The Structure of Culture A ThreePart System of

The Structure of Culture

A. Three-Part System of Culture Leslie White’s “cultural materialist” theory (1971): I. Ideological subsystem (mentifacts) Ex. : language, religion, thoughts, feelings II. Sociological subsystem (sociofacts) Ex. : social groups, economic & political systems, religious structures III. Technological subsystem (artifacts) Ex. : tools, clothes, housing

B. Human Impacts on the Environment: 1. Material objects placed on the landscape – cities – farms – roads 2. The Cultural Landscape – housing – transportation networks – parks, cemeteries

cultural landscape: human made landscape * structures imposed on the physical landscape by the activities of humans * every group that occupies & dominates a geographic area leaves its imprint on the environment Ex: Balinese temples Islamic mosques Christian churches sports stadiums

3. The Destructive Process - deforestation (causes desertification & erosion) the gradual transformation of habitable land into desert - hunting animals to extinction - use of fire * not just a “modern” problem * more industrialized, the more destructive (Monthly electricity bill of our school? A shopping mall? ) Anasazi at Chaco Canyon

Easter Island

Capetown, South Africa

How Do Cultures Develop? cultural hearth: point of diffusion of a cultural group (the “cradle” of any culture)

Cultural Change takes place in two ways: independent invention: innovation ideas created within a social group itself expansion diffusion: process by which innovation is transmitted across space relocation diffusion: spreads culture through a permanent move from once place to another

Types of expansion diffusion: contagious diffusion: spreads through direct contact hierarchical diffusion: spreads through established structures, such as from urban centers outward

How do cultural traits diffuse? Hearth: the point of origin of a cultural trait

Type of diffusion? ?

stimulus diffusion: diffusion when a specific trait is rejected, but the idea is accepted Siberians rejected cattle herding, but adopted reindeer herding instead.

Factors that affect diffusion? - distance, population density, means of communication Barriers to diffusion? - physical barriers, conflict zones

How do cultures interact? acculturation: a process in which members of one cultural group adopt the beliefs & behaviors of another bc/too much exposure assimilation: one cultural group dominated by another. Gives immigrants a sense of belonging to the new country. Usually an all or nothing. Complete change of identity of a minority culture group as it becomes part of the majority culture group. syncretism: the merging of two different cultural forms ex: Santeria Pocahontas in England 1616 Phoenix Indian School, 1900

Our Lady of Regla, syncretized with Yemaya Our Lady of Caridad, syncretized with Oshun

EBO