Cultures and Cultural DifferencesCultures can change when they come into
contact with another culture.Ex: Western culture, like U.S. culture, has
helped to shape other cultures, and other cultures have helped to shape U.S. culture.
Ex: The idea of globalization Is every new idea adopted or only some? Are those ideas adapted to fit in with the new
culture?
Some terms to knowSocial Customs are a part of culture.
Geographers strive to understand the reasons for such differences and the relationship between social customs and the land.
Custom is the frequent repetition of an act so that it becomes characteristic of a group.
Culture is a shared set of meanings we use every day.Ex: values, beliefs, practices, language, family,
religion or ideas about religion, genderThey can be re-evaluated from time to time
In examining culture, geographers look at both material and non-material culture.Material Culture: things you can touch or see; it
includes all objects, things made and used by the group. Ex: tools, utensils, buildings, furniture, cars, clothing, musical instruments
Non-Material Culture: things you say or hear; aural/oral. Ex: stories, folklore, legends, songs, beliefs, superstitions
Your text divides culture into 3 types: popular, folk, and indigenous
In general:Popular Culture consists of large,
heterogeneous groups of people who change with the times; as norms change, so do they.
Folk Culture is made up of people who retain traditional ways, simpler ways.
Indigenous Culture is “native” or “of native origin”. They are of a distinct culture that was present before the dominant culture or people took over; tribes.
Folk Culture is a group that is:SmallIsolated CohesiveConservativeNearly self-sufficientHomogeneous in custom and raceStrong family or clan structureHighly developed ritualsOrder is maintained through sanctions based
in religion or family
Interpersonal relationships are strongTradition is most importantChange comes infrequently and slowlyLittle division of labor into specialized duties;
people must perform a variety of jobs; duties at times may differ between sexes
Most goods are handmadeSubsistence economy is prevalentIndividualism and social classes are not
developedEx: Amish and the Eskimo
Characteristics of Popular Culture:Constantly changingMade up of large, heterogeneous groups of peopleBased mainly in urban areasMaterial goods are mass-produced by machinesMoney economy prevailsRelationships are numerous and less personal
than in folk cultureFamily structure is weakerPeople are more mobile & less attached to a place
Distinct division of labor into specialized jobsGreat amount of leisure time for manySecular institutions of control like police,
courts, & military that take the place of family and church for maintaining control or order
By-word, most important word is changeOther noticeable words are: growth, trend
fad, & progressGlobalization
Indigenous CultureThis is a rather new distinction.This used to be considered part of Folk
Culture because many of the characteristics are the same.
Indigenous means “ of native origin”People are often tribal.They have a distinct cultureTheir social, cultural, & economic conditions
set them apart from the dominant societyThe people are descendants of those present
when the state or territory was conquered
Their histories are very different from both popular and folk cultures
Indigenous people are those who were colonized and are now minorities in their own homelands.
Folk and Indigenous Cultures can be seen as subcultures of the dominant culture.
Themes: RegionMaterial and non-material cultures can vary
from place to place and can change over time -- quickly in popular culture and more slowly in folk and indigenous culturesMaterial Culture from Folk Cultures: in
the U.S. we see remnants of at least 13 folk cultures. German Pennsylvania: Swiss-German type of
barn with overhanging “forebay” and is separate from the house, p 34 , fig. 2.3
Yankee Folk Region Barns attached to rear of house Traditional grave stone features “winged angel of
death”
Placelessness Edward Relph, a Canadian geographer, says that
popular culture produces standardization and reduces regional variety. He says it creates “placelessness”.
One place looks pretty much like another – few distinguishing features, p. 35, fig 2.6
Geographers believe that people’s mobility weakens attachments to places and contributes to “placelessness”
Geographer Michael Weiss says that zipcodes can indicate what one can expect to find there;Gray Power: retirement areas, upper middle classOld Yankee Rows: older ethnic neighborhoods in
the northeast High school education Like bowling and hockey Live in row houses or duplexes
Norma-Rae-ville Non-union factory workers Eat lots of canned stew Have trouble earning a living
Subcultures in the U.S. have their own lifestyles, dress codes, spokespeople, and food preferences.
Page 36, fig. 2.8
Food choices can be different from region to region in the U.S. and from country to country: coconut vs. Almond Joy
Formal Regions: looking at one traitBeverage - Highest beer consumption is in the
West, except for Utah/Mormons. Highest whiskey consumption is in the South. Highest wine consumption is in California
Food - Southern choices are grits, barbecued beef/pork, fried chicken, chicken fried steak Fast Food Restaurants - more in the South and the
N.E. has the fewest
When fast food restaurants move to other countries, they adapt to the new culture if they want to sell their food.
Example: In India, they use local sauces at McDonald’s
Indigenous Culture RegionsUsually found in more isolated areas
few roads or communication systems found in mountainous areas or in arid areas live away from the national culture
They may also practice swidden or shifting cultivation. They may also follow animism or possibly Christianity.
Vernacular Culture Region is formed by the perception of the people a mental map Dixie, Laker Country, Husky or Ram Territory,
Mountaineers
MobilityThere is slow if any movement in folk and
indigenous cultures.Popular culture is mobile: new means of
transportation, fast communication using radio, T.V., the internet, & the phone.
Popular culture is stratified and information often moves hierarchically first.Ex: McDonald’s: began in 1955 in the U.S.
and spread first to major cities before diffusing contagiously.
The exception is Wal-Mart: started in small towns and then spread to larger areas.
Advertizing is essential for the quick diffusion of goods, ideas in popular culture.We are bombarded with itIt gets us to buy things we don’t really want or
need.Sometimes giving the origin of a product lures
consumers to buy the product: New Zealand Wool, Irish or Belgian Lace, French Camembert, Greek Feta
Sometimes the place of origin can hurt sales: South African Krugeraands during Apartheid (boycotts)
Communication Barriers can hinder the spread of ideas: Government censorship kept the Cosby Show out of S. Africa or the Taliban banning T.V.s.
GlobalizationThere has been some homogenizing of cultures:
more leisure time, computers, T.V., music, movies, mobility.
This is called the convergence hypothesis.Cultures are converging, coming together.There were more pronounced differences from
region to region 100 years ago than there are today.
Globalization can and does lead to tension and struggle. This can be followed by resistance , slow transformation, and adaptation
People respond in different waysThey accept or reject certain ideas and
practices of the global world, and they might adapt them to their cultures.
By rejecting something, they have reasserted their national identity
By adapting the product to their culture, they have reasserted their national identity
Place ImageWe have perceptions about different areas
whether we have lived there, worked there, visited there, or only heard about the place through the media
Images might be inaccurate , misleading, or correct.
Our decisions concerning tourism and migration can be influenced by these images.
Nature-Culture2 Questions:
How is nature related to cultural differences?How do cultures interact with nature?
People who work with the land have a different view of nature than those who don’t. Ex: Farmer vs. City Dweller
There is a different view of nature by those in a folk culture and by those in popular culture.
Those of Folk and Indigenous Cultures had/have intimate, useful knowledge of nature called ITK or intimate technical knowledge.
Globalization is making this knowledge less useful.In globalization with its new technology and new
crops, this knowledge is often ignored.Indigenous peoples play and have played a major
role in conserving biodiversity.They took care of nature because they
acknowledge its forces and use its bounty – Subsistence Economy
Popular culture with its consumerism does not
Are we learning to think about and take care of nature?
Folk EcologyWhen Folk Cultures migrate, they usually look
for a place that reminds them of where they are from.
Ex: Swiss settled in Garrett County -- Glotfelty Family
Gendered NatureEcofeminism – men and women have different jobsMen and women have different relationships with
nature and the landscape Women are involved with seeding, weeding, and
harvesting in folk and indigenous cultures (grow) Men clear and cultivate the land ( some see as
destruction) Because men and women have different jobs, they have
different knowledge Women in indigenous cultures are often the leaders and
activists in movements concerning the environment.
Popular Culture and Natureless directly tied to the physical environmentdon’t usually earn a living from the landno direct experiences with farming, mining, &
logging
Popular culture is tied to consumption, buying stuff without thinking about the physical impact their “stuff” has on the environment
Popular culture does use the land for recreation: jet skis, snowmobiles, 4-wheelers, cruises
But do the people think about the damage they do to the land and water?
Cultural LandscapeDo different cultures have distinctive cultural
landscapes?Folk Culture pp. 52, 53
Traditional buildings that are functional and conservative
Used the materials at handNo plans, just a mental imageChimney and kitchen placement are importantShape of roof importantLocation of doors and windows important
Folk Houses in the U.S. & CanadaYankee Folk House – p.53
Wooden frame constructionVarious floor plans and sizes2 ½ storey house with chimney in the middle,
& 2 rooms deepOne change to it was the upright and wing
house; it was big because it was also a workplace in winter
Top row p. 53
Upland South – row 2 p. 53Built for hot climatesSmallerNotched logs2 log rooms under one roof with breezeway for
air circulationChimney on outside of houseCalled a dogtrot houseThere is also the saddlebag house
African Folk Dwelling – p. 54 d.Shotgun houseOne room in width2 -4 rooms in depthAll doors line up, so if you shot a gun through
the front door, it could go right out the back door.
Quebec Folk House – p. 53Has a cellar with main storey on top of itAttic rooms under a curved roofPorchSummer kitchenstone
Ontario Farm House – p.531 ½ storeys BrickGabled front dormer
African House – p.55 -polygonal -main house -sometimes has separate kitchen -thatched or aluminum roof -uses local materials
Popular Culture LandscapesLeisure landscapes: shopping centers, malls,
indoor ice rinks, roller coasters, golf courses, Disney World
Amenity landscapes: area with attractive, natural features: lakes, forests, mountains; places for vacation or retirement
P.56Elitist landscapes: for those with money,
education, and expensive tastes: French Riviera, Gentleman Farm
P. 59