Lazy societies always find to themselves excuses to do nothing!; What's CULTURE?

cultural studies explaination

Hello dear contributors.

I do really need your help: I 've read lot about it. i google the subject many times but not yet satisfied. What is exactly cultural studies?

Thanks.
Ladib

I think the word of 'culture studies' is too general to figure out what are you looking for. There is most be something before it such as 'Asian culture studies' or 'popular culture studies', which I have been studies before in univ.

Dear Ismail Lad,
Yoyo's words are few but they make much meaning. A study on culture is a study of 'ways people live their life' and because no two set of people live 'the same pathern of lives' a study on culture therefore seems like a journey, you need a direction to get there. This is why you must be specific about what culture you are studying as Yoyo advised above.

But basically any study on culture should capture the following about a particular social group in a particular geographical location: Myths, Religious beliefs, Traditions, Marriage Rites, Social Festivities, Values, Norms, Fashion, Family Formation, Languages, Folktales to mention a few.

So a study on culture is basically a study about some unique stuff about a particular social group that distinguish them from other group of the world. For instance if I want to know how marriage is conducted in your home town or what is important about XXX cultural dance and why the ceremony is fixed for a particular day at a particular venue, then I'm trying to understand some aspect (not all) about your culture. You see why you need to tell us about what and whose culture you are studying.

Also, I think you should go back online and ask the internet (I mean google around), be specific about it. Even if you are studying culture from general perspective, you still need to cite examples (which must be of some particular groups or comunity) and any good book on Anthropology and Sociology will help. Again if you are studying culture from general point of view, I should remind you that culture is also studied on institutional base. Just search for Organisational Culture, Political Culture, Educational Culture etc on the internet. I'm certain that you will have something to start with. Infact I think I have also heared about Global Culture or Technological Culture. There is even some sort of cultural traits among social network sites, why do we follow people on twitter and add people on facebook?

Lastly I should tell you that most of the time when we study culture, we are always interested in how our social identities are formed and affected by our socialisation process (up-bringing) why do people from Arab view or do things difrently from people in Asia and Europe, why an African Man sees poligamy as tradition and Americans may regard such as bigamy. Infact I think you should also find something about ethnocentrism, cultural lag, cultural relativity and culture shorck, then you are ready for culture studies.

Much Regards.

Totally amazing Kunle! One of the most comprehensive and complete advice I have seen on this forum. If I could 'fav' and 'fan' you, I'd have done that in a blink !

I'm curious about 'culture lag'.

Thanks a lot all of u. I really appreciate ur help. I am trying to study Moroccan American Cultural studies if u can help. Thanks again.

I agree. We are lucky to have great people like Kunle helping here!!
I think that answered the question quite well.

So, Ismail, are you interested in culture? Or do you think culture is just the old, stale stuff that prevents progress?

:-)

Thanks kevin, ur contribution gives me a key and a topic to write about. I am going to answer u in a coming essay, I promise.

I am interested in Moroccan American Culture. I will write about that after some reading. Thanks again.

Culture???? well I would like to add that its a very short yet a very descriptive word... y do we follow culture??? i think we all follow a particular culture as its gives us the optimism to go on with our lives during depressive moments, it benefits us or people around us in some sort of way....I would give u an example...in Hindu culture, we believe that God is everywhere and in every living being , even in plants... Hindus pray even infront of trees & plants like holy basil, banyan tree etc... y do they do that ,apart from their religious sentiments?? well whoever gave this idea of praying to trees n plants infact has benefitted the environment. holy basil, indian lilac, banyan trees have medicinal as well as environmental benefits, while ignorant people who cut down trees might not do it thinking it as a god... its a myth yet with a very strong reason... thats what a culture gives us.... it gives us optimism+ indirect benefits which we might not be able to see normally...

however, like a coin has two sides... cultures might be also having some bad rules or regulations which r required to be changed... n thats where cultural studies is important.... when you have studied deeply about a culture , only then u can improve your own mindset n reform it,... all the social reformers brought vast changes in cultures only because they had the indepth knowledge about that culture plus, they had strong reasons to discard the negative myths which harm us...

i hope this can satisfy ur quest about the importance of cultual studies n why do we need to do that...

Thanks AJIT RAI.
Indeed u are all great readers.

Can you correct this please.

Dear Members of the Committee

Thank you so much for taking time to read my application. I bet that having read my materials, you will have an insight into my character. Before starting about myself, I would rather write a few words about my past work, then I will set forth my goals to and reasons for wanting to have access the third cycle courses on "Comparative Studies" at your university - Ibno Zohr Faculty.

Closely after my graduation, I was working at a British Company "Euro-monitor" for three years time when I stopped in 2007. My job was a freelancer composing business reports on the Moroccan market. After that, I determined to join teaching field and Maria Private School is the school I am working in currently. In the mean time, I was teaching English in a number of English Language Centres as a part time job. More than that, I took part in several workshops, on teaching, held by native speakers in American Language Centre (ALC).

As far as motives are concerned, I would say that to pursuit my studies in higher education tops the list of my reasons. Also, having taught English language for five years strongly contributed to stir up my interest to go further in and empower my studies. Additionally, the topic "comparative studies" fits my concern and my specialty - literature. Furthermore, I should admit that there are other faculties where the third cycle has been available, but always displeases me precisely as these universities are a long way from my favourite city - Agadir. In other words, the proximity of the faculty is another driving force behind the choice.

Ultimately, on the basis of my aforementioned past work and my experience, I hope that I will be the kind of candidate who will do well in the field.

I'd get rid of these words:
I bet that
Having read my materials, you will have an insight into my character.

Before starting about myself, I would rather I will write a few words about my past work, and then I...

will set forth my goals to and reasons for wanting to have access the third cycle courses on "Comparative Studies" at your university - Ibno Zohr Faculty. (Before ending this first para, it will be cool if you give a short sentence to plant a theme/concept in the reader's mind.)

If I asked you to write one word that captures what you are all about, what would it be? I know the essay is all about you, but what are you all about?

As far as motives are concerned, I would say that to pursuit my studies in higher education tops the list of my reasons. -----education is a means to an end. What is your real motive? :-)

... hope I am the kind of candidate who will do well in the field.

Indeed your corrections are great help for me.
thanks lot indeed

Great explanation of Cultural studies! But I am a bit curious on this one :

There is even some sort of cultural traits ...

Yeah! And why is it that we neither add nor follow people on EF? Why is it that i cannot post my essay on Linkedin for corrections? Oh! I have also noticed that social interactions on EF is more of intimacy or some sort of family bonded relations. Check it, i can choose wether or not to add anyone on facebook, i may also chooce to be less concern whether or not they (my friends on facebook) progress in life. But here on EF, it is a must to help the other person fulfill a purpose else, you will find yourself stranded somtimes. In fact Kevin will go to any lenght to help you improve on your essay no matter how perfect it is. That is what families are for and that is what EF is. It is a give and take relationship for career prospects; a culture of care and reciprocity. Yeah! That is what i'll call it...

Traditions are something peoples everywhere boast, respect, practice and some people even see them as sacred things. No one can deny that traditions are valuable things we inherit from our ancestors. However, we shouldn't cling lot on them because some of them are no more beneficial and peoples have to forget about them and live their generations every day life instead.

Our generations are totally different from our ancestors ones due to many factors among which the advanced technology and its impact on the globe. The world now is very small and people can learn from each other and can easily distinguish between beneficial traditions and useless ones. There are kinds of traditions that encourages laziness and hinders the progress of countries. In Morocco, there isn't only one special tradition that stands against the development of the country. There are many norms that Moroccans have to get rid of if they want to enhance their country and ameliorate their life. One of these traditions is linked to lack of understanding of the state religion and the strong, blind belief of people in some dead religious figures to whom they build big minarets and practice mysterious worships thinking the souls of these people can help them in every day life and if they do not fulfill these prayers they are going to be cursed and their lives would be hard. I personally believe these people waste their time and instead of working hard they relay on dead bodied that are helpless and hence they end their life lazily and passively.

Lazy societies always find to themselves excuses to do nothing. Morocco is one of these societies in which people hang all their lives on destiny. They think that their actions are counted and all what the are going to do is done for them before they come to live in this earth! They are acting what God wants. Some of them say it is no use working because God guaranties the living for people and that people are here to do nothing but worship. This is not true and Moroccan society should be careful and must know how to deal with these misunderstandings of Islam because it leads the society to more economical and social crisis and failure.

I insist as a Moroccan citizen on the responsibility of the government to make an end to some harmful traditions which wastes Moroccans' energy and make their country lagging behind other societies. Instead the leaders have to encourage the use of new technology and sensitize people about its goodness.

LADIB ISMAIL
Please try to read and correct this essay . thanks

Traditions are important in many cultures. Peoples everywhere boast, respect, and practice their traditions, and some people even see them as sacred things. --I made some small changes here.

...are no longer beneficial, and people have to forget about them and live their generation's everyday life instead.

Our generations are totally different from our ancestors' generations due to many factors, among which are advanced technology and its impact on the globe.

I personally believe these people waste their time and instead of working hard they relay rely on dead bodies that are helpless and hence they end their life lives lazily and passively.

They are acting in accordance with what God wants.-----Is this the correct way for me to fix the sentence?I'm not sure...

Instead the leaders have to encourage the use of new technology and sensitize people about its goodness.-----Very good sentence!

Such great replies by Kunle and Ismail Lad!

Now i know what cultural studies is about!
Thank you and keep posting more!

Thank you for your corrections.

Dear Kunle,
Hello mate, Please try to read my last essay abt traditions and correct my mistakes. Thank u so much Kunle.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Well, Ismail,
I do not have much to say on this essay but I will WARN you to be careful not to confuse tradition with fallacious religious beliefs. They are two distinct concepts. From my point of view, i believe traditions are 'core values' of a society with which people share some conciouseness, bond and unity. It is because of some traditional ties among a particular group of people that make them love and proud of their race over others'. Why do you think some Islamic and African countries acuse USA of 'cultural imperialism'? They believe that the trend with which United States' culture is wide-spreading across the globe is gradually watching away their traditions. Many young people in Africa today would prefer a white wedding (which is typical of Americans) and look down on the traditional marriage rites. Yet these traditions are not dead. So my point is that 'no tradition in any society is worth discarding' as you have advocated in your essay, it can only be modified in line with the trend of development. So please this is what I want you to do. Try to make your arguement in such a way that 'tradition' will be treated with preservation in your essay. You cannot boldly tell me that Morocco does not have some traditional facts which you personally will not fall in love with. I believe a society with lost tradition loses the reasons for 'coexistence' as a nation.

Having preserved tradition, you can now blame the laziness, superstitiouse beliefs and irrational religious practices on some native Moroccans whose principles and practices impede the pace of development of the country. What i mean is that you can blame them for labelling their belief on tradition. Traditions are rich and cherished so people should not stain it by claiming that their fallacious religious practices are tradition.

What i mean in summary is that you can blame people, blame religion, or some unhealthy beliefs (such as the once you said claim that it is of no use working) but please help safe the face of tradition and try to polish it instead. What i mean by polishing it is that you help us understand those areas that needs improvement or that require new innovations in our traditions. I hope you get my point? Regards!

Dear Kunle.
I do get your point. Thanks lot for the ideas mentioned. I do not consider traditions bad and as you said there are many of them in my nation(tamazight ones) that i fall in love with and i feel good with. My point is merely ameliorating my writing. I asked myself before I wrote the essay: what if the next exam's question is Traditions are not good. defend this point of view. This is why I am asking to correct my essay grammatically and in terms of the form and so on. Your idea is very clear and I totally agree with u. Next essay I promise will be for defending traditions.

Thanks again.

Hello every one Please correct this to me.

Technology and religious communities in Morocco.

The spread of the new technologies all over the worlds attracts the attention of researches, especially with the split among religious group and preserved communities which range from accepting the use of it with conditions to those who totally oppose it for its harmful influence on their principles and culture. In Morocco, which comprises modest and fundamentalist Islamic groups, the division is very clear and easy to study. People in all groups accept the use of technology but in different ways. In this text, I am going to cast light on how Moroccans welcome technology and the different perspectives in Moroccan society.

The spread of the new technologies all over the worlds attracts the attention of researcher s,

The spread of the new technologies all over the worlds attracts the attention of researchers, especially with the split among religious group and preserved communities which range from accepting the use of it with conditions to those who totally oppose it for its harmful influence on their principles and culture. In Morocco, which comprises modest and fundamentalist Islamic groups, the division is very clear and easy to study. People in all groups accept the use of technology but in different ways. In this text, I am going to cast light on how Moroccans welcome technology and the different perspectives in Moroccan society.

In a country like Morocco it is hardly difficult to collect one single perspective of the community towards any issue, let alone the biggest ones like the acceptance of technology. Even though inside the same sects there are continuous discussions about accepting or refusing the invasion of modernity. Dealing with technology in our society is, in fact, dealing with three ideologies. The first represented by the fundamentalists, who regard modernity has a huge negative aspect on people faith and beliefs in God.; the second is represented by moderate people who are well educated and try to combine between technology and culture in their daily life and the last view says that technology must be spread progressively and should be encouraged in all the spheres because of its tremendous advantages.

Almost all Moroccans regard the use of technology as a sword with two sharp edges; however, some of them think its advantages outweigh its drawbacks and others think the opposite. Some welcome it for the numerous facilities it brings to our daily life and others argue that people should be aware of its negative aspects that tears culture and religion. The latter announce the total opposition to some technological devices like the Internet and highly advanced digital receivers and advice their followers not to use them. The third opinion illustrate the need of technology even on the behalf of culture. They think a culture and religion are no more than big hurdles stand in the way of development of countries and Human kind in general. These people call for the freedom of people to invent and use what they can for their advantages. The internet, a device that we can always mention when we talk about modern technology, is a helpful equipment for all people. Religious and preserved societies can use it to enhance religion and culture and it helps spreading it all over the world; and for non believers and "open minded" people, the Internet is a sphere where they can express their ideas and share them with others. Moreover, the Internet provides both categories with a good area of discussion and peaceful field of exchange of their beliefs.

From my own perspective, Morocco society is in need of advanced technology and a good understanding of its advantages. Morocco is a developing country and new technologies can enable the nation to accelerate the speed of development and enlarges the opportunities of Moroccans to live in a prosperous conditions.

Great example. That certainly is connected to culture. But then again, it comes from an insight. Insight also changes culture. So, I see insight as the clue to follow. When I have a new insight, I sometimes I am prevented from following it because my culture has certain expectations for me. So, like you say, culture has two sides. :-)


This sentence is very wise. I guess it is the same for any large group of people. We have a diversity of interests. American President Obama recently talked about how he represents a big country with diverse interests, and he has to try to represent them all.

... opportunities of Moroccans to live in a prosperous conditions society.
:-)