To ensure that we look at the course content through a similar lens, you can find a glossary of the most relevant concepts for common understanding.

CULTURE AS AN UMBRELLA TERM

Culture

Culture includes various social behaviours (attitudes), belief systems, values, customs and social relationships. Culture has multiple faces – some visible and easily identifiable (such as food, clothing and language) and some hidden (such as attitudes, beliefs and values) (Mashau, Mutshaeni and de Wet, 2018). Culture influences the way people think, feel and behave (Lemmer et al., 2006).

Viewing culture as an umbrella term implies that it encompasses a wide array of elements that shape human societies and individual identities. Culture includes but is not limited to:

  • Language and Communication
  • Customs and Traditions
  • Beliefs and Values
  • Arts and Expressions
  • Social Institutions
  • Cuisine and Foodways
  • Material Culture
  • Cultural Symbols and Icons
  • Cultural Norms and Etiquette
  • Worldview and Perception

In essence, culture encompasses the entire range of human expressions, creations, values and social structures that define and distinguish different groups and societies. It is a dynamic and evolving phenomenon that continually shapes and is shaped by the individuals and communities within it (Corlia Twine). As such, culture is learned, not inherited (Spencer-Oaty, 2012).

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