COMPONENTS OF

CULTURE AND SOCIAL

HARMONY, CULTURAL &
RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY
CULTURE
 Culture is “man made
environment”.
 Culture is the sum of total of the

learned behavior of a group of

people that are generally
considered to be the tradition of
that are transmitted from
generation to generation.
DEFINITION
According to Horton and Hunt:
Culture is every thing which is socially
learnt and shared by the members of a
society.
According to S. Koening:
Culture is the sum of total men’s efforts
to adjust himself to his environment and
to improve his modes of living.
COMPONENTS OF CULTURE
CUSTOMS
 Customs are traditions, values(principles), and
social standards of a society and established
practices.
 These help a society by indicating the rules of
behaviour which enforce ideas of right and
wrong.
 These can be traditions, rules, written laws, etc.
 E.g dining, greetings, gift giving,
communication style, naming a new born child
 RITUALS
 Rituals are processes or sets of actions that
are repeated in specific conditions and with
specific meaning.
 They may be used in such as when someone

is promoted or retires.
 They may be associated with company events

or special day.
 RELIGION
 Religion is another important
element of culture, which
describes a society’s morals and
beliefs about humanity’s
spirituality(rohaniat) and reason
for existing.
 LANGUAGE
 Language is a symbolic system through which
people communicate and through which
culture is written, acted and transmitted.
 Language is always evolving as societies

create new ideas.

 Rules of speaking and writing vary in every

language even within cultures.



NORMS
 Rules or expectations that are socially
enforced.
 There are different norms(asool),
standards(mayar) and expectations in
cultures for behaving.
 Norms are divided into two types:
 Formal Norms
 Informa Norms
 Formal norms also called mores
and laws considered most
important in any society.
 It includes traffic laws, criminal

codes, and, in a college context,

student behavior codes
addressing such things as
cheating and hate speech.
Informal norms also called folkways
and customs, considered less
important.
Table manners are a common
example of informal norms, as are
such everyday behaviors as how we
interact with a cashier and how we
ride in an elevator.
 SYMBOLS
 Symbols are type of nonverbal
communication, as well as material
objects.
 Every culture has many symbols, of

things that stand for something or show

reactions and emotions.
 The world is filled with symbols, like

sports uniform, school uniform, company

logo, gold ring and traffic signs are
symbols.
 RELIGIOUS: Eid, Christmas, Devali,
Eid Milad U nabi, Ashora etc.
 REGIONAL/CULTURAL: Mehndi,
Barat
 ATTITUDES: Attitudes are the
people’ judgments.
 These are formed by experiences

and even on the basis of external

information.
ESSENTIAL ASPECTS OF SOCIAL
HARMONY
EDUCATION
 Education plays a very crucial role in the
development of the social harmony in the
society.
 It should have a peace-building and
humanitarian approach and youth should be
educated and empowered through flexible
mindset rather than rigid mindset.
 MEDIA
 Media is considered as the fourth pillar of the
democracy which precisely serves the people
of the country.
 Its role is very crucial and important to

develop the social harmony.

 In order to bring social harmony media
should be self regulated, unbiased,
fair, accurate, and should follow the
ethic while gathering the news stuff.
 It should always use socially
acceptable language which shouldn’t
hurt the sentiments of people of any
community.
 ART
 Art is an important form of expression.
 It is also an important medium of

spreading the message of peace, hope

and brotherhood.
 Presently there are various forms of

Arts such as books, movies, plays,

paintings.
CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY
 Religious diversity is the fact that there are
significant differences in religious belief and
practice.
 It has always been recognized by people

outside the smallest and most isolated

communities.
 Muslims also believe
that diversity in religion is a good thing
because each religion has been provided with
certain dominant qualities over others.
 Religious diversity and religious tolerance
are both established in the country by the
law and custom.
 Freedom of religion is guaranteed by
the Pakistani constitution, which
established a fundamental right
of Pakistani citizens, irrespective of
their religion, to equal rights.
PAKISTANI CULTURE
 Pakistani culture can be called
‘Mixed Culture’.
 Social customs and traditions
reflect Islamic values coupled with
dress, social values, economic and
political system in general
followed.
 MIXED CULTURE
Pakistani culture is a mixed culture although
majority of people are Muslims by birth and faith
but there is great influence of Hindu and British
culture on the present Pakistani society.

MALE DOMINATED SOCIETY

In Pakistani culture the male member of the
family enjoys the key position.
Family is headed by a male member.
In most cases he is the soul sources of income
for other member of the family.
 LANGUAGE
 English is official language in Pakistan but
the national language is Urdu which is
widely spoken and understood throughout
the country.
 Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushto, Baluchi and
Kashmiri are the regional language
presenting Pakistani subcultures.
 But Urdu is spoken and understandable in
all parts of the country.
 DRESS AND DIET

 Dress is an important manifestation of culture.

 The regional dresses of Pakistan undergo
changes in the light of local traditions,
economic condition.
 But in all provinces people wear Shalwar
kameez.
 Our eating habits, food are stickily followed
with Islamic Principles.
HANDICRAFTS
 Embroidery, Leather works,
wood works, carpet making,
metal crafts are essential parts
of our culture.
 Pakistani craftsmen are
considered as the best in their
craftsmanship.
 EDUCATION
 Education contributes a great
deal in developing national
character.
 Educational system plays a vital
role in the formation of culture,
unity/solidarity of a nation.
 RELIGIOUS UNIFORMITY
 Pakistan came into existence to provide its
people a system of life based on Islam.

 The people in spite of some differences of

language, customs and traditions commonly
follow one religion Islam.
 FAIRS AND FESTIVALS
 The culture of Pakistan has great tradition of fairs and
festivals.
 These fairs are held in all parts of the country.
 Moreover, annual urs of great saints are held to
commemorate their anniversaries.
 On these occasions, fairs are also held in which people
take part in great numbers.
 Out of these the Horse and Cattle shows of Lahore,
Mianwali and Sibi are famous whereas the Polo festival
of Gilgit is prominent at national and international
level.
 Moreover annual urs of Hazrat Daata Ganj
Bakhsh, Madhu Lal Hussain, Baba Bulhay
Shah, Baba Farid Gunj Shakar, Baba Gulu
Shah, Pir Jamaat Ali Shah, Abdul Latif Bhitaii,
Hazrat Noshah Ganj Bakhsh, Bari Imam, Lal
Shahbaz Qalandar, and Bahauddin Zakriya
are celebrated with great spirit(josh).
 SPORTS
 The recreational activities all over the
Pakistan are common.
 Pakistani people are great lover of sports

and games.
 Modern games like hockey, cricket, football,

badminton, squash, table tennis and lawn

tennis are played throughout the country.
 These games reflects the cultural identity.
 ULEMA,MUSHAIKH AND SUFI POETS

 Ulema, Mashaikh and Sufi Poets occupy an

honoured place in our cultural aspect life.
 Sufis like Lal Shahbaz, Data Ganj Bakhsh,

Shah Abdul Lateef, Sachal Sarmast, Hazrat

Sultan Bahu and Waris Shah rendered
admirable services for the spread of Islam in
the Sub Continent.