Ethnocentrism: Out-Groups And Ethnic Groups

The findings of E.E. Evans-Pritchard serve as an example of the importance of ethnographic fieldwork and cultural relativism. People have an inherent tendency to drift towards ethnocentrism if they do not keep an open mind about the legitimacy of foreign cultural ideas. Enculturalization occurs from the very beginning of one’s life. When one grows up in a culture that praises traits that are deemed as beneficial and discourages behaviors that are seen as harmful, one tends to develop similar beliefs on these traits and behaviors. Different cultures encourage different outlooks on society. This is the result of the environment a culture exists in. In many tribal societies, one of the primary influences on culture is the physical environment. However, in technologically-advanced societies that worry less about satisfying needs and more about fulfilling desires, social aspects are perhaps more significant. For example, note the difference between American and Japanese culture. American culture promotes individualism and free speech. Many Americans tote the Constitution and the Bill of Rights

In a world with many different cultures, ethnocentrism is a constant threat to society. When horrendous acts of racism, sexism , and disability discrimination are constantly the headlines of multiple news outlets. It is clear that the perils of ethnocentrism are now considered common things to happen. One example of have ethnocentrism was presented in the past would be in 1904 the Bronx Zoo had an exhibition containing a person from the Congo of Africa. The Aboriginals in Australia are also another good example of how ethnocentrism has developed. Lastly in early creation tales there is a common theme of that men are superior to women. Although ethnocentrism has been developing over centuries some immediate dangers include a variety of discrimination, and in result can cause an assortment of violence.

Ethnocentrism:(late 15th century). Individuals judge other groups relative to their own based on langue behavior customs and religion. When the Spaniards came to the new worlds they saw that the natives were more advanced in agriculture. The natives also had a different customs and languages. Ethnocentrism, or the idea of it, placed natives in forced labor and segregated them based on their customs.

Western ethnocentrism is a major reason for divisions amongst members of different ethnicities races and religious groups in society. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary ethnocentric individuals believe that the are better then other individuals for reasons based solely on their heritage, this practice is related to problems of both racism and prejudice. While many people may recognize the problems of ethnocentrism, they may often fail to recognize that ethnocentrism occurs everywhere and everyday at both political and social levels. To solidify the definition of ethnocentrism, looking at the present day politics of the United States is helpful. Ethnocentric discourses can be applied to examples and attitudes of the issue of the Western perception of the Middle East.

Ethnocentrism can be defined as judging another culture solely by the values and standards of one’s own culture. Racism is prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior. Chapter Five discusses different perspectives of Ethnocentrism and Racism by examining social and economic forces. In this paper, I will discuss my own experience with this topic as well as examining crucial issues that were pinpointed in the text. I will relate these issues in the text to current social problems that still arise in our society as well as social and economic factors that impact prejudice, discrimination, and oppression.

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Ethnocentrism emphasizes the assumption that ones culture is above anyone else's (Engberg,77). The text outlines that an ethnocentric may believe that others should follow their culture, thus those people would live a happier life, and others culture are less developed than their own. A real world example of ethnocentrism may be found when a Bay Area born teenager visits an amish town on the East Coast. The teen would be initially shocked of the orthodox way of living compared to the innovative and modern culture he lives in the Bay Area.

Having a strong identity is therefore not necessarily harmful to others, but it is often displayed across a broad spectrum. A positive feeling toward one’s own ethnic group and feeling of closeness to its customs, traditions, rituals, history and language could be regarded as ‘positive’ patriotism. But as soon as one has the perception that one’s ethnicity is threatened, negative perceptions against other groups typically start to surface. These feelings or perceptions are initiated through different processes. Initially there is a transfer of your own group’s negative characteristics onto others, passing on your own unwanted features onto the ‘other’, simply creating ‘we and them’, ‘good and

The belief by members of a social group that they are culturally distinctive and different to outsiders; their willingness to find symbolic markers of that difference (food habits, religion, forms of dress, language) and to emphasize their significance; and their willingness to organize relationships with outsiders so that a kind of ‘group boundary’ is preserved and reproduced

Throughout the first 8 weeks of class we have discussed a lot about ethnocentrism, the sophist, skepticism as well as a lot of different arguments. This essay is going to show what I have interpreted from the lectures and discussions. What is Ethnocentrism? Ethnocentrism by definition is “Our culture's tendency to twist our judgement in favor of homegrown beliefs and practices and against foreign alternatives” It is our culture's way of only being in favor of homegrown beliefs. Anything that isn't what they have grown up around is seen as not right or inappropriate. This is believing in the superiority of one’s ethnic group. An example of this would be that some people believe in spankings. It's something people have been doing for years in

In my observation of Walla Walla University I have seen ethnocentrism being a prominent part of the campus's culture. Ethnocentrism is a commonly used word in circles where ethnicity, inter-ethnic relations, and similar social issues are of concern. The definition of ethnocentrism is the belief that one's culture and way of life are superior of other groups. This causes judging among different groups and assumptions that there are inferior groups to your own. The roots of the word are ethnic and centrism, ethnic means cultural heritage and, centrism means to the central starting point. Put them together and ethnocentrism basically refers to judging other groups from our own cultural point of view. It's true "we reject those outside our group, our customs, our food, our traditions, our music, our religion, our beliefs and values." We think that our lifestyle is somehow much better than those of other societies. The questions I found out through my observation of WWU was why do people do this. I asked some people if they thought they were ethnocentric and the results showed that most people think that they are not ethnocentric, but are rather open minded to other cultures. As I will explain in my writing that this their response isn't true at all and that everyone is ethnocentric. There is no way not to be ethnocentric and it cannot be avoided. In my project I will cover examples of ethnocentrism in the Walla Walla University campus, describe the functions and dysfunctions

Ethnocentrism is a basic attitude expressing the belief that one?s own ethnic group or one?s own culture is superior to other ethnic groups or cultures, and that one?s cultural standards can be applied in a universal manner. The term was first used by the American sociologist William Graham Sumner (1840?1910) to describe the view that one?s own culture can be considered central, while other cultures or religious traditions are reduced to a less prominent role. Ethnocentrism is closely related to other attitudinal indicators for racism, xenophobia, prejudice, mental closure, and, more generally, an authoritarian personality structure. Ethnocentrism is widely used in research on social and political attitudes because it proves to be a very powerful and easily identifiable attitude that can be measured in a valid manner with a limited number of variables. Although ethnocentric prejudice can be directed toward one specific outsider group, empirical research reveals that usually ethnocentrism is generalized toward all outsider groups.

Within Western Culture, ethnocentrism is passed down from one generation to the next. This can be seen in many ways through the development of anthropology. It is also seen in the context of spiritual life and faith which the Western view has been imposed on many people groups throughout the world. It was not until anthropology changed from being a comparison of culture, an armchair approach, to a more historical particularism approach that we have been able to better appreciate different cultures. Aside from anthropological work, this understanding is vital for Christians everywhere. From this new anthropological approach, we as Christians must turn away from ethnocentrism and appreciate the way God moves through cultural context, specifically studies of language and kinship, in order to have a better understand each other and of who God is.

A. Ethnocentrism - The use of one’s own culture as a yardstick for judging the ways of other individuals or societies, generally leading to a negative evaluation of their values, norms, and behaviors.

What is ethnocentrism, and in today’s world is ethnocentrism still in existence; if so why. So, what is ethnocentrism, it’s simply making judgment as to one’s race or culture as to their beliefs, values, and customs to which they believe in; or what constitutes their lifestyles. In other words, believing that own race is superior over their own and thinking their better than anyone else; or above the rest (as to race); while judging their existence as to how we portray them. However, this belief has stemmed for centuries, and is nothing we have seen or already been a custom too; for it hasn’t showed much change over the past several decades. Therefore, meaning that “ethnocentrism is such a robust phenomenon that is was recognized as a