Introduction to Culture, Globalization, and Identity

A set of flashcards covering key terms and theories related to local and global cultures, mechanisms of globalization, identity construction, intergroup dynamics, and global citizenship from the lecture transcript.

Local Culture

The culture shared by individuals of a community who are in close proximity to one another.

National Culture

The cultural values, national traditions, and national language associated with a particular nation.

State Culture

The shared cultural practices that unite everyone within a particular sovereign state, even in multinational states.

Civilization

A broad collective of groups that share similar values and norms across state lines and borders.

Clash of Civilizations

A theory viewing civilizational cultures as inherently in tension with one another, often defined along religious lines.

Global Culture

The rules, values, and norms that unite everyone on the planet.

Cultural Globalization

The process surrounding the emergence or construction of a shared global culture.

Cultural Imperialism

The imposition of cultural elements by those in power, replacing local traditions through coercion, dominance, or threat.

Cultural Homogenization

The process where different cultures increasingly come to resemble one another and share common elements through interaction and interconnectedness.

Cultural Hybridization

The creation of a new culture resulting from different cultures coming into contact and mixing with each other.

Glocalization

The process in which societies adopt a shared global cultural element and adapt it to fit their specific local needs and customs.

International Norms

Unwritten rules at the global level that shape and constrain state behavior.

Ethnicity

A shared sense of belonging to a common group based on traits like language, ancestry, traditions, and religion.

Race

Categorization based on external, phenotypical physical differences such as skin color, hair texture, nose shape, and eye color.

Structural Racism

The institutionalization of racial divisions and inequalities within social and global structures.

Primordialism

The belief that identities, culture, and ethnicity are ancient, biological, fixed, and unchangeable over time.

Social Identity Theory

A theory stating that human psychology predisposes individuals to form groups and favor their in-group to elevate self-esteem.

Elite Manipulation Theory

The theory that political elites construct group divisions and raise their salience to mobilize individuals around political goals.

Intergroup Relations

The dynamics and relationships between different identity groups, explaining whether they are hostile or cooperative.

Ethnocentrism

Viewing one's own culture and identity as superior and using it as the standard to judge others.

Multiculturalism

The belief that society is made up of multiple recognized cultures and that cultural diversity should be celebrated.

Group Threat Theory

A theory asserting that majority groups react with hostility and discrimination when minority groups are perceived as growing in size or influence.

Contact Theory

The theory that meaningful, cooperative exposure to different groups reduces prejudice, stereotypes, and animosity.

Cosmopolitanism

An identity characterized by seeing oneself as a member of a broader global community or as a global citizen.