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Sociology for a New Century AINE FORGE PRESS SERIES ed by Clare Ragin, Woy rise ond Lary Gein Sosilogy fora New Century brings the best current scholarship totoay’s shaders inasenefohot texte guthoted by lsders of new poneraton ‘of social scents Fach book adresse te sbjet rom com pasate hs toncal global perspective and in doing so, connect oil sence 1 the wider concerns of dents seeking to nake sage ef our deamatieally hanging world 1 How Suiits Chnge Dare Chie 1 Cade ond Sci in. Ouging Wor. Wendy Grew + Crimeand Diempte Tot Hagen avon nthe Matern World Wat James Gals ete Gk Vilage Lester Kutz Contracting Sci Research Chases, Rag, Wine, Men. and Work Barbara Resin and Irene Padavie (ites ne Ward Eemamy Saskia Sassen a Pcolgyand Socal Iettatons Denise and Wiliam Bikby 4+ loa Tanti: Emerging Pato lealily York Brads and scl Wilace + Soho ‘The Sac Curgyof Natl Rees and Development Stephen G Buker tine Drom in te Mader Wort Stephen Cornell, The Sxley of Chithood Wiliam A. Corse Wee of Demers John Market A Glob Vew f Deepen! Pip MeMicheet 1+ Heath and Scity BerivePescostiso sites Steven Bin ogariatons a Word Encore Powel Cultures and Societies ina Changing World Wendy Griswold "meen wt Sn pit ae Copyish'© 994 by in Forge Pres ‘et or thik may Se ear indiany feeding ety any nlc tage tise pte et faon 2 Adminstrator Chia Heston hr Janet Seow Prd Eline Foster Donner Lia § Mik pee ough Coben Prat Base Ane Cn Luray of Cong CutlogingnPebletion Osa ‘Clr ond actin na changing wor / Windy Grew Pett — toy forse cnt) tnlasebisogrphcal erence pp. 194) and index Eantcamstieg ss ps) Mion Gast eon “This book printed on aid ree paper tat mete Environmental tection Ageny sanded foreyced paper Contents Pw Pafe 1 Culture and the Cultural Diamond 1 Definitions: Two Ways of Looking at Cultow J 3 The Best That Has Been Thoughtand Keown” 4 That Complex Whole” / 7 CConnactions The Links Bebwcen Culture snd society It ‘TreCukualOdject fit ‘TmeCultural Damen / 14 Summary / 16 Cultueal Meaning / 18 Why Do WeNeed Meaning? / 20 CCalture ane Meaningin Reflection Theory / 21 Gatuse as Minor / 22 ‘Me Greek Wachyround to Reflection Theory 3 CCunure and Meaningin Marian Socilogy 25, “From Eaath io Heaven "Ime Materialist Approach wo Caltre / 27 isterel Maerisiem 28 Research Disthne Fos he Maran Teen. 30 ‘Culture an Meaning Furetinaist Sociology 3k Culture and Measing in Weberian Socielogy / 35 ‘The Anwious Protestant hd the Wrls Tey Balt / 36 The Cultural Switcman 38 Gods, Ghost and Ancor ‘ACase Stuy of Releion Theory / 40 Summary £42 ‘Culture asa Social Creation /- 44 ‘Durtdeim and the Social Production of Culture / a6 ‘The Problem of Moser Social Lile 36 Socal Bonds: The Role of Religion / 47 Ctr e Collective Representation / 51 The Colectve Production of Culture 52 Symbolic Interactions / 53 Subcultures / 56 Cultural Innovation and Social Change «© Cultural Lageand Leads / 6 Cats nnowstions 62 Summary / 66 The Production, Distribution, and Reception of Culture / "69 ‘The Production of Culture / 71 ‘The Culture industry Systm / 72 Cultural Markets /” 76 Reception / 80 ‘Audiences and TaseCunutes / Horizons Expectations / 83 Freedom of Cultura! Interpretation: Two Views / 85 Seductiony Mass Culture / 87 Resistance Through opularCokure $9 Summary / 92 ‘The Cultural Construction of Social Problems / 93, Making Touble: The Rise and Fall ofSecal Problems 94 Fron Happening to Evento Sail Problem 95 ‘TheCarverofa Serial Problem 98 ‘The Cuttral Reproduction of Inequality 190 Race and Ednity a8 Cultural Objects / 108 ‘The Vso! Modesty / 109 Summary / 113 Culture and Organizations: Getting Things Done in Multicultural World /"i16. COganizatonal Cultures 18 Culkureand Motivation 29 Cultures Solsarityand Ambiguity / 123 ‘Organizations in Cltral Contents (128 Working Across Cultures. 132 Summary / 135 Technology, Community, and Global Culture /- 138 Cultural Tehnologies and Cultural Communities 138 (OnalCultues 140 Thelmpactot Literacy 14) Hlecuonie Media / 14 Communes of Meaningin aGiobal Cultae / 147 Postmademity and Community / 148 Speaking in Tongues 151 Clues Without Centers 152 Arp: Ngo an Chins, Ming nt te Tent Fit Cemy 158 eens 39 nde 1 166 Figures Figure 4 TheCuhurl Daswnd / 18 Figure 21, Reflection Mod! of Tevinion Sod Violence 7 23 gue 22 Tate's Relction Theory Seton the eit! Damond 25 Figure 2.9 Chinese Religion Reflecting ‘Chines Sacety At gure 2-1 Roflcton andthe Cutt Diamond 3 Fgure31 Cultura Podaconin a Uitde League Suet Teen 38 Figure 32 CalturalCraaton / 6? Figuee 41 TheCulr industry Sytem / 73 Figure 42 Mass Culture aed Poplar Cute “Theories on te Cultra! Demond 751 gure 1_ansforming Happenings Tho Cultura Objts 7 96 figureS2 Offa and Until Cuture ion Bath High Schoo! 108 gure 61 MeDonaldsintsmaet 7-118 at Soa ABOUT THE AUTHOR Wendy Griswold has a background i both soil sient and the hu smaniies She eceived her iD. in Secology frm Hasvard Unversity in 1980 aed as a MLA. Engst rom Dake Univer Se 18 she -nasraughtatthe University of Chg whew eae appntnen in Sociology and the Commit on the History of Csltue She has been "sssoiatecitor and book review tof the Anis rae Sela and consuling editor of Coutenpariy Svoyy She ha ecelved seach Support rom tne National Science Foundation the National Eadowinent for the Hummaites, ana the Center fr Advagced Studies in he Beha fora Sciences, where he was a Feow in 1950-1991 Her teeatch oncultue has teen international in cope Her irs book wasonthe English tester (Resse Rentals City Came and Revenge Togo nthe Lon Ther 157-1989 Univers of Cage Ps, 186) ‘Other published research has eated Ameria and Brith nncesnth century novals: the eception of Barbadian author in the Wet Indes, ‘Great Beit, an the United Sts ai the sca context of enters raty Nigeria Utecatore. Caren shee studying cull eons inthe United tates and Nowy in ation, shee coeied shook on the sociology of literate (Ututire and Sica Bree [University of ‘Chiago Press, 1959) aad bas ween onthe soil of lip, spe- ‘esl conic wethia hurches Se la has writen pape on sxe falmetbods for cultura analyse A Methodological remark fo tha Soceology of Culture,” Sela Motley 1711967) 139), which bas been te ass for numerous lectures and didactic eines she Amer ‘an Sociological Assocation, much of hee methodological inking lncoeporate! inthe pest ook ABOUT THE PUBLISHER Pine Forge Press sa new educitional publisher, dicted to publishing Innovative books and softvare throughout the soil sions. On this ted any ether of eur publications we welcome your comment eas and ggestions, Please al ort to Pine Forge Press ‘Sage Publications Company 2455 Teter Road Thousand Oaks, CA91320 (60s) 499-4226 Internet depp sagepub com Foreword Sociology fora New Conary ofesth best of cunt saohigicl hiking, to loday Students The goa of he series sto prepare student, andi ‘helongrun-theinformed publi, fora word hat has changes drat caliy me lst eave decades and one that coninues to atonsh ‘These gals reflect important changes that have taken places sx ogy The deiplinchas cone noaderinoetatin, witanevergrowing Interest in reseaech at comparative, historical taranatona ‘orientation Solna ae less Focused on “American” city the pinnacle of human achievement and more sensitive t global processes fd tends They alo have Become les auld frm surrounding oc force. the 1970 apd 198s socalgits were so ubsesed with co structing a sieeof society that they sae impenetabiiy 388 sig Success Today, theresa greater ellortocontectsocelogy teams Concert ad experienc ofthe informed public ach book in thisseces offers acompativeNstocel, tarsrationl, global persevere way, help broaden stent’ vison ‘Students ned tobe sestized to diversity today word and fo the sources of very Knowledge of diversity challenge the ieitatons of ‘onventional way of hikingabout socal if. At the same tne, studs feed tbe sented 1 the lat that nse that may set specially “American” forexample, the women’s movement, 3935 Popo binging a stained socal vcurity and healthcare system, cal sont, ational chauvinism, and a9 on) ate shared by many ober eure. ‘Awareness of commonalities undercuts the tendency ta viewsncal ies fend questions a natromly Ametian terms and encourages stents 0 ‘Stok out the experience of others forthe estan they ofr Final, sta dents also need be scritzed to phenomena that transcend ation boundaries tend and processes tht ate supranational (or example ‘environmental degradation) Recgration of gabal proessn nutes ‘Student awareness of cul free tha transcend national toundaies, sh Creand Scena Changing ed Reflecting the dramatic inereis in global cultural interaction, Ci ture and Sovices in Changing World explores the complex lnerplay between culture—idea systems artwork, popula culture, reigous be Tet, common serue~sncd soil structure, Within the framework ofthe “ulural diamond” this book uses comparative analysis af cultural jects and practices in Nigeria, China, the United States, and other Tocntions around the word to demonstrate how cultural producers and fosumers express 4 changing word through culture and ow euture Ite contibutes To socal changes, Chapteriong examinations of the fultuze construction of sol problems and of organizations transac ‘ons fovea! how the applction ofa culturally informed approach en Hluminate seeningly noncltral sses ranging fom those iavoWving sil justice to those efile in praca business operations. Preface Citue fascinates sciologiets nowadeys, But thie wae aot lays the se When I began teaching, in the early 1980s, moter euteores ad Structural explanations for scat phanomena-sch things a income, ‘slucation felt changes, ecnomie presaras—were under the socio Tngealbig tepscultare and cltral explanations were asides on Te, there were always secoigits wo sted reign, values ats and he lhe and there were always anthropologists whese say of carrer ence sociological thinking. But aa whole Soeaogy did ot pay much {tention to clture, ‘Asany teacher student of cology willhsow,ineshave changes “Thepast several years have wtnessed an explosion of cultural es | slog ar wel sin the adjacent sri sce of pli scenc,oy ‘hology and even econemie. This ne of euual studies hata number of causes, most ganerlly the inherent Lntations of sty materia ‘aor explain human behaior ort apre haman experts There fore, most sociologists now view people ss meaning makers el 6 ‘tena ors, symbol user wll alan representatives, nd 0 ‘elerss ells pantinedemographictrond Monever sociology largely hs expe ts femer either/or way of thinking, The discipline no seeks to understand how people mening making shapes ther etna ‘tien, how thei cats postion mold thet sories—n shor, how sta Steuctare an cltare mutually influence ane sneer ‘Although all ofthis is very ating to cultural sang who no longer have to think of themselves as boring in the widens, prob Jems bedevil teachers andstadens in the classroom Everyune want 0 talk sou symbols discourse, meaning, andl eultatl practices but sy. tematic guides tosuch dscisstons ae rare Needed ae concer inte ions to cuuralsociolgy to felpstdent I) explore ecanceptefeulture sand the nate of ts linkages with the socal orld (2) enhance thee Undertandingef seemingly strctural eves suchas poverty oretholity Dy appiyingcularal analyse to these ses, and (3) eben hr cults iv Gallet nd Sct Changing Word and social horizons co that they may operate ffcively inthe global Economy and international culture ofthe wen first centry. Thane ae ‘he goals ofthis book. ‘The Cultural Diamond Catan Sects na Oangng Word wi enable studont taking bond fanging courses in sociology or socal problems and students taking ‘peciazed course in culture sociology think more clearly about the ‘Diecut playein shaping ur socal world lt itroduces the soalogy ‘of elture the branch of soclogy that looks at cultural phenomens— including stories belts, media ess, works ofa eligtoospractes, faehons uals speiaintinowedge, and conmenerse—from asi Togial perspective At thes ime sgetshow suchelfra phenom fom opera in more general secal processes. Fly ooking a the ultresocey elatonsip fom the olker ection, it shows how scl forces fluence cular Inthe books ust the device ofthe “cultura diamond” to investigate ‘hecenneetons among four elements: cultural ebjets—symbol, belies, ‘Values a practices; alr cefors, including the organizations and ‘Stems that produce and nia cata bjs elural cee, the prople whe experience cull andspeific cla objetsrand the sea Tord th content in which culture ncrested and experienced. We eat Ine theve saments ad connection in Chapters I through 4. Then in Chapters Sand, we discuss how the cultural diamond operates in wo Spel aces. roca problems and business transactions In Chaplet 7, the fok acute and commniy inthe davening age of global culture ‘AGlobal Approach ‘An intemational or abs outlook indispensable 0 any sociological ‘Sd in today’s wood and cultural studies are no exception, Thisstudy of utr in global in at est dhe ways Cross-National Cases Fst, we consider examples of ultra! phenomena and process fm {vie vrety of countesandperods The world has always contained 1 bewildering assortment of eure, of ours, but lately Americans Prjice havebecomeincreasingly coeemed wit the implications ofthis at for Ihe intenal socal polices and extenalecenomicand pais elation ship. Alunough we examine aspect ofthe Western cultura aon In [ener and Amenican culture im partculse we alg eww on mates from diferentradionsand cultures as well including eucrous evan ls rom cultures of specalinterestto America sachs el an Tan, ‘hice counties "Nigei, China, andthe Untied Statee—serve peatedlytodemonswate protons snd isuesinculura anaes Tee three countries constitute damatiall diferent staring pont for soc ‘ies entering the rent firs coniry Nigeria contains an extoecinay mature of anguages etnies and eens wth no ane group in Ne majority Under Bish colonial rle Fr more than hal ofthe tentth ‘eury Nigra struggles to recone plied uty andeaturel diver Sty while achieving pester cconomic development, Chin has had sn danced culture and centralised pois! contol for milenns, but revolutionary pelitial change in the mien century has brought shout massive social andeultrl dislocations Now China his embarked. ‘on an experiment with hither unheard of cimensions osee whether economic freedom can Nourish while tight pial nd ultra con Femain. The Ute Stats along with ts Wesem European lies, dom Fated the bipolar Cold Wir era ofthe mi-twentethcentery It seemed to represent the pinnace a anced, ndustial sce complete with s modem culture, towatd which all scetiespresamably were converg Ing. Now the fracturing of former palit aliance and the new com plexity ofimteratonal lations slong withthe increasingly undeniale Elsims made by culturally diverse groups internally challenge the vai ‘ty of specify Ameren culture andthe appabiity of American ‘ales ina rouble ac apy changing wold, Prthese Tasins Nigeria, Chins and the United States fer thought provoking running eames of some ofthe most perplexing culture problems cing the new etry. Global Culture ‘The vecond way in which this bookie lob in scope that we conser ‘ow globalization proceser themselves are affecting ctu and cul tures. From transnational media to tout art t the inumigeaion of peoples to iniemational production of manufactured goods, processes {aking Place atthe global vel veal Butobiersted pockets of culate parity and have made parochlabam incressingly costly a4 wel a naive “achnologial advances in communicsbons have leaped cll bound. avi, just as plabal markets ave uanscended rata ifeenndeed, svi Cale and Socii ina Changing Mos nee teo factor are tly rated. The point ister to eet nor bemoan these inexorable processes of globalization, but to understand them Cultural Cones “Third many ofthe mostintrasable conics taking place inthe post-Cold arerninvolvecutre Struggles ver einichomegencity and religious fundamental, totake jus two examples particulary costly human Dood, cleaey involve meanings an pasion that go ar beyond the mere ‘comomiccr pla Salty negoitionstetweensnernational bust rest purines or bende of sate, nd moro generally relations mang, people fom diferent cultural backgrounds ean be smouther and moee productive Ifthe partes recognize the influences of diferent cultures. Endertanding the cultural bueno pt and curenttruggen 234 miss erstandings may help avoid repetition of costly mistakes, Such under Sanding wl equip ndento live hee professional an person bes meffectiveand wise cizens ofa world where boncultrerandaccctice $nechanging mone quickly than ever Before in aman history. Acknowledgments In a book tended fr techers and students tis appropriate to thank ty onnteachersand students {developed my understanding of culture ft Harvard Univer during the late 157 ender the guidance of « filled group af teachers, inctading Orlando Paterson, Richard “Pete” Peterson, aul Str Ann Sider aed Harrion White my stds were tnvened by conversions with fellow students pursuing some ofthe "ime ebjectives,nelading Mabe Berezin, Paul DiMaggio, ad Jack Gol ‘Sone-Iontinaetobeneh rom hola communiestion and inendship ‘nithallo! thee peopl, ag well as from the snuenceof colleagues have {et since, partichlaaly including Howard Becker Gary Fine, David Hum ‘mon, Bzabeth Long Andtes Dress, Rabin Wagner Pati, Bob Wh ‘ow and era Zotberg ‘Despite ha valued dct of odeagues, however, peshops the singe ‘most imporantinence on my thinking has been my students For ten Years have both taught course inthe sociology of culture and have rod cultural emphasa inthe introductory undergraduate cue Ger ‘stn, Commun, and Cute), a well a the required graduate sem aval Chicago: ave alo faught in Chcages dase (60 yeas arming) \ \ n ee Pfr i {couse Sl Cults, nd Sc. have dist the Claes Secely Wish for advanced graduate stents, where some of ‘stand knight parse sesetchinvating the interaction between Csltureand seer hese courses ning tuenthave asked hard questions come up with he apt examples and clnged mete clean ing aout how tre work ad why ie mtn My det tote bgt iating independent minded ors Iojlstudetssimense Tie or hem, ally I must hak ny flow eis othe Soca for New enn sien Chae Ragin and Lary ifaw Po Fog ree founding ete Steve Rater who hep wall deed towne co son goal One ould not as for atte eum Vcona Neon apd hercapebedangsilw my nanerptatboth shaping polshng sings iy hsb colleaguc and na, Jane Padget, proved mr rt ant dumeticsupport daring the wn fs books we ay sd Ota roid etacton an deg Culture and the Cultural Diamond Cltreis ane of hase words that people ue all the Hime but have trouble detning Consicer the flowing stores about some a the Willy dlfer- tent things we navesn mind when we alk about cular. ‘An American isdoing busines in Tokye hoping tna ueraie con teat for her fir, When er Japanese surterpart hands ber his ‘ar she takes asully th one hand glances at an sche ivin er pocket, Later, despite her bet efforts, ratios with het Japanese colleague remain chilly ane he im loses the contra. wAn. says an experienced frend, "You ost the Dusess because cultural misunderstanding In Japa, the busines cir icons ‘eredtobean extension ofthe person; one teats thecardwith great respect holdingitwith two hindsandeareily puingtin asf Place. Ameriane don’ think of tha way forthe, the ced i Just aconveniene You madverteniauited the very person you twere tying impress.” 1s eta evening Inthe dorm cafeteria, group af calle stodents ‘ar dscacing ther plans forthe wevkend. One sys aes 340 toa basket game, anther says e plan te sep all weekene 2 thi makes clique references toa member of the opasie sex Ww iscomingto vise A fourth ansounces, "lm glng out to get Some culture ve gt symphony teks for vag ard Sunday. Trmmeetingafoendottheat museum" Histoends sebimabout bedngacutee vulture, a label he stouly eel Snorting with laughter ahusbandzeads aloud “Calvin and Hobbes" ‘omic stipto his wife atbresfat In thigprodeCalvinstelling, Hobbes about a sconce fiction tory in which machines om hurma engsinto "zombie slaves (Waterson, 1965, p28) Hebes agree thatthe lea of machines controlling peope is poly say. and (Calvin replies, “Vilsay, HEY! What te ist? My TY show in" ‘The vede, who hasbeen watching the Tay Shu don tehare is 2 clued Sct ogi Hos amusement nl coll teples, “Than think eading comisis a tmove worthwhile cltrl activity than watching televson {nan urban neighborhood whereback and white residents come into “Contac dally aso named Elja Anderson observer cisual Street encounters in which Aftican Amcicana are ily uncom fetble wher fey pa whites walking ther dogs despite de dog tle” ssuranee tat heir peta re fen Th the lt ‘fa cultual ference, he conchses(Anderon, 190, p22) Inthe woking clas Back bet, "op" dos nt mean “don thehoure bl uly coos os spouting the ‘dyad eaptesbenton rouble Mile an we ortngcte pre maykexp Soames hme, wing em the ‘vo fe hose butray bik nskingcas poopie imerviewed ttn ay essen pcveteene soning othe prunes their we ion Recently betad—pluin oid bread—has taken ona certain dln, Hakers Inupseae tons sucha Uerkely have wrk impinge Guality of American bread by introducing international baking techniques and new igsecents, And theteend spreading. Bou tigue bakeries have Become so successful that they have ford Inert gantssuch ae Pepperidge Farm compete on thei level. ‘Amercansrssed on plain white bread now munch on Halon {cneia even-gainpita read adap rom e Mid Est ard sSoustough bapuetes that mould amaze the French. New sypes of bread incorporating nine diferent tone ground gras oF han ‘wrought ino end eticks receive fulsome bute as being “ist {ate handsomely erspaslerstand, yes. dowsneght sexy” Fabricant 1995, Newapapersepot this Culinary development acuta sh Each ofthe ive str abt cu bt hey llsce tobe king bout very ferent things nana cutee ieing busines os). srvies considered oe ein fg attending the symphony, mas jroduced ers af enertinment come sts) cl variations in Eee meanung rat ops rend reprsen-Tey also sugges tot ult though ity be someting other aed opin down smporant {eundetand Cultural ignorance or misunderstanding, ses, rn ead {fe highly undesrble outcomes: lost Busnes, inktaca ension. ofan Irabity to partite meer he comic othe Wanecedent moments inhuman expen Cates beCal lamnd 4 Cultural misunderstanding cultural conics cultural ignorance: The stakes canbe very high: Consider a sinh story: Pads revere a hllop in Ayodhya, sorther Ini ashe Birthplace of the god Roma But for centris the Babe! mongue representing slic culture, has oceuped this ste. DespiteInda's politeastractare of secular derma tenons between Hindus ana Mums often ran high In V3, they boiled over hen fundamentalist Hindus, angry beenue they thought the genes ‘ment dd nt satiny suppon the dminantcultreofthe Hindus ond fonvinced that Muslims were being coded, tore down the mosque Fighting erupted ®hrougnout Inia, an hundreds ded ‘Wha is this caneept called culture tat can apply 40 su wide variey of situations? Why do notions of culture flame sich intense passions that huge aumbets of people—trm sslrians in Bombay to ‘enggmembers Mashing thee signs Chicago to naionaliss a Nonben Trland-~mgolaly bl fr ane de for thei symbol thet bts dei sulle? And howean we gain abeter understanding the cnnetins between the concept of culture and the social wor? Tse are the questa integer, Definitions: Two Ways of Looking at Culture ‘When socoiogists ta about culture, Richard Peterson (1979) has ob served, they usually mean ene of fur things: norms values. belies at ‘xpressivesymbols Roughly noumsaretbe way people behavein aver soxiey vals ate what they hold deat, Pli ae how they think the Universe operates, and expressive symbols ate sepesenaton, een represenatons of sca norms, values, and bei themselves We dis eusaler more about al fourmesnings but for he pont tha oven specialistsuch as soclogistsandsheracdemics ve the wond alte tostand fora whole range of ideas and eects The academic perspectives culture canbe sorted nta tw schools ‘of thought. tis fu Yo say that most notions of culture ae based on {ssumption rooted either in the humanities a the de hand oi the Sexi cence, parcel anthology onthe other AlDough is bok presenis the sol scenic perspective hy andl, he dina af his tne can sen ony comparon with couse the efor we begin, however one thing need tobe clear: Teteeno sich thing “ulture”or"seiety” out herein the el weld Tsay People who work joke, ase cule, hve think, worship an behave 4 Caltares nd Scien na Chnging Wold Ina wide variety of ways To speak of culture as one thing and society a shotherieto maken analytical cistincion between two different aspects ‘of human experience One way to thinkaf the distinction s tha eultie Sesignates the expensive aspect of human oustnce, whereas society des Janae the relational and often practal aspect. Mugging dogs, paving respect to business cards, drawing comic svips-these are all ways in ‘shich we express out ives as social beings. Te same cbject or behavior may beanaly zed associa (a business card communicates information ‘poessay fr economic or personal transactions) or cultural (a Buses ‘ard means omething cilferentto a Japanese than toan American) Now, trent with this ough distinction between the expressive versus the relational, and witha recognition thet both culture and society are ab “rations semay explore the wom influential school thowgh ‘he culture/ society relationship. ~The Best That Has Been Thought and Kron In common usage, the erm culture often referstothe fneand performing atsorto serious iterate asia the fcetiousstatement of hesymphony poet "T'm going out to get some cultore" Culture inthis sensei some Times called “high cuture™—as oppese lo popular culture, flkeulture tr mass cultured caries implications of high socal status a wel {Tre uithinking equation of culture with the arti herent of ine of thinking, prominent in those disciplines collectively known as the he anit, whereby culture hac been regarded asa lous of superior and Universal worth, In theninetsenth century many European ntti psited a oppo sition boon cullen raciely om athe often ptt betaee cali tnt coca, A they used the tor, chain eter the We ological advances ofthe Industrial Revolution so visible at that period nd the socal changes tht atended industalzaton. Cnteating cure ‘rth aviation was, derefore, a protest against Enlightenment thike ‘ng. aginst the Dele that progress was invariably beneficial, againet the ‘ply aspects ofindstraization, and against what Manx called the "ssh ‘nove of capitalism whetehy everyone and everything seemed #9 be ‘valusted on an economic bass. It cvilzation” meant thy tenements {acories spewing smoke into te ai and people treated as nothing more ‘than s0 many replaceable parts, then many thoughtful men and women wanted no part of. They saw cukure—entiling the wiest and most ‘atl expressions of human effort contrasting poe and the sl ‘allon of overcvied human being n is dichotomy the alienating, Cure ondthe Cra ion 5 dehumanizing tects of industrial viliztion were se agaist he healing, Me-enhancingeapacties of culture. Typical ofthis polarizing tendency was the English socal phlosopher John Star Mile aecount i is ato biography of hewhishighl rationalized ainingin ogicandecenomics brought him to + nervous breakdown. Only by seading Wordswort'e poetry, he testified, was he abet restore his sail. ‘The automatic question that arises today occurred to nineteenth century thinkers as well: How can we believe in culture's extraordinary, redeeming value without having ths belief turn ina narrow ethnscen trem, a yma of praise to Weslem Evropean culture asthe summit human achievement? Matthew Arnold (1822-1888, 4 Bieh educator tnd man of leters, answered this question by formulaling a universal theory of cultural value (1865} 1949). Emphasizing culture's potential Influence in the social word, he harshly criticized Victorian England for its mindlese materialism, fr is worship of machines and freedom (i other words industiabzation and democracy) without considering the tends o which ether shouldbe pul. He feared te cell would be ether dull, midalelase Philstinism! or social anarchy proce by rating workers. There would be no help ffom the avstocrts, whom Arold dismissed “barbarians” to busy hunting ovesobother about defend tng calture. Yet only culture cul save maser sity from such fae ‘What constituted this salvation of humankind? Culture, Amold a serted, was “astudy of perecion” Culture could make ciliaton more human by redoring “seetness and light” Although #3 now used pooraively to convey superficial amiably, Arnold intended the expres Sion “sweetness and light” #0 eer to beauty and witdom, respectively He took the idea of sweetness and ight fom Jonathan Swit’ paratie aout the spiders versus the boos Everyone thinke spulers are ery industrious, Swit eserved, but in fac, spiders wore only for tem selves al that we spinning is justo catch ther own dinners, tees, on the other hand, are more properly admirable, for they unselfishly pro: duce benelits for others honey and the wax used in enaking cane, of "asracounted inthe OIE estemen the Philistines were nef te hese leben the racer encountered won yer he promi al Inger euleingypt and fry years inthe wiaemese-Pe Pines we tethnleicly mote advanced tan he shite in at hey veranda teployed metry theater ada go to Philnine shor et stale and weapons AL he sre tne, the aes cnr the Pties tobecaturaly inferior besun they worshipped a varety of tas Ths the term Pitino sens who may tae prea Krainin \toldy sucess bt wholack spintul an cultural tinea Clans an Sain Charging Word Cltareand te Curl Disnond 7 Inother words, sweetness and ight. Amold appropriated the more socially summarize some of the general characteristics ofthis once-prevalent productive of Smift's two creatures in his Gefivion of eultae. Like the approach. The traditional humanities view point Fney and candles that come om bees, he beauty and wisdom that cltare 1 Evaluates some cultures and some cultural works 38 beter than provides come from (1) awareness of and sensiivity to “the beet hat nas Even thought and kaown in art, ierature, history. and philosophy and "a phonon (enope-inded ene rant nl How does culture work? Amol he educator, sw culue interns o ee alent eee itsedeatona potential He maintained hatcultreenaes people torelate ‘isumes tht tre pps the prevang noms fh sx Lnowledgeintuing scence and technology to conduc and to Beauty, hie even” Aarmeny een ate an ety Cviizatin potently hes 3 hermonious relatcnship wth knowledge, y ‘others it believes cultarehasto do wit perfection, Deriving fom 21001 word meaning "ulivation, "asin agriculture, thiseense of ‘culture entails the cultivation ofthe hutnan mind and versity. ans eee ot pic lene elses Gee aeae ese aad ‘+ Feas that culture i fragile that it can be “Tost” or debiltated or culture can bring about this harmony: Culture snot an end intel but ‘estranged from sociosconamic le, Culture must be caeflly Smears t.an end. Itcan cure the sills of unrestrained materiaism preserved, through educational ineittions, for example, and it Sind selfsatisied Philisinism by leaching people how folie and by com ‘ultra archives such as ibraries and museums. ‘eying moral ideas, Ina sete, Nebelleved,cltorecanbe thehumaaicing f= Invests culture with the aura ofthe sacred and ineffable, thas fagent that moderates the more destuctiveimpatts of modemizaton. removing from everyday existence, Tha separation sen sym. “Amei's conception of culture holds thats addresses a diferent set boialyaecntuntd: The entrance to Chicago’ tain art museum ‘of issues from those addressed by logic or science. Surprisingly, the (and many libraries and museum dsewhere), fo example, Is Getman sociologist Max Weber (18641920), whom we shall encounter [guarded by bronze lon, Because of ts specaines is enetond ff in this book, took he some view ln us esay "Scence as. Vocation,” ary quai, culture makes no sense if we conser ony eee ‘Wobertatd out the limite of what science cannot dt st up is ar nomi, polis or social dimensions. Ics abot wha scence can. The an ae what noes! hte ‘What rening or our vescan scene ler” Weber sugested ha ithe : : zone (948 pp 183,153 “That Complex Wiel Dring te nneteeth ena he new disci ofathopolgy an sevcigy were sinatneoinadvotinga en diferent ay arhok ingaoutetur thant purty Mate Aad Avestan Toston gven the simplest answer with the words: "Seience Is meaning tes ecu gives mans four guste, the ony question important Torus. Whatsholl wed and how shall welive?".. Selene today sa ‘fthispostioncame rom te Gennan philosopher ohann Gated er cat erganied speci Jie eserves anication Philosopher Johann Goted ener ana towed of nett act Ito the i of rac of seer and (2744-1800), who reacted strongly agpnst the ethnocentric smugness of Frophesdspensing sce vale and rvs nr dost partake th Furopean culture at the end ofthe eeonth century Herder fac ‘nlerplaton of sean hosopher bout the meno he rive at by raiona ok verse ay he pty ofthe Ol eet ned such orl bteratureasspentaneous products of innate nan ‘creativity that sharply conzasted 6 the more arficial trary output of sneducated elite. Hall humanity were natural poets, how absurd think thatthe European educated clasees had somehow comered the mare ‘on the "best that has been thought and known." Or a Herder pot ‘To answer Tolsto's question and find a menring for their lives, Weber rin human bags mst okt popes an pope 6 Teligion and ideas, Most generally, they mast ur to culture. ‘Wer wasaaciens and Ameld man ofleters, bu both emphasized the separation of culture from everyday life in modem society and ts bli to influence human tehavior Ths the way of ooking at culture ‘on of he ures th ge who have pre ve the ge You Teaditonally associated withthe humanities, although contemporary hue eve ot ve ly omar etn or ahs tmanities disciplines are shaeply questioning this approach. We can now our poste sheld Se made happy by Europe cate ‘The ver thought oa superor Europe etree asant nl the Iajsy of Natre (usted 0 Wilme 578 p79). Calne nd Societe na Changing Weld ender argued that we must speak of cultures, not simply culture, for the obvious season that nations, and communities within oF across na thos, have Beir own, equally merltorious cultures, This view of culture ssa given society's way of le was introduced to English anthropology by EB. Tylor who dismissed the whole cultue-vesus-cvlizauon de- bite out ofhandin his book Primitoe Clue (18711988, p. 2). "Caleare or Cwiization, taken nits wide ednographic sere, that complex whole ‘which includes knowledge, belie, at, moral, aw custom, and anyother Capabilities and habits acquired by man as @ member of society” This ‘wide-ranging anthiopologial definition afelture has dominated the Social sclences, including contemporary soielogy, ever since. The soc logis Peter Berger (1959), for example, defines culture as “the wotty of man’s products"both material and immaterial Indeed Berger argued that even society itself s “nothing but part and parcel of non-material culture” (pp. 67). Although socal scientists dont all ager to quite so texpansivea deiiion, they don’tagree on much elseabout culture either Back inthe 1950s when two anthropologist counted the eifferent dein tions feature used inthe social stiences, they came wp with more than gd distinct meanings (Kroeber é Kluchh 1952) ‘Viewing clture broadly asa people's entire way of life avoids the ‘ethnosentrism andeltism thatthe humans ew based definition lls prey to,butsuch an all-encompassing defiritonlcksthe precision destedin the social sciences. A recent tfend has been foward cating the culture concept down to size and making distinctions about exactly what the ‘bjet of analysis Wuthnow and Witen (198) for example, suggest That scilogit should distinguish beiveenimplistand explicit eta Sometince we regate euiture ay tangible social constuction, 'a kindof symbolic good or commodity that sexplicly produced! (p. 50) asin the {Case of» Calvin and Hobbes cartoon, a loaf of bread, of 2 symphony. At ‘ther times culture isseen more bsratlyasan"mpli featureofscca! Ie.-aprefigurationor ground of socal relator” p50), asintheculturel {round whereby Japanese and Americans handle business cards in di {erent ways or American blacks an whites act iferently around dogs ‘This distinction is useful not because ether ind of culture ssconcept ally supesiog but because can act ab preliminary casieaon noting fut all of the many definitions of culture with which sociologists must ‘ea Unlike the old-school humanists, socal siemtsts of various schools ‘fthoughl tendo see haraony not opposition beteencultareandsocely. ‘Thetwomontinfluenial social scintfc theories of the twentethcentury + regard the fit a8 being a close one. Funchnalism, the branch of socal > Cute ond he Cu iomond 9 ‘heory that assumesa social istinton sally serves somespectic function necessary forthe well-being of the collect identies culture withthe values that direct dhe socal, politcal, and eabaaiie levels of social _s/stem. the functionalist perspecve, it follows, a fit exists between lure and society because any mist would! he dysfunctional. The Fone tonaist sociologist Robert Merton (195) for example, once suggested ‘hat American eutur places a high value on economic acess. When people ache practial means to stain the goof sucess, he said, they fxperience severe sais, often wining to criminal behavior a8» ees For mast people in America and in any culture that funcuons smoothly, the goals given by the culture andthe means for ating these goals work in harmony. Coming fom the opposite diction politically, Mar Issa seea clsefit between socal struc and culture, but they reverse “he arection of iaftence tm socal strstate to eau, sat he other ‘way arourd Both fanctonalsm and Marnsm arediscusted im Chapter? the point for now is tha they share what we might call the “else fit assumption” ‘Asan example ofthis acsumption, consider Pete Berg's(1969) analy sis of culture as forme through extemalzation cbjtiation and inter alization, Berger suggests that human bogs poet ther vn experience ‘tothe gutside world (extealizaice), dhe regard hese projections 35 Independent (objetifeaion), and finally incorporate these Projections into their paychological consciousness internalization). We can easily think of ces that snem fo lustate Berger's model. Le’ take the fact that hutnanseproducion involves two sexes. Many sligious bli y= tems might Be sito extemalie the duslsm of biologi reprodcton Into dual powers, sich as the Manichean svordview of an cera war between good and evil or the Chinese duties of yin and yang. Such huge, based on dice experince, become gbjectified and exist nthe culture independent of any human thinker Entire cosmologies of com lending forces of good and ei ar thereby built around the male female dichotomy. These cosmoogies,n tim, become inleralizes, nuencing ‘human thoughtand practice ThusChistanshave he unage of goodan vil fighting within the soul—an angel whispering in one eat a devil the other while Chinese medicine s developed aaund the perceived weed fora yin and yang balance inthe body isl “Anthtopefogist Clifford Geertz (1973, p. 88) defined culture as “an history wansnuttd patom of meanings embodied in symbol, sytem inherited conceptions expressein symbolic forms eneans of which men communicate perpetate, and develop their knowledge about ard atutudes toward Le” Geeat2s inluential formulation is more precise 10 Catars ond Sct in ¢ Cayng Wind ‘than the entre-way-obife soca scence definitions because it focuses on symbols and on the bhavior that derives from symbolically expressed ‘wayof thinking nd feeling. This dfintioncpturee what mos soc sists currently ean wher they use the erm culture To ecapitulste, the Social science standpoint ‘+ Avoids evaluation in favor of elativiem As bo socologets put it "The scenic rhetortght bppes ane non normative, brooks noinvidious distinctions” Jaeger fe Selznick, 1964p 654) Eval ations may be made in tems the impact that esltire hason the cia order but not ofthe cultural phenomenon isl f= Assumes close linkage beeen culture and sockcty I some schoolsafthought, anetends to determine the other, whereasothers SHresthe tut adjustments that take place Between culture and sooal structure ‘4 Emphasizes the persistence the durability of culture, rather than it agit Culture ison mone san ativty than as somthing that need to be preserved nan archive. Culture isnot what ies inthe mastam oe library guarded by thowe bronze lens iste, its the ways in which museum goers (and everyone eae) ive their ves f= Assumes that culture can be studied empicaly tke anything ‘le Social scientists donot regard culture as sacted o as unde ‘ntaly diferent fom other human prods and activities ‘One might well sespond to the distinction we have been setting between the taitional humanites and the seal scenic spproaches bysaying, "Look, there ae advantages to both points of view. To under lund why inion Hindus an Muskie are wii odie fortir cultures, Iehelps to se that thes adherents regard thei eigius belies as very special the best that has heen thought and known, aed thusextaor- ‘orly valuable. AE the same time, an understonetng of he polsicl nc economic contexts"the inks betwen eligi onthe ne hart an Indian ‘Social strcreon the other ss abviouslyrecestary to comprehendand txplan the recurring explosions of sectarian violence, So why not ty 10 tnuerstand.eulture by appreaching it from both directions?” ‘Why not, indeed? In this book, although our objet i 2 specifically socilogial understanding of cultire, we try to ancorporate the nsights ‘ofboth traditions, We begin todo so by envisioning the cultre/society connection terms of “euluralebjecs"lcatedina “cual diamond.” Cale and te Claret Durval 1h Connections: The Links Between Culture and Society ‘ie have been looking at various definitions of culture, from the most restrictive (high ar "the Bes that hasbeen thought and knowe”) tothe most expansive the totality of humantys material and nonmatenalpro- dit) have sce thst the word and the concep, expel acemmpoed inthe socal sence, takes many shapes and that therefore any discus: sion of culture ust begin with definition. Flere, then, is our working “dation: Culture caters tothe expressive side of human hfe behavion objets and dens thatcanbe seen to expres, to stand for somethingelse “This i the cane whether we ae talking about explo implicit cue. Gaur, anc Waber before him, ook culture to involve meaning ad im this book we flow ter example. Thus, we could talk about a commu: {ty in tems of ts clture: is pattern of meanings its enduring expres 1 sive aspects, ts symbols that represent an guide he thinking. Fein, | and bohavie of te members. Or we old tlkc about hat community in Terms vial sroctre patter of relationships arg nemBe,t. ‘stations its economic an poitical factors. The commits caltere influenes is soil structure, nd vice versa Indeed, the two ar inter twined and have ben separated only fs purposes of analysis. To under "Stand he community the soclogist mst understand both ‘Weneed todo mere, however than simply definecultureand indicate show to distinguish analytically from sil structure We need 2) to conceptualize how cutureand the soil work ome togetherot in cber ‘words, how people in social contents create mening. To draw 09 bob the uamanitesand socal science views fr out analysis of eltureznd a ‘examine cllural phenomena and thi relation to socal hfe, weneed 3 Conceptual framework and concept tools, One ofthese fouls the sultan objec. ‘The Catural Objet | Acura cetyl dined tale sigan ibe inform | (Grol, 1) eter words tvs ssally mung expression | tstssudlst ors uni orn ean, Acs oe, Imorcover isan and al sory mpy be gana sn stoe Shatedurpateden etedy Eunpstangeviiey ANigeranpiset Sicha "A lnd dos mot tan ot aon for nahinge argos “sna pho prover from Eastern Nige. te menings oughly ee lenttooursiying-Where there's smoke thes re” 12 Curent Satin Changing Weld ect such sh Tiny bebe het women amare sesive than trent Sakespaean sont sake shas Rsv dren d0 [ihc Mune quen abe sing odhlnsyur when eb Seer qitnatcophand ory toeay soda taro Sel cha Each la ny Nese at stove et Sine tesl fant deoln tat ne ate sr curve at ‘onc ate Bechet ive th fhe oe pod seteptinent serene er smetngo mi ou ena inetintomtitsinening enna scart Sather scone inesmgotiesny_hom texpeserromen oleic regener lo pedarean siesta bey a uty then Self wemees meaning cul pet nd maybe aly oe suk ta think, we ak eu fcr bets an eure sit sinyonantsicep he wan gtahe pecng naan Ses ey er Gaping some prof coarse we veter to eCard tel pu pt for als remit ape cinco Row would po out sing srt Wa COKE ned oa thetic ate tec and especie fomeot anata pet Me ound mere (og te koprd onder tanestana ho he eaten mrks gt ntok On the ote and fe wept SSovoncd inspec o ey, na oud cone stim ne mass bsegea coe Atop oor ese Crees par oad thule ce sh ih atepting to nntand he onesons between soy a scaled tombe ene ova tense ar ee ‘on of aaa ct tne sar pte of eed er ‘shen hese ling Rel ofthe hanes Cates Zea at enor alent pps tiny ei st ts Trea othr in he humans uly foc ono nok of a 0+ ‘Siren anes psnsing truce nd anny spate ‘Soestcund for curang carl ss nove wie vel ees Seton estar therefore by Py sean heer Set ta is dus ot imply ana fatwa for for ‘Slut sh econo entema worl thew tinglngson the Sart cj tt snp means fs the Set ec ceitne out toe frether weds estat with he ale Shope cen er en re iets potas oben heey set fof sony nd nk ofatnouinsetar cet Amer utopeanests ote Buatey dn praetor 0 ade a fade Cute andthe Carat mond 39 ‘mental, atthe foundation ofthe nutrition pyramid (pasta), ead is ractcal. Bread is alsa very boring, Practical and boring though it maybe, bread can be expressiveas wel ‘The post-Worid Wa If baby boom generation, fr example, grew upon soft, spongy white bread ike Wonder Bread. The "wonder" ly i the techvology-—Woncer bread was infised with vitamin to "grow song bodies in 12 ways'--and hgh ftidn'thave an especially memorable favor, baby boopes who Spratt with coatbctont such a peanut Dutter and stihialiow fui nought tested just fine. Te seemed to express a child’ view ofthe good Ife Later nthe 1940s ad 1970s, that Same bby boom generation rejected whit brea, jst asit jected such flse rom mainstream American culture; defying the conventions they had grown up with, these young people tumedeating whole-grain bread into politcal statement, ne that expreceed a repaton of American apialism, technology, and homogeneity Not only anbread be expressive, but a moment's flection seninds usthatitissteped in tation The ible abound in referees obread Itis the staff of ifs unleavened during Passover ite miraculously _multptiod along withthe fishes, # should becat upon the waters. Inthe Cristian communion, it even embodics the Divine, During the frst centuries of Islam, white bread symbolized» lack of discipline to the ‘Arabs: a manuscript illustration shows a man enjoying a seindulgent ‘al of roast kd, wine, and white bread (Tanah 1973, 179) fn the uropean ethnic heritage that has shaped many American instutins, bread connotes secutty love, frugality family even ie tel, We further recognize tht although read maybe ubigatous in Amer: fan hitchens ts by no meane universal. Human beings eat diferent ‘rains in diffrent places: Many Chinese depend ca ice, Senegalese om flee, Mexicans oncom. Ineome ofthese countnes, eating bred isa sign of being Westermzed, being modern, and fea become» politi ise In Nigeria, which ejoyed penod of l-basd wealth during the 1970s, the mile car develpad ste fr bpd ade from import or and a asf 187 ocal sires such ae Vai and cacava, White Bread connotes afluence and modernity for twentith-century Nigerians just asitdidforeighteensh-century Europesns, ln the poorer “ll bust years beginning in the 1980s, however, taxes on imports plus goverment advocacy of using locally produced foods attempted to stft Nigerian ‘consumer tastesback o West Afican traditional starches. Theale his notbeen altogether suecssful, however andihestzects of Lagesare filled With young hawker of high pried spongy white hoes, something ike fur old rind Wonder bred, MM Callan ond Sits in Changing Wd So bread is basic fundamental and boring—but tis to bbilly sanalone, expressive symbole of European herge oF te god a, tudevenseny hisasmucha prota culuralagsemenither me Bink {ileal colarl system ie ates gustan edn Berkley othe {faba catuasystememmeannge! white breadinNgeia)—arthermore {viously “cultural” tits such as televistn or ballet Brose the, Sleanys url ej Cultura objets are prt of ager cura yee that we may want to aalze. How do the myriad components inthis Saath eth ogetet Telok ate bigger picture of clue in soe stenced anther analytical el The Cultural Diamond ce Cultural objects are made by human beings. This fact is intrinsic to all of the various definitions—culture is "the best that has been thought and known” by human beings (Arnold); culture is the “mteanings embodied in symbols” trough whch human beige communicate and pase on knovl- edge and attitudes (Geertz) culture isthe externalization, objecfication, fd internalization of human experience (Berger)—and is the bass fo the, familar distinction betiven culture and nature. Therefore, we may Fegan alleultual abjects as baving creators. These cseators ay be the people Who frst articulate and communicate an idea the attists Who fashion 3 {oem the inventors ofa new gaene or nev lingo. Any particular abject may havea single creator such asthe author ofa neve, o multiple creators, sch as all ofthe people listed inthe credits at the beginning of a movie ‘Other people besides their creators experience cultural objects, of course. If poet sings her odes in the wildemess with ne one to hear oF record, ia hermit invents a revolutionary new theology but keeps it to hime radio program isbroadcastbut a technicalmalfuncton prevents anyone from hearing it, then these are potential cultural objects but not ‘sta anes. Its only when such objects become public, when they enter the circuit of human discourse, that they enter the culture and becoine ‘ullual objects. Therefor allculuralobjectsmusthave people who reczive them, people who hear, read, understand, think about, enact, participate in, eomember them. We might cll these people the object's audience, although that term is abitinisleading: the people who actually experience the object may be diferent from the intended or orginal audience, and far from being 2 passive audience, cultural receivers ae ative meaning, makers, ‘oth cultural objects and the people who create and receive them are rot Rating frely, but are anchored in a paticular.context: We can call, Culture andthe Cultura! Dismond 98 ‘The Cultural Diamond SOCIAL WORLD CREATOR, RECEIVER ‘CULTURAL OBJECT ths the soil worl, by which we gan the economic, pola, socal hd tal paler anpugencea tht ecu at ony porcelar pot n Se, Cola soopy cred ist and fore ih he sea torohip tesween catches and he al era THe Re det dou eens cetera bjt ents and he soil world avasttatange ee four clemens in espe Sadiamondanathenstawatineconnecingenccemertoereyether ne, Doing his ects wh Teal scalar! Gamond (a dmana in the twesdimensonal ens cal diamond, which ll ibe gue 1 ‘urcuturl lomondas four ontsandssinksoreomecns We cannot calli neory of eaturebraue it nye nothing abou ow he faints ov hte Norcanwecatina metercurea ett ane Because it does no inate ose and fle inthe cult! damonds oleae in te popu cure eg leven program) eu be sen 5 “causing” violence in the sccial world, but the reverse could gqually iti case insta tpecultural amend isan accountn bees Caer to Bicourage afl understanding ef any clu! object elaionship tothe social word Itdoes not ay wnat the elaionshipHeween any ‘hepoints shouldbe, only that azeseatoceship Theteforacomplteundestandng fave ueralatect would require unerstandingal our ms an se nt, To undeand eed 36 Cutter and Sects na Changing Weld in Berkeley and in Lagos, we woutd have to know about the producers (the growers bakers, mporters,tend-setting chefs and resburant owners, jovernment bureaucrats setting import centrols) and the consumers (the population and te demngraphc characteristics how many children are aching hunches, hw many working couples areeating out Bow an aging nd inceeasinglythity population s gratifying its tastes for luxury how | the public has come to asscciate white brea with prosperity). We would need to understand inkages-—the media connections advertising prod tits to consumers for example oF the system of distabution whereby teenage boys acquire fish bread to hawk onthe highways. Only when such porns cunnections had been investigated could webecunient that we understod the rltonship—a specOealy cultura elaionship-— that exists between bread and the society in wich it ismade ard eaten “The same is true for any aspect of culture that we isolate and analyze as cultural cbjct: Wenced to identify the characteristics of the object {nd how i ike some other abject in the culture and unlike others. We reed to consider who created (made, formed, said) it and who received (heard, saw, believed We need to think about the various inkages: or ‘example, om the vxial world /ereator ink, hove ist tha inthis society some types of pape get tobe the cretors ofthis typeof cura abject anel others door Por example, think about how women have aten ben ‘excluded from cresting certain kinds of coltaalabjectsOn the cla ‘bject/auiencé nk, how ist that some cultural objets reach an at fence and others da not (For example, think about al ofthe poems that never get published oral ofthe plays that never get produced) Once ve understand the specific points and links in the diamond, we can say that, we have #socolngial understanding ofthat cultural objet, Moreover, fence we have a sense of how that cultural objet fits int its context we fre on our way lo understanding the culture as. hole, Summary Inthischapter, we haveseon the variety of ways in which theterm culture Is used and how theterm is applied to ephemeral, even vial, aspects of ‘experience and to deeply held values for which people are willing te die. ‘We have compared the humanities’ approach to culture with that ofthe socal sciences nd have suggested that full undertancingo the elation ship between culture and society must employ the insights of Both perspectives, We havesuggested an approach to the sociological analysis Culture andthe Catal Dimond 17 of culture that uses the conceptual tools of cultural object and cultural diamond asa schema for organizing ovr thinking and investigation In the following chapters, we apply the cultural diamond schema 0 the complex web of connections between cultures and societies, The chapters are organized following the diamond! In Chapter2, we concen trateon the meanings found incultural objets the social world/eulral ‘object Ink) in Chapter 3, we examine creators of cultural objects (the

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