QUESTION: Explain in brief theory of culture.
INTRODUCTION
-Meaning of the key terms
. Culture
. Theory
. Culture theory
MAIN BODY
-Some Culture Theory
. Structure functionalism
. Cultural evolution theory
. Diffusionism theory
CONCLUSION
REFERENCE
INTRODUCTION
The English word theory was derived from a technical term in philosophy in Ancient Greek. The word theoria, θεωρία, or the word's origin (from the Greek thorós, a spectator), stresses the fact that all theories are mental models of the perceived reality, (http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/theory.html). Also a word meant "a looking at, viewing, beholding", and referring to contemplation or speculation, as opposed to action. Theory is especially often contrasted to "practice" (from Greek praxis, πρᾶξις) a Greek term for "doing", which is opposed to theory because theory involved no doing apart from itself. Theories are analytical tools for understanding, explaining, and making predictions about a given subject matter. There are theories in many and varied fields of study, including the arts and sciences. A formal theory is syntactic in nature and is only meaningful when given a semantic component by applying it to some content (i.e. facts and relationships of the actual historical world as it is unfolding). (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory).
A theory is a based upon a hypothesis
and backed by evidence. A theory presents a concept or idea that is
testable. In science, a theory is not merely a guess. A theory is a
fact-based framework for describing a phenomenon. In culture, theories
are used to provide a model for understanding how culture emerged, human
thoughts, emotions and behaviors, (http://psychology.about.com/od/tindex/f/theory.htm).
Culture (Latin: cultura,
lit. "cultivation") first began to take its current usage by Europeans
in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century (having had earlier antecedents
elsewhere), it connoted a process of cultivation or improvement, as in agriculture or horticulture. In the nineteenth century, it came to refer first to the betterment or refinement of the individual, especially through education, and then to the fulfillment of national aspirations or ideals. In the mid-nineteenth century, some scientists used the term "culture" to refer to a universal human capacity. For the German non-positivist sociologist Georg Simmel, culture referred to "the cultivation of individuals through the agency of external forms which have been objectified in the course of history", (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture).
DEFINITION OF THE KEY CONCEPT
Culture
is the way of behaving, thinking, and reacting, but would not see
culture. We see manifestation of culture in particular objects (things
made or used by people) and action (what people do or say), (Eugene A.
Nida, 1954, in the book “customs and culture, anthropology for Christian
mission)
Schaefer, R. T. (2008), defined culture
is the totality of leaned, socially transmitted customs, knowledge
material objects and behavior. It includes the ideas, values, and
customs.
According to Hughes and Kroehler (2005), defined culture as
the social heritage of people-those leaned patterns for thinking,
feeling and acting that are transmitted from one generation to next
include material and non-material.
Edward B. Tylor, the English anthropologist, defined culture
as “that complex whole which includes knowledge, beliefs, art, morals,
law, customs and any other capabilities and habit acquired by man as a
member of society.
Generally culture means totality of people’s live in a given areas includes knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, laws, customs and language.
Theory is a statement or statement of how and why specific facts are related (Macionis, 1997:15)
Zerihun Doda (2005), defined theory as a set of interconnected hypotheses that offer general explanations for natural or social phenomena.
Theory as a set of assumptions, propositions, or accepted facts that attempts to provide a plausible or rational explanation of cause-and-effect (causal) relationships among a group of observed phenomenon. (http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/theory.html)
Culture theory
is the branch of comparative anthropology and semiotics (not to
confused with cultural sociology or cultural studies) that seeks to
define the heuristic concept of culture in operational and/ or
scientific terms (http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/culture-theory/18/03/2012/9.12AM)
The following are some of culture theory:-
STRUCTURE FUNCTIONALISM
Structure
functionalism is the theory of culture developed from the work of Emile
Durkheim whereby sought to understand how culture system and
institutions maintained the equilibrium and cohesion of the society
(Radcliffe-Brown, 1881-1939).
Malinowski
(1939) said that “culture existed to satisfy seven basic human needs
such as nutrition, reproduction, bodily comforts, safety, relaxation,
movement and growth. He added that, cultural beliefs and practices
contributed to smooth functioning of society while providing individual
biological or psychological benefit (R. Jon McGee and Warms, R. L.
“Anthropological Theory, 2004c).
For
example through religion help to shape people’s behavior and creating
them to depend on God, and also championing them to have unite and love
in the society.
CRITICISM
Structure
functionalism was criticized for being unable to change (static) or for
structural contradiction and conflict, it ignores inequalities
including race, gender, and classes which cause tension and conflict
(believing on creating society as egalitarian), and lastly, Marxism
criticized functionalism for being partisan to advance welfare of
capitalism (influencing development of globalization in the world).
CULTURAL EVOLUTION THEORY.
The
theory of cultural evolution was applied to archaeological studies by
British archaeologists A. H. L. Fox Pitt-Rivers and V. G. Childe in the
early of 20th century. Cultural evolution was developed in the 19th century, and was an outgrowth of Darwinian evolution (http://www.archaeology.about.com/od/cterms/g/culturaleval.htm/18.03.2012/9.49AM)
Cultural
evolution attempt to explain cultural change such as rise of social
inequalities or emergence of occurs as a result of human adapting to
some non cultural stimulus, such as climate change, or population
growth. However, unlike Darwinian evolution, cultural evolution was
considered directional, that is, as human populations transform
themselves, their culture become progressively complex.
Generally,
culture changing depend the needs, nature of climate, interaction,
population and time. Culture change according to time, for example
culture practiced during the 19th century is quit different of previous ten years, today or tomorrow.
CRITICISM
Culture
practiced developed country like U.S.A, and Western country have only
power to transmit culture and dominate all over the world compared to
week society culture like Africa. For example, now days people has been
globalize by using internets, videos, and so forth from western
countries but, in Africa we destroy our culture ourselves due to
competition from those developed countries. Also in the system of
education in Africa, previous had informal education but today we have
formal education based Western Syllabus.
DIFFUSIONISM THEORY
Diffusionism
attempt to understand the nature of culture in terms of the origin of
culture traits and their spread from one society to another.
Diffusionist believe that all cultures originated from one culture
centre (heliocentric diffusion); the more reasonable view that cultures
originated from a limited number of culture centers (culture circles);
and finally the notion that each society is influenced by others but
that the process of diffusion is about both contingent and arbitrary
(Winthrop, 1991: 83-84).
Diffusion
my simply defined as the spread of culture from its place of origin to
other places (Titiev, 1959: 446). Or Diffusion as the process by which
discrete culture trait are transferred from one society to another
through migration, war, or other contact (Winthrop, 1991. 82).
In the beginning with true work of early 20th
century, anthropologist identifying five broadly concept claims that
from the core of what is called culture diffusion theory. These are;
borrowed element usually undergo some time of alteration or adaptation
in the new host culture, the act of borrowing depends on the extend to
which the element can be integrated into the belief system of the new
culture, element that are incompatible with the new culture’s prevailing
normative structure or religious belief are likely to be registered,
acceptance of an element depends upon its utility for the borrowed, and
lastly, culture with a history of past borrowing are more likely to
borrowing are more likely to borrow in the future.
These
claims constitute the core “preposition of culture diffusion theory
over the years over the years each has been qualified and elaborated
upon (Stahl, 1994).
CRITICISM
Diffusionism
theory lead to disappearances of our culture because it allows to
borrow culture from other culture. Example system of marriage existed 50
years ago is quit different of today where based on the side of
spouses/ couples.
CONCLUSION
As
human being all over the world, we need more power for everything we do
in our life should be guided by culture, culture is one of our big
support for preventing our history or background where we come from up
to now. So, as Tanzanians in general don’t let our culture to be
destroyed without any permission or documentation. Everyone stand his or
her own to fight for our culture when destroyed because culture is a
part and guidance of our life.
REFERENCES
Eugene, A. Nida (1954), Customs and Culture, Anthrpology for Christian Mission, 1st
Edition, U.S.A.
Hughes, M. and Kroehler C. J. (2oo5), Sociology the Core, 7th edition, New York, Mc
Graw Hill Press.
Schaefer, R. T. (2008), Sociology matters,3rd Edition, Chicago University, Mc Graw Hill
Macionis, J. J. and Plummer, K. (2008), Sociology “A Global Introduction”, 4th Edition,
London, Pearson Education Limited.
McGree, R. J. and Warms, R. L. (2004), Anthropological Theory; an introductory history,
3rd Edition, Southwest Taxas State University, McGraw Hill Press
Zerihun Doda (2005), Introduction To Social Cultural Anthropology, Debub University,
EPHT (Ethiopia Public Health Training Initiative) Press
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/culture-theory/18/03/2012/9.12AMpowered by CHIWAMBO AUSI R, TEOFILO KISANJI UNIVERSITY (MAY, 2012
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