Cultural Setting

Saturday, March 12, 2016

1:34 PM

 A social group having common racial, religious, linguistic or national characteristics is known as
an ethnic group
 Caste System is unique to India and is prevalent in all the religions of the land
 It finds mention in the vedas as well, and people are divided based on their occupation
 In Indian villages, economy is largely subsistent one and are paid annually in grain as harvest
 Represent the diversity on the map of India

Culture can be defined as the behaviour and traditions of a group of people. Cultural Geography is
the study of how physical environment interacts with the traditions of the people.
Some topics of study : Globalization and its influence, Language art and communication, Food,
Customs, Religion, Economic and Government structures,

 Some Cultural Traits : Language, Occupation, Government structure, History, Religion,

Lifestyle, Food and Fashion
 Culture displays a social structure. It forms a framework of roles and interrelationships of
individuals and groups. Individuals learn and adhere to the rules not only of the culture, but of
specific subcultures to which he belongs to.
 The structure of the culture : Traits, Complex, Region, Realm and finally globalisation.
 Cultural Traits : Language, tools, games, techniques, beliefs, attitudes etc
 Cultural Complex : Traits that are functionally interrelated.
 Cultural Region : The spatial extent of the cultural areas.
 Cultural Realm occupies a much larger area.

Cultural Realms
While comparing, and while describing how geography influences culture, use the examples in the
study.com video of a desert and tropical island.

Carl Sauer's idea of Cultural Landscape.

Culture is the agent, the natural area is the medium and the cultural landscape is the result. Under
the influence of a given culture, itself changing with time, the landscape undergoes development,
passing through phases and probably reaching ultimately the end of its cycle of development. With
the introduction of a different idea, a rejuvenation of the culture sets in. Thus Civilization is
temporary, but culture is more permanent.

Quoting the possibilist and determninist ideas also can be useful.

From Neethu Singh notes

Culture involves the religious beliefs, languages spoken, cosmopolitan ideologies, economic
activities, food and clothing culture and demographic attributes
Boak and Webb classification : based on all the cultural parameters except language
Major : Christianity, Islamic, Indic and Semitic
Minor : Oceanic ( Austraila & NZ, Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia), Meso African and SE
Asian

Christianity Realm
The largest geographical extension incorporating the entire Europe and New world. Various Sects
like Protestant and Roman Catholic. In the case of the former, The Western Europe is the source and
the new world is the destination. A source region with small geographical size, large population load
depicts the example of intensive culture. Demographically, the source region is experiencing the
threat of depopulation. The other forms the example for extensive culture. Roman Catholic is
confined to Southern Europe, which is the source and Latin America being the Destination. The
Orthodox includes the former USSR.

Islamic Realm
Extensive in the tropical western margins of the continents forming the examples of dry cultural
regions. Represents the fundamentalist religious ideologies. From the Rich Oil Nations in the Gulf, to
the Developing economies of the North Africa and Central Asia, to the Secular Turkey and the Poorer
Nations like Yemen and Afghanistan.

Indic Cultural Realm

South Asia with its multi-lingual, multi-racial, multi-religious cultural identities. The only common
element identified with this is the Rural Agrarian Setup. From the Islamic republics to the Hindu
dominance, to Tribal culture and the Buddhist dominated.

Semitic Cultural Realm

Mongoloid race. Japan has Shintoism, China has Confucianism, Korea and Taiwan embrace Buddhism
and Mongolia has Animism. The Economic indicators also vary.

South east Asian Realm

Separated from the mainland Asia. Mongoloid Race, also with Negroid population
Meso African Realm
Primitive Tribal Population
Oceanic Realm
Represents Oceanian Countries.
 Anglo America
 Latin America
 European
 Islamic
 Sub-Saharan
 Slavic
 Sino Japanese
 Indic
 South East Asian
 Austral European
 Oceanic

Cultural Regions of India

On the Basis of Language, Religion, Customs and Traditions, India may be divided into 10 major
Cultural Regions.
 Ladhakhi Buddhist
 Kashmiri Muslim
 Sikh Gurumukhi
 Kinnauri-Dev-Bhumi
 Hindu-Hindi
 Mixed Cultural North East
 Bengali
 Tribo Hindu
 Marathi Hindu
  Dravido Hindu

Majid Hussain Snippets

 The major attributes of culture are Language, Religion and Customs.
 Language
o Proverbs, medicinal formulae, prayers, folk tales, songs etc are some of the forms of
expression
o It is the primary means of transmitting culture over generations
o Dialect is a distinct linguistic form peculiar to a region or social groups, but which,
nevertheless can be understood by speakers of other forms of same language. They can
be geographical dialect and Social dialect
o A language family is a group of languages descended from a single earlier dialect.
o For example, Latin was the language throughout Roman empire, but the fall of the
empire broke the unity and regional variants of latin has developed as a result
o Linguistic diversity within a country is a function of geographical size and geo-climatic
diversity
o Post 1600s, in the process of linguistic imposition and adoption, innumerable indigenous
languages and language groups are totally lost or have been modified.
o The knowledge and use of a language of a dominating culture may be seen as a
necessity, when that language is the medium of commerce, law, civilization and personal
prestige.
o While emigration helps in spreading the language, physical barriers thwart the spread.
 Religion
o Religion knows neither frontiers, not geographical barriers. It is a symbol of group
identity and a cultural rallying point.
o The food habits, clothing, shelter and higher needs of people are also closely influenced
by religious beliefs.
o Religions can be monotheistic or polytheistic based on the beliefs.
o The geographical classification of religions are Universalizing, Ethnic and Tribal religions.
o Tribal religions are a special form of ethnic religions distinguished by their small size,
their unique identity and their close ties to the nature.
o A variety of natural features have been incorporated into the religions, but these are
present differently in different religions.
 o Confucianism was by a chinese ruler who profoundly influenced the social and
intellectual life of china. It stressed on ancestor worship. He emphasized the importance
of proper conduct between the ruler and subjects and between family members. He
emphasized the importance of ethical and moral traditions
o Taoism emphasized the mystical and magical aspects of life.
o Shintoism developed out of nature and ancestors' worship.
 Customs
o Geographers are interested in spatial distribution of customs and the relationship
between customs and landscape.
o It consists of both folk and popular customs.

Religion : A set of principles and rules which bind people together

Universalising Religion : Christianity, Islam, Buddhism
A universalizing religion is a religion that attempts to operate on a global scale and to appeal to all
people wherever they reside

Ethnic Religion : Hinduism, Judaism, Confuciacism, Shintoism, Taoism

An ethnic religion is one that appeals primarily to a specific group of people from a specific place

Differences Ethnic Religion

Foundation and Age : Very Old
Ceremonies : Based on Harvest or Other cultural events, rather than birth of founders
Conversion : Very difficult
Worship : Polytheistic or animistic

Unique Nature of Religious Minorities

 In many states they are in Majority
 They occupy close to 20% of the population and so very significant
 They follow similar cultures as that of the majority, and are very different from their
counterparts abroad.
 Caste System in prevalent
 Fundamental Right to Freedom of Religion