. For example, Hindu Trinidadians are usually
against interracial marriages and this causes tension as others sometimes
label this preference as racist; the Black Power Revolution in Trinidad and
Tobago in the 1970s show how groups in society have expressed their
 dissatisfaction with the social structure. One group may struggle to gain
dominance and promote their culture as real and ideal.

4. Different languages spoken by members of a diverse population can cause

communication problems.

5. Issues of inferiority and superiority in terms of language, food, dress,

customs, and so on, can arise.

6. Educational institutions often establish syllabi that mostly focus on the

culture of the dominant ethnicity in a society.
For example, Hindu, Rastafarian and Islamic teaching is not widespread in
many schools that are largely Christian based.
7. Individuals may become overly sensitive and view even the simplest
expression of racial pride as attempts at racism.
For example, it may be difficult for white Creoles to celebrate their European
heritage because of the complex historical power dynamics between colonizers
and colonized.
8. Ethnic groups can become marginalized as they no longer reflect the
stereotype of an ideal culture, such as the Chinese of Jamaica, sinhis or
Gujaratis of Barbados.

9. Some indigenous traditions, languages and people may become

marginalized over time as they find it difficult to fit into the modern diverse
Caribbean society.
For example, the Wai Wai and Warao people of Guyana live in the forested areas,
almost forgotten by the rest of society.
Ethnic and cultural differences