Theological Matrix:“Worldviews Exposed”

Tiffany Buchananwww.stateofformation.org

What If I See Your Thoughts?

What is Culture?

Culture is:

Example 1

Example 2

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Culture

• Culture: the ways of thinking, ways of acting and the material objects that together form a people’s way of life.

• Common Cultural Elements:>symbols>languages>values>norms

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Culture• Symbol: anything that carries a particular meaning recognized by people

who share a culture.

• Language: a system of symbols that allows people to communicate with one another.

• Values: culturally defined standards that people use to decide what is desirable, good and beautiful and that serve as broad guidelines for social living.

• Norms: rules and expectations by which a society guides the behavior of its members. (rewards and sanctions)

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Culture• Mores: (also called taboos), norms that are widely

observed and have great moral significance.>distinguish between right and wrong.

• Folkways: norms for routine or casual interaction.>distinguish between right and rude.

Gestures & Meanings

“Mores and folkways are the basic rules of everyday life.” (Macionis, 2010)

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Causes of Cultural Change

• Invention• Discovery• Diffusion

So How Does Culture Get “in” Us?

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“Socialization” is the Transmitter of Culture

Socialization = Social Learning

• Socialization influences and shapes how we come to understand our society and the world around us.

• It teaches us how to think, perceive, understand and be what our communities tell us we are.

• Socialization is the process in which people within a culture learn to conform to their society’s norms, values and roles; this is an on-going life long process.

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Socialization Expanded

What are some of the socializing institutions?

• Family• Media• Schools• Religious Organizations

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(5) Characteristics to the Process of Socialization:

• Pervasive• Consistent• Self-perpetuating• Invisible• Reflexive (Circular)

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What are Worldviews?

Worldview Systems

Cosmology

Epistemology

Ontology

Axiology

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• Cosmology: cultural view determining the structure of the universe.

• Epistemology: cultural validating process for knowledge and what is real.

• Ontology: cultural interpretation of the unseen metaphysical universe.

• Axiology: cultural mores for day-to-day interpersonal interactions.

They all overlap, interconnect and reinforce each other.

How is Thinking Cultural?

Cosmology

The Colonial Worldview:

• Believes that the universe is created in closed-category dichotomized pairs.

• Examples: win or lose; religious or scientific, black or white, male or female.

The African Worldview:

• Believes that the universe is composed of complimentary opposites.

• Examples: masculine and feminine, good and evil, strength and weakness.

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Epistemology

The Colonial Worldview:

• Believes that the only real knowledge that exists can be discovered by rationalizing it’s existence through separation, domination and control of the “thing” that is to be understood.

• Example: the scientific method is the only true way to interpret and understand the social world.

The African Worldview:

• Believes that some knowledge can be understood through rational means while other knowledge can only be attained through an experiential experience.

• Example: Believes that there is value in objective science but also values the subjective, experiential understanding of reality.

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Colonial Epistemology at Work

Quantitative Research

Qualitative Research

ColonialResearch

African Research

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Ontology

The Colonial Worldview:

• Adheres to the fact that the core to all existence is material.

The African Worldview:

• In contrast, asserts that the core and center to all reality is spiritual.

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Axiology

The Colonial Worldview:

• Believes that anything and anyone unlike the “self” is considered “other,” which affirms and supports an individualistic approach to interpersonal relations.

The African Worldview:

• Believes that “I am because we are” which supports a communal way of existence that argues that for me to exist we need to be one and in harmony.

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