AP Human Geography: Unit 3 Chapter 7 - Notes (Cultural Change)

7.1 🗺 Cultural Diffusion: How Culture Spreads

Culture is never static; its ideas, practices, and innovations are constantly in motion. The process by which a cultural trait spreads from one place to another over time is known as diffusion. Every cultural trait originates in a cultural hearth, the specific location where it first arose. From this hearth, culture flows outward in distinct spatial patterns. Historically, this flow was driven by forces like colonialism, missionary work, trade, and military conquest. Today, while these historical channels still exist, diffusion is supercharged by mass media and the internet.

There are two primary categories of diffusion: Relocation and Expansion.

Relocation Diffusion: People on the Move

Relocation diffusion is the spread of cultural traits through the physical movement, or relocation, of people. When individuals or groups migrate, they carry their cultural baggage—artifacts, beliefs, and practices—with them.

• Forced vs. Voluntary Migration: Relocation diffusion through forced migration, such as the African diaspora, differs significantly from voluntary migration. Forced migrants, like the 10 to 12 million Africans taken during the transatlantic slave trade, often have their cultural expression suppressed. Yet, their traditions survive under brutal conditions and profoundly influence the destination culture over time. In contrast, voluntary migrants, like Italian immigrants who introduced pizza to New York City, often have more freedom to establish their cultural practices, which can then be adopted more readily by the host society.

• Historical Examples:

  • The African Diaspora: Enslaved Africans brought community-based music, agricultural techniques (like rice farming), food preparation methods (popularizing okra and melons), and artistic designs to the Americas. This cultural infusion ultimately influenced broader American culture, from the development of blues and jazz music to Southern cuisine.

  • European Colonization: Beginning in the 15th century, European colonizers brought their languages (Spanish, English, Portuguese) and religions (Christianity, Judaism) to the Americas, reshaping the cultural landscape, often through force. The Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro stands as a massive symbol of this religious relocation diffusion.

  • The Great Migration: On a regional scale, the internal migration of millions of African Americans from the rural South to industrial cities in the North between 1916 and 1970 spread the rich culture of the South—its literature, music (blues and jazz), and art—to new parts of the United States.

Case in Point: Africatown, Alabama The story of Africatown offers a poignant portrait of relocation diffusion. The town was founded by former slaves brought illegally to the U.S. on the Clotilda in 1860. After emancipation, they pooled their money to buy land and establish their own community, intentionally preserving their cultural traditions. They built a church facing east toward Africa and passed their heritage down through generations. The residents of Africatown, descendants of figures like Charlie Lewis and Ossa Keeby, represent a direct link to a culture physically relocated through forced migration.

Expansion Diffusion: Ideas Taking Flight

Expansion diffusion occurs when a cultural trait spreads outward from its hearth while also remaining strong in its place of origin. Unlike relocation diffusion, the people don't have to move for the idea to travel. There are three main types, distinguished by their unique spatial patterns.

1. Contagious Diffusion 🦠

This type of diffusion occurs when a trait spreads adjacently, like a wave, to people or places that are next to one another. It spreads through direct contact and is indiscriminate, affecting people regardless of social class, wealth, or power.

• Classic Example: The spread of a disease through a population.

• Modern Example: A new slang word spreading through a school or a viral meme shared online. The internet has transformed "contact" from physical to virtual, allowing ideas to "go viral" globally.

2. Hierarchical Diffusion 👑

Hierarchical diffusion involves the spread of a trait from a person or place of power or authority to other people or places. This is a "top-down" process.

• How it Works: A trend might start in a major urban center (like New York or Paris) and spread down the urban hierarchy to smaller cities and towns.

• Examples:

  • Fashion: A celebrity introduces a new clothing style that is then adopted by the public.

  • Technology: An expensive new farming method is first adopted by wealthy farmers and later diffuses to smaller farms as it becomes more affordable.

  • Reverse Hierarchical Diffusion: Sometimes, diffusion can be "bottom-up." Blue jeans, initially workwear for miners and laborers, were adopted by movie stars and eventually became a global fashion staple, traveling up the social hierarchy.

3. Stimulus Diffusion 💡

Stimulus diffusion occurs when the fundamental idea behind a cultural trait stimulates a new, related innovation, but the original trait itself is not adopted. The underlying concept "sparks" a new idea.

• How it Works: A culture adopts the basic concept but modifies it to fit their own cultural context. This type of diffusion often results in the greatest change to the original cultural idea because it is intentionally altered.

• Examples:

  • McDonald's in India: The concept of the fast-food burger was adopted, but because cows are sacred in Hinduism, McDonald's created chicken (Maharaja Mac) and vegetarian options instead of all-beef patties.

  • John Deere's Plow: In the 19th century, John Deere modified the existing design of wood and cast-iron plows to create a steel-bladed plow that worked better in the heavy prairie soils of Illinois.

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Practice Problem 1 🤔

A popular musician from South Korea releases a new song. It first becomes a hit in major global cities like Seoul, Los Angeles, and London. From there, it spreads to smaller cities and eventually becomes popular in rural areas. What primary type of diffusion does this represent?

Answer: This is a classic example of hierarchical diffusion, as the trend starts in major, influential cities (nodes of power/influence) and filters down the hierarchy to other places.

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7.2 ⚙ Processes of Cultural Change

Cultural patterns are not accidental; they are shaped by powerful historical and contemporary forces. Understanding these processes helps explain the cultural landscape we see today. A key concept to remember is that cultural ideas and practices are socially constructed—they are created, maintained, and modified by groups of people over time.

Historical Causes of Diffusion

Past events have left an indelible mark on current cultural patterns. Countries with economic and military power have historically imposed their cultures on others.

• Colonialism and Imperialism: These two related processes have been powerful engines of cultural diffusion. Imperialism is the idea of extending influence over other countries, while colonialism is the physical act of establishing settlements there.

  • European Languages: The dominance of English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese in the Americas is a direct result of European colonialism. This started as relocation diffusion (settlers arriving) and continued as expansion diffusion.

  • The "Scramble for Africa": In the 19th century, European empires carved up Africa, drawing new borders and imposing their languages and governance systems. The map of official languages in Africa today still reflects this colonial legacy, illustrating cultural diffusion's massive impact.

  • British India: British rule reshaped Indian culture, leaving behind English as a major language, Christianity as the third most popular religion, and sports like cricket as national pastimes.

• Military Conquest: Conquerors often impose their way of life rapidly. Alexander the Great spread Greek culture throughout his empire, creating the Hellenistic Age. Centuries later, Spanish conquistadors spread Christianity and the Spanish language throughout Central and South America.

• Trade: Trade routes have always been conduits for cultural exchange.

  • The Silk Road: This ancient network didn't just move silk and spices; it was a highway for ideas. Buddhism spread from India to East Asia, and Christianity spread eastward. Technologies like paper-making also traveled west, transforming Europe.

• Migration: As seen in relocation diffusion, migration is a fundamental driver of change. The culture of the American cowboy, for instance, was heavily influenced by Mexican vaqueros, who introduced everything from the ten-gallon hat to the lasso.

Linguistic Consequences of Interaction

When cultures with different languages meet, new linguistic forms can emerge.

• Lingua Franca: A common language used by speakers of different native languages, often for commerce or diplomacy. Historically, Arabic was a lingua franca in the Indian Ocean trade network. Today, English is the world's global lingua franca, a result of the British Empire's reach and the global dominance of U.S. media and business.

• Creolization: This occurs when two or more languages blend to create a new, distinct language. Haitian Creole, for example, is a blend of French and several West African languages.

Contemporary Drivers of Change

Today, cultural change is accelerating due to several interconnected, large-scale processes. These forces are amplified by time-space compression—the shrinking of the world due to faster communication and transportation, which diminishes the effect of distance decay.

• Globalization: The increasing interconnectedness of people through travel, trade, and technology. Globalization allows pop culture phenomena like K-pop to spread from a specific hearth (South Korea) to become a global sensation, shared via viral videos on social media.

• Urbanization: With over half the world's population living in cities, these diverse, dense areas have become centers of innovation and cultural interaction. People in cities are constantly exposed to a wide variety of cultural elements, which drives change on both local and global scales.

• Technology: The internet, smartphones, and social media provide unprecedented access to cultural ideas from around the globe. This can lead to a more uniform, homogeneous global culture, as people in different parts of the world consume the same music, movies, and TV shows.

Cultural Convergence and Divergence

These contemporary forces lead to two opposing, yet simultaneous, outcomes.

• Cultural Convergence: This is the process of cultures becoming more similar as they interact and share traits. The global spread of English, the popularity of Tex-Mex food in the U.S., and the adoption of Western business attire worldwide are all examples of convergence.

• Cultural Divergence: This is the process of cultures becoming less similar, often as a way to protect or preserve unique traditions.

  • Why it happens: Divergence can be a reaction against globalization. Groups like the Amish intentionally reject modern technology to maintain their cultural traditions. The Hutterite community, which lives apart from mainstream U.S. culture and adheres to traditional dress and gender roles, is another strong example of cultural divergence. Physical barriers (like oceans separating Polynesian islands) or political barriers (government censorship) can also cause cultures to diverge.

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Practice Problem 2 🤔

A remote indigenous tribe in the Amazon rainforest has had little contact with the outside world. They maintain their unique language, religious beliefs, and customs. This is an example of:

            A) Cultural Convergence

            B) Cultural Divergence

            C) Syncretism

            D) Acculturation

Answer: B) Cultural Divergence. Their isolation has allowed them to maintain a culture that is distinct and dissimilar from the global mainstream.

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7.3 🤝 Consequences of Cultural Change

When cultures meet, the results can range from harmonious blending to the complete loss of identity. Geographers categorize these outcomes to better understand the impact of diffusion on the cultural landscape.

Acculturation vs. Assimilation

These two terms describe different degrees of cultural adoption.

The process of acculturation isn't always smooth. As cultural psychologist John W. Berry's research shows, individuals who manage to integrate both their original and adopted cultures experience the least stress, while those who reject both experience the most. Data on Hispanic immigrants in the U.S. shows that while 97% of first-generation immigrants speak Spanish to their children, that number drops to 71% for the second generation and less than half for the third, illustrating how acculturation can lead to the gradual loss of cultural traits over time.

Syncretism: The Birth of Something New

Syncretism is the process of blending traits from two or more cultures to create a completely new custom, idea, or practice. It's not just adopting—it's innovating.

• Religion: Santería in Cuba is a syncretic religion that blends traditional Yoruba deities (orishas) from West Africa with Roman Catholic saints.

• Celebrations: The Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) in Mexico combines indigenous Aztec traditions of honoring the dead with Catholic feast days (All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day).

• Music: Bluegrass music from Appalachia fuses Irish and Scottish musical traditions with African-American blues influences.

Multiculturalism: Coexistence and Challenges

Multiculturalism describes a society where diverse cultures coexist within a shared space, retaining their original traits rather than assimilating into a single dominant culture.

• Advantages: This can create a vibrant, tolerant atmosphere. Canada, with its official policy of multiculturalism, has seen economic benefits from skilled immigration and reports high levels of life satisfaction among immigrants.

• Disadvantages: Coexistence isn't always easy. In Australia, studies have shown that immigrants from collectivist cultures (where family and group conformity are prioritized) can experience significant conflict when trying to balance their traditional values with the individualism of Western culture.

Cultural Appropriation: A Controversial Consequence

Cultural appropriation is the adoption of elements from a minority culture by members of a dominant culture. It differs from acculturation or syncretism because it is often done without understanding the original significance of the cultural element, which can reinforce stereotypes or be seen as disrespectful.

• The Controversy: Is it a natural part of cultural exchange or a harmful act of disrespect? Debates often arise around Halloween costumes that stereotype ethnic groups or the use of sacred indigenous patterns in mainstream fashion. Some argue that this demonstrates oversensitivity, while others believe it critiques the effects of colonialism and power imbalances.

Final Glossary for Chapter 7

Acculturation: The process where people in one culture adopt some traits of another, more dominant culture, while still retaining their own distinct culture.

Assimilation: A category of acculturation where one culture adopts almost all of the customs, traditions, and language of another, resulting in the loss of the original culture.

Collectivist Cultures: Cultures where people are expected to conform to collective responsibility within the family and show obedience and respect to elders.

Colonialism: The physical process by which a powerful state establishes settlements in another place for economic or political gain, often leading to the diffusion of its culture.

Contagious Diffusion: A type of expansion diffusion where a cultural trait spreads adjacently to people or places in close proximity, like a wave.

Creolization: The process of two or more cultural elements (like languages) blending together to form a new, distinct cultural element.

Cultural Appropriation: The act of adopting elements of a minority culture by members of the dominant culture, often viewed as inappropriate or out of context.

Cultural Convergence: The phenomenon where cultures become more similar as they interact, sharing and adopting one another's ideas and traits.

Cultural Divergence: The process by which conflicting beliefs or other barriers cause two cultures to become less similar.

Cultural Hearth: The area where a cultural trait originates before it diffuses.

Diffusion: The process by which a cultural trait spreads from one place to another over time.

Expansion Diffusion: The spread of a cultural trait outward from its hearth, where the trait remains strong in its place of origin. The people themselves do not need to relocate.

Globalization: The process by which people across the world have become increasingly connected through travel, trade, and technology, accelerating cultural change.

Hierarchical Diffusion: A type of expansion diffusion where an idea or trait spreads from a person or place of power or authority to other people or places in a top-down pattern.

Imperialism: The policy or idea of extending a country's influence over other countries through diplomacy or force, often creating the conditions for cultural diffusion.

Lingua Franca: A common language used among speakers of different languages, often for trade or communication.

Multiculturalism: The coexistence of diverse cultures within a shared space, where people retain their original cultural traits.

Relocation Diffusion: The spread of cultural traits through the physical movement or migration of people.

Reverse Hierarchical Diffusion: The spread of a cultural trait from the bottom of a hierarchy to the top, from less powerful groups to more powerful ones.

Socially Constructed: The concept that cultural ideas and practices are not inherent but are created, defined, and modified over time by a group of people.

Stimulus Diffusion: A type of expansion diffusion where the fundamental idea behind a cultural trait stimulates a new innovation or adapted trait in the receiving culture.

Syncretism: The process of innovation that combines different cultural features from two or more cultures into something new.

Time-Space Compression: The shrinking of the relative distance between places due to improvements in communication and transportation technologies, which accelerates diffusion.

Urbanization: The increasing size and influence of cities, which drives cultural change by bringing diverse populations into close contact.