Cultural Colonialism And The Concept Of Cultural Imperialism

Culture is one of the most relevant elements that can define not only a society but also a country’s cumulative beliefs and system. Often noted as the origins of a country, culture is definitive in the sense that it harbors all the elements that can provide justification on the traditions and norms set by the society for its members. More often than not, the society members follow norms in order to create a harmonious community, and the beliefs and the traditions serve as the poles or grounding rules for each member to follow. Culture is very dynamic in the way that it can change over a variety of foreign influences but what is permanent about it is that original elements about it often lingers with the influences, therefore making it multi-faceted and broad. More importantly, culture serves as an individual and unique trait each society has, and therefore sets it apart from other countries and other societies.

In our society today, culture is not what it used to be hundreds of years ago. There is no more “pure” culture. Our culture today is enriched with many different traditions and customs that are being shared and adopted. Due to emigration and immigration, a variety of diverse customs, beliefs, and knowledge moved with every exiting and entering human being. Thus, changing and shaping the culture of many. Throughout the world, the beliefs and religious views of culture are dissimilar around the world. By taking the time to read, listen and learn about certain people’s culture, there will be knowledge and understanding that will be gained.

Since the inception of human civilization there have been countless cultures and societies which have helped shape the current world today as we know it. The modern human race dates back more than 200,000 years and in that time frame many cultures have risen to great virtue and success only to deteriorate or cease to exist altogether. First before examining one of these cultures we must know what culture truly means. The Army’s Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Culture Center defines culture as a “dynamic social system,” containing the beliefs, behaviors, values and norms of a “specific organization, group, society or other collectivity” learned, shared, internalized, and changeable by all members of the society (Watson, 2010). In

Indeed, people consider their traditional beliefs when introduced to Western culture because it allows them to draw valuable lessons from cultural import and enforce their own principles and notions. However, there are instances in which this “cultural imperialism” separates individuals from their traditional beliefs, regardless of their cultural surroundings and efforts to prevent cultural assimilation, because in many situations

When a larger culture meets a smaller culture, the larger culture decides how to react to the smaller culture. The larger culture can leave the smaller culture alone, it can co-exist, or it can force the assimilation of the smaller culture trying to destroy it. The leader of a culture whether the smaller or larger, can abuse their power even though they mean to strengthen or simply maintain their people and culture. A smaller culture’s leader can misuse their power accidentally by trying to maintain the survival of their people, at the expense of their culture. In addition, a larger culture’s leaders can abuse their power over the smaller culture by forcing assimilation, and justifying their abuse of power. The article “From Rez Life” authored

The Kiowa are a Native American people who have been greatly impacted by cultural imperialism. They were forced to adapt to western culture, and in this many of the Kiowa people were converted to Christianity. Christianity is said to be a very important aspect of many Native American cultures still today, but the way in which Christianity is portrayed and practiced in such societies, including that of the Kiowa, stays true to both the religion itself and their Native practices. The Kiowa are said to have "kiowanized" Christianity. The Kiowa version of Christianity is said to differ from "' the white man's way.'" This means that they believe in God, integrate their culture and lifestyles into Christianity, and they also relay the importance of their religion in a different manner. They use their native language in their hymns, and these hymns are comprised primarily of those elements that pertain directly to Kiowa culture. In the text Lassiter states, "Kiowa hymns 'give life to a unique Kiowa experience, preserve the language, and affirm and ongoing (and continually unfolding) Kiowa spirituality.'" This reveals the effectiveness and importance of the integration of Christianity and native Kiowa practices.

Furthermore, cultural conflict reinforces cultural domination or ethno-centricity (Mayer, 2000). According to Mayer (2000), culture are common norms, values, practices, and

The authors of The Bridge Betrayed and The Buddhas of Bamiyan both identify a different form of cultural eradication that occurred in within the past twenty-five years. In Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Serbs and Croats wanted to destroy the Bosnian Muslim symbols, culture, and population. In Afghanistan, the Taliban destroyed the Buddhas of Bamiyan, and in turn, changed the identity of Bamiyan forever. The practice of cultural eradication is not limited to these two cases. Cultural eradication has taken place throughout history involving one group’s desire to transform, absorb, and destroy a particular culture and its’ values. The desire for destruction may seem similar, however, the individual agendas that drive the eradication vary in each instance. Michael Sells explores the nationalism that is expressed by the Serbs and Croats in Bosnia that he refers to as Christoslavism. Llewlyn Morgan discusses the Taliban’s iconoclastic and political motivations to destroy the Buddhas. Both examples ultimately analyze some of the many dimensions of cultural eradication in the world.

Right now violence and discrimination are happening between different cultures across the world. The lack of understanding and compassion to live among each other besides our differences has caused a clash in cultures, or contact zones. Every day a culture is being limited and belittled due to the perception of what others think it is. For thousands of years misinterpretations and stereotypes have been made about different cultures. During slavery, Africans were seen as uneducated, savage, and uncivilized because of their differences from American culture. Although the Africans had an entire culture established before America was even discovered, they were still seen as the “other”.

Culture is found everywhere. It is found in art, music, tradition, religion, language and law. Culture is hard to ignore, for it is the environment of a person’s upbringing, making us who we are as humans today. These three books, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and Learning to Bow, Inside the Heart of Japan by Bruce Feiler, discuss different cultures and the effects that cohabitation have on them. When two unfamiliar cultures cohabit both cultural groups are effected. Belief systems are challenge, perceptions continue to be predetermined and one when cultures work mutually to understand each other are there positive outcomes.

Permeating every aspect of society yet never openly spoken of, culture, on the surface is a collection of items, norms, thought processes, foods, rituals, and traditions which form the everyday experiences we face. The culture we reside within, gives a set of clear standards for those who reside within it as to how to act. Yet these “guidelines” though well established are not always taken as law. Within each society, is a schism between those who mind the “guidelines”, and those who

Culture is an important thing in our society.   Wherever you go, you will always see a slight change to a set of beliefs and way of life.   Yet, because of these changes, there can always be some sort of clash between two cultures.

    Many factors contributed to the colonization of Africa by European powers between 1895 and 1905. Among these factors were the effects of European history, the growing capitalist economy, and the growing competition between European powers. Most important was the belief that European culture was superior to African culture. During the height of imperialism, the vast majority of the African continent was controlled by Europe (ìExtentî 19). It is important to understand what gave the momentum for European dominance at the time.

The ‘conquest of the earth’ extends to the very beginning of the human story and is characterised by the innate, human desire to control and have power. Likewise, this notion of conquest has inevitably enabled composers to articulate, through various mediums, that imperialism has been a marked feature of our history. Throughout history, aspects of cultural and political imperialism have largely prompted exploitative and colonial attitudes, all of which are instilled with the false dichotomy between ‘civilisation’ and ‘savagery’, as well as the gradual loss of morality through the ‘unselfish belief’ in an ideology. The flawed nature of imperialism was exposed through many of the creative arts between late 19th century Europe, a time of growing

America has always been imperialistic. The existence of an imperialist America is a fact that cannot be denied. During the war between America and Spain, America illustrated its imperialistic views when it prompted the government to establish a plan to merge the remaining overseas territories: the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam. Also, America has been in the process of converting their domestic industries into a global empire, which has the potential to capture the world market, acquire natural resources from foreign sources, and sell its surplus industrial agriculture. Overall, America is imperialist and both historical and current events illustrate how America upholds imperialism, which comes several forms including military, economic