CHANGE Innovation, Diffusion, Acculturation, Transculturation, Syncretism

How does culture change? ◦ 1. an innovation happens!

Innovation ◦ Innovation implies changes to a culture that result from ideas created and adopted by the culture. ◦ The three most important innovations are: ◦ Agriculture - Civilization ◦ Industry - Medicine ◦ Digital Technology ◦ Innovation used to be slow, but now its constant

Innovation

How does culture change? ◦ 1. an innovation happens! ◦ 2aThat innovation is spread to other areas through diffusion ◦ 2b That innovation is forced on other cultural groups in the area of origin through acculturation ◦ 2c that innovation is adopted by other cultural groups in the area of origin in an equal exchange through transculturation ◦ Side note: sometimes the innovation is adopted by a new group through either diffusion, acculturation, or transculturation, but it is modified and combined with existing cultural traits to create a totally new innovation. This is called syncretism, and usually refers to a blending of religious beliefs.

Diffusion ◦ Expansion and Relocation ◦ Expansion Diffusion: 1. contagious 2. Hierarchical 3. Stimulus ◦ Relocation

Contagious Diffusion ◦ Contagious diffusion: when diffusion affects nearly uniformly all individuals and areas outward from the source region.

Hierarchical diffusion ◦ The process of transferring ideas first between larger places or prominent people and later to smaller or less important points or people.

Stimulus Diffusion ◦ Stimulus diffusion: an idea though not the specific trait, stimulates imitative behavior.

Relocation diffusion ◦ The innovation or idea is physically carried to new areas by migrating individuals – they travel a long distance to a new place, not a short distance to an adjacent place

Barriers to Diffusion ◦ Sometimes diffusion can’t happen. Why? ◦ Friction of distance/distance decay – an absorbing barrier ◦ Interrupting barriers – physical or cultural ◦ All barriers are permeable.

◦ Make an ESPN Chart! ◦ What are some reasons why an idea might diffuse to other areas?

◦ Make an ESPN chart. ◦ What are some things that might prevent diffusion?

◦ Is it diffusion? If so, is it contagious, hierarchical, stimulus, or relocation diffusion? ◦ Is it acculturation? ◦ Is it transculturation? ◦ Is it syncretism?

Cultural Change? ◦ The spread of Islam: Islam began in Saudi Arabia and spread to North Africa, Southwest Asia, and central Asia, which are now predominantly Muslim regions.

Cultural Change? ◦ The English language originated with the Anglo-Saxons, a Medieval tribe in Northern Europe, who migrated to the Island of Great Britain. Modern English developed in England and was diffused around the world to various countries because the United Kingdom colonized the world.

Cultural Change? ◦ A person joins a military unit. They are stripped of their individual identity, their family or religious loyalties, and their political beliefs. They are encouraged to identify only with the military and the military’s goals and ideas.

Cultural Change? ◦ St. Patrick’s day is a day celebrating St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. It originated in Ireland (big surprise). It is now celebrated in these locations in the Western hemisphere as a result of the migration of Irish people away from the Irish potato famine.

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Cultural Change? ◦ In the 16 th and 17 th centuries, England invaded Ireland and annexed it. ◦ In the following centuries, Gaelic (the Irish language) was forbidden and the people of Ireland were forced to submit to British political rule. Many were also forcibly converted to Protestantism, and Catholicism was illegal.

◦ AIDS began in West Africa and diffused world-wide. AIDS is not contracted by everyone in its path. It spreads from one urban area to another.

◦ Cherokee Alphabet : Native Americans saw that Europeans had a writing system and developed their own writing system that had over 40 letters.

Cultural Change? ◦ The Black Plague began in Mongolia, spread to traders moving from Asia to Venice, and from Venice infected all of Europe.

Cultural Change? ◦ After seeing domesticated cattle, Siberian nomads domesticated Reindeer (Yes, Reindeer are real. Here is a picture if you don’t believe me):

Cultural Change? ◦ Knowledge of various seeds, such as wheat, barley, cotton, rice, etc. useful in agriculture began in the cultural hearths of East Asia, India, Egypt, etc. and spread to all of Eurasia.

Cultural Change? ◦ The Internet was invented by a United States government agency known as “DARPA”. It began in Washington DC with only a couple of computers. It spread to other large cities, and then smaller cities. Now it includes billions of computers and hand- held devices.

◦ The Spread of the Indo European Language

◦ The iPhone, invented in the United States, was first adopted by wealthy American people living in cities, and has since spread to other people who are wealthy urbanites in other cities. People lower on the socio- economic ladder do not own iphones, and iphones are more prevalent in countries that are more developed.

◦ The fashion trend of men wearing skinny jeans, fedoras, and sporting wacky mustaches began in the Brooklyn hipster community, and has since spread to other American urban communities. Not all urban Americans have adopted this fashion, however; it was chiefly recognized in the late 2000’s as belonging to a fashion elite of people in their young 20’s that could be identified as “hipsters” and were often involved in the art, music, or student community.