Culture, Ethnocentrism, Cultural Relativism: Comprehensive Study Notes

Key context and opening ideas

Quote: The first duty of society is justice, by Wendell Phillips.
Course context: Social Problems, (In)equality and (In)justice; Griffith University context.

Culture comprises everything a society produces and shares.
- Material culture: examples include clothing, hairstyles, jewellery.
- Non-material culture: attitudes, beliefs, values, norms.
Culture cannot exist without society, and society cannot exist without culture.

Culture is not natural or biological.
Most non-material aspects of culture (deep culture) lie below the surface; they are unspoken and unconscious, making them hard to observe.
Illustration: the water metaphor – there are two young fish who encounter an older fish; the older fish asks them, Morning, boys. How’s the water? The two young fish swim on and later wonder, What the hell is water? (emphasizes invisible, taken-for-granted culture)

The sociological imagination enables us to observe our society and culture as if we are visitors in our own time and place, a tourist in our own era.
What seems natural is often a cultural artifact produced by a specific society at a particular historical moment.
A key idea: seeing the general in the particular (Peter Berger).

Looking across time (history) helps destabilise our understanding of social reality and challenges taken-for-granted assumptions about how modern society is ordered.
This fosters critical thinking.
Looking at other places/cultures complements the sociological imagination by challenging the notion that many social relations are natural.
By comparing with other cultures, we unsettle assumptions and develop critical thinking about our own social arrangements.

Cultural universals are patterns or traits globally common to all societies, tied to basic human survival.
Examples include: family unit, funeral rites, weddings, celebrations of birth.

Ethnocentrism is the belief that one’s own culture is superior to all others.
It involves evaluating other cultures by the standards of one’s own culture.
It is undesirable and harmful; it can promote racism, hostility, and war.
It can make people resistant to change in their own culture and lead to imposing their culture on others (cultural imperialism and colonisation).

Ethnocentrism can lead to unfounded assumptions about crime and criminal justice across cultures.
Common bias: assuming your country’s approaches to crime are universal or the right way to respond.
Criminology has a Western-centric tendency: most research and theory developed in Western contexts; implications for policy and practice in other contexts.

Emile Durkheim, Anomie Theory
Marcus Felson, Routine Activities Theory
David Farrington, Life Course Criminology
Robert E Park, Social Disorganisation Theory
Howard Becker, Labelling Theory
Travis Hirschi, Social Bond/Control Theory
George L. Kelling, Broken Windows Theory
Ronald V. Clarke, Rational Choice Theory and Situational Crime Prevention
Robert Agnew, General Strain Theory
Albert Cohen, Subcultural Theory
Note: A video prompt mentioned – why is my curriculum white – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dscx4h2l-Pk

Doing research in partnership with communities (not on them).
Check yourself: assess culture by its own standards, do not view it through your own lens.
Maintain an open mind and willingness to consider, and even adapt to, new values and norms.
Practice critical thinking and use your sociological imagination.
Struggle to reconcile aspects of your own culture with those of another culture.
You don’t have to approve; you just need to understand.

There is a risk of ethnocentrism when one assumes universal applicability of a country’s crime-related practices.
Cultural relativism is a strategy that allows observers to consider criminal behaviour while remaining sensitive to cultural diversity.
Video prompt reminder: watch the video before moving on to the next slide.

Culture is a dual construct: material and non-material, shaped by and shaping society.
The sociological imagination helps us question what seems natural and reveals cultural constructs across time and space.
Ethnocentrism can obscure alternatives and promote harm; cultural relativism offers a framework for understanding without immediate judgment.
Criminology has historically been Western-centric, highlighting the need for cross-cultural perspectives in theory development and policy.
Deep culture (values, norms) often operates below the surface; awareness requires intentional reflection and sociological imagination.
Ethical practice in research and policy involves partnership, critical thinking, and a willingness to understand before judging.