What is Culture Clifford Geertz anthropologist in The

What is Culture?

Clifford Geertz (anthropologist) in “The Interpretation of Cultures” states: “We are, in sum, incomplete or unfinished animals who complete or finish ourselves through culture—and not through culture in general but through highly particular forms of it: Dobuan & Javanese, Hopi & Italian, upper-class & lower-class, academic & commercial. ”

anthropology: the systematic understanding of cultural aspects of human behavior - tries to account for cultural differences/similarities - how do cultures “operate”? - language & religion *Culture assumed to be a “learned behavior” behavior

Cultural Geography is concerned with… …how place affects culture …how culture affects place …the distributions of culture

A. Culture is…. The ways of life of people… - learned behavior - mental thoughts & feelings - group beliefs, attitudes, rules, or traditions - human adaptations

Why is “culture” so varied? How do we explain the differences & similarities between people? * If a shaman (witchdoctor) claims he can fly, can he? * Is the mental thought itself unreal? * What about the case of the sacred cow in India?

culture traits: units of learned behavior (the “building blocks” of culture)

culture region: populations sharing similar cultural traits

cultural ecology: the study of the relationship between a culture group & the environment

B. Cultural Boundaries: – geographic areas defined by a shared culture – a cultural border is a “social construct” that is developed from a political situation – conflict may occur at such borders known as… “shatter belts” belts Examples: • Language • Religion

Nigeria’s Religious and Cultural Conflict

Term Definition In your own words OR Example

• • • • Culture: Vocabulary Acculturation Artifact Contagious Diffusion Cultural Autonomy Cultural convergence Cultural Divergence Cultural Integration Cultural Landscape Cutlural System Cultural Complex Culture Hearth Culture Realm Syncretism • • • Diffusion Environmental Determinism Expansion Diffusion Hierarchical Diffusion Hunter-Gatherer Ideological/Sociological/ Technological Subsystem Independent Invention Mentifact Multilinear Evolution Possibilism Sociofact