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Introduction To Caribbean Studies

The document provides an introduction to Caribbean studies, covering the location, definitions, society, and culture of the Caribbean region. It defines the Caribbean in geographical, geological, historical, political, and diasporic terms. The Greater Antilles, Lesser Antilles, Netherlands Antilles, and mainland territories are identified. Characteristics of Caribbean society include its population, social behaviors, and social institutions. Characteristics of Caribbean culture encompass both material aspects like art and architecture, as well as non-material elements such as values, beliefs, and family practices. Culture is defined as being learned, shared, and changing over time.

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Stephen Mckenzie
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64 views22 pages

Introduction To Caribbean Studies

The document provides an introduction to Caribbean studies, covering the location, definitions, society, and culture of the Caribbean region. It defines the Caribbean in geographical, geological, historical, political, and diasporic terms. The Greater Antilles, Lesser Antilles, Netherlands Antilles, and mainland territories are identified. Characteristics of Caribbean society include its population, social behaviors, and social institutions. Characteristics of Caribbean culture encompass both material aspects like art and architecture, as well as non-material elements such as values, beliefs, and family practices. Culture is defined as being learned, shared, and changing over time.

Uploaded by

Stephen Mckenzie
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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You are on page 1/ 22

INTRODUCTION TO CARIBBEAN

STUDIES

WEEK 1

CARIBBEAN SOCIETY AND


CULTURE

Location of the Caribbean

Definitions of the Caribbean

Characteristics of Society

Characteristics of culture

CARIBBEAN LOCATION

Locate the countries that fall the in the


following Categories:

Greater Antilles

Lesser Antilles: the windward and Leeward Island

The Netherland Antilles

Mainland Territories

Other countries

Greater Antilles: Cuba, Hispaniola (Haiti and Dominican


Republic), Jamaica, Puerto Rico
Lesser Antilles:
Windward islands: Grenada, St. Vincent, St. Lucia,
Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique
Leeward islands: Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts-Nevis,
Montserrat, Anguilla, Virgin islands
Netherland Antilles: Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao
(ABC"islands); Saint Marten,
Saba, St. Eustatius
Mainland Territories: Guyana, Belize, Suriname, Cayenne
(French Guyana)
Others: Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, Cayman Islands,
Bahama Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands

Caribbean Definitions
Geological

Geographical

Definitions of the Caribbean

Historical
Political
Diasporic

Geographical Caribbean

Geographically the Caribbean refers to the land area has its


coastline washed by the Caribbean sea.

This would mean that the Greater Antilles, the Cayman


Islands and the Islands of the Netherland Antilles all belong
to the Caribbean along with Belize, Columbia, Venezuela,
Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua and Honduras.

It excludes the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas


from the Caribbean as well as the mainland territories.

Historical Caribbean

This refers to the area that shares a common bond of


historical experience through 'the discovery' conquest and
subsequent colonization by European powers( Spanish,
British, French, and Dutch).

The Historical experience include:

Encomienda System

Plantation System

Enslavement of African

Indentureship of Chinese and East Indian

Independence of the Region

Geological Caribbean

Geologically, the Caribbean is that area of


the region define by the Caribbean Plate
and which therefore experience tectonics,
seismic and Volcanic processes and
features.

The formation of the Caribbean result from


earth movements called Plate Tectonics

Political Caribbean

The political definition of the Caribbean


depends on who does the defining and the
historical periods to which the definition
applies.

The European powers during the colonial Rule defined


the Caribbean base on territory:

The British West Indies

The French West Indies

The Dutch West Indies

The Spanish West Indies

Political Caribbean
Then there were the US Colonies;

Cuba

Puerto Rico

Virgin Island
The Domination of the British, the Caribbean was defined
by Britain based on the grouping in the Colony:
The Federation of West Indian States
Windward Islands
Leeward Islands
The independence of British Colonies a new definitiion
emerged as within the region emerged:
Independent States
Associated States
Groupings such as CARIFTA and CARICOM

Political Caribbean

More recently, has been the concept of the


Caribbean Basin to include the West Indies as
well as other states touched by the Caribbean
Sea.
Three Kind of Governmental system exist:

Independent States
Associate States
Colonial Dependencies

The political arrangements are:

Communist System
Republics
Westminister Whitehall model

Diasporic
Diasporic refers to the offspring of
an area who have spread to many
lands. Example the African
Diaspora in the united Kingdom.
Being in the UK does not change
the fact that they are Africans:
Diasporic Caribbean definition
speaks to Caribbean nationals,
scattered all over the world.

The

Diasporic Caribbean definition


disregards geography, geology,
political systems but speaks to the
shared history and common
culture among Caribbean nationals
regardless of where in the world
they are.

Characteristics of Society
A society is the Largest unit or group an
individual belongs.
The term Society has multiple definitions,
each pointing to an element of society:

A group of people living together in a place over along


period of time. (population characteristics)
A group which shares a common purpose that
structures there relationship and interactions. (social
behaviour)
An Ideal which a group of people is striving to achieve;
society is always becoming, we cannot say we have
achieved it as yet. (social institutions)

Characteristics of Culture
Culture is define as the way of life of a
people.
Culture is the accumulated store of
symbols, ideas and material products
associated with a social system, whether it
be an entire society or a family. [Johnson,
1995:68]
According to Sociologist Culture can be
divided into groups: Material and NonMaterial.

Characteristics of Culture

Culture

MATERIAL

NON-MATERIAL

Characteristics of Culture

Material Culture

Artefacts, Artistic
Creations

Non-Material
Culture

Values

Beliefs

Ideas

Culinary skills
Architecture,
technologies

Family rearing
practices

Characteristics of Culture

The following are Characteristics of Culture

Culture is learnt

Culture is Shared

Culture is not static but it changes

Culture is a product

Recap

Name three Locations in the Caribbean.

Briefly define the term Caribbean.

Give a brief Definition of Society.

Name the Characteristics of Culture.

Name the groups that divides culture.

Readings

Main Text : Pages 1- 57

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