СULTURE

I. Pre-reading activities:

Exercise 1. Go over the following list of key words and expressions from the texts to avoid difficulties in understanding

Approximately приблизительно

To emphasize подчеркивать

in terms of по отношению к

historically transmitted pattern образцы, передающиеся исторически

embodied in воплощенный в

capacity  способность

cumulative совокупный, накопленный

aggregate совокупный, общий

at a subconscious level на подсознательном уровне

background происхождение

 assumption предположение

 contestation оспаривание, борьба

interactions взаимодействия

refinement утонченность, изысканность

crude грубый

backward обратно

dissenting инакомыслящий

hegemonic главный

shifting сдвиг

domain сфера

the well-to-do зажиточный

supposedly предположительно

appreciated by ценимый

transcendent and timeless  трансцендентный и вечный

unworthy недостойный

embedded включенный, встроенный

to reinforce a predominantly European-elitist view of the world укрепить преимущественно европейско-элитарный взгляд на мир

Exercise 1. Read the texts:

Text 1. What is Culture?

In 1952, anthropologists Arthur Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn categorized approximately 150 definitions of culture. Some emphasized culture as a set of patterns of thought and beliefs; others viewed culture in terms of a set of behaviors; still others focused on the nonmaterial aspects of human life or on the material aspects of societies.

Aссording to anthropologist Clifford Geertz’s definition of culture, traditionally the most widely accepted one, culture denotes a historically transmitted pattern of meaning embodied in symbols, a system of inherited conceptions expressed in symbolic forms by means of which men communicate, perpetuate and develop their knowledge about and attitudes toward life.

According to a more recent definition, culture is 1) that set of capacities which distinguishes Homo sapiens as a species and which is fundamental to its mode of adaptation; 2) the learned, cumulative product of all social life; 3) the distinctive patterns of thought, action, and value that characterize the members of a society or social group.

Geert Hofstede, a noted social psychologist, defines culture similarly, as the “programming of the mind” and the “interactive aggregate of common characteristics that influence a human group’s response to its environment”.

Culture functions largely at a subconscious level. In this sense, trying to understand our own culture is like trying to explain to a fish that it lives in water. Therefore, we often cannot identify our own cultural backgrounds and assumptions until we encounter assumptions that differ from our own.

Culture has been defined in many ways – from a pattern of perceptions that influence communication to a site of contestation and conflict. Because there are many acceptable definitions of culture, and

because it is a complex concept, it is important to reflect on the centrality of culture in our own interactions.

Communication scholar Wen Shu Lee identifies different common uses of the term culture and then describes how each definition serves particular interests:

–Culture –unique human efforts (as different from nature and biology).

–Culture – refinement (as different from things that are crude, vulgar, and unrefined).

–Culture – civilization (as different from backward barbaric people).

–Culture – shared language, beliefs, values (as different from language beliefs and values that are not shared; dissenting voices; and voices of the Other).

–Culture – dominant or hegemonic culture (as different from marginal cultures).

– Culture – the shifting tensions between the shared and the unshared (as different from shared or unshared things). For example, American culture has changed from master / slave, to white only / black only, to anti-war and black power, to affirmative action / multiculturalism and political correctness.

Text 2. High Culture and Low Culture

The XIX-century essayist and poet Matthew Arnold, who expressed concern with protecting civilization, defined culture as “the best that has been thought and said in the world” – a definition that emphasizes quality. In this context, many Western societies distinguish high culture from low culture.

High culture refers to those cultural activities that are often the domain of the elite or the well-to-do: ballet, symphony, opera, great literature and fine art. These activities sometimes are framed as international because supposedly they can be appreciated by audiences in other places, from other cultures, in different time periods. Their cultural value is seen as transcendent and timeless. To protect these cultural treasures, social groups build museums, symphony halls, and theaters.

In opposition to high culture is low culture, which refers to the activities of the non-elite: music videos, game shows, professional wrestling, stock car racing, graffiti art, TV talk shows, and so on. Traditionally, low-culture activities have been seen as unworthy of serious study – and so of little interest to museums or universities. The cultural values embedded in these activities were considered neither transcendent nor timeless.

In recent decades, however, this distinction has begun to break down. Although the distinction between high and low cultures has not disappeared. Although this practice is less pervasive than it once was, it continues to reinforce a predominantly European-elitist view of the world.

По материалам учебного пособия Stepykina Т. V. Theory of Communication: Interdisciplinary Approach : Manual for Master Students / T. V. Stepykina, I. V. Mygovych ; State Institution “Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University”. – Luhansk : Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University Press, 2012. – 448 с.

Exercise 2. Write down the transcription of the key words and practice them aloud

II. Reading and comprehension tasks

Exercise 2. Answer the following questions:

1. How many definitions of culture are distinguished?
2. What aspects do they emphasize?
3. What definition of culture is traditionally the most widely accepted one? Who does it belong?
4. What is the understanding of culture in social psychology?
5. How do you understand the statement that culture functions largely at a subconscious level?
6. In what way can the definitions of culture serve particular interests?
7. What aspect of culture as “the best that has been thought and said in the world” is underlined?
8. Do you agree that cultural value can be seen as transcendent and timeless? In what way?
9. How does the distinction between high and low cultures reinforce a predominantly European-elitist view of the world? Will it ever disappear, in your view?

Exercise 3. Supply the missing words:

1. The XIX-century … and poet Matthew Arnold, who expressed … with protecting civilization, defined culture as “the best that has been thought and said in the world” – a definition that … quality. In this context, many … societies … high culture from low culture.Culture functions largely … level. In this…, trying to understand our own culture is like trying to … to a fish that it lives in water.
2. According to a more … definition, culture is 1) that set of … which distinguishes Homo sapiens as a species and which is fundamental to its mode of …; 2) the learned, … product of all social life; 3) the …. of thought, action, and value that characterize the members of a society or social group.
3. In 1952, … Arthur Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn categorized … 150 definitions of culture. Some … culture as a… patterns of thought and beliefs; others viewed culture … a set of behaviors; still others … on the …aspects of human life or on the material aspects of ….
4. Because there are many …definitions of culture, and because it is a … concept, it is important to … the centrality of culture in our own ….
5. … culture refers to those cultural activities that are often the … of the elite or the …: ballet, symphony, opera, great literature and fine art.

6. These activities sometimes are framed as … because … they can be appreciated by audiences in other places, from other …, in different time periods.

III. Follow up activities:

Exercise 1. List all the problems touched upon in the texts.

Exercise 2. What do you think? Give a reason for your opinion:

1.  Do you back up the division of culture into high and low?
2.  What common uses of the term culture distinguished by Wen Shu Lee is closer to your understanding?

Exercise 3. Write a paragraph on the topic. Use the text and extra materials