1. Define Culture:
a. Culture is a common “way of life;” how they communicate, common social interests- or social norms, values etc. that are shared by people of a community. Sometimes the same culture is found in other nations; national boundaries- like Mexico & New Mexico or California, Puerto Rico & Florida, Canada & New England or Wisconsin, Minnesota.
-These communities within another nation share common values, social interests etc. with other nations who share the same culture .
2. Define Society:
a. Society is a group of people who share the same territory as well as having political and financial(economic) ties. Although, societies don’t always share the same culture.
3. What is non-material culture? Give examples:
a. N-M culture consists of languages, values, rules and meanings given by people of that society.
For instance, they will know the difference in meaning and morale with the way we connect socially outside of having material objects to connect with. N-M Cultural members communicate entirely through language, family & governmental rules; laws, and life values and give meaning to materialistic culture. ie. n-m might say that Barbie has a heavy impact on the social behavior for our young girls due to “expected appearances. “
They may be considered dependent on the ladder of the social system, ie. look to schools-education, government, spirituality, life-experience etc. *They look to structural-functionalism, Conflict, and Symbolic Interactions to apply meaning within materialistic culture.
4. What is a material culture? Give examples:
a. Material culture focuses on physical objects that a society produces as well as how they operate or depend on the sole use of an object. Material Culture is dependent on N-M culture when searching for meaning for these objects ie. Tools, streets, sculptures, and toys – among other material things. Such as a meaning between a fertility goddess statuette and a Barbie they look similar yet have completely different purposes and meaning. *Another example would be guns that fire ammunition and water guns- society looks to non-material culture for dividing the two, yet one can still impact the children within a society and the knowledge of the purpose for a real gun must be given so that children don’t think its ok to play with real guns with live ammunition- or something to that effect. *We look to n-m culture for the meaning behind a piece of art or statue that may appear to just be a “nice” painting of a man with his hands folded at the table with a loaf of bread- it looks as if he’s just fixing to eat or simply thinking, yet it could actually portray poverty; and/or a man praying over his only piece bread and he’s blessing it, because it’s the only meal he’s been able to provide for his family for the last 3 days.
5. What is the structural-functional approach to the study of culture?
a. It underlines how culture forms our behavior with social norms, values and language, rather than how the culture itself surfaced. ie. How social regulation; or control can affect people who operate according to the guidelines of their own culture.
6. What is the Conflict approach to the study of culture?
a. Theorists see culture as the outcome of a society by studying how culture is affected by us and how we’ve created it. Conflict theorists also study Social classes( and culture capital vs. economic capital) and the conflict between two or more cultures when they are faced with multiculturalism vs. adaptation to one culture, divided cultures and countercultures.
7. What is Cultural Capital? Give examples:
a. Cultural Capital is Upper-class knowledge and attitudes; Or rather the “top dog” to all social classes, many conflict theorists argue that upper class power has just as much control over society and cultural- social form as economic capital has over society. (I agree) You have to be accepted in their “class” in order to get anywhere without them