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What is a characteristic of religion in Nigeria?
What is a characteristic of religion in Nigeria?
What is a common feature of cities like Katsina or Kano?
What is a common feature of cities like Katsina or Kano?
What is a difference between the influence of Islam and Christianity on gender roles in Nigeria?
What is a difference between the influence of Islam and Christianity on gender roles in Nigeria?
What is an example of material culture in Nigeria?
What is an example of material culture in Nigeria?
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What is a characteristic of the study of culture in Nigeria?
What is a characteristic of the study of culture in Nigeria?
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What is a common feature of women's lives in Nigeria?
What is a common feature of women's lives in Nigeria?
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What is a result of women's public invisibility in cities like Katsina or Kano?
What is a result of women's public invisibility in cities like Katsina or Kano?
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What is a characteristic of Islam in Nigeria?
What is a characteristic of Islam in Nigeria?
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What is a difference between Nigeria and Western Europe or the United States?
What is a difference between Nigeria and Western Europe or the United States?
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What is a characteristic of gender relations in Nigeria?
What is a characteristic of gender relations in Nigeria?
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The concept of culture refers to the customs and traditions of a specific ethnic group.
The concept of culture refers to the customs and traditions of a specific ethnic group.
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Cultural traits are the largest elements by which a culture can be described.
Cultural traits are the largest elements by which a culture can be described.
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Myths are stories that have been proven to be historical facts.
Myths are stories that have been proven to be historical facts.
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Folkways are norms for formal or official interactions.
Folkways are norms for formal or official interactions.
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Culture performs only one function in the society.
Culture performs only one function in the society.
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Beliefs are words that people in the society hold to be false.
Beliefs are words that people in the society hold to be false.
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Values are culturally spelled out principles of undesirability.
Values are culturally spelled out principles of undesirability.
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Culture shock, culture change, and culture lag refer to the same phenomenon.
Culture shock, culture change, and culture lag refer to the same phenomenon.
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The study of culture is limited to the material aspects of human life.
The study of culture is limited to the material aspects of human life.
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Culture is acquired by individuals through biological inheritance.
Culture is acquired by individuals through biological inheritance.
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Study Notes
Course Overview
- GNS 201: Nigerian People and Culture is a 2-unit course with 10 study sessions
- The course aims to introduce students to the basic concepts of culture in the Nigerian context
- Course objectives include understanding the role of culture in socio-economic and political lives of Nigerians, familiarizing with the scope of culture and its characteristics
Culture
- Culture consists of two component parts: material and non-material aspects
- Material aspects include artifacts and visible products of society
- Non-material aspects include laws, belief systems, language, family patterns, music, ceremonies, literature, and folklore
- Culture is learned through symbolic and meaningful interactions with others in a social setting
- Culture is transmitted from one generation to another and is cumulative
- Culture has social quality, providing ideological quality and normative expectations
Qualities of Culture
- Culture is dynamic, implying it changes over time and space
- Factors responsible for cultural change include war, disaster, epidemics, invention, discovery, colonialism, education, and contact with another culture
- Cultural lag occurs when inconsistencies within a cultural system arise due to differences in rate of change among cultural elements
Culture, Diffusion, and Religion
- Culture diffusion refers to the transmission and assimilation of culture traits from one culture to another
- Islamic religion and Quran education first arrived in West Africa through diffusion in the 9th century
- In contemporary Nigeria, religion plays a significant role in shaping gender roles and relations
- Islam has a major impact on the lives of women, particularly in terms of public visibility and participation
- Christianity also influences gender roles, although in a more complex manner due to various branches and Western education
Markets and Products in Nigeria
- The study of culture can be broadly divided into material and non-material culture
- Material culture encompasses physical items such as clothing, cookware, housing materials, and billboards
Culture
- Culture refers to the bundle of learned and shared patterns of behavior and understanding concerning the meaning and value of things, facilitated by language and communication in a social group.
- Culture helps in explaining strange happenings, mysteries, folktales, folkways, science, technology, education, literature, arts, and dates among others.
- Culture possesses inalienable qualities.
Functions of Culture
- Defines situations as joyful or mournful.
- Explains myths, legends, symbols, and the supernatural.
- Defines attitudes, values, norms, and goals learned through socialization and observation.
- Spells out behavior patterns in society.
- Moulds individual behaviors and national character.
- Defines ways of life of a people.
Basic Concepts in Culture
- Culture shock: Not defined in the text, but implied to be a significant concept in culture.
- Culture diffusion: The transmission of culture traits from one culture to another.
- Culture lag: Not defined in the text, but implied to be a significant concept in culture.
Culture and Religion
- Nigerians are generally deeply religious people.
- Religion influences the material landscape and people's sense of place.
- In Muslim areas, mosques are prominent features of the landscape, and periodic calls to prayer are an important marker of people's daily schedules.
- In Christian areas, Biblical surnames are common, and people often incorporate Biblical phrases into various aspects of the textual landscape.
- Christians predominantly live in the south of the country, whereas Muslims live predominantly in the north.
- Native religions involve belief in deities, spirits, and ancestor worship, and are specific to different ethnic groups.
Subculture
- A subculture is a distinctive culture shared by a group within a society.
Glossary of Terms
- Culture: A complex art, mortals, law, customs, and any other capability acquired by man as a member of society.
- Cultural Trait: The smallest elements by which a culture can be described.
- Belief: Words that people in the society hold to be true.
- Myths: Traditional stories, especially those concerning early history or explaining natural or social phenomena, involving supernatural beings or events.
- Values: Culturally spelled-out principles of desirability guiding social interaction.
- Folkways: Norms for routine or casual interaction.
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Description
Explore the basics of Nigerian culture, its role in socio-economic and political lives, and its characteristics in this course overview.
