Sociology CHAPTER 3 Study PDF

What is Canadian Culture? (LO1) De ning Culture -Functionalist perspective didn’t care for frivolities of culture so long as things functioned (L01) Canada: One Culture or Many? -No single “Canadian” culture -Only a multiplicity of diverse cultures -Anything uniquely Canadian? Yes, unique in...

What is Canadian Culture? (LO1) De ning Culture -Functionalist perspective didn’t care for frivolities of culture so long as things functioned (L01) Canada: One Culture or Many? -No single “Canadian” culture -Only a multiplicity of diverse cultures -Anything uniquely Canadian? Yes, unique in the sense we prioritize doing some things in a unique way or practice We identify things uniquely as ours for political purposes and agendas Culture is consistently changing, and is nowhere near xed in time (L01) Cultural Universals All societies share certain cultural universals 1. Secure material needs: How we go about this is not xed at all 2. Communication and familial structures: Manifests di erently everywhere but framework is shared 3. Develop and use technologies: Construction of tools is a universal among humans 4. Identity formation: Group gives an identity (L01) Material and Nonmaterial Culture -Material refers to: qq.ie a i it Physical items Iiiiii tianya.in iI I iiiii.int I IiIiiiiIIiiiii Geography ii.ie riiiiit'i iiaeooiIiii Iiiiiiiii Climate -Nonmaterial refers to: i.ie  Language Norms Values Traditions/Histories (L02) High Culture -Social Elite: The idea that within our culture there is an elite division above the majority -Reproduction of classes: Reproducing class by the consumerist decisions you make -Status Symbols: Consumption of certain products that represent higher class ie nice car, opera etc (L02) Popular Culture -Everyday practices: Things we all commonly engage in, like TV, Music -Youth culture: Practices that the youth engage in and likely phase out generation to generation -Eras: Di erent periods of time being labeled under a unanimous brand, ie Disco, Rock and Roll era (L02) The Merging of High and Popular Culture -Merging of concepts, ie a high status person enjoying popular culture -Storey->Empty Concept -Fisk->Means of Control -Peterson->Omnivores (LO3) Language -Importance? Personal expression Knowledge transmission Identities ->200 Mother tongues (LO3) Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis Most believe that the world is external to us Realism: “The world exists as it is, with or without us” Social constructionism: “To what degree are you understanding and experiencing reality as it is, and to what degree are you experiencing a cultural e ect” Language a ects how we relate to one another and the world around us Culture is driving language and language is driving how we see the world around us Sapir says language determines how we see the world Whorf argues that culture shapes and a ects how we see the world around is Weak Version and Strong Version -Weak: In uences perceptions Retains some complexity -Strong: Postmodernism (There is no truth, everything is about language) determines perceptions, Reduces experience to language (LO4) Language Communicates Norms Types of Norms -Folkways Expected behaviours, Informal expectations -Mores Form ofcontrol Formal rules surrounding norms -Taboos Inherently wrong behaviour (Cannibalism, Incest, etc) (LO4) Norms -Prescriptive Norms Behaviour you’re expected to do -Proscriptive Norms Behaviour you’re expected not to do (LO4) Values -Shared ideas about right and wrong e.g., equality, justice, fairness -Links to social policies, mission statements and programs (LO5) Canadian Values Equality and fairness Consultation and dialogue Accommodation and tolerance Support diversity Compassion and generosity Attachment to Canada’s natural beauty Canada’s world image (LO5) Functionalist and Con ict Perspectives -Functionalist Perspective Culture holds society together Durkheim: Values, Norms, Collective conscience, Internalization of norms Parsons: Institutions (Politics, religion, family) -Con ict Perspective Culture is (LO5) Con ict Perspective Norms may contradict underlying values Ideal culture versus real culture (LO6) Traditional Beliefs VS Modern Practices Cultural Relativism: “You can’t understand me because you’re not from my culture” Ethnocentrism: “Anyone from anywhere di erent than I am couldn’t understand”