cultural-relativism and ethnocentrism
- 1. REFERS TO NOT JUDGING A CULTURE TO OUR OWN STANDARDS OF WHAT IS RIGHT OR WRONG, STRANGE OR NORMAL. INSTEAD, WE SHOULD TRY TO UNDERSTAND CULTURAL PRACTICES OF OTHER GROUPS IN ITS OWN CULTURAL CONTEXT. CULTURAL RELATIVISM
- 2. THAT MEANS YOU USE YOUR OWN CULTURE AS THE CENTER AND EVALUATE OTHER CULTURES BASED ON IT. YOU ARE JUDGING, OR MAKING ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE FOOD OF OTHER COUNTRIES BASED ON YOUR OWN NORMS, VALUES, OR BELIEFS. CULTURAL RELATIVISM
- 3. THAT MEANS YOU USE YOUR OWN CULTURE AS THE CENTER AND EVALUATE OTHER CULTURES BASED ON IT. YOU ARE JUDGING, OR MAKING ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE FOOD OF OTHER COUNTRIES BASED ON YOUR OWN NORMS, VALUES, OR BELIEFS. EXAMPLE: CULTURAL RELATIVISM
- 4. ABSOLUTE CULTURAL RELATIVISM •indicates that whatever activities are practiced within a culture, no matter how weird and dangerous they appear to be, should not be questioned by other cultures.
- 5. EXAMPLE: • An example of absolute culture relativism is the tying of feet of Chinese women in the 19th and 20th centuries. Though this culture later became abolished, other cultures had no contribution to its practice. The practice appeared torturous to women for the purpose of beauty. According to history, Chinese people found small feet in women as a symbol of beauty. Therefore, for women to get married, they had to go through the process of feet beautification. The process involved tying a young lady's feet to inhibit its growth. Women from rich families were mostly able to undergo this practice since it was difficult for a person with such tied feet to move around and make a living. Other cultures shunned this practice, but they had no influence over it.
- 6. • Another example comes from the Mursi, an ethnic group in Ethiopia. Mursi women cut their lower lip and extend it with a round plate. This is considered a symbol of identity and beauty for the women. The cutting of the lower lip happens when a girl turns 15 or 16.
- 7. CRITICAL CULTURAL RELATIVISM • asks questions about cultural practices and why they are practiced. It seeks answers about the cultural practices in line with who is accepting them and why they are doing so.
- 8. EXAMPLE • An example of critical cultural relativism is when the residents of Spain practice El Colacho, which is a baby-jumping ritual practiced since 1620. It is said that jumping over the babies chases the devil and keeps them safe. This practice has been critiqued by people seeking answers as to its relevance in protecting the children.
- 10. Cultural relativism is good because it allows people to practice their beliefs and enjoy their cultural heritage or religious beliefs without having to fear or have fear of others for why they do what they do.
- 11. ETHNOCENTRISM •The view that one’s group is superior compared to another.
- 12. ETHNOCENTRISM • is a term applied to the cultural or ethnic bias— whether conscious or unconscious—in which an individual views the world from the perspective of his or her own group, establishing the in-group as archetypal and rating all other groups with reference to this ideal.