Culture and Civilization

• The society we live in is composed of people with discernible

characteristics. The groups or communities are associated with
some culture and civilization.

• Culture is the pattern of behavior of groups and is a part of

civilization. Civilization is a broader and complex concept in
which large aggregations of people came into existence. Culture
and Civilization coexist and are understood simultaneously.

• A change in culture or civilization leads to advancement in the

other. Civilizations can be saved from falling or failing through
strong cultures. Also, culture reaches new heights, and an
advanced state of human society is achieved through civilization.
What do you mean by culture?

• The way of living of a group of people transmitted from

generation to generation is referred to as the culture of that
particular group. Culture is the behavior and acceptable
standards among persistent social groups. It is acquired
through understanding knowledge, behavior, skills, art,
capabilities, values, attitudes and preferences. Culture
comes in by gaining knowledge about the surrounding
values and norms, resulting in heterogeneity.

• Culture refers to the composition of customs, traditions,

values, knowledge, and habits acquired over time. Cultural
norms or the standards of acceptable behavior serve as the
basis for guidelines for expectations in a social group.
Characteristics of culture include:
• Culture is learned and acquired through formal or informal
learning instead of being inherited .
• Culture is dynamic as it responds to the social-economic,
technical and political changes.
• Culture is shared socially with the members of the
community through social interaction, mainly the language.
Now we may point out to the following characteristics of
culture:

• (i) Culture is an acquired quality: Culture is not innate. Traits

learned through socialization, habits and thoughts are what
is called culture. Culture is learned. Any behavior which is
socially acquired is called learned behavior.

• (ii) Culture is social, not individual heritage of man: It is

inclusive of the expectations of the members of the groups.
It is a social product which is shared by most members of
the group.

• (iii) Culture is idealistic:

Culture embodies the ideas and norms of a group. It is
a sum-total of the ideal patterns and norms of
behavior of a group. It is the manifestation of human
mind in the course of history.
(iv) Culture is the total social heritage: Culture is
linked with the past. The past endures because it lives
in culture. It is passed from one generation to another
through traditions and customs.
(v) Culture fulfills some needs: Culture fulfills those
ethical and social needs of the groups which are ends
in themselves.
(vi) Culture is an integrated system:
Culture possesses an order and system. Its various parts are
integrated with each other and any new element which is
introduced is also integrated.
(vii) Language is the chief vehicle of culture: Man lives not
only in the present but also in the past and future. This he is
enabled to do because he possesses language which
transmits to him what was learnt in the past and enables him
to transmit the accumulated wisdom.

(viii) Culture evolves into more complex forms through

division of labour which develops special skills and increases
the interdependence of society’s members.
What is civilization?
• Civilization is the progressive state of human society, in line with
the advanced level of culture and standards. It is a stage of
cultural development and is limited to a few societies. Civilization
is an intricate entity having different elements. These elements
combine to form an image of a society or a nation. This image
becomes a notion of how the society or the nation is.

• Society categorizes it based on socio-economic factors, urban

development, government system, technology advancement,
social structure, religious system, language and food stability.

• It is a process where human existence can be developed socially

and culturally to a more advanced level.
Key traits of civilization:

• Advanced Cities – birthplaces of first civilizations

• Specialized Workers – growth of cities require more skilled
workers
• Complex Institutions – leaders, emerge to maintain the
order song people
• Record-Keeping – record maintenance is significant in a
complex economy
• Improved Technology – problem-solving tools and
techniques for a new emerging economy.
Culture V/S Civilization
• Culture exists within civilization as it is the behavioral aspect of some
individuals or groups, but civilization is a vast community that can be made up
of several cultures
• There is a considerable variation in the timeline of culture and civilization
• The culture was developed earlier than civilization
• Culture can exist without a certain civilization, but it cannot exist without a
certain culture
• Culture is present in tangible and intangible forms, whereas civilization has
various more or less tangible aspects.
• Culture transfers from generation to generation and thus cannot be said to be
advancing, but civilization is always evolving
• All societies consist of culture, but only a few comprises civilization
• Culture and civilization have different expansions
• Culture is a part of civilization whereas civilization combines various cultures
• There are no standards for measuring culture but civilization has an abstract
measurement standard.
Relation between Culture and Civilization
• Culture is a part of civilization. The community’s diverse culture acts as a
fragment to form a civilization. Culture and civilization are associated
with each other in that culture is a precondition for developing
civilization, and civilization represents a platform for cultural
advancement. Both are contingent, and change in either two leads to
variation in the other.

• Culture and civilization require some medium of expression, like society,

though tangible or intangible. There is a need for means to demonstrate
their existence; it can also be through actions, preferences, behavior, etc.
The culture and civilization of any nation or society define the people
living there. It helps other people to know them based on where they
come from. Like, the Indian culture is very rich, and we have a variety of
everything here. Most people from outside India love it and come to visit
it because of the culture here; to know more about the people.
In recent decades there has been an emphasis on the “thick
description” of culture and civilization, which forces us to believe that
cultures and civilizations are not essences floating in the air but directly
rooted in well-established geographical and cultural codes. They
encompass the political and religious conflicts of the times and are
increasingly given to incommensurability, relativism and perspectives.
But cultures, languages, civilizations and traditions cannot be
incommensurable.
 URBANIZATION
Urbanization, the process by which large
numbers of people become permanently
concentrated in relatively small areas, forming
cities. The definition of what constitutes a city
changes from time to time and place to place,
but it is most usual to explain the term as a
matter of demographics.
Key Points
• Urbanization may be driven by local and global economic and
social changes, and is generally a product of modernization
and industrialization.
• Urbanization has economic and environmental effects.
Economically, urbanization drives up prices, especially real
estate, which can force original residents to move to less-
desirable neighborhoods.
• Environmentally, cities cause “heat islands”, where less
vegetation and open soil raise city temperatures by 2 to 10
degrees Fahrenheit.
• Recently in developed countries, sociologists have observed
suburbanization and counter urbanization, or movement away
from cities, which may be driven by transportation
infrastructure, or social factors like racism.
Key Terms
• suburbanization: A term used to describe the growth of areas
on the fringes of major cities; one of the many causes of the
increase in urban sprawl.
• rural flight: A term used to describe the migratory patterns of
peoples from rural areas into urban areas.
• urbanization: The physical growth of urban areas as a result of
rural migration and even suburban concentration into cities.
• Counter urbanization: A demographic and social process
whereby people move from urban areas to rural areas.
• gentrification: A shift in an urban community toward
wealthier residents and/or businesses and increasing property
values; often resulting in poorer residents being displaced by
wealthier newcomers.Urbanization and rural flight
• Urbanization is the process of a population shift from
rural areas to cities. During the last century, global
populations have urbanized rapidly:
• 13% of people lived in urban environments in the year
1900
• 29% of people lived in urban environments in the year
1950
• One projection suggests that, by 2030, the proportion
of people living in cities may reach 60%.
Urbanization tends to correlate positively with
industrialization. With the promise of greater
employment opportunities that come from
industrialization, people from rural areas will go to cities
in pursuit of greater economic rewards.
• Another term for urbanization is “rural flight. ” In modern times, this flight often
occurs in a region following the industrialization of agriculture—when fewer people
are needed to bring the same amount of agricultural output to market—and related
agricultural services and industries are consolidated. These factors negatively affect
the economy of small- and middle-sized farms and strongly reduce the size of the
rural labor market. Rural flight is exacerbated when the population decline leads to
the loss of rural services (such as business enterprises and schools), which leads to
greater loss of population as people leave to seek those features.

• As more and more people leave villages and farms to live in cities, urban growth
results. The rapid growth of cities like Chicago in the late nineteenth century and
Mumbai a century later can be attributed largely to rural-urban migration. This kind
of growth is especially commonplace in developing countries.

• Urbanization occurs naturally from individual and corporate efforts to reduce time
and expense in commuting, while improving opportunities for jobs, education,
housing, entertainment, and transportation. Living in cities permits individuals and
families to take advantage of the opportunities of proximity, diversity, and
marketplace competition. Due to their high populations, urban areas can also have
more diverse social communities than rural areas, allowing others to find people
like them.
Economic and Environmental Effects of
Urbanization
• Urbanization has significant economic and environmental effects on cities and
surrounding areas. As city populations grow, they increase the demand for goods and
services of all kinds, pushing up prices of these goods and services, as well as the
price of land. As land prices rise, the local working class may be priced out of the real
estate market and pushed into less desirable neighborhoods – a process known as
gentrification.

• Growing cities also alter the environment. For example, urbanization can create
urban “heat islands,” which are formed when industrial and urban areas replace and
reduce the amount of land covered by vegetation or open soil. In rural areas, the
ground helps regulate temperatures by using a large part of the incoming solar
energy to evaporate water in vegetation and soil. This evaporation, in turn, has a
cooling effect. However in cities, where less vegetation and exposed soil exists, the
majority of the sun’s energy is absorbed by urban structures and asphalt. During the
day, cities experience higher surface temperatures because urban surfaces produce
less evaporative cooling. Additional city heat is given off by vehicles and factories, as
well as industrial and domestic heating and cooling units. Together, these effects can
raise city temperatures by 2 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit (or 1 to 6 degrees Celsius).
Causes, Effects and Solutions to Urbanization Leading
to Urban Growth
• It is a process whereby populations move from rural to urban
areas, enabling cities and towns to grow. It can also be termed
as a progressive increase in the number of people living in
towns and cities. It is highly influenced by the notion that cities
and towns have achieved better economic, political, and social
mileages compared to rural areas.

• Accordingly, urbanization is very common in developing and

developed worlds as more and more people have the tendency
of moving closer to towns and cities to acquire “privileged”
social and economic services as well as benefits. These include
social and economic advantages such as better education,
health care, sanitation, housing, business opportunities, and
transportation.
Various Causes of Urbanization
1. Industrialization

Industrialization is a trend representing a shift from the old agricultural economics to a novel non-
agricultural economy, which creates a modernized society. Through the industrial revolution, more
people have been attracted to move from rural to urban areas on account of improved employment
opportunities. The industrialization has increased employment opportunities by giving people the
chance to work in modern sectors in job categories that aids to stir economic developments.
2. Commercialization

Commerce and trade play a major role in urbanization. The distribution of goods and services and
commercial transactions in the modern era has developed modern marketing institutions and
exchange methods that have tremendously given rise to the growth of towns and cities.
Commercialization and trade come with the general perception that the towns and cities offer
better commercial opportunities and returns compared to the rural areas.
3. Social Benefits and Services
There are numerous social benefits attributed to life in cities and towns. Examples include better
educational facilities, better living standards, better sanitation and housing, better health care,
better recreation facilities, and better social life in general.
On this account, more and more people are prompted to migrate into cities and towns to obtain a
wide variety of social benefits and services which are unavailable in rural areas.
4. Employment Opportunities
In cities and towns, there are ample job opportunities that continually
draw people from rural areas to seek a better livelihood. Therefore, the
majority of people frequently migrate into urban areas to access well-
paying jobs as urban areas have countless employment opportunities in
all developmental sectors such as public health, education, transport,
sports and recreation, industries, and business enterprises. Services and
industries generate and increase higher value-added jobs, and this leads
to more employment opportunities.

5. Modernization and Changes in the Mode of Living

Modernization plays a very important role in the process of

urbanization. As urban areas become more technology savvy together
with highly sophisticated communication, infrastructure, medical
facilities, dressing code, enlightenment, liberalization, and other social
amenities availability, people believe they can lead a happy life in cities.
• In urban areas, people also embrace changes in the
modes of living namely residential habits, attitudes,
dressing, food, and beliefs. As a result, people
migrate to cities and the cities grow by absorbing
the growing number of people day after day.
6. Rural-urban Transformation
As localities become more fruitful and prosperous due
to the discovery of minerals, resource exploitation, or
agricultural activities, cities start emerging as the rural
areas transform into urbanism. The increase in
productivity leads to economic growth and higher
value-added employment opportunities.
This brings about the need to develop better
infrastructure, better education institutions, better
health facilities, better transportation networks, the
establishment of banking institutions, better
governance, and better housing. As this takes place,
rural communities start to adopt the urban culture
and ultimately become urban centers that continue to
grow as more people move to such locations in search
of a better life.
Effects of Urbanization on Our Cities

1. Positive Effects of Urbanization

Urbanization yields several positive effects if it
happens within the appropriate limits. Some of the
positive implications of urbanization, therefore,
include the creation of employment opportunities,
technological and infrastructural advancements,
improved transportation and communication, quality
educational and medical facilities, and improved
standards of living. However, extensive urbanization
mostly results in adverse effects. Below listed points
are a few of them.
2. Housing Problems
Urbanization attracts people to cities and towns which leads
to a high population increase. With the increase in the
number of people living in urban centers, there is a continued
scarcity of houses.

3. Overcrowding
Overcrowding is a situation whereby a huge number of
people live in a small space. This form of congestion in urban
areas is consistent because of overpopulation and it is an
aspect that increases day by day as more people and
immigrants move into cities and towns in search of a better
life. Most people from rural or undeveloped areas always
have the urge of migrating into the city that normally leads to
congestion of people within a small area.
4. Unemployment
The problem of joblessness is highest in urban areas and it is even higher
among educated people. It is estimated that more than half of
unemployed youths around the globe live in metropolitan cities. And, as
much as income in urban areas is high, the costs of living make the
incomes seem horribly low. The increasing relocation of people from
rural or developing areas to urban areas is the leading cause of urban
unemployment.
5. Development of Slums

The cost of living in urban areas is very high. When this is combined with
random and unexpected growth as well as unemployment, there is the
spread of unlawful resident settlements represented by slums and
squatters. The growth of slums and squatters in urban areas is even
further exacerbated by fast-paced industrialization, lack of developed
land for housing, a large influx of rural immigrants to the cities in search
of a better life, and the elevated prices of land beyond the reach of the
urban poor.
6. Water and Sanitation Problems
Because of overpopulation and rapid population increase in most urban
centers, it is common to find there are inadequate sewage facilities.
Municipalities and local governments are faced with serious resource crisis in
the management of sewage facilities. As a result, sanitation becomes poor
and sewages flow chaotically, and they are drained into neighboring streams,
rivers, lakes, or seas. Eventually, communicable diseases such as typhoid,
dysentery, plague, and diarrhea spread very fast leading to suffering and even
deaths. Overcrowding also highly contributes to water scarcity as supply falls
short of demand.

7. Poor Health and Spread of Diseases

The social, economic and living conditions in congested urban areas affects
access and utilization of public health care services. Slum areas in particular
experience poor sanitation and insufficient water supply which generally
make slum populations susceptible to communicable diseases.Environmental
problems such as urban pollution also cause many health problems namely
allergies, asthma, infertility, food poisoning, cancer and even premature
deaths.
8. Traffic Congestion
When more people move to towns and cities, one of the major
challenges posed is in the transport system. More people means an
increased number of vehicles which leads to traffic congestion and
vehicular pollution. Many people in urban areas drive to work and this
creates a severe traffic problem, especially during rush hours. Also as
the cities grow in dimension, people will move to shop and access other
social needs/wants which often cause traffic congestion and blockage.
9. Urban Crime
Issues of lack of resources, overcrowding, unemployment, poverty, and
lack of social services and education habitually lead to many social
problems including violence, drug abuse, and crime. Most of the crimes
such as murder, rape, kidnapping, riots, assault, theft, robbery, and
hijacking are reported to be more prominent in the urban vicinities.
Besides, poverty-related crimes are the highest in fast-growing urban
regions. These acts of urban crime normally upset the peace and
tranquility of cities/towns.
Bangladesh has a long history of urbanisation. In the third or fourth
century BC, a city like Pundranagar was formed here. Despite the long
history, Bangladesh is currently one of the least urbanised countries in the
world in terms of the population living officially in urban areas. Even at
the beginning of the twenty-first century, only 23 percent of the national
population lived in cities and towns. In 1941, less than 4 percent of the
total population of the country lived in cities and the urban population
was only 1.54 million. Since 1947, urbanisation has gained momentum in
this region. The population of urban areas increased significantly during
the period 1951-1961 as compared to 1941-1951. An important reason
for this rapid growth was the large-scale migration of Muslims from India
after 1947, who settled mainly in urban areas. This rapid urbanisation can
be explained by two factors. First, the migration of the poor from rural
areas to the cities in search of employment opportunities. According to
one estimate, in 1974, 38 percent of the total urban population came
from rural areas. Second, the socio-political changes that took place after
the liberation war of 1971 also affected urbanisation. Dhaka's new status
as the capital of independent Bangladesh was a major attraction.
In a small congested country like Bangladesh, a huge population is a concern
for the future. There are several reasons behind the rapid growth of urban
population in Bangladesh in the last three decades. These include high rates of
natural growth of the local urban population, geographical expansion of
existing urban areas and changes in its definition and migration from rural to
urban areas. Immigration has been the most influential factor in urban
population growth. The outward pressure of the countryside and the inward
pull of the city have worked behind the high rate of migration from rural to
urban areas. Large urban areas, especially Dhaka, have remained the main
attraction. Rural poverty and landlessness were among the main reasons
behind the migration from the countryside. Natural disasters, especially river
erosion, have often served as immediate causes. The urban attraction includes
real employment opportunities and socio-economic opportunities. The
pattern of urbanisation in a country occurs in response to existing
geographical, economic, social and political forces or influences. Since these
energies differ from one region to another, differences can also be observed in
the pattern of urbanization. Considering its different stages, based on urban
population, there are considerable differences between different districts of
Bangladesh. Dhaka is the most urbanised area in ​the country followed by
Narayanganj, Chattagram and Khulna.
• Unequal distribution of the urban population is omnipresent in
Bangladesh. There are many reasons for this, the most important
of which are: the size of cities and towns, various geographical
factors, the pace and layout of the development and the
development of infrastructure and communication networks.

• The Census Commission of Bangladesh has divided the country's

urban centres into four categories; Metropolis (megacity),
Statistical Metropolitan Area (SMA), municipalities and other
urban centres. A metropolis with a population of over 5 million is
called a megacity. There is only one megacity in the country, and
that is Dhaka.
• Despite the decentralisation policy announced by the government,
the concentration of industries in and around Dhaka is excessive.
For example, 75 per cent of the country's 4,107 export-oriented
garment factories are located in the Dhaka. This centralised
situation is also seen in the social service sector, business-trade,
education and financial sector.

• For example, most of the private universities established in the last

decade are located in Dhaka. A similar situation is visible in the
case of medical services and opportunities. Due to the presence of
a port, such concentration has taken place in Chattagram, the
second-largest city due to the large presence of indust
Urbanisation has proven to be an effective way for economic growth
and socio-economic development all over the world. Urbanisation
makes a significant contribution to the national economy. In
Bangladesh, this sector contributes more than 65 percent of the GDP.
From this it can be concluded that urbanisation is bringing welfare to
the economy of Bangladesh at the collective level. Urbanisation also
affects social development through higher literacy rates, improved
quality of education and better health indicators. Greater urbanisation
also contributes positively to cultural development. One of the
definite and positive results of the recent rapid urbanization in
Bangladesh is the employment of millions of women workers in the
industrial sector, especially in the ready-made garment sector in
Dhaka and Chattagram.
• Its positive effects have been observed, such as women's empowerment
and changes in demographic structure - including balancing the sex ratio
in urban areas. Opportunities in the intellectual, cultural and sports
arenas have increased, especially with the spread of urbanisation in
metropolitan areas and the fact that the capital Dhaka with increased
communication to the outside world and proof of this is the organization
of important conferences, seminars and symposiums, national and
international art exhibitions, concerts, concerts and sports competitions.

• Rapid urbanisation led to a rapid expansion of infrastructure and the

areas covered by agriculture and forestry fell under construction. At the
same time, under the pressure of growing population, agricultural lands
and forests and reservoirs are being evicted more rapidly.
• Rapid urbanisation also puts tremendous pressure on civic
services and utilities such as electricity, gas, water, sanitation,
sewerage, waste disposal, transportation, telecommunications,
cable connections, healthcare and education. Lack or
inadequacy of services and mismanagement in each of these
sectors has created a crisis.

• Rapid urbanisation has wreaked havoc on the city's

environment, which is currently visible in the capital. Its air,
water and soil are now dangerously polluted. Dhaka is
considered to be the most polluted megacity in the world.

• Sad but true, many of our cities are at risk of large-scale natural
disasters, such as floods, river erosion, and cyclones. Poverty
alleviation has also become more difficult as the urban
population has grown rapidly due to the migration of the rural
poor.
• As the 21st century is considered as a period of globalisation and a free-market
economy, its positive and negative effects are observed in both urban and rural areas of
Bangladesh. The urban areas of Bangladesh are now functioning as the metropolitan
centre of the developed world.

• Industries are set up in our cities so that the products produced in the developed world
can be exported. It makes a positive contribution to job creation and national income
growth. But at the same time, its environmental impact is visible inside and around the
city.

• Urbanisation in Bangladesh: Recent Trends and Challenges Historically known as a rural-

agrarian country, Bangladesh today is experiencing rapid transformation towards an
urban society. However, the style and nature of urbanisation in Bangladesh are not
necessarily similar to those in other countries. We are experiencing an extraordinary
mix of urban-rural functions and traits in both metropolitan cities and rural towns as
well as in villages.