2. What is CULTURE? Language Religion Food Clothing Art Music
What are its elements?
Language
Religion
Food
Clothing
Art
Music
Rituals and Customs
How is it transferred?
Parents to Children
Schooling
Television, Films, Radio, and Internet

3. What is CULTURE?
Culture is learned behavior that is passed on by imitation, instruction, and example.
Culture is almost entirely relative. Proper behavior shifts from culture to culture.
U.S. current problems: 1) little shared culture; 2) no one is teaching culture.
Note: experiencing another culture is useful for gaining perspective on your own.
Harshest punishment in history?: banishment in “primitive” cultures.

4. Geographic Importance of Culture
Geographers study culture because it leaves dramatic imprints on the earth, both physical and cultural.
Language: a crystal ball into culture.
Religion: strongest determinant of ethics.
Nationalism and Borders
Material Culture: tools, clothes, toys, etc.
Architecture: Suburban garages vs. earlier porches
Religion: affects societal choices; creates sacred space

5. The Cultural Landscape
The result of the natural environment and all of the changes to it as a result of a particular culture. In other words, it is cultures imprint on the land. (Carl Sauer)
Environmental Determinism: environment is primary determinant of culture.
Possibilism: humans are primary determinant of culture, within limits set by the environment.

6. People and Their Land 
Geographers study culture in relation to the environment. They want to know how landforms, climate, vegetation, and resources affect culture.

7. Geographers are also interested in the effect people have on their environment. Often the effect is linked to a culture's technology, or tools and the skills people need to use them.

8. Environmentally Determined?
N.Y.C.
Environmentally Determined?

9. What about Bali,
Indonesia?

11. Active Figure 1.2: A small-scale map of the world regions of this text.

14. Key Concepts REGION – an area defined by shared characteristic
3 Types of Culture Regions
Formal - all members share a characteristic
Functional - defined by a node of activity and distance decay from center
Vernacular - perception of cultural identity

15. Diffusion The spread of people, customs, phenomenon, objects, or ideas.
Four Types:
Relocation
Hierarchical
Contagious
Stimulus
Use these terms to explain the spread of:
Diseases
Popular Music
Democratic Revolutions
Religious Practices

16. Globalization
The increasing interconnectedness of different parts of the world through common processes of economic, political, and cultural change. Economic globalization is happening fastest.
Panama, 1997

17. Cultural Change
Brought about by modern transportation & communication 2. Acculturation (process when an individual or group adopts some traits of another culture) 3. Innovation (new ideas that a culture accepts) 4. Diffusion occurs when an idea or innovation spreads from one person or group to another and is adopted a. Physical barriers may slow diffusion b. Cultural similarities may aid diffusion

18. Institution
Every culture has basic institutions that help people organize their lives together. An institution is an important practice, relationship, or organization in a society or culture.

19. Language and Culture
All cultures have language. In fact, every culture is based on language. It lets people communicate everything they need to share in their culture. Without language, people could not pass on what they know or believe to their children.

20. Religion and Culture
Religion is basic to every culture. Religion helps answer questions about the meaning and purpose of life. It helps define the values that people believe are important. Religion can also guide people in ethics, or standards of accepted behavior.