GST 110 Ch. 8 and 9

Culture Shock

a physical and psychological response to cultural differences when traveling away from home

Culture

knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, laws, customs, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by [a human] as a member of society.

Caste System

a division of society based on birth that originally developed from the Hindu religion

Bourgeiosie

The owners of the means of production

Proleteriat

The industrial workers

Communism

A social movement that promotes the communal values of the worker class

Sociology

A field of study that focuses on people and their relationships to the societies in which they live

Anthropology

A field of study that examines the physical attributes of human beings as well as their social and cultural characteristics

Psychology

A field of study that seeks to understand the motivations behind the decisions people make in terms of their cognitive orientation

Ethnography

The observation and description of people in their environment through in-depth analysis and interaction

Enculturation

The process by which a society learns its culture

Cultural Relativism

Cultural understanding in terms of the environment in which it exists

Cultural Diffusion

The spreading of culture beyond a specific group to be embraced by a wider audience

Assimilation

The submerging of cultural differences into a broader, dominant culture

Cultural Imperialism

When one culture is dominated by another culture to the point that the victimized culture is forced to change its cultural practices

Deterritorialization

The weakening of cultural ties to specific locations

Homogenization

The incorporation of a range of cultural forms into a uniform set of values and practices

Hybridization

A blending of cultures that incorporates different aspects of each culture to create a new entity

Glocalization

The adaptation of local forms of expression and identity to outside influences

Ethnic Cleansing

When one group forcibly removes another by violence or deportation

Genocide

The extreme form of ethnic cleansing, where one group seeks to deliberately kill members of another group based solely on their national or ethnic differences

Migration

The movement of people across borders that reshapes identities, both within states and nations and between them

Sunni

Muslims who accept Abu Bakr as the rightful successor to the prophet Muhammad

Shia

Muslims who support the prophet’s son-in-law and cousin, Ali, as the true successor

Sharia Law

A legal system that relies on Islam and applies broadly to how Muslims should live their lives; it includes punishments for crimes that may not be acceptable universally

Ethnic Conflict

When differences in identity are too great to reconcile within state boundaries

Fragile States

Nation–states whose governments can no longer provide political, economic, and social stability

Transitional Justice

The many different types of judicial and nonjudicial actions used to address human rights abuses

Truth and Reconciliation Commissions

Groups formed to bring together those who have suffered under ethnic conflict to resolve their differences and move forward

Gacaca

An effort in Rwanda dating back to precolonial times when differences were addressed informally through “justice on the grass” to bring healing