Revision:What Processes bring about cultural change?

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Leslie White's "cultural materialist" theory (1971) states that there are 3 sub-systems:

1. Technological - material culture used to exploit environment (most important)
2. Sociological - interactive behaviour of individuals
3. Ideological - non-material

He said that the technological sub-system conditioned the other two, so that the development of a culture depends on technological advances and the amount of energy harnessed per head. "Technology is the hero of our piece" - White.

Change

Anthropologists in general distinguish between internal change (change coming from within a society) and external change (change coming from outside).

At first anthropological fieldworkers could observe small-scale societies in relative isolation. That is, changes had come from within. No longer are any totally isolated.

Reasons for internal change

1. Changing conditions in natural surroundings (e.g. drought, earthquakes (short-term) or global warming (long term).
2. Population growth leading to
   • territorial expansion
   • agricultural intensification
3. Inventions which are accepted. The "Great Man Theory" is the idea that a single forceful individual can cause major change in a society. A climate of openness to new ideas greatly affects a cultural change.

Reasons for external change

1. Cultural Diffusion. Diffusionism is the idea that culture change can be explained by intercultural culture.
2. Direct diffusion is the diffusion of an idea or custom from one culture to another without passing through an intermediary culture (e.g. Christian Mission work)
3. Indirect diffusion is the diffusion of an idea or custom from one culture to another after passing through an intermediary culture.

People may adapt a diffused idea, e.g. syncretism of reggae music.

Syncretism- The blending of two or more cultural traditions into a single new one.

Examples: Reggae music, which combines elements of both Western and African music to produce an entirely new musical category.

Also, in Zimbabwe, there is a syncretic religion which combines Christianity with traditional beliefs.

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