What is a society Society is a group

What is a society? � Society is a group of people who share a common culture, occupy a particular territorial area and feel themselves to constitute a unified and distinct entity.

What is society � Society is a collection of people or individuals in the same geographical area over a long period of time

What is a society? � the community of people living in a particular country or region and having shared customs, laws, and organizations

Characteristics of a society 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Having a sense of belonging and cooperation. Society has its own culture. Form a social structure through social institutions e. g. family, education, economic, religious and political. Defined territorial space. Citizenship within a space.

Caribbean Society � Formed out of the colonial past ◦ A major tendency of Caribbean societies is for persons to acknowledge the island or geographic borders as the limit of their society. ◦ Each island people think of themselves as separate from the neighbouring society (insularity).

Caribbean society � George Beckford portrayed Caribbean society as a “plantation society” � The plantation society is a rigidly stratified system of social and economic relations enforced on plantations in the Americas. � The plantation society forced on the legacy of slavery and indentureship and the system of economic organization

Beckford � Caribbean society is characterized by a stratified society where there are historical divisions among the various groups where caste (race and colour) and class (occupations) were rigidly tied. � Whites and people of lighter colour were the wealthier members of society historically and they continue to be so � Blacks, mixed heritage and Indians—are increasingly accessing social mobility mainly through education.

Beckford � Due to plantation society Caribbean society emphasizes its social structure ◦ There is an unwillingness by the elites to allow other social groups to access social mobility. ◦ Groups of similar ethnicity, wealth, status and education level intermarry and associate with each other rather than with other groups. ◦ Poorer classes do not have the power to challenge these interactions and usually comply with such arrangements, often not seeing how they are deprived

Beckford and Caribbean society � Beckford believes culture as mirroring social structure. Thus the culture of the elite will differ from the culture of those at different socio-economic levels in society. � The values and beliefs of each group occupying a particular socio-economic level will reflect their social location. � Belief among lower socio-economic groups in society is that social mobility is necessary to live a better life. Thus we are familiar with parents working very hard to secure a higher standard of living for their children. � This has a direct link to menial positions of their ancestors were forced to endure during slavery/colonial times

Beckford and Caribbean culture � Among the wealthier classes, beliefs and values do not necessarily focus on working hard and self-sacrifice but on strategies to consolidate their position and exclude others.

Plural society � Cultural Pluralism is a concept often combined with cultural diversity. In ‘a plural society two or more ethnic groups share the same space but do not mix to any significant extent. They may mingle in the workplace or at school but live in different areas and do not intermarry (Mohammed, 2007). One might say that because of this’ non-mixture’ the culture of these islands would be different from that of the islands where the population are fully integrated.

The culture of Jamaica would therefore be different from that of Trinidad and Tobago because the twin island republic has two major ethnic group. In the Caribbean the plural societies are Trinidad and Tobago, Surinam and Guyana. Drawing from the work of Furnival, M. G Smith adapted the plural society analysis to the Caribbean society and culture. For Smith cultural pluralism allowed for differences in the public domain as a result different groups practice different institutional forms such as religious rituals (Barrow and Reddock).

Caribbean Studies Culture

Culture � Culture is the shared knowledge, beliefs and values of members of society and may be passed on from generation to generation through the process of socialization.

Types of Culture Types of culture Material Buildings Toy cars Non material Monuments artifacts Ideas, beliefs, values

Characteristics of culture � Learnt- behaviour through the process of socialization. � Socializes-Provides guidelines to guide people’s behaviour � It is shared- This means that systems consists of negotiated agreements. E. g. share common language, which facilitates day to day exchanges with others. � It is transmittable- Comes from the past, it is not created by any one person or generation, and it continues beyond an individuals life span. � It is adaptive- in order to survive culture must adapt to changes.

Characteristics of culture � It is dynamic-it varies over time and place. The culture of your grandparents is not identical with your own. � It is symbolic- symbols are things or behaviours to which people give meaning, such as the national flag.

Functions of culture � Facilitates communication with others through language � Anticipate how others in society would respond to an action. � Gives standards for distinguishing between what is right and wrong (norms), beautiful and unpleasant (values), reasonable and unreasonable � Provide methods of training children to behave in certain ways generally considered appropriate in society. � Knowledge and skills necessary for sustenance needs.

Norms and values � Values- are the abstract standards in a society or group that defines ideal principles. � Values define what is desirable and morally correct � They determine what is right and wrong, beautiful and ugly, good and bad � They provide a general guide, outline for behaviour.

Norms � These are specific cultural expectations for how to behave in a given situation. � Norms set rules of behaviour designed to express a commitment to the society’s underlying values. � Society without norms would be chaotic. � There are two types of norms ◦ Implicit/Formal ◦ Explicit/Informal

Interplay between norms and values � The interaction between norms and values produces modal personality types in a culture or society with specific drives, motivations, expectations and propensity towards certain patterns of behaviour.

Beliefs � These are shared ideas held collectively by people within a given culture. � Shared beliefs are what helps to bind people together in a society. � Beliefs are the basis of values and norms. � E. g. belief in God and democracy

Caribbean culture � Norm: dropping in by friends and family without prior notice � Cultural value: informality/camaraderie � Norm: cooking more than is needed ‘just in case’someone drops by � Cultural value: hospitality � Norm: having relatives come to stay for extended and underdetermined periods, perhaps to be closer to school or work � Cultural value: hospitality/valuing kinship bonds

Activity 1. 3 Match the norms of behaviour in the table below with the cultural values listed in the second column (these are not necessarily listed in sequence Norm Value Children being brought up by grandparents for example, when parents migrate Making fun of people/little importance put on being polite Keeping the elderly at home for as long as possible to be cared for by relatives Uniqueness/superiority/insulari ty Children living with parents in family households beyond their 20’s Kinship/strong family ties & responsibilities A feeling of being apart and different from other Caribbean territories Such attributes often tell much about social standing Giving ‘nicknames’ satirizing some aspect of a person’s appearance or exploits Family is a support system/independence not valued Importance and emphasis put on Kinship/strong family ties &

Activity 1. 3 Match the norms of behaviour in the table below with the cultural values listed in the second column (these are not necessarily listed in sequence Norm Value Children being brought up by grandparents for example, when parents migrate Making fun of people/little importance put on being polite Keeping the elderly at home for as long as possible to be cared for by relatives Uniqueness/superiority/insulari ty Children living with parents in family households beyond their 20’s Kinship/strong family ties & responsibilities A feeling of being apart and different from other Caribbean territories Such attributes often tell much about social standing Giving ‘nicknames’ satirizing some aspect of a person’s appearance or exploits Family is a support system/independence not valued Importance and emphasis put on Kinship/strong family ties &

Cultural values � Cultural values have their responsible, social caring, empowering side and they have their downside such as when racism, xenophobia and ethnocentrism are allowed to give rise to norms

Types of culture � High culture � Material culture � Popular culture � Diaspora culture � Rastafarian culture � Urban culture � Caribbean culture � Subculture

High culture � This is also known as the dominant culture. � It refers to the cultural creations that are essentially, the culture of the dominant group or coloniser. � High culture represent the section of the population that reflects the most power and status. � In the Caribbean the intelligentsia, and members of the upper and upper-middle classes have both the interest and the financial resources to engage in high culture.

Material culture � Refers to those things that a society produces and uses for survival. E. g. food items, clothing, houses, books, cars, computers etc. � E. g. Belize boasts of a rich Mayan architectural culture that is the backbone of that country’s tourism industry.

Non-material culture � These are the intangible components of a people’s way of life. These include the languages, beliefs, ideas and values of a people that shape their norms and standards of behaviour. ◦ E. g. liming with friends, going to church

Folk culture � This refers to the culture of the ordinary people. � Dominic strinati notes that folk culture arises from the grass roots, is self created and autonomous and directly reflects the life and experiences of the people. � Folk culture includes the oral traditions such as folk songs & stories that have been handed down from generation to generation. � Stories like the Anasi and the Old Higue in Caribbean folk lore

Mass culture � Mass culture is culture that is consumed by large numbers of people. � Mass culture is generally very easily understood ◦ An example of mass culture is text language used by cell phone users and music videos

Popular culture � Popular culture is similar to mass culture � It includes cultural products that are enjoyed by large numbers of ordinary people who do not pretend to be cultural experts ◦ Calypso and reggae are two examples of popular culture

Subculture � Group of people who have something in common with each other that distinguishes them from other social groups. � E. g. Rastafari movment in Jamaica ◦ Maroon community of Accompong in Jamaica

Ideal culture � This refers to the values and standards of behaviour that people in society claim to hold and that are worthy of aspiring to. ◦ E. g. abstaining from sex before you marry

Real culture � Refers to the values and standards that people follow in society. � What people actually do is usually different from the cultural ideal. ◦ E. g. people believe in man and woman but yet there is now male and male relationships and female relationships. ◦ People want their children to marry before settle down yet people/couples live with each other before they marry. ◦ Ideal is to be a virgin when married, but in reality people are losing virginity early.

Factors shaping Caribbean society and culture � Near complete genocide of our aboriginal peoples � Cultural diversity, social stratification, hybridization of our people (mixing of races and cultures within society) � Colonial rule, and legacy of a colonial mentality � Dependent economies and efforts to diversify � A culture of migration to metropolitan countries and positive feelings foreign taste � The dissemination of Caribbean cultural art forms to a wide international audience � A syncretism of Caribbean cultural practices with those of other Countries

Cultural diversity In the Caribbean the culture is diverse due to its history. Cultural diversity is a term that emphasizes the idea of difference. It is defined as different ethnic traditions (evident in raced, language, religion, customs family practices) found in one society or region. It results from the variety of ethnic groups found in the region.

Cultural diversity in the Caribbean Cultural diversity is extremely marked in the Caribbean because of the many races and racial groupings that are present. Black Indigenous people (Amerindians) Mongoloids (Chinese, Japenese & East Indians) Caucasoid (Europeans/Jews/Syrians)

Cultural diversity � The mixing of these groups created racial admixtures: ◦ Mulatto: The offspring of African and European ◦ Mestizo: The offspring of an Amerindian and a European ◦ Dougla: The offspring of an indentured Indian and an African

Cultural diversity and ethnicity � Ethnicity is the cultural attributes or affiliations based on the ways of life of one’s ethnic group. � Ethnic group is a group of people who feel a sense of belonging together based on shared culture, language, ancestry, nationality, religion, race, skin colour or other factors

Cultural diversity and language � In the region language is seen as a divisive force fighting against efforts at integration. ◦ Seen in the fact that countries in the Caribbean with a different language have forced few ties. ◦ Therefore our level of interaction is based on whether we speak the same language.

Types of languages in the Caribbbean � Formal language. . conduct business � Creole language…first language of many Caribbean people. ◦ In Trinidad creole tends to be sprinkled with words from Hindi, and Bhojpuri particularly for foods and vegetables e. g. Channa (chickpea)

Language as cultural diversity � Language is one of cultural identity. � The issue of language experienced in multilingual Caribbean countries stem from the unwillingness of some groups to recognize the languages of other groups as of equal status.

Cultural pluralism � Different ethnic cultural and racial groups in a society mixing only to a certain extent, with limited social and cultural integration. (See Mohammed p. 68) � Give handout

Cultural diversity: Benefits/Limitations � Think for a minute and write two benefits and two limitations of cultural diversity.

Positive and negatives effects of cultural diversity. � Demonstrates creativity � Suggests tolerance and a willingness to appreciate differences. � It can be harnessed as a major tourist attraction leading to earning foreign exchange. � In case of architecture, cultural diversity lends to complex aesthetic beauty of the physical landscape (chattel/Victorian/plantation) � Facilitates easy development of cultural industries � It lends to varied and diversified cuisine and in a sense promotes cultural creativity. � Learn to appreciate other cultures and an array of perspectives by just growing up in the society.

� Cultural hydridization results with new forms of music, art, literature and poetry which speak to the experience of more than one ethinic group. E. g. chutney music

Disadvantages of cultural diversity Racial and ethnic conflict � Insularity and religious intolerance to prevail among the racial and ethnic groups � Some groups confine themselves to socio-cultural segments without practicing genuine integration e. g whites in Barbadian society. � Ethnic politics develops, with political parties becoming polarized according to race. In such situations politics become a contest between ethnicities � Feelings of discrimination especially when jobs, promotions, opportunities and gifts are limited to people of the same ethnicity. � Inability to be part of the ruling group or any other power to intervene and restore order may lead to civil war and genocide, �

Hybridisation � Hybridisation is partly responsible for cultural diversity. � Hybridisation the process by which two cultural forms are mixed to form a new culture � E. g. of Hybridisation is found in ◦ The multiplicity of language, sing song accent of Trinidadians, ◦ French Creole of St. Lucia, Garifuna in Belize, ◦ patois of Jamaica ◦ In religon-Rastafari, Spiritual Baptist, Vodun, Revivalism etc

Hybridisation � This is used in the Caribbean to describe many levels of meeting and mixing and creating something new especially the fusion between different races to produce hybrid people and cultures.

Hybridization and History � In the Caribbean hybridization has been going on for more than five hundred years. ◦ The aboriginal inhabitants of the New world migrated through the Caribbean from South American. They captured each other and adopted each other’s language and cultural practices ◦ Columbus arriving further hybridization occurred

Racial and ethnic hybridization � Amerindians, Africans, and to a lesser extent Indian women were forced to cohabit with and have children for European conquistadors, slave masters and overseers. � This resulted in a coloured ‘race’ of people � This is called miscegation (sexual union between persons of different races, resulting in children of mixed race)

Racial and ethnic hybridization � Historically, the lighter –skinned children were seen as better than their maternal ancestors, they were dealt with more leniently, and some were educated all because of they had biological and physical traits publicizing their European connection

Racial and ethnic hybridization � Pigmentocracy evolved, in which persons of fairer complexion wielded more prestige and power in the society than others. Hence skin colour and hair texture and facial features impacted on Caribbean society, culture and identity. The phenomenon of bleaching skin. . is that an example of this pigmentocracy? Read pg. 73

Cultural hybridization � The development of new cultural forms out of existing ones through a period of contact and interaction.

Aspects of cultural hybridisation � Religion � Language � Music

Creole � It describes a person born locally of immigrant parents. � In Trinidad and Tobago creole is used to describe persons of African descent � French creole refers to descendants of French settlers who came to Trinidad in the late eighteenth century.

Creole society � Creole society is one that embraces the culture of all different groups that exist in one space. � The mixing and fusion of cultures particularly European and African gave birth to new culture, the creole culture. � This creole culture is seen in religion, food, family types, customs and values.

Creole society � Creolization is a process of change and adaption that takes place in the way of life or culture of a particular society or region. � Creolization is an evolutionary process it happens over time. � Creolization was conceptualized by Edward Brathwaite. � He stated that European culture was the dominant culture in the Caribbean region and shaped the culture of the Caribbean to date.

Creolziation � The combination of cultures or the mixing of cultures resulted in new cultures which were creolized. � He said creolization did not stop after emancipation but continued with the arrival of other cultures/cultural groups post 1838. � This means that Caribbean culture is still evolving

Creolization � Creolziation involves � acculturation � interculturation � transculturation. � Acculturation is the process by which interaction between different cultural groups results in the acquisition of new patterns by the subordinate groups e. g. The formation of syncetic religious practices such as Revivalism

Cultural Change � Cultures change from time to time. � Three types of cultural change are: ◦ Cultural erasure ◦ Cultural renewal ◦ Cultural retention

Cultural Erasure � This is the act of neglecting , looking past, minimising, ignoring or rendering invisible an ‘other’. � Caribbean culture has been neglected, ignored or replaced. � Rhoda Reddock identifies ethnic groups that are victims of erasure. These are. � The Amerindians of Guyana � The Karifuna or Caribs of Dominica � The Chinese of Jamaica

� In the Caribbean erasure has occurred due a number of factors: ◦ Globalization ◦ Impact of other cultures ◦ Day to day demands of living in a highly competitive society ◦ Television-this has been the constant companion of young children while their parents try to complete chores in the home. Foreign values and lifestyles have been ingrained in these young people. ◦ So today young people are not interested in traditional games and have adopted computer games.

� Further children are moving away from playing traditional sports like cricket to play football � The influence of the American culture is evident in the gravitation of younger generation towards sporting activities like basketball and golf rather than cricket

What traditional games do you play/did you play as a child?

Cultural renewal � Cultural renewal refers to efforts to salvage parts of our past or aspects of our culture that have been latent. � E. g. Celebration of Emancipation day (August 1 st) is reclaiming of our past � Renewal of interest in African religions such as Orisha faith in T&T and Pocomania in Jamaica. � In the 1970’s National Independence Festival of Creative Arts (NIFCA) was started in Barbados and CARIFESTA in the wider Caribbean to encourage research and performance of local culture in drama, poetry, dance and folk songs.

Cultural renewal � The advent of Garveyism early in the twentieth century provided a core for the development of black consciousness not only in Jamaica but also in the wider Caribbean and North America.

Cultural retention � This is where the cultural practices of the past continue into the present. � This resulted from a deliberate desire to keep traditions alive so that some groups will be able to preserve their sense of identity. E. g. Traditional Carib basketry designs and technologies continue in Dominica. � Garifuna culture is described as one where there a remarkable number of cultural retentions.

Cultural erasure � Refer to the practices that have died out or are dying out.

How cultural change occurs � Change in a culture can occur through the following ways � Enculturation � Acculturation � Assimilation � Transculturation � Interculturation � See handout page 101 -103

Enculturation � Is a process of socialization whereby a person becomes part of another's culture.

Enculturation � This is the process of socialization that enables us to learn the ways of life of a cultural group. � This may be our own culture or we can become acculturated into another group through the process of acculturation. � We learn our culture through interaction with others.

Acculturation � This is the imposition of a dominant group’s way of life on another group. � During this process the subordinate culture is altered or destroyed. For example, the Spanish conquest of Amerindians and the imposition of their Spanish culture. � Acculturation is necessary part of the creolization process as it allows for the inclusion or creation of a new, unique mix of cultural elements that define the Caribbean.

Transculturation � This refers to the process by which significant changes take place to a certain aspect of a culture until it evolves into something new.

Transculturation � The movement of cultures across international boundaries. � This cultural change involves the whole society, sometimes due to political upheavals. � The steady import of Africans into the Caribbean drastically altered all aspects of society and culture.

Interculturation � The cultural mixing to the mixing of cultures that goes on between groups who share a space. � This cultural exchange between two or more groups does not alter cultures or society. � Cultural mixing occurs in a plural society where ethnic groups may live with limited mixing yet elements of their cultures become incorporated from national identities.

Interculturation � Involves a mutual exchange of cultural traits. This is evident in the dishes and diets of the region. Trinidad is good example of this, � Members of the African creole population consume, purchase and prepare traditional Indian foods and Indians in turn also consume, purchase and prepare some African creole dishes. � E. g. all religious groups celebrate Christmas. (See Mohammed p. 83)

Cultural assimilation � Is the process of acceptance which allows the various ways of life, ideological viewpoints of different ethnic groups to be merged together into dominant cultural expression. � Assimilation occurs when a dominant group makes a bid to encultrate another by attempting to supplant all aspects of its culture and make it over into the image of the dominant group.

Assimilation � French intended to convert their coloured people into French people, culturally speaking. Thus the local and indigenous customs, beliefs and yearning ignored. Martinique and Guadeloupe for example, are considered to be part of France

Caribbean Studies Social Stratification

Social stratification � Refers to the different social groups that make up a particular society. � This refers to a system operating in a particular society which ranks the population into social classes or groups arranged in hierarchy.

Social stratification � Social stratification is the sharp division or ranking of social groups within a society according to wealth, power, prestige, education, profession or religion. � Social stratification is a particular form of social inequality. � Hence have terms such as high society and low society. � Each having their distinct culture. � Stratification in the Caribbean has it origin in the plantation.

Forms of social stratification � Ascribed- This is usually fixed at birth. In the Caribbean during slavery once you were black you were automatically placed at the bottom of the social strata. Once you were white you were placed in the higher strata of society. � Indian caste system is another example, you were born into a social stratification system which determined your occupation, social interaction, power and education at birth.

Achieve status � Achieved status –due to your efforts you can move up or down the social ladder. In the Caribbean achieved status has mainly been brought about by education. � This has mainly occurred due to free primary and secondary education provided for all children. � People have been able to leverage this to obtain university degrees especially when university was free and move into the professional class as doctors, lawyers, chartered accounts etc.

Types of stratification � Closed � Open

Closed system of stratification � It is a rigid system with clearly demarcated boundaries � Social status is strictly defined and determines access to occupations � Social position is determined at birth (ascribed) � Social mobility from one level to another is not possible

Open system of stratification � Based mainly on economic criteria, particulary income � Social position is achieved through one’s own efforts � The boundaries between classes are more flexible than with a closed system � Social mobility is possible � Class system in a modern industrial society is an open system of stratification

� With education one can access elite clubs and professional circles. � The type of education one has can determine one’s status and prestige, for example, formal training in disciplinary fields leads to the profession , whilst, technical-vocational training often leads to blue-collar jobs. Although today those techvoc jobs are making more money than traditional jobs like teachers, etc.

Systems of stratification � The caste system � Is a closed system of social stratification indicates that the groups in society are unequal and the pattern of inequality that forms persists from one generation to the next. � The caste system is based on ascriptive status which depends on birth rather than achievement.

The caste system was seen as permanent and it was replaced by elaborate practices and procedures to keep the castes separate.

Stratification in the Caribbean � Stratification in the Caribbean has its origin in the plantation system � See handout on Social stratification under slavery

Define the following terms � Social inequality � Social class and social stratification ◦ Define social class ◦ Draw a diagram to show class divisions in society ◦ Is class in society based on ascribe or achieved status ◦ Explain how Marx and Weber defined social class � Social mobility ◦ Define the term meritocracy ◦ How is social mobility related to older generations? ◦ How have Caribbean people become socially mobile?