Society and Culture

The Concept ‘Society’

The largest group to which one belongs is
called ‘society”.
Different ways in which the term is used:
1. Society is a collection of people living in
the same geographical area over time.
2. Society is also used to describe the
lifestyles of the wealthy.
3. Society is a guide to behaviour.
 Characteristics
• A shared common purpose
• A defined territorial space
• Continuity over time and space
• Citizenship within a space
 Popular Meaning of Society
• Information society - a society within which maximum
use is made of ICTs. The way information is managed,
stored and communicated influence people in ways that
change relationships. (techno- immigrant vs. techno-
native).
• Learning society – a society in which emphasis is placed
on continuous learning from one’s experiences.
• Civil society – where society is seen as the place where
citizens abide by the law and laws are applied evenly to
all.
 The Framework of Society
1. Social institutions (intangible)
the largest possible ‘groups’ in society
(examples – the economy, education,
politics, religion and family).
Sociologists regard them as ‘groups’ of
cherished ideas and beliefs and how we
want our lives organized.
2. Social Organizations (tangible)
groups formed in society because of ideas
and beliefs held about different aspects of
social life. (examples – extended family,
types of schools, churches, political
systems).

Does society influence behaviour?

 The Concept ‘Culture’
The different ‘senses’ of culture:
1. Popular culture refers to music, art and craft, festivals, literature,
design, film etc. promoted mainly by the mass media
2. Culture as learned behaviour where members have shared
meaning about something, such as, language.
3. Culture as a way of life of a people, for example, celebrating.
4. Sub-culture refers to a set of values and attitudes shared by a
specific group within a larger group.

Definition
Culture is the accumulated store of symbols, ideas and materials
products associated with a social system, whether it be an
entire society or a family (Johnson, 1995).
.
 Divisions of Culture
1. Material culture
Products such as:
• artefacts, artistic expression
• culinary skills, processes
• architecture, technologies
• family rearing practices
• economic organization
2. Non-material culture
Represents cherished ideas, beliefs values
and norms that are expressed in
behaviour and material objects.

How is society related to culture?

 Values, Norms and Behaviour
Cultural values are ideas shared by the society
about how something is ranked in terms of its
relative social worth or goodness.
Norms are standards of behaviour that are
culturally accepted and which emerge from the
set of cultural values people share. Norms
invoke a range of sanctions and rewards that are
conferred on members of society according to
their behaviour.
The behaviours of people demonstrate whether or
not they have accepted the values and norms.
 Caribbean Culture
Norms Cultural Value
‘dropping in’ by friends
and family without prior informality
notice
cooking more than is
needed ‘just in case’ hospitality
someone drops by
Having relatives come to family as a support
stay for extended system
periods
Norms of behaviour Cultural values

1. Children being brought up by Kinship/strong family ties and

grandparents when parents responsibilities.
migrate
2. A feeling of being apart and Uniqueness/superiority/ insularity
different from other Caribbean
territories
3. Children living with their parents ???????????????
well past their 20s
4. Keeping elderly at home for as ????????????????
long as possible to be cared for by
relatives
Factors Shaping Caribbean Society
and Culture
• The near genocide of aboriginal peoples
• Common experiences of slavery, indentureship and the plantation
system
• Cultural diversity, social stratification and hybridization
• Colonial rule, and the legacy of a ‘colonial mentality’
• Problems of definition – the label ‘Caribbean” is applied to some
countries without a Caribbean coastline
• The archipelagic nature of the Caribean
• Dependent economies
• A ‘culture’ of migration to metropolitan countries and positive
feelings for things foreign
• Syncretism of Caribbean cultural practices with those of other
countries
QUESTION:
How do people learn values?
 Cultural Erasure, Retention and
Renewal – The Role of Values
• The erasure of cultural practices is often a gradual
process and usually stems from an on-going conflict
between traditional ways of doing things in the society
and newer methods
• Cultural retention results from a deliberate desire to keep
traditions alive so that some groups would be able to
preserve their sense of identity.
• Cultural renewal refers to efforts to salvage parts of the
past by fashioning new practices based on the old. They
stem from a feeling that there is much of value in what
has been neglected, that could have been almost
erased.
• Changes in the underlying values of a
society over time influences changes in
material culture. Hence, valuing a modern
way of life based on a western model of
consumer items and an urban lifestyle
effectively changes Caribbean culture.
Some practices may be erased, some
retained and some renewed in this
process.
• References:
Hillman, Richard. S. & D’Agostino, Thomas.
J. (2003). Understanding the
Contemporary Caribbean. Jamaica: Ian
Randle Publishers.
Reid. Ruel. B. (2002). Caribbean Studies.
Jamaica: RBReid.