Introducing Cultural Patterns and Processes

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What is Culture?• “Culture is a shared set of meanings that are

lived through the material and symbolic practices of everyday life” (Knox and Marston, 2004)– Values– Beliefs– Practices– Religion– Language– Family– Gender– Sexuality www.aust-immig-book.com

Facts about Culture

• Artifacts – objects of material culture– Dwelling– Cooking utensils– Dress

• Sociofacts – the way groups do things– Interpersonal relationships– The family– Education

• Mentifacts – a group’s literature, religion, language and music

Cultural facts

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Habits and Customs

• Habit – a repetitive act that a particular individual performs

• Custom – a repetitive act of a group performed to an extent that it becomes characteristic of the group

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What is acculturation?

• Cultural change that occurs in response to extended firsthand contacts between two or more previously autonomous groups (www.anthro.wayne.edu/ant2100/GlossaryCultAnt.htm)

• Rapid diffusion of cultural items either by choice of the receiving society or by force from a more dominant society (highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072549238/student_view0/glossary.html)