U3 Hugo

Culture

shared practices, technologies, attitudes, and behaviors transmitted socially (not biologically).

Ethnicity

a group of people who share a common cultural identity (e.g. Hispanic, Japanese).

Race

classification of humans by shared physical traits (not culture).

Culture Trait

a single attribute of a culture (e.g. food, architecture, land use).

Ethnocentrism

judging another culture by the values of one’s own.

Cultural Relativism

understanding a culture by its own standards rather than judging it.

Cultural Landscape

visible imprint of human activity on the landscape (architecture, religion, land use).

Sequent Occupance

layers of imprints left by different cultures over time in the same area.

Nonmaterial Culture Traits

language, religion, education, laws, music, holidays.

Material Culture Traits

clothing, food, art, buildings.

Indigenous Communities

original inhabitants maintaining culture apart from colonizers (e.g. Native Americans).

Ethnic Neighborhood

city area occupied by a minority culture (e.g. Little Italy).

Gender

social and cultural differences between males and females.

Gender Role

culturally defined behaviors for males and females.

Gendered Spaces

areas where certain genders are welcome or excluded (e.g. restrooms, mosques).

Sense of Place

strong attachment to a location felt by inhabitants or visitors.

Place Making

shaping a place to reflect cultural identity (buildings, statues).

Centripetal Forces

forces that unite a country (e.g. shared language).

Centrifugal Forces

forces that divide a country (e.g. ethnic conflict).

Cultural Diffusion

spread of ideas or traits from one place to another.

Relocation Diffusion

spread through movement of people (e.g. Christianity to the Americas).

Expansion Diffusion

spread outward from a source while remaining strong there.

Contagious Diffusion

spreads rapidly to nearly everyone (e.g. Islam).

Hierarchical Diffusion

spreads to specific groups or locations first (e.g. fashion).

Stimulus Diffusion

idea spreads but is adapted (e.g. veggie burgers in India).

Lingua Franca

language used between people who speak different languages (e.g. English).

Creolization

blending of cultures into something new (e.g. Haitian Creole).

Colonialism

one country taking control of another and exploiting it.

Cultural Imperialism

dominance of one culture over another (e.g. Western pop culture).

Globalization

increasing interconnectedness of countries.

Urbanization

growth of cities as people move from rural to urban areas.

Time-Space Convergence

faster connections between places via technology (e.g. internet).

Cultural Convergence

cultures becoming more alike through interaction.

Cultural Divergence

cultures separating to protect traditions (e.g. Amish).

Local/Folk Culture

small, traditional, rural culture (e.g. Inuit, Amish).

Culture Hearth

area where a culture or civilization began and spread from.

Language Family

group of related languages with a common origin.

Dialect

regional variation of a language.

World Religions

Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Sikhism, etc.

Toponym

place name revealing cultural or historical background.

Universalizing Religion

seeks converts and is globally widespread (e.g. Christianity, Islam).

Ethnic Religion

tied to a specific place and people, doesn’t seek converts (e.g. Hinduism, Judaism).

Animism

belief that natural objects have spirits.

Assimilation

adopting traits of another culture while keeping some of one’s own.

Acculturation

complete adoption of another culture’s traits.

Multiculturalism

coexistence of diverse cultures valued equally.

Syncretism

blending of two cultures into new traits (e.g. Tex-Mex food).

Placelessness

loss of uniqueness due to globalized culture (e.g. identical strip malls).

Pop Culture

large, urban, fast-changing culture.

Interfaith Boundary

conflict between religions (e.g. Islam vs. Judaism).

Intrafaith Boundary

conflict within a religion (e.g. Sunni vs. Shia).

Sacred Site

location of religious significance (e.g. Dome of the Rock).