Role of Culture

Daniesha Bailey

I.D: 2101010204

Faculty of Education, Moneague College

SS202SEB: Cultural Studies

Bachelors in Primary Education: Part Time

Lecturer: Mr. Fraser

February 7, 2023
 Teachers’ Colleges of Jamaica

Cultural Studies

COURSEWORK ASSESSMENT SEMESTER II (2022/2023) Assignment 1: ESSAY (15%)

(Role of Culture)

According to O’Brien and Taylor (2020), governments and arts organizations promote the idea

or notion that “Culture will keep you fit and healthy. Culture will bring communities together.

Culture will improve your education”, but instead “we need to be cautious about culture” (Cover

copy, Culture is Bad for you, O’Brien and Taylor, 2020)

Present arguments along with supporting evidence to illustrate the extent to which the

above may be proven or disputed. (30 marks)

Rubric

- At least 4 valid arguments are presented = 4 marks

- Adequate evidence to support the arguments are presented (using real or hypothetical

situations, research or literature) = 20 marks

- Referencing = 3 marks - Language = 3 marks

 The Role of Culture

A people without the knowledge of their history, origin, and culture is like a tree without

roots (Garvey,n.d.).Language, religion, lifestyle, and other aspects of a people's collective

identity define culture. The arts, music, language, social mores, and food customs are all parts of

culture. The cultures of people in societies vary, but there are some similarities as well, different

aspects of the culture, including attire, cuisine, religion, and numerous other aspects. One of the

main reasons why culture is so important is due to the stability it provides for so many people.

It creates a sense of security and safety for individuals as it gives them a united and unified

sense of belonging. For the majority of people, culture gives them the same feeling and

emotional responses as they have toward their family. Culture creates an instant connection

between strangers who have never met before and provides an initial foundation for them to

build a strong relationship (Culture black pool, 2021). Culture is the building block for life, it

sets society's standards, it sets our standards, and everything we know is all because of our

culture, therefore I agree with the statement: culture serves many roles: it keeps you fit and

healthy, it brings communities together, and it improves education, as such we must culturally

aware.

Cultural Wellness or cultural well-being is one role of culture, this is recognizing and

respecting the culture and life experiences of others and taking the time to intentionally

empathize with, understand, and respect other perspectives. Having a profound awareness of

your culture and life experiences and understanding how they influence your value system,

worldview, and practices. A healthy culture acknowledges the shared beliefs, values, standards,

and attitudes that define your objectives (Kohll, 2017). The most significant benefit of a healthy

culture is that it fosters well-being, joy, productivity, and positive results.

 Cultural resources such as art, music, and other creative teaching tools can help improve

health and well-being, according to a study conducted in New York, low-income communities

and neighborhoods with cultural resources are healthier, safer, and smarter than areas with fewer

cultural resources. The study also concluded that culture is an important component of a healthy

community because of the perspective it provides. (Kay, 2021). When we hear the word culture,

we typically think of tradition rather than how it might affect our health and well-being.

However, it contributes significantly to other facets of our health and is necessary for achieving

overall wellness (Health Fitness Revolution, 2020). A positive sense of belonging and identity

can be created by being able to connect with and accept people from different cultural

backgrounds, which has a positive impact on your mental health and sense of well-being.

Accepting, appreciating, and even enjoying the many cultural ways that people connect is part

of cultural well-being. One indicator of cultural well-being is how much you value and preserve

your cultural identities. The cornerstones of cultural well-being include respecting all

perspectives and experiences and holding that everyone deserves a seat at the table. Everyone

has their own set of beliefs and traditions that help to make life meaningful. In terms of nutrition,

many different cultures can provide what another culture does not (Holmes, 2015). Thus,

understanding and incorporating the positive aspects of different cultures into one's lifestyle can

be aided by knowledge of a variety of cultural cuisines. Culture encompasses many aspects of

life, including ethnicity, gender, income, and educational level, as well as values that influence

your health.

Today, it's critical to find ways to connect with others to gain a better understanding of

those around you. When differences seem to dominate today's culture, it can be beneficial to find

similarities, make connections, and bridge worlds. Communities are kept together by culture,
which serves as the social glue that binds them together and helps to create social value. Cultural

activities like festivals, fairs, and classes promote social cohesion and unity by bringing people

together, fostering social inclusion, community empowerment, capacity-building, and increasing

confidence, civic pride, and tolerance (Wolf, 2013).

It is beneficial to have some perspective and understanding of other people's cultures when

working with them and building relationships with them. However, agreeing that culture brings

communities together, it's also important to remember how much we share people have very

different perspectives on the world, but they all know what it's like to wake up in the morning

and look forward to the adventures of the day.

Culture contributes to the development of appealing town narratives and distinct brands with

distinct selling points for tourists and business investors. Culturally rich neighborhoods boost

competitiveness by attracting talent and businesses. Cultural heritage also contributes to rural

development by promoting tourism, community renewal, and farmstead preservation. It is

essential to the vitality of all communities. Research in the United States has revealed direct links

between culture and community revitalization in Chicago neighborhoods. Social networks

formed as a result of community-based arts initiatives resulted in direct economic benefits for the

neighborhood, such as new uses for existing facilities and new jobs for local artists. (Long &

Sandle, 2015)

The world is becoming more diverse, with people of various religions, languages,

economic groups, and cultural groups. It is becoming clear that to build communities that are

successful at improving conditions and resolving problems, we must understand and appreciate

many cultures, form relationships with people from other cultures, and form strong alliances with

different cultural groups. Culture contributes to the development of social capital, the glue that
holds communities together and tolerance (Long & Sandle, 2015). Cultural activities such as

festivals, fairs, and classes foster social solidarity and cohesion by bringing people together,

fostering social inclusion, community empowerment, capacity-building, and boosting

confidence.

Incorporating culture into community development can take many forms. Culture can

serve as the focal point for tourism and other efforts centered on the promotion, preservation, or

enhancement of local or regional culture (Brenan, 2020). Culture gives communities and

residents a sense of identity, this identity facilitates shared understandings, traditions, and values,

all of which are essential for developing action plans to improve well-being, and help to foster a

sense of solidarity It influences the community's willingness to work together to address specific

needs and problems.

In addition, Culture and education are two inseparable parameters and they are

interdependent. The primary goal of education is to bring civilization into society, and if

education fails to bring about enhancement and well-being, it is considered to be of no utility, in

contrast, Culture is very important in man's life it can assist an individual in adjusting to the

natural and social environment, developing an individual's personality, socialization of the

individual, proper use of freedom, understanding other cultures, and understanding the proper

meaning of liberality (Mathews, 2020).

Culture has a significant impact on how children learn and succeed in school. Children who

come from homes with strong cultural values and traditions are more likely to succeed in school

than those who do not. Schools can also have a big influence on a child's cultural development.

Cultural enrichment and cross-cultural understanding opportunities are more likely to foster
successful learners. Another role of culture that we ought to agree with is that it contributes to

education.

Education and culture are inextricably linked. The educational patterns of a society are

defined by its cultural pattern. For example, if a society has a spiritual pattern of culture, the

educational patterns will also emphasize the moral and spiritual values of life. Any society

devoid of culture will lack a definite educational organization. As a result, any society's cultural

pattern will have a strong influence on its educational pattern. The ultimate relationship between

culture and education is evident from the fact that one of the major facts is that education

influences an individual's cultural heritage. Individuals should learn cultural values and norms

through education to help society progress (Kapur, 2018).

It is important to remember why culture is so important in education and the benefits it can

have on students both now and in the future. Students are exposed to a variety of cultural and

social groups, which aids in the preparation of students to become better citizens in their

communities. These culturally responsive teaching strategies will assist you in increasing cultural

awareness in the classroom (Holmes, 2021). Students who learn about different cultures in

school feel more at ease and safe dealing with these differences later in life. This enables them to

interact in a broader range of social groups and to feel more confident in themselves and their

interactions with others.

Culture and education are inseparable and yet complementary with multiple points of

interaction. Culture paves the way for education while education is responsible for flavoring the

cultural values in life. Therefore, both have to be interwoven in various ways. A sense of pride in

our culture has to manifest itself through all the stages of an individual’s growth.
 Finally, “Being culturally aware is a way of coping with the world by defining it in detail.”

(Bradbury,n.d.). Cultural awareness entails increasing people's understanding of how our culture

influences how we do things, such as how we communicate, what foods we eat, and even how

we go about our work. Being culturally aware entails understanding why cultural diversity is

important and accepting that not everyone will act in the same way that we do. Two main

reasons to be culturally aware: First, understanding the foundations of our own beliefs, actions,

and reactions to others allows us to gain a much deeper understanding of ourselves. Second,

perhaps more importantly, we live in a world where many different cultures influence one

another's beliefs and behavior. While you may not be intimately familiar with other cultures, if

you understand your own culture and how it affects you, you will be well on your way.

The greatest benefit of cultural awareness is that it allows us to communicate effectively with

people from other cultures. We may misjudge people from other cultures due to a lack of cultural

awareness. However, a lack of cultural awareness can cause numerous difficulties in

communicating with and understanding the intentions of others. (Mississippi College, 2021).

As a result, cultural awareness facilitates communication and the development of strong

relationships with others.

Cultural awareness is becoming increasingly important in today's modern world. By being

culturally aware, we can highlight diversity in a variety of meaningful and beautiful ways.

Cultural awareness is the recognition and understanding that we all have different values that are

shaped by our diverse cultural backgrounds. Cultural awareness facilitates travel around the

world. It enables us to recognize and understand the differences. Culture is one of the best ways

to learn about our planet. Although traveling is an excellent way to learn about different cultures

from their geographical origins, you don't have to travel far to become immersed in new cultures
(Maria, 2021). Other cultures can be explored by seeking to understand new ideologies, listening

to various types of global music, trying new foods, reading folklore stories, and watching forging

films. All of these activities allow you to appreciate both the differences and the similarities

between various cultures.

Being aware of different cultures helps us avoid offending others. We can work more

effectively across cultural lines during this process. We gain a better understanding and a broader

perspective of various cultures. As a result, we can form deeper bonds with people all over the

world.

To summarize, the term "culture" can be defined and interpreted in a variety of ways. In social

contexts, it is frequently used broadly to represent entire ways of life. Culture has been described

as "an entire society's way of life. “Cultural awareness facilitates effective communication and

globalization. Accepting, valuing, and even celebrating the various cultural ways people interact

in the world is part of cultural wellness. One indicator is how much you value and preserve your

cultural identities. Education is fundamentally cultural in that it is influenced by the

environment, history, and identity. Culture in the community fosters a sense of belonging and

social connectedness. It can also add meaning and purpose to daily life.
 References

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