Deck 5: D: Culture

Question 1

Discuss the results of the Canadian Values Study in terms of how Canadian values compare with values in other advanced democracies,with a view to main similarities and differences.

Answer 1

Answers will vary by student.
1.The Canadian Values Study found that while Canadian values are largely similar to those of other advanced democracies,there are some interesting differences.According to the study,89 percent of Canadians said that they believed in God;in contrast,the World Values Survey found comparable figures of 96 percent in the United States,95 percent in India,94 percent in Italy,72 percent in Britain,and 62 percent in France.However,when asked whether religious leaders should try not to influence government decisions,67 percent of Canadians agreed (with similar levels seen in India,Italy,and Britain),compared with only 51 percent of Americans.Another interesting finding was how values relating to welfare systems vary around the world.While Canadians are generally assumed to support a strong social safety net,60 percent of the study's respondents agreed with the view that "People who don't get ahead should blame themselves,not the system."
Further,when asked to select from a list of 10 qualities they would encourage their children to have,only 53 percent of Canadians selected "hard work" compared to 86 percent in China,85 percent in India,61 percent in the United States,39 percent in Britain,36 percent in Italy,and 23 percent in Germany.Clearly,working hard to achieve material comfort at the possible expense of other activities is more important in some areas of the world than in others.This trend continues when the value of competition is considered.Sixty-eight percent of Canadian respondents reported that competition was good.This compares quite closely to Americans at 71 percent,Chinese at 70 percent,and Germans at 64 percent,with British at 57 percent,Italians at 55 percent,Indians at 48 percent,and French at 45 percent.
The survey results indicate that while Canadian values are largely consistent with other industrialized nations,there are also some notable cultural differences.

Question 2

What three different sources do social scientists generally consider for inspiring cultural change? Define each of them,and describe how they affect society.Provide examples to support your definition for each.

Answer 2

Discovery occurs when something previously unrecognized or understood is found to have social or cultural applications.Historically,discovery involved findings from the natural world-for example,fire and gravity.
Invention/innovation occurs when existing cultural items are manipulated or modified to produce something new and socially valuable.The differences between invention and innovation may appear slight,but the distinction is important.Invention refers to creating something completely new that has not existed before-for example,Marconi's (1874-1937)device that received the first transatlantic wireless communication at Signal Hill in St.John's,Newfoundland,in 1901.Innovation refers to manipulating existing ideas or technologies to create something new,or to applying them to something for which they were not originally intended-for example,the carbon filament in light bulbs was replaced when the much more trustworthy and long-lasting tungsten filament was used.
Diffusion occurs when cultural items or practices are transmitted from one group to another.Consider,for example,the influence that American media have on cultural practices throughout the world.Canadian sociologist Marshall McLuhan understood the power of media and their ability to transcend geopolitical borders when he coined the phrase "global village." While telecommunications have made the world feel like a smaller place,American mass media have also promoted a "culture of thinness" that has diffused throughout popular culture.
Examples will vary by student.

Question 3

Develop an essay that explores an aspect of Canadian culture that interests you using all three of the major theoretical perspectives.

Answer 3

Answers will vary by student.
Three perspectives: functionalism, conflict theory, symbolic interactionism

Question 4

What are cultural universals and what is their function in human societies? Give three examples and explain,from a functionalist perspective,what function each cultural universal serves.

Question 5

Why are symbolic interactionists incapable of capturing oppression and discrimination in society? Compare this with structural functionalism;does structural functionalism fare better than symbolic interactionists when it comes to capturing oppression and discrimination? Provide examples to support your answer.

Question 6

Compare and contrast functionalist and conflict theory approaches to culture.How does symbolic interactionism broaden our understanding of culture?

Question 7

Explain how Canadian culture has been shaped by its diverse geographical settings,history,and social circumstances.Give an example of each.

Question 8

Discuss the Aboriginal residential school system using a conflict approach to culture.

Question 9

Examine Aboriginal residential schools from a functionalist perspective.What concern would be raised by this viewpoint? Do you agree or disagree with the functionalist perspective? Why or why not? Provide examples to support your answer.