Why is it important to study cultural relativism?
Cultural relativism is the notion that cultures must be examined based on their own context and merits, not judged by the customs and codes of other cultures. This is particularly important when studying minority cultures, colonized cultures, or other traditions that have been oppressed by a dominant class.
What do you want to know about cultural relativism?
Cultural relativism refers to not judging a culture to our own standards of what is right or wrong, strange or normal. Instead, we should try to understand cultural practices of other groups in its own cultural context. For example, instead of thinking, “Fried crickets are disgusting!
What’s wrong with cultural relativism?
Cultural Relativism, as it has been called, challenges our ordinary belief in the objectivity and universality of moral truth. Different societies have different moral codes. There is no objective standard that can be used to judge one societal code better than another.
What is the opposite of cultural relativism?
The opposite of ethnocentrism is cultural relativism, which means to understand a different culture in its own terms without subjective judgments. The term “ethnocentrism” was first applied in the social sciences by American sociologist William G. Sumner.
What is the main argument for cultural relativism?
The moral theory known as “cultural relativism” explains that morality is cultural, based on social beliefs and practices. It claims that moral principles are correct only in relation to—or only relative to— cultures, so different moral principles can be correct for different cultures.
Is ethnocentrism a good or bad cultural practice?
A high level of appreciation for one’s own culture can be healthy; a shared sense of community pride, for example, connects people in a society. But ethnocentrism can lead to disdain or dislike for other cultures and could cause misunderstanding and conflict.
Why is ethnocentrism important to society?
Ethnocentrism is a major reason for divisions amongst members of different ethnicities, races, and religious groups in a society. In international relations, ethnocentrism creates conflicts and inhibits resolution of conflicts.
What is the idea of ethnocentrism?
Definition. Ethnocentrism is the act of judging another culture from the perspective of one’s own. The other culture is viewed as inferior when compared to one’s own. One’s own perspective is judged as right while the other is judged as wrong or less than.