Comparative Cultural Patterns: Arabian Culture Chapter 11

What defines Arabian Culture?What are the major beliefs of Islam?What difficulties occur in intercultural communication between Arabian and Western culture?

The Arab World Today

22 countries with a population of 250 million

Is Iran considered an Arab country?

Vast difference in literacy, life expectancy, and economic levels in the Arab countries.

Arabian world is 5,000 years old

The Islamic Faith

Second largest religion after Christianity

A Muslim is not necessarily an Arab and an Arab is not necessarily a Muslim.

Demographics of US Muslims

Mohammed, the prophet

Koran

Five Pillars of Islam

Public witness

Salah/Short Prayers

Alms giving

Fasting

Hajj

Two Sects of Muslims

Sunni

Shiite

Compare Saudi Arabia to Oman

Geography

History

Water

Media

Education

Government

Arabian Cultural Patterns

Worldview

Activity Orientation

Time Orientation

Human Nature Orientation

Relational Orientation

Role of Women

What are the Communication Barriers between Arab World & US?

Political unrest

Stereotypes

Westernization

Language

Nonverbal misinterpretations

Culture Defined

The traditions, customs, norms, beliefs, values and thought patterning passed down from generation to generation.

Culture refers to:

A community or population large enough to be self-sustaining

The totality of the group’s thought

A process of social transmission of these thoughts and behaviors over the course of generations.

Members who identify themselves with that group

• Cultural Identity.

Race Defined

Race: refers to large body of people characterized by similarity of descent.Biological definition.Race such as skin color and hair texture were caused by recent evolution in response to climate and diet.20th century studies indicated that there is NO single race-defining gene.Race is a sociohistorical concept.

Ethnicity Defined

It reflects a continuing social debate.

Ethnic group refer to a group of people of the same descent and heritage who share a common and distinctive culture passed on through generation.

E.g., Italian-American, Asian-American (culture within a culture).

Subculture Defined

Subculture: a part of the worldA subdivision is a part of but no less important.

May imply being under or beneath or being inferior

Exists within a dominant culture & often based on economic or social class, race or geographical region.

Myths Defined

Represent the society’s values and are passed on from generation to generation.

Make the world understandable, support the social order.

Change slowly and are widely taught and believed.

Myths are expressed in the rituals of a culture in story form and in novels and literature.

Co-Culture Defined

No culture is inherently superior to other co-existing culture

American Indian Nation

Rules vs. NormsRules: socially agreed-on behavior

Individual guidelines for behavior.

Norms: appropriate and inappropriate behavior.

Individuals are rewarded or punished as they conform to or deviate from the norms.

Superstitions: some cultural customs are labeled as superstitions.