CULTURE

Culture and society are inseparable

A unique possession of man
One of the distinguishing traits of the
human society
The dictum Man is a social being can
be redefined as Man is a cultural
being

Definition of Culture

Edward B. Tylor defined culture as that

complex whole which includes knowledge,
belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any
other capabilities and habits, acquired by
man as a member of society
Hence, culture is a very broad term that includes
in itself all our walks of life, our modes of
behaviour, our philosophies and ethics, our
morals and manners, our customs and traditions,
our religious, political, economic and other type
of activities. It includes all that man has acquired
in his individual and social life.

Features of Culture

Learnt
Social
Shared
Transmissive
Continuous and cumulative
Dynamic and adaptive
Gratifying
Varies from society to society
Superorganic and ideational

Culture Contents
Material
culture

Consists of man-made
objects
Eg. Tools, furniture,
automobiles, buildings,
dams, roads, bridges

Nonmaterial
culture

Culture when used in

ordinary sense
Eg. Language, beliefs,
values and virtues, habits,
rituals and practices,
customs, norms

Functions of Culture

The treasury of knowledge

Defines situations
Defines attitudes, values and goals
Decides our career
Provides behaviour pattern
Moulds personality

Cultural orientation

Ethnocentrism
Xenophobia
Cultural shock
Cultural relativism

Cultural Change

Diffusion
Invention
Discovery
Cultural lag

Globalisation of Culture
Appadurai advocated 5 dimensions of global
cultural flow:

Ethnoscapes
Technoscapes
Finanscapes
Mediascapes
Ideoscapes

Is globalisation of culture the same as its

homogenisation?