Cultural geography vocab

Background

refers to the environmental context or physical setting of a place or feature.

Cultural assimilation

When a group moving to a new place adopts the local culture impacting both cultures

Cultural relativism

understanding cultures without judging them

Culture

shared set of beliefs, values, knowledge, and patterns of behavior common to a group of people.

Culture trait

a single element of a culture, like a specific food, custom, or belief.

Custom

A way of doing something in a specific place or group

Empire

when one country or group of people controls many territories or countries.

Folk culture

refers to the traditional practices, beliefs, and customs of a community, often passed down through generations.

Identity

who you are—the way you define yourself and how others see you. It includes your values, beliefs, personality, and characteristics.

lingua Franca

a language that is adopted as a common language between speakers whose native languages are different.

Perspective

Perspective is the way you see something, your point of view.

Stereotype

a generalized belief about a particular category of people. It is an expectation that people might have about every person of a particular group.

Cultural diffusion

the spread of cultural beliefs and social activities from one group to another.

Cultural norms

are the shared expectations and rules that guide behavior within a group.

Cultural preservation

is the effort to protect and maintain cultural heritage for future generations.

Cultural taboo

something that's strongly forbidden in a culture because it's seen as offensive or immoral.

Culture hearth

the birthplace of new ideas and customs that spread to other places.

Ethnicity

a group's shared culture, like their language, customs, and where they come from.

Ethnocentrism

Ethnocentrism is judging another culture based on the values and standards of one's own culture

Globalization

when countries around the world become more connected through things like trade, travel, and sharing ideas.

Migration

Migration is the movement of people from one place to another

nationality

Nationality is your legal membership to a country, usually gained by birth or naturalization. It determines your rights and responsibilities under that country's laws.

Race

how people are grouped by physical traits, but it's a social idea, not a biological one.

Refugee

someone who has been forced to leave their country because of war, violence, or persecution.

Agnostic

An agnostic is someone who believes that the existence or non-existence of God is unknowable

Atheist

Someone who doesn’t believe in god or gods

Discrimination

when someone is treated unfairly or differently because of certain characteristics, like their race, gender, age, religion, or other personal traits.

Henotheism

the belief in and worship of a single god while accepting that other gods may exist.

Polytheism

The belief in multiple gods

Popular culture

Popular culture includes widespread trends, ideas, and activities in society, like music, fashion, and movies.

Prejudice

a preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience.

Secular

Someone who’s not religious

Tolerance

accepting and respecting beliefs, practices, or people that are different from your own.