Cultural relativism vs ethnocentrism. Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism 2022-11-01
Cultural relativism vs ethnocentrism Rating:
7,9/10
1354
reviews
Cultural relativism and ethnocentrism are two opposing concepts that pertain to the way in which individuals perceive and evaluate the cultural practices and beliefs of others. Cultural relativism is the idea that the beliefs, values, and practices of a culture should be understood and evaluated within their own context, rather than in comparison to the standards of another culture. In contrast, ethnocentrism is the tendency to view one's own culture as superior to others and to judge other cultures based on the standards of one's own culture.
Advocates of cultural relativism argue that all cultures are equally valid and that it is important to understand and respect the cultural practices of others, even if they differ from our own. This view is based on the idea that culture is a complex system of beliefs, values, and practices that are shaped by a variety of factors, including history, geography, and social and economic conditions. As such, it is important to consider the specific context in which a culture has developed, rather than making judgments based on our own cultural biases.
One of the main arguments in favor of cultural relativism is that it promotes tolerance and understanding between different cultural groups. By recognizing and respecting the cultural practices of others, we can learn to appreciate the diversity of human experience and the different ways in which people live and think. This can help to foster a sense of mutual understanding and cooperation between different cultural groups and can ultimately contribute to a more peaceful and harmonious society.
However, some critics of cultural relativism argue that it can be used to justify harmful or oppressive cultural practices. For example, cultural relativism could be used to defend female genital mutilation or honor killings, which are practices that are widely considered to be human rights violations. In these cases, cultural relativism may be used to justify these practices on the grounds that they are part of a culture's tradition, even though they may be harmful or oppressive.
Ethnocentrism, on the other hand, is the belief that one's own culture is superior to others and that the practices and beliefs of other cultures should be judged based on the standards of one's own culture. Ethnocentrism can lead to a narrow-minded and judgmental attitude towards other cultures and can contribute to misunderstandings and conflicts between different cultural groups.
Despite the potential drawbacks of cultural relativism, it is generally considered to be a more useful and ethical approach to understanding other cultures. By recognizing and respecting the cultural practices of others, we can learn to appreciate the diversity of human experience and can ultimately contribute to a more peaceful and harmonious society. In contrast, ethnocentrism tends to lead to misunderstandings and conflicts between different cultural groups and can contribute to a narrow-minded and judgmental attitude towards others.
Cultural Relativism Versus Ethnocentrism Philosophy Essay
Ethnocentrism Examples Here are some examples of ethnocentrism. Yasu received warm welcome from the Somali tribes there, especially Bartire and Abaskuul Jidwaaq-Absame. The second mildest form is excision, this is when the clitoris is removed and the labia minora are cut. Given that Zahra is a cultural relativist, she does not judge her friend but rather learns about why her friend and her family paint their faces. American Sociological Association: William G.
Difference Between Cultural Relativism and Ethnocentrism
This can lead us to actively despise other groups and, at times, to try to harm them. They may believe a cultural practice, for example, to be an injustice but are unsure of how to morally respond without judging the culture based on these practices or behaviors. Every individual tends to be a little ethnocentric, based upon the fact that, besides the culture that one has grown up in and is knowledgable about, many do not have a frame of reference when encountering other cultures. People with different backgrounds can help each other see possibilities that they never thought were there because of limitations, or cultural proscriptions, posed by their own traditions. War and genocide could be the devastating result if a group is unwilling to change their ways of living or cultural practices.
In November last year, Abiy launched the war against Tigray. Cultural relativism is the positive attitude or concept while ethnocentrism is the negative side. Tekle has deported Gallas Oromo from other regions in Ethiopia and brought in the Somali region to cultivate the pasture lands of North-east of Jigjiga. This notion is also associated with What is Cultural Relativism Cultural relativism is the notion that cultural norms and values derive their meaning within a specific social context. What is ethnocentrism and cultural relativism? Cultural Relativism In 'Avatar' After analyzing cultural relativism over the semester, I have come to the conclusion that cultural relativism under anthropological analysis defines every single culture with some aspect of worth as viewed by an individual within that society. A relativist approach has its limits, and these boundaries are drawn at cross-cultural universals.
Cultural Relativism vs. Ethnocentism Essay Example
Many practices have drawn criticism over the years. Tigray rule also pioneered the federal architecture which conglomerated over 80 communities in Ethiopia, so each community can exercise their own language, and should have their own special forces. What is the role of ethnocentrism in society? This idea talks about the different cultures three in particular; Greeks, Callatians, and the Eskimos. To a lesser extent, this same debate arises around the circumcision of baby boys in Western hospitals. The threat is that once the relationship occurs, one can no longer claim that any single culture is the absolute truth. What is ethnocentrism and why is it bad? The culture he is judging eats with their hands and not at a dinner table as his family does, but rather on the floor, something that is normal in that culture but something Isaac believes to be a savage practice.
There are three main stages of ethnocentrism: 1 denial individual experience ; 2 defence now there are able to recognize that the difference between cultures, but in a way, they protect their own interest ; 3 minimization we are all a human, everyone its same, like me. Cultural Relativism - Writing Prompts Poster Prompt 1: Create a poster or some other type of graphic organizer that defines culture and then describes ethnocentrism and cultural relativism. Another language people share is English. The governor used to distribute the share he gets to his household and soldiers. Multiple forms of discrimination against members of different societies have denied people their human rights and fundamental freedoms. What can we learn from cultural relativism? Ethnocentrism is defined as the attitudes of a culture that believes they are superior to others based on a specific culture's race, ethnicity, or nationality. Practices such as female genital mutilation and cannibalism are abhorrent from an ethnocentric, western point of view; however relativist thinking requires greater analysis and debate as to whether such abhorrence is purely ethnocentric, or whether such practices break cross-cultural universals.
Culture Shock: Ethnocentrism And Cultural Relativism (essay)
Amhara always advocates to shifting from Federalism and re-introducing unitary system under their favor, while Tigray prefers the federal architecture which Ethiopia adopts since 1994 where each community have the right to exercise self-administration. Retrieved April 16, 2014, from Dictionary. When I traveled to Punta Cana In December of 2016 for my best friends 16th birthday, I definitely felt a Culture Shock. The Challenge of Cultural Relativism. A cultural relativist maintains the post-modernist view that there is no moral or cultural high-ground with which to judge one culture in relation to another, thus each culture must be understood from its own perspective, and within its own context. Difference Between Similar Terms and Objects.
In contrast, cultural relativism is the notion that a culture should be understood on its own terms, not using standards of another culture. Copy to Clipboard Reference Copied to Clipboard. It basically refers to judging other groups from our own cultural point of view. Conclusion The main difference between ethnocentrism and cultural relativism is the way in which you evaluate or assess foreign culture. Emperor Menelik chose this young boy who was 13 years old as his heir while Menelik was in a critical healthy situation. Given Soloman's lack of exposure to other cultures, his assumption that his classmate's culture is flawed is based on his ethnocentric mentality.
A very popular, traumatic example of ethnocentrism is history to occur happened during Nazi Germany. For example, taking an extreme relativist position, one cannot oppose any culturally-accepted forms of homicide, such as infanticide Textbook 301. At the society levels, ethnocentrism deters the interaction among people of different cultures, ethnic groups, gender and age. Every person is most likely ethnocentric, given the fact that aside from the culture one embodies, there is a lack of a frame of reference when it comes to being exposed to other cultures. These are learned customs that are passed down from generation to generation. If you happen to violate these folkways you may result in receiving mild punishments.
Unfortunately, Amhara had received a peerless support from the British and the church in Egypt, and ultimately Yasu was arrested and died in prison at Harar district for unfathomable reasons. People with different backgrounds can help each other see possibilities that they never thought were there because of limitations, or cultural proscriptions, posed by their own traditions. Cultural relativism is actually a popular notion in modern society. Ethnocentrism may not, in some circumstances, be avoidable. As a final thought, the cause of concern today is the fact that the ethnocentric attitude is still present in many individuals. When studied by anthropologists, cultural relativism is employed to give all cultures an equal Cultural Relativism The Challenge of Cultural Relativism Argument The Challenge of Culture Relativism written by James Rachels argues the downsides and upsides to the idea of Cultural Relativism.
