What is Culture?

Definition:

Culture refers to the entire way of life of a paticular society and considers the whole system of behaviour and beleifs of a society or group.

Extra Info:

• Can include language, faith, art, music and fashion.
• Cultures vary hugely across the world and there is diveristy

Values

• Beliefs and ideas that society sees as important and they are accepted by the majority of society.
• Values are ideas we believe in and help guide our behaviour.

Norms:

• Expected patterns of behaviour based on the values of a culture for example in UK it is a norm to wear clothes in public based on the value of modesty .

Examples:

• Hygine (Value) - Leads to norms of washing hands / eating with knife & fork
• Politeness (Value) - Leads to norms of fairly queueing at home.
• Respect (Value) - Leads to norms of punctuality / obeying teacher 

Extra Information:

• Norms are linked to values - the reason we perform certain behaviour is because we hold certain beliefs.
• Norms and values of any culture are relative - means they are not fixed and aren't the same for all people in all situations.
• Norms and Values can also change over i.e. smoking in pubs used to be a norm but is now viewed as deviant.
• Most in society follow the norms and conform - those who don't are considered deviant.

What is It?

Cultural Diversity refers to the differences and variety found in societies. Can be seen between cultures (Intercultural) and within cultures (Intracultural).

The UK:

• The UK is culturally diverse: There is a variety of norms and values within UK culture. Can include different ethnic groups but also the diversity between regions i.e. Welsh / Scottish / English.
• Can also include age, class and sexual culture which all contribute to the overall UK culture - adding to the range of norms and value.

What is It?

• A subculture is defined as a culture within a culture - smaller grouping of people who share distinctive norms and values within a wider culture.
• All of these groups are part of the wider UK culture, but also apart of distinctive subcultures - concept links to diversity.

Example:

• The UK culture has subcultures based on age (Youth subcultures such as emos/punks).
• Subcultures on ethnicity, music/fashion, political beliefs.

What is It?

• Cross between or merging of two or more cultures.
• In global societies - hybridity becomes more common.

Extra Information:

• UK culture often described as a hybrid because it contains aspects of English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish but also has influences from Asian/European and US Cultures.
• Cultural Hybridity in the UK is often considered in relation to 2nd/3rd generation immigramts who adopt hybrid identities - aspects of parents identity alongside British culture.
• 'Brasians' - British and Asian - Aspects of religion mixed with British values of fashion and music.

High Culture:

• Cultural products and activities that have high status - represent the highest achievements in humanity i.e. Shakespeare's plays, classical music, opera and art.
• Seen as superior to other forms of culture - appreciated by those who have a high level of education and social upbringing.

Popular Culture:

• Activities enjoyed by the majority of the population such as watching TV, cinema and football. Some believe it is inferior to high culture and includes shallow activites.
• Media usually creditied for spreading mass culture: provides mass access. Argued bridge between popular and high are breaking down as media provide access to both.

Consumer Culture:

• Increasing avaliability and emphasis on consumption of goods and services - shopping is normal and focus of consumption - consume branded goods to construct and identity and gain status in the eyes of others - reinforced by the media.

Global Culture:

• Growing trent of activities becoming universal where brands, food, films and other products are identical across many countries - nation cultures lose their distinctiveness.
• Linked to trent of globalisation where world becomes more interconnected i.e. McDonald's, Nike, Coca Cola are global brands which are instantly recognisable.
• World has become a smaller place and now live in a global village - drive by multinational companies, ease of travel and globally accesible media. 

Globalisation and Culture:

• Cultures can no longer be seen as separate from one another - what happens in one society is increasingly connected to others i.e. even in remote areas of the world, bramds like Coca-Cola and McDonalds can be found.