CULTURE AND SOCIOLOGY

What is 'culture' and why is it important to sociology?



What is 'culture' and why is it important to sociology?

Introduction

The sociology of culture is no exception to this reluctance. At first glance, it covers an area more or less clearly defined, which includes the sociology of art and what is socially designated as belonging to the "cultural life". It then includes a set of subdivisions (sociology of reading or music) and includes variably related fields such as sociology, media, entertainment and intellectuals (Zelizer, 1997: 47). The sociology of culture can also be defined as a transversal analysis of symbolic goods. The study of their production, dissemination, definition of their value, their ownership and their differentiated social practices may provide a specific point of view to the more general observation of social relations. In considering this way, we understand that instead of the sociology of culture in sociological analysis far exceeds that of a single specialty theme.

This paper will discuss what 'culture' is and why is it important to sociology? For this purpose the first part of the discussion will state the background of culture then the next part of the discussion will present the study of Sociology the works of different researchers that will prove that the culture is important in Sociology.

Discussion

What is Culture?

The term culture, derived from the Latin 'cultus' refers to the cultivation of the human spirit and the intellectual faculties of man. Its definition has been changing throughout history from the time of the Enlightenment; culture has been associated with civilization and progress.

In general, culture is a kind of social fabric that covers the various forms and expressions of a given society (Karen, 2002: 39). Therefore, the customs, practices, ways of being, rituals, and types of dress and behavior standards are topics within the culture.

Another definition states that culture is the set of information and skills that an individual possesses. For UNESCO, the culture allows man the ability to reflect on himself: through her discerning man seeks new values and meanings. According to the analytical approach is followed, the culture can be classified and defined in various ways (Lamont & Laurent, 2000: 58). For example, scholars have divided the topical culture (including a list of categories), historical (culture and social heritage), mental (complex of ideas and habits), structural (patterned and interrelated symbols) and symbolic (meaning arbitrarily assigned that are shared by a society).

Culture can also differ according to their degree of development: early (those cultures with little technical development and innovation tend not to), civil (updated through the production of new elements), pre-literate (writing not included) and literate (use both written and oral language). Finally, note that in modern capitalist societies there is a cultural industry, with a market, where cultural property subject to the laws of supply and demand in the economy (Karen, 2002: 40).

Sociology

Sociology is the social science that studies the collective phenomena produced by the social activity of humans within the historical and cultural context in which they are ...