Examples Of Cultural Encounter

In order to break these cultural barriers, the first steps to acceptance are understanding what exactly a contact zone is, where it can be found, and what one can gain from being a part of one. In order to live harmoniously within a community, one must first understand what exactly a contact zone is. Pratt outlines this idea in her essay as any social space “where cultures meet, clash, and grapple with each other” (Pratt 514). In some ways, Pratt is suggesting that this “clash” between cultures is necessary in order to obtain a better understanding of who the other party is. In other ways, the dispute between two groups is not always effective as some cultures are unwilling to change.

Culture is characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people defined by everything from language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts. Self -awareness is defined as conscious knowledge of one's own character, feelings, motives, and desires and when you put these two together, it is being conscious of your own culture and how it has shape our beliefs and values. Becoming aware of our own beliefs and values can affect our views on the world and other cultures. It is very important to be culturally competence when you step into the counseling field. Cultural competence is the ability of professionals to function successfully with people from different cultural backgrounds including race, ethnicity, culture, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, physical or mental ability, age and national origin (Mirsky, 2013).

Cultural identity involves the formation of an individual’s solid qualities that influence on how different the individual reflects on the cultural phenomena and people surrounding him. In addition, cultural identity is the feeling of an individual’s belonging to a group. Indeed, this identity can be inherited or built by the influence of surroundings. Indeed, the question of the cultural identity of the immigrants has been studied by many scholars. Many argued that their identity is fixed and connected to the homeland; however, others illustrate that cultural identity is shared and collective.

Resistance is often constructed through the cultural practices. Everyday life and practices determine the culture of a community. In Raymond Williams’ Keywords, he remarks that the culture we enjoy and the culture in which we live provide us with ideas of how things are and how they should be which helps the people to account for the past, make sense of the present and dream of the future. (Duncombe 2012: 35) In Weapons of the Weak, James C. Scott argues that resistance is a “politics that doesn’t look like politics” (Duncombe 2012: 89). Duncombe observes that culture can be used as a means of resistance.

Languages spoken throughout the United States differ throughout due to varying cultures; within the cultures are their own cultural norms and values that define them from the rest of the world. Culture is defined as a set of shared values within a group. These values within the culture affect the way one thinks, speaks and acts (Goman). Language is the foundation of communication that plays a role in personal identity. Being taken away from your home and culture and into a new world with a completely different culture causes those face challenges with realizing themselves and finding themselves due to variation of social norms.

"[I]magine culture as invisible webs composed of values, beliefs, ideas about appropriate behavior, and socially constructed truths" (Trumbell, 9). Everybody has a different background to correspond with how they see the world through their values, beliefs, and ideas. People act a certain way and dress a certain way because of their culture also. Someone's culture has a significant impact on the way they view themselves and others because cultural identity shapes not only how we make sense of our own experiences, but of our worldview as well. One indicator of the strength of a person's cultural identity is how certain, or uncertain, they are about their culture.

In the book, “Namesake,” the author explains how identity reflects who you are and how different characteristics make you unique. It also shows that culture is the system of shared values, beliefs, and behaviors, which makes up society’s way of life. Different cultures and identities can cause several problems in people’s lives. In the book, the main character, Gogol, associated his identity with his heritage and interprets it into his lifestyle. Similarly in life, identity takes a huge role in society.

Humans are influenced by their surroundings and the people in their lives. Different people have different ideologies, depending on their culture. Since their ideologies are different, people will look at things, like literacy, through unique perspectives. Depending on the effect someone’s culture has on them, they will view Antigone and Oedipus the King as two different literary works. For instance, if someone grew up in a culture where the women had to completely obey a man’s word.

Cultural identity. The identity or feeling of belonging to a group, it is part of a person’s self-conception and self perception and is related with nationality, ethnicity, religion, social class, generation, locality or any kind of social group that has its own distinct culture. Cultural identity also relates to ethnic identity, which entails an awareness of one’s membership in a social group that has a common culture. Many people have a different outlook on cultures and the effect it has on people, some people are influenced by it a lot more than others are. With some people they have something or do something on a daily basis that represents who they are and where they're from.

Diverse worlds can connect in similar ways. Different cultures can be considered their own diverse worlds when compared to others. The way people with different cultures are taught, along with their cultural background, affects their viewpoints of the world. While everyone lives in the same world, in a way they live in their own world, depending on their culture and ethnicity. The comparison of different cultures shows how they are similar yet different in their own ways.