Chapter 8 and 9

Chapter 8: Cultural communities

Communities consist of specific groups of the culture in which members trough different kinds of interpersonal relationships carry out practices in specific social and physical settings. Such groups of people range from broad amorphous communities like nation, gender, race, religion, socioeconomic class, region or generation to more narrowly defined groupings: workplace, a neighborhood, an alumni association, a local political party, one’s family. All cultural practices are grounded in social settings of some kinds that reflect communities that participate in those settings.

The national culture communities

It is the broadest level of communities. The social institutions of the culture define communities and accompanying practices for everyone within the borders of the national culture. Accordingly, these institutions establish and maintain many practices that members of the culture need to enact in order to go about a large part of their daily lives.

For somebody that is learning a second language, this is the community setting that they’ll be more aware of. They’ll know about the institutions (physical settings) and many associated practices needed to participate in them.

At the same time, the national community is the sum of other smaller, more “exclusive” ones. Take the nuclear family as an example. This community is restricted to members and others they might include in this group. Family member’s roles, relationships and practices are defined by family life. At this level is a lot harder to generalize about cultural practices, especially in national cultures that comprise many ethnic, linguistic, religious, political or socioeconomic groups.

Differences among these smaller communities may be so significant to the point where certain groups appear to inhabit different worlds even while sharing the same national culture.

Communities and places

Communities are closely connected with places, namely, physical settings. They may be essential or not to the community. In this sense, some communities do not require a specific place to carry out their practices, while others depend intimately with them.

Coexisting communities

There are communities associate with social institutions of the culture, and these serve to support the functioning of these institutions. Other groups are associated with the institutions but they serve or improve it although not necessarily by promoting the status quo. Additionally, there will be overt groups that exist alongside or in opposition to the main institution.

They coexist, but may be physically isolated from one another, or exist next to one another but with no interaction between them at all.

Discourses

Discourses is another word to describe practices, they are the ways of behaving, interacting, valuing, thinking, believing, speaking and often reading and writing that are used by the macroculture. The macroculture, core culture o umbrella culture is the one that is dominant. The other cultures are called microcultures or co-cultures.

Communities and relationships

All the members inside a community play certain roles and carries out certain practices according to the norms and expectations of that community. In almost every case, people enact these practices with others through specific interpersonal relationships appropriate to the social setting and community. Therefore, communities form a basis for relationships within the culture. They affect the kinds of relationships that are possible or expected inside the culture because each community uses certain practices to achieve their respective ends.  

Relationships are practiced according to the cultural perspectives that underlie practices in these communities. One relates to others according to the norms, unwritten rules of that particular community.

Classroom Communities and Culture

Communities require different practices. When examining cultural content, it is helpful to situate phenomena within specific communities. It helps learners put the content into perspective.

Chapter 9: Cultural persons

Telling one´s story is a good starting point to learn culture, because it depends a lot on self-awareness.

Culture resides in persons as individuals. And each of them gives it a little tweak, making it recognizably similar, yet unquestionably different.

To enter another culture, and to participate in its practices, interaction with other individuals is necessary. As outsiders, our tendency will be to make comparisons between them and ourselves, and try to find similarities and differences , at the same time that we assume that they are typically from X country.

But, as we get to know them better, we discover that they are unique, because everyone has their own story or cultural autobiography. That implies that each one of us will have a particular interpretation of culture, one way of living a shared way of life.

Identity

The identity an individual member of the culture, is derived from their unique characteristics, experiences and outlooks; and in part, from their membership in particular groups and communities. Like other aspects of culture, identity is both implicit and tacit.

We have to become aware of our identity before we can take a step outside our own culture to explore another way of looking at the world. When we are not aware of our own identity and expectations (derived from our own cultural background) it is easier to have trouble when we interact with people from other cultures.

Cultural identities

It can be depicted by relying on group affiliations. Perceptual groups consist of groups of individuals who perceive aspects of the eternal world in a similar manner, yet do not communicate these perceptions among themselves. Once they communicate these perceptions, they become an identity group. This is important to explain why we identify with others who think as we do and in that way we feel as we are part of the same group This is also known as avowed identity. But we cannot do it, until we discover that we have shared views. That is done by communicating.

Nevertheless, our belonging to a group is not only defined by our own perceptions. According to their views, others classify us into different communities, in other words, we are labeled. That is usually done based on visible features such as skin color, appearance, age, gender, dress, mannerisms, accent, vocabulary, possessions or even locale. These labels are also called ascribed identities and they can be incorrect in some cases.

A person’s cultural identity is the sum of factors such as generation, education, gender, religion, profession, region, race/ethnicity, social class, region and many others. Identity is a complicated overlay and interplay between psychological and social; between idiosyncratic characteristics of a person and the ones of the groups this person participates.

Cultural marginality

One person may be part of the mainstream or feel more identified with non-dominant groups and communities, or even both. In that sense, cultural identity can be described in terms of the individual’s relationships among identity groups, in particular in relationship to dominant ones.

Marginality can be used to describe the rapport that persons of non-dominant communities have with dominant communities, suggesting two responses, encapsulated marginality and constructive marginality. The first, are individuals who allow the dominant groups to ascribe their identity. The last, avow identities with a relativistic view, not dependent on particular group affiliations, which are capable of moving among all communities.

Life histories

Life stories are elicited through biographies and autobiographies. They instruct us about the culture and how individuals situate themselves within it, and also bring us closer to those people. One does not have to be famous or renowned to be a represent the culture through their own life experience. And those biographies and autobiographies don’t necessarily have to be published to be worthy of listening at. The ones of people we meet on a daily basis also reveal the culture in the individual and vice versa.

Identities become even more complex when persons of one culture and language enter other cultures and learn new languages. The degree to which they integrate or not integrate these new ways of thinking, acting and interacting, affects their identity.

Persons are at the nexus of the culture learning. Through life histories and personal relationships, we can see the commonality and the diversity of culture, the individual variations on themes, how persons define themselves and are defined by others. 

* * * 

The Vegan Community

A vegan is someone who tries to live without exploiting animals, for the benefit of animals, people and the planet. Vegans eat a plant-based diet, with nothing coming from animals - no meat, milk, eggs or honey, for example. A vegan lifestyle also avoids leather, wool, silk and other animal products for clothing or any other purpose. Veganism is supposed to be the logical conclusion of the vegetarian journey to good health, without the suffering or death of any animal. This video gives a quick overview in the topic.

Vegan Products

Vegan food: There is a big array of different vegan foods available in the market to satisfy even the most exquisite cravings. One may find foods that originally had a diary origin,  to hamburgers, sausages and  even “chicken legs” made out of soy or other substitutes.

Vegan supplements: Some nutrients are only available in foods of animal origin, so vegans must ingest them as supplements or in enriched foods. Some of these nutrients are Vitamin B₂, Vitamin B₆, Vitamin B₁₂, Vitamin D, Folic Acid, Iodine and Selenium, Ca, essential fatty acids, iron, One can also find vegan-suitable protein powders available.

The Vegan Society: This is a vegan institution. It  is an educational charity that promotes and supports the vegan lifestyle.The Vegan Society is an educational charity that promotes and supports the vegan lifestyle. The Vegan Society is the first point of contact for new vegans and those seeking information, including caterers, print and broadcast media, health professionals, teachers and government.

In April 2007 the Society moved to a new national headquarters in central Birmingham.

The Vegan Magazine: this is a written product that makes their views tangible. It is quaterly published and includes topics such as:

News,book and Product Reviews, dietary advice, readers letters, articles, diary of events, advertising for vegan / ethical companies, recipes, vegan, groups, readers discounts and classifieds sections.

    

Vegan Perspectives and Practices

At it was mentioned before, inside this culture, the main idea is to respect and not use or consume anything of animal origin. That includes foods, and products such as toiletries and cosmetics.

Veganism as a healthy choice

They believe that this lifestyle is a lot healthier than the regular omnivore diet. Actually it meets the recomended intake of fruits, vegetables, fibre, antioxidants and wholegrains. At the same time, one would consume less cholesterol and saturated fats. Nevertheless, vitamins such as B12 are only available naturally in foods of animal origin, so vegans must eat enriched foods or supplements to have the appropriate intake of these nutrients.

Veganism is supposed to be compassionate. 

According to vegans, if you don’t eat meat or use and wear products of animal origin, you avoid animal suffering and exploitation. It also creates awareness about the cruelty and the bad way in which farmed animals are treated, and avoids unnecessary slaughters. Not eating meat also implies that the grasslands that are now used as feed for cattle, could be used as farming lands for crops that could feed more people. 

Plant-based diets are supposed to be better for the environment

Taking care of nature and being environmentally friendly is another philosophy associated with veganism.  They assume that their philosophy is better for the environment because it reduces their eco-print. This diet produces less greenhouse effect gasses and plant based foods need less land and water and other resources to be produced. They are also against anything involving genetically modified organisms. 

Some other practices that reflect this worldview are:

• Making special arrangements when traveling and eating out, to ensure that the meals and products you use are free of anything of animal origin.
• They also make sure to use animal free medications, contraceptives and dietary supplements.
• Vegans are generally associated with yoga, meditation, and beliefs such as Hinduism, Budhhisim, Jainism and New Age.

• If a vegan wants to get a tattoo they even use special inks, soaps and aftercare products.

Myths and stereotypes

1.  1. Myth: Vegans are weirdos or hippies. Fact: There are just as many suit-and-tie vegans as hippy vegans, if not more, and all shades in between. Most hippies I’ve known haven’t even been vegetarian. Veganism isn’t a cult or religion, but a lifestyle choice that happens to not include animal products–period, you might know many vegans and don’t even realize it.

1.    2. Myth: All vegans became that way to save the animals. Fact: People discover veganism through a variety of ways: wanting to improve their health, wanting to eat a green diet, wanting to eat a diet natural to humans, and, of course, wanting to be kind to animals.

1.    3. Myth: Vegans never eat sweets, sugars, or other delicious goodies and they are ALL skinny. Fact: Humans like sweet foods. What do you think fruit is? And, ice cream, pastries, chocolates and almost anything that you can imagine exists in a vegan version. By only eating plant based food you will not loose weight immediately, and there are many “junk food vegans” out there who love their processed foods and sweet treats. Oreos and potato chips are vegan.  

1.   4. Myth: Children and pregnant women can’t be vegan due to their unique nutritional needs. Fact: Vegan diets are ideal for all humans, no matter their age or sex, with the guide of healthcare professionals such as doctors and nutritionists even children and pregnant women can be vegan.

     

    Vegans that break the mold

Ruth Heidrich

Another myth that exists around vegan is that they don’t get enough energy and can’t be hard-core athletes.  That is not true, and the Olympic sprinter and long jumper Carl Lewis is a clear example of someone that breaks that mold. Or Ruth Heidrich, a 6-time Ironman Triathlon finisher who has won more than 900 medals and is now in her 70s. And there are countless athletes from various sports around the world who achieve greatness on a vegan diet.

Carl Lewis

Vegans are as diverse as the plant-based ingredients they consume every day. Ask vegan friends and family about their experiences. You may be surprised by their answers.