Culture is the set of shared beliefs, values and traditions that distinguishes one group of people from another. It is a powerful force that shapes the ways in which we live, and it influences the way that others perceive us. It is not static, however; it changes over time in response to internal and external factors, and it can be influenced by individuals as well as groups.
A variety of disciplines use the term “culture,” and a wide range of definitions exist. It has been used in anthropology to describe the specifics of a particular cultural group, and in sociology to refer to all aspects of social organization. In the history of humankind, scholars have viewed it as an important factor in shaping political, religious and economic structures, as well as in the development of art and music.
The study of culture is a broad and complex field, encompassing a vast array of topics from music and food to language and religion. The most recognizable aspects of a culture are its traditions, customs and beliefs. These can be anything from the songs a child learns as a toddler to the customs of an ethnic group or the beliefs about the afterlife that are held by a particular religion.
Whether a person’s beliefs are religious, spiritual or mystical, the culture that surrounds them plays a major role in their identity, and it can influence how they see themselves in relation to other people. Cultural differences can cause conflict and division, and they can also provide opportunities for learning and growth. The way a culture is defined can change over time as new values and trends take hold, but it will always be a defining feature of a person.
Culture has the potential to affect many areas of business, from corporate governance and employee engagement to customer service and market research. Businesses need to build cultural awareness to ensure that they are operating in a way that is respectful of local cultures and values. As companies move outward from their home markets, they are often entering new cultural environments that require increased awareness.
As the focus shifts from material wealth to more sustainable cultural expressions, it has the potential to redefine markers of success in our society. Instead of focusing on the latest gadgets, what might be considered “the good life” in the future could include cultivating knowledge, building community resilience or contributing to ecological restoration.
It is difficult to separate new cultural history from its neighboring fields, and in a sense, it enacts in miniature the collapse of disciplinary boundaries that has taken place throughout the twentieth century. It is common to find works of cultural history that draw from or reinterpret the ideas and methodologies of other disciplines such as sociology, linguistics, history and postcolonial studies. For example, scholars of cultural history often cite Edward Said’s insights on Orientalism as influential in their own work. The productive interchanges among these disparate fields illustrate the degree to which cultural history has become a part of a broader movement toward cross-disciplinary study and understanding.