Class notes
Sociology SOCL1016 MBBCH I Week 8
- Course
- Institution
Week 8 of SOCL1016 MBBCH 1 Notes for University of Witwatersrand
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
MalaaikasNotes
Content preview
Sociology Week 8Culture → Culture consists of the values the members of a given group hold, the norms they
follow, and the material goods they create
Misconceptions regarding Culture
The following are wrong to presume:
To refer to somebody as someone who ‘lacks culture’, or ‘doesn’t have much culture’
(confusing culture with formal education)
The expression ‘It is not in my culture’ This notion presupposes a static notion of culture
and justification to maintain behaviour or to hold on to positions o power.
Certain groups or certain people are perceived to be too determined by their culture; 'being
too traditional, meaning pre-modern, uncivilised,
Other people are perceived ‘not to be determined by their culture, culture does not apply to
‘westerners’
Aspects of Culture
Culture has both visible and non-visible
aspects. Non-visible aspects need to be
uncovered in order to further
understand the relationship between
culture + health.
What is Culture
Culture is socially constructed
- Exist in collectives
Culture is learnt (through socialisation or transmission from one generation to the other)
- As you socialise children, they become ‘enculturated’ → they learn the culture of a
group in society
Culture is closely linked to identity
- Culture permeates your identity in terms of gender, age and class.
Culture distinguish humans from animals (symbols, language, and material artefacts)
- When studying the process of hominization/evolution, it is key to identify traces of
culture, e.g., artifacts but also whether they buried the dead.
Culture shapes our behaviour → it is linked to traditions, customs, and beliefs,
Culture is not an individual thing (culture is group based, takes place in social context)
, Culture is often taken for granted, often one does not question it ( but it can be questioned)
Culture is never static → is dynamic and is subject to change with times and interests in the
society
Culture varies from community to community and even within communities
Culture is a broad concept, within complex societies, the are many cultures and subcultures
Material artefacts and Material form the basis of culture
- Basis of understanding evolution of human beings
- The capacity to create meaning and symbols is a unique human capacity
Material artefacts are a reflection of culture
- Burials + funerals reflect existence of culture among hominids
Rituals increase feeling of belonging and further promote the morals and values of the group
Material culture can be influenced by new trends and fashion (amplifies the dynamic nature
of culture)
Traditional cultures
Traditional cultures/ traditions are carried over into new settings over time.
Urbanisation and migration often cause people to live in more than one culture
- The environment in which we are frame how we behave
- In a rural setting for culture is heavily followed, one would behave differently towards
in an urban setting where culture is different.
Western Medical System values
- Objectivity
- Science as triumph card
- Doctors are infallible, scientific (often male and white)
- White as symbolizing pulchritude – white represent a notion of hygiene and neutrality
- Doctors represent power and occupy a prestige position (in the medical structure and in
society)
- Value placed on technology
- Value system embedded in Western traditions of knowledge
Therefore, we can look at this system as the Western Medical Culture (which too varies
depending on place and environment)
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller MalaaikasNotes. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $2.85. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
57413 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now