The Boundaries of Cultures
Every human society has a culture. People who grow up
in the same
nation can be said to share a national culture. But
they may be part of
other societies within the nation that have separate
cultural traditions.
Social scientists sometimes use the term subculture to
describe variations
within a culture. Social groups often develop some
cultural patterns of
their own that set them apart from the larger society
they are part of.
Subcultures may develop in businesses, ethnic groups,
occupational
groups, regional groups, religious groups, and other
groups within a larger
culture. For example, Amish people in Pennsylvania and
several
Midwestern States make up a subculture, as do members
of a teen-age
street gang.
Many cultural traits and patterns are limited to a
particular culture, but
many others are common to more than one culture. For
example, cultures
in the same part of the world often have similar
patterns. A geographical
region in which two or more cultures share cultural
traits and patterns is
called a culture area. Northern Europe is an example
of a culture area.
Some cultural traits have spread throughout the world.
For example, some
clothing, music, sports, and industrial processes are
the same in many
areas of the world. Cultural traditions that extend
beyond national
boundaries form what is called international culture.
For example,
countries that share an international culture include
Australia, Canada, the
United Kingdom, and the United States. Their common
cultural traditions
include the English language and a heritage of British
founders.
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