HUM 105/BCH 101

Fall 2018
Topic 1: Culture, definition, types of
culture, culture as a way of life
Lecturer: Tasmeem Chowdhury Bonhi
East Delta University, Chittagong
What does ‘Culture’
mean to you?
 What is Culture?
• Culture is the full range of learned human behavior patterns. 
• The term was first used by the pioneer English Anthropologist
Edward B. Tylor in his book, Primitive Culture, published in
1871. 
• According Tylor, culture is "that complex whole which
includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom, and any
other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of
society." 
• Since Tylor's time, the concept of culture has become the
central focus of anthropology (the study of human societies
and cultures and their development).
 What is Culture?
• Culture is the characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people,
defined by everything from language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and
arts.

• Culture is a powerful human tool for survival, but it is a fragile phenomenon.  It

is constantly changing and easily lost because it exists only in our minds. 
• Our written languages, governments, buildings, and other man-made things
are merely the products of culture.  They are not culture in themselves. 
• For this reason, archaeologists can not dig up culture directly in their
excavations.  The broken pots and other artifacts of ancient people that they
uncover are only material remains that reflect cultural patterns--they are
things that were made and used through cultural knowledge and skills.
 Culture and Society
• Culture and society  are not the same thing.  

• While cultures are complexes of learned behavior patterns and perceptions, societies are
groups of interacting organisms.  People are not the only animals that have societies.  Schools
of fish, flocks of birds, and hives of bees are societies. 

• In the case of humans, however, societies are groups of people who directly or indirectly
interact with each other.  People in human societies also generally perceive that their society
is distinct from other societies in terms of shared traditions and expectations.

• While human societies and cultures are not the same thing, they are inextricably connected
because culture is created and transmitted to others in a society. 

• Cultures are not the product of lone individuals.  They are the continuously evolving products
of people interacting with each other.  Cultural patterns such as language and politics make
no sense except in terms of the interaction of people.  If you were the only human on earth,
there would be no need for language or government.
 Types of Culture
• Dominant culture: Main culture in a society,
which is shared by the majority of people.
• Subculture: Is a smaller culture held by a group
of people within the main culture of a society.
• Folk culture: Is created by local communities and
is rooted in the experiences, customs and beliefs
of the everyday life of ordinary people. E.g.: folk
music, dance, Jatra. Generally associated with
pre industrial or early industrial societies.
 Types of Culture
• High Culture: Superior to other forms of
culture and refers to aspects of culture that
are seen as of lasting artistic value.
• Mostly promoted by elites, upper middle class
and middle class groups, interested in new
ideas, critical discussion/analysis, and thought
to have ‘good taste’.
 Types of Culture
• High culture products are often found in special places
like art galleries, museums, concerts, theatres etc.
• E.g.: Music such as Mozart, documentaries, art films,
jazz, opera.
• Mass Culture: Refers to cultural products produced for
sale to the ordinary people (Also known as popular of
low culture)
• They involve mass produced, standardized, of no lasting
value, which are seen to demand little critical thought.
 Types of Culture
• Mass Culture: Inferior to high culture.
• E.g.: Mass circulation magazines, reality TV
shows, blockbuster movies, video games etc.
• Global Culture: The way cultures in different
countries of the world have become more alike,
sharing increasingly similar consumer products
and ways of life.
• E.g.: Reality shows like Big brother, Masterchef,
Pizza hut, KFC, I phone, CocaCola etc.
 Components of Culture
• The five components of culture include symbols, language, values, beliefs and
norms.

• Symbols may be either physical or non-physical. A flag is an example of a

physical symbol, and bows and curtsies are examples of non-physical symbols.

• Language is used for communication. It can be written or spoken. Even when a

culture uses the same basic language as another culture, differences in
terminology and inflection create new meanings.

• Values help define acceptable behavior within the society. Values can be
different for each group to which a person belongs. For example, it may be
acceptable in the family group to eat certain foods that are not accepted
within the religious group a person chooses.
 Components of Culture
• Beliefs fulfill the spiritual needs of a culture. A whole culture can
be based on one set of beliefs, yet a larger cultural group may
have many different sets of beliefs.

• Norms are the rules, mores and traditions within a culture. As a

group develops laws and regulations, norms change. A law that
was necessary 100 years ago may not be needed in modern times.

• Technological advances also change the way cultures behave.

Traditions are norms that a culture holds onto once the norms are
no longer common. Wearing certain clothing for a holiday is an
example of a norm that has become a tradition.
 Bangladesh: Language, Culture, Customs

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qut_z_jr6
5Q

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEkv5Yd
qsdI
 Bangladesh: Language, Culture, Customs
• LANGUAGE: The official language is Bangla, also known as Bengali. It is the
first language of more than 98 percent of the population. It is derived from
that of Sanskrit. Many people in Bangladesh also speak English and Urdu.

• Bangla vocabulary shows many influences. These include a strong Islamic

influence seen in the greetings of "Salaam aleykum" (Peace be unto you) and
"Khoda hafez" (God Bless you) and nouns from the Arab world such as
"dokan" (shop), "tarikh"(date), "kolom"(pen) and "bonduk" (gun).

• English has also had an influence on Bangla. During the days of the British
rule, many words of English origin such as "tebil" (table), "tiffin" (archaic in
modern day English meaning snack box) entered Bangla. In more recent time
the ever rising global nature of English has lead to words such as "television",
"telephone", "video" and "radio" being adopted by Bangla.
 Bangladesh: Language, Culture, Customs

Hierarchy

• Bangladesh is a hierarchical society.

• People are respected because of their age and position.
• Older people are naturally viewed as wise and are
granted respect.
• Bangladeshis expect the most senior male, by age or
position, to make decisions that are in the best interest
of the group. This is also valid in businesses, the majority
of which will be family owned/run.
 Bangladesh: Language, Culture, Customs

Religion
• The majority of Bangladeshis are Muslim.
• Bangladeshis identify with the folk traditions of Bengali
culture. This includes belief in shamanism and the powers
of fakirs (Muslim holy men who are exorcists and faith
healers), ojhaa (shamins with magical healing powers), and
Bauls (religious mendicants and wandering musicians).
• There is a strong tradition of music, dance, and literature
that includes classical devotions of Hindu and Muslim
music.
 Bangladesh: Language, Culture, Customs
Festivals
• Islam defines many of the festivals in Bangladesh. These include
two Eids (one after Ramadan and one after the Hajj) Shab-e-Qadr
(the night of power), Milad un-Nabi (birth date of the Prophet
Muhammad) and Shab-e-Barat (the night of the fortune).
• Hindu influences festivals include Durga Puja and Kali Puja
(community worshipping of Goddess Durga and Kali).
• On the whole an entire community participates in each other's
religious ceremonies.
• Non religious festivals include Pohela Boishakh, February Boi
Mela etc.
 Bangladesh: Customs & Etiquettes
• Greetings usually take place between members of the same sex.
• The hand shake is common although they may feel rather limp.
• Women will only really be met within business contexts and even so, it is
best to wait to see if a hand is extended before doing so.
• The traditional greeting for Muslims is Asalamu alaikum to which the
response is wa alaikum salam.
• Bangladeshis will append a suffix to a person's name to denote respect
and the level of closeness between the two people.
• In general, age dictates how people are addressed.
• If people are of the same age, they use first names.
• If the person being addressed is older than the speaker, the person is
called by their first name and a suffix that denotes the family relationship.
Thank You!