Summary
Highlights
Dr. Jamila Urges introduces Unit 6 of the FRIENDS MOOC, focusing on cultural diversity, ethnic origin, language, gender, and hidden barriers in cultural communication. The unit, titled 'Culture Across Time and Space,' will cover concepts of diversity, ethnicity, and race, followed by insights from students at Istanbul Aydın University. Subsequent videos will delve into minorities, diasporas, globalization, transnationalism, subcultures, and theories of multiculturalism.
The discussion moves to how culture changes across time and space, defining culture as a medium of meaning and behavior at a certain time and place. It highlights that cultural understanding and practices can differ significantly across generations and are influenced by various factors such as ethnic origin, language, gender, family, education, religion, history, media, values, and interactions with other cultures.
The concept of diversity, as defined by the University of Oregon in 1999, is presented as encompassing acceptance and respect for individual uniqueness and differences. These differences span race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, age, physical abilities, religious and political beliefs, geography, and ideologies. The exploration of these differences in a safe and nurturing environment promotes understanding and celebration beyond mere tolerance.
The video distinguishes between race and ethnicity. Race refers to physical characteristics like skin color, bone structure, hair, or eye color, and is highlighted as a social construct with a historical association with oppressive pasts, leading to ongoing prejudice and discrimination. Ethnicity, in contrast, refers to social and cultural differences, language, and ancestry, forming a system of classification often based on a 'we vs. them' distinction that emerges upon contact between groups, influenced by factors like migration or the desire for nationhood.
A recent World Value Survey study indicates that ethnicity is associated with fundamental differences in values, attitudes, and preferences, though cultural variations exist independently of ethnic identity. The association between culture and ethnicity varies across regions, suggesting that ethnic identities can be both primordial and constructed over time and space. The next video will feature diverse students from Istanbul Aydın University.