Unit 3

Globalization:

The process that interconnects the world’s people, places, and institutions.

Cultural Traits

* Food Preferences
* Architecture
* Land Use
* Language
* Religion

Cultural Relativism

The idea that a persons’ beliefs and activities should be understood in terms of that persons’ own culture.

Ethnocentrism

The belief that your own culture is superior.

Homogenization Thesis

Globalization makes cultures more alike.

Placelessness

Loss of unique characteristics of a place.

Americanization

American culture being spread across the world.

Polarization Thesis

Globalization causes ethnocentrism and separation

* Creates a heightened sense of sociocultural belonging
* Creates war and struggle over identity and differences

Glocalization Thesis

Global and local cultures interact and change due to the interaction

Neolocalism

Renewed interest in keeping a places’ uniqueness

CULTURAL LANDCAPE

The imprint of past residents' activities and practices on a natural landscape

* Languages are used in landscapes according to what language the residents use to communicate

Ways to recognize major religions on the cultural landscape

* Sacred sites: Places that hold significance for members of a religion
* Religious architecture: Many places of worship from different religions will have unique architectural styles
* Symbols: Each major religion has one or more symbol that is easily attributed to that religion

Sequent occupancy

As different groups migrate in and out of the area and leave their own imprints

Language

System of communication based on symbols that have agreed upon meanings

Language Family

A collection of languages that share a common but distant ancestor

Lingua Franca

A language used by people who don't speak the same language to communicate for trade or business.

* English is considered today's lingua franca because:
* British colonization
* Majority of internet is in English
* Computer programming in English
* Spread of English films, music, and more

(Swahili is a lingua franca widely used in East Africa)

Patterns Related to Religion **[Universalizing religions]**

Have universal (thus the name) appeal and SEEK converts, this impacts their patterns because they typically grow at a faster rate and spread more geographically

Patterns Related to Religion **[Ethnic religions]**

Appeal to a particular group in a specific area, this impacts their patterns because they usually only grow due to childbirths, they also only are seen outside their hearths due to relocation diffusion

Christianity

* 2.3 billion followers
* Majority Worldwide
* Americas- 800 million followers
* Europe-565 million followers'
* Universalizing

Hinduism

* 1.15 billion
* Located in India, United States, United Kingdom
* India -- 90% of all followers
* Ethnic religion

Judaism

* 13 million followers
* Israel- 6 million Jews
* U.S. -5.5 million Jews
* Ethnic religion

Buddhism

* 495 million followers
* Southeast Asia
* Thailand 95% Buddhist
* Cambodia -90% Buddhist
* Universalizing Religion

Islam

* 1/5 of world pop.
* North Africa, Middle East, and South Asia
* Indonesia - 200 million followers
* Pakistan -170 million followers
* Universalizing

Sikhism

* 23 million followers
* Northern India- 90% of all Sikhs
* Canada - 500,000 followers
* Universalizing
* Often considered a syncretic faith by those outside the religion due to shared elements with Hinduism and Islam

Absorbing barriers

An obstacle which completely stops an idea from diffusion

Permeable barriers

Obstacle which slows down diffusion without stopping 

Independent Invention

Idea created without diffusion

Expansion Diffusion

* Includes all diffusion except relocation
* Diffusion which results in a change of numbers (increasing)

Hierarchical Diffusion

* Spreads in a rank-order
* From highest to lowest rank (this could be social ranks, or ranks based on size of population)
* This is how most of pop culture spreads
* Spreads based on areas with similar characteristics

Reverse Hierarchical

* Opposite of hierarchical
* Spreads from lowest to highest rank

Stimulus Diffusion

* Spreading of idea prompt new ideas
* Ideas change based on the \n culture of an area

Contagious Diffusion

Spreads randomly based on proximity

Diffusion

The spread of an epidemic, innovation, or idea throughout space and time

Imperialism

One state’s exercise of direct or indirect control over the affairs of another political society

Colonialism

Form of imperialism in which a state takes possession of a foreign territory, occupies it and governs it

Trade

To give in exchange for another commodity

The Columbian Exchange

Type of spatial diffusion and was the widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas between the Americas, West Africa, and the Old World(Europe) in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Social media/Internet

Allows information to quickly spread and distant communication

Transportation advancements

With modern transportation, people can easily move and bring their traits with them to spread

Politics

Policies/laws can spread throughout a country or the world

Supranationalism

Supranational organizations such as the EU allow for ideas within it to spread to the organization’s members and others

Economics

Increasing amounts of Multinational Corporations- company has ties to multiple countries (facilities/offices)

Diaspora

The scattering of a group of people through forced migration

Hearths

Places where an idea has originated or begun

Language hearths

Places where people believe languages have begun

Language families

A collection of languages that share a common but distant ancestor

Language families **[INDO-EUROPEAN]**

* Largest language family
* Includes English, Hindi
* Has the MOST SPEAKERS

Language families \[SINO-TIBETAN\]

* Second largest language family
* Includes Chinese (Mandarin), Burmese
* Has the MOST NATIVE SPEAKERS

Language families \[NIGER-CONGO\]

* Africa1 s largest language family
* Includes Yoruba, Zulu
* Has the MOST LANGUAGES

CAUSES FOR LANGUAGE DIFFUSION

Political, economic, and religious forces influence language diffusion

Syncretism

The blending of traits from two different cultures to form a new idea

* Voodoo- West African spiritualism combines with French Catholicism


* Our Lady of Guadalupe- catholicism meets native traditions

Multiculturalism

The coexistence of more than one culture in one’s values or a society/environment.

Acculturation

The process of borrowing traits or adapting to another culture while still keeping parts of the original culture

* Immigrants changing their clothing to fit their new country, but still keeping other aspects of their original culture

Assimilation

The gradual loss of cultural traits, beliefs, and/or practices that distinguishes a cultural group from others; all original values replaced

* A country forcing immigrants to stop speaking their original language and pick up another one and to dress certain ways