What is "Culture" ?

Definitions of "Culture"

" . . . the sum total of the knowledge, attitudes, and habitual behavior patterns shared and transmitted by members of a society."

" . . . the learned patterns of thought and behavior characteristic of a population or society."

" . . . The attitudes, objectives, and technical skills of a society."

"Culture" does NOT mean "high culture" or a "cultured person". It is not just the arts, but "culture" includes all learned behavior.

Culture can be divided into the following components:

• Material Culture
• Social Institutions
• Attitudes Toward the Unknown
• the Arts
• Language

Components of a Culture:

1. Material Culture
2. Social Institutions
3. Attitudes Toward the Unknown
4. the Arts
5. Language

   Material Culture homes tools transportation clothes cities furniture etc.	Social Institutions government the economy education family religion tribe, clan etc.	Attitudes Toward the Unknown superstitions religion science
   the Arts music dance theater literature architecture painting sculpture etc.		Language language is a very important component of culture culture is LEARNED behavior culture is transmitted through language top 100 languages by population: http://www.sil.org/ethnologue/top100.html

Culture vs. Ethnicity

-they are not the same
-culture is learned
-ethnicity is biological
-the same ethnic group can be divided culturally:

• In Rwanda: Hutus and Tutsis are of the same ethnic group but they are different cultural groups
• In Bosnia, the Serbs, Croats, and Muslims are all from the same Slavic ethnic group, but they are different cultural groups. For example, they speak different languages and practice different religions.

-"Ethnic conflicts" are usually "cultural conflicts". Often they are not between different races, but rather between different cultural groups.