Glossary
Acculturation
The process by which a minority culture adopts aspects of a dominant culture, often due to power dynamics, while still retaining some of its original cultural identity.
Example:
A family immigrating to a new country might learn the dominant language for work and school but continue to speak their native language and practice their traditional customs at home, demonstrating Acculturation.
Assimilation
The process by which a minority culture fully integrates into a dominant culture, often losing its original customs, language, and traditions.
Example:
Historically, many immigrant groups in the United States experienced Assimilation as later generations adopted English as their primary language and largely abandoned their ancestral customs.
Contagious Diffusion
A rapid and widespread form of expansion diffusion where a cultural trait spreads uniformly outward from its hearth to nearly all adjacent individuals or places.
Example:
The rapid spread of a viral dance challenge across social media platforms, reaching millions in a short time, is a perfect example of Contagious Diffusion.
Cultural Appropriation
The adoption or use of elements of a minority culture by members of the dominant culture, often without understanding, respect, or acknowledgment of the original context.
Example:
Wearing a Native American headdress as a fashion accessory at a music festival, without understanding its sacred significance, is an act of Cultural Appropriation.
Cultural Diffusion
The process by which cultural traits, such as ideas, customs, or technologies, spread from their point of origin to other places.
Example:
The global spread of K-Pop music from South Korea to fans worldwide is a prime example of cultural diffusion in action.
Expansion Diffusion
The spread of a cultural trait outward from its hearth (origin) while remaining strong in the original area.
Example:
The initial spread of Christianity from the Middle East across the Roman Empire is a classic case of Expansion Diffusion.
Hierarchical Diffusion
A type of expansion diffusion where a cultural trait spreads from larger, more influential places or people to smaller, less influential ones.
Example:
A new fashion trend first seen on runways in Paris and then adopted by celebrities before appearing in department stores exemplifies Hierarchical Diffusion.
Relocation Diffusion
The spread of a cultural trait through the physical movement of people from one place to another, carrying their culture with them.
Example:
When Vietnamese immigrants moved to the United States, they brought their traditional pho recipes, leading to the establishment of popular Relocation Diffusion of Vietnamese cuisine.
Stimulus Diffusion
A form of expansion diffusion where an underlying idea or principle spreads, but the specific cultural trait is modified or adapted by the adopting culture.
Example:
The concept of fast-food restaurants spread globally, but many countries adapted the menu to local tastes, like McDonald's offering McSpicy Paneer in India, showcasing Stimulus Diffusion.
Syncretism
The creation of a new, distinct cultural trait or practice that results from the blending of two or more existing cultural traits.
Example:
The celebration of Día de los Muertos in Mexico, which combines indigenous Aztec traditions with Catholic beliefs, is a powerful instance of Syncretism.
Transculturation
An equal exchange of cultural traits between two distinct groups, where both cultures influence and adopt elements from each other in a balanced interaction.
Example:
The blending of musical styles between African rhythms and European melodies to create jazz music in New Orleans is a vibrant example of Transculturation.