Relationship Between Society and Environment, Culture

Relationship Between Society And Environment

The sociological study of societal-environmental interaction is known as environmental sociology. In general, the environmental sociologist places special emphasis on studying the social factors that cause environmental problems. Despite, considerable attention is paid to the social processes, certain environmental conditions become socially defined as problems.

Societies adapt and transfer the Environment they inhabit. They depend on the use of available resources and reduction of hazards for their survival and material well-being. They also assign meaning to the environment that vary from place to place. Geographer tends to study these processes under the broad headings of resources use, natural hazards and sustainable development, landscape studies, cultural ecology and environment conservation.

The relation between human society and environment are constantly changing but the environment is highly valued by a wide variety of people with different interest and values. Difficulties remain on how to ensure the protection of our present environment and natural resources. However, a well managed Environment can provide goods and services which are both essential for our well-being as well as for continued economic prosperity.

The challenge is to find approaches to the Environmental management that provide people the quality of life, they seek while protecting the environmental system that is also the foundation of our well-being. In order to face these challenges students, require more than superficial knowledge or awareness of disconnected Environmental issues.

Here the environmental problems must be understood via social processes, despite any material basis they may have external to humans. A multidisciplinary approach to learning can build upon the strength of a wide range of the field of study providing a deeper understanding of the technological, political, social options and strategy for both studying and managing the relationship between our society and the environment. Such interactiveness is now broadly accepted, but also many aspects of the debate continue in the contemporary research in the field.

Culture

1. Taylor, an English anthropologist ,coined the term ‘culture’ in the eighteenth century. The study of society is incomplete without the proper understanding of the culture of the society as culture and society are associated with each other. Humans are born up in a cultural environment and it is mainly the unique quality of man which separates them from the animals.

Definitions of culture:

E.B. Taylor defined culture as “that complex whole which includes knowledge, beliefs, art, moral, laws, custom and any other capabilities and habits as required by man as a member of society.

Malinowski defined it as,”the handiwork of man and medium through which he achieves his ends.”

Ratified defined culture as “an organized body of conventional manifest in the art which persisting through tradition, characteristics a human group.”

V.de Robert viewed “culture is the body of thoughts and knowledge, both theoretical and practical, which the only man can possess.”

American anthropology define “culture” with two meanings :

The evolved human capacity to classify and represent experiences with symbols, and to act imaginatively and creatively.

The distinct ways that people living in different parts of the world classified and represented their experiences, and acted creatively. Distinctions are currently made between the physical artifacts created by a society, it is so -called material culture and everything else, the intangibles such as languages, customs, etc .

Characteristics and elements of culture:

Culture is social:

Culture is the product of society and is generally developed through social interaction. Culture does not exist in isolation. No human can acquire culture without association with others.

Culture is shared:

Culture in the sociological sense is shared .It is not something that can be possessed by individual alone. The customs, traditions, beliefs, ideas, values, moral etc are all shared by people in the group in a society.

Culture is transmissive:

Culture is generally transferred from one generation to another. Language is the main vehicle of culture. The language in different form makes it possible for the present generation to understand the achievement of earlier generations. Culture transmission may take place by imitation or by instruction.

Culture is continuous and cumulative:

Culture is a continuous process. In its historical trend, it tends to become cumulative. Culture is the social heritage of the man. It is difficult to imagine the society without culture.

Culture varies from society to society:

Culture varies from place to place and also with time to time. Cultural elements like customs, traditions, moral, values, beliefs are not uniform everywhere.

Culture is dynamic:

No culture remains constant. It changes according to time and generation to generation. Hence, culture is responsive to the changing conditions of the physical world.

Types Of Culture:

Various types of culture are present in the society but we focus on only three types:

1. Pluralism

The culture where smaller groups of people within a society tend to maintain their unique culture identities and values, behaviors, identities as well as accepted by other society and culture is known as pluralism. The minor groups of people participate fully within the dominant society while maintaining their cultural differences. It also involves the co-existent of different cultures in a location without the dominance of one particular culture. The human differences that exist are accepted by the majority and hence it eliminates the discrimination in the form of racialism or sexism. It also can be called multiculturalism .

2. Dualism

Dualism refers to such type of culture whereby people between two large group society have the mixed culture of both the societies . Here both the society remain in Harmony and respect both cultures equally. Significant discrimination is not seen in dualism as in pluralism. For e.g. Canada has been colonized by the French and the British have followed the cultures of these two nations (The Canadian Encyclopedia).

3. Salad Bowl

Salad Bowl is the concept that is used to describe the integration of many cultures which combines like a salad as compared to the prolific notion of a culture melting point. Here, various cultures are present but they are not merged together into one homogenized culture just like the salad ingredients. Each culture has its own value and maintained its distinct values and qualities. Hence, the society is composed of many separate pure cultures (Sullivan, 2006)

Relationship Between Culture And Environment

Cultures are not only bound to society but also with the environment. There are different cultures, some help to protect in a sustainable manner whereas some culture destructs the environment but in comparison, culture causing the destruction of the environment is very negligible. In Nepalese context majority of people are Hindus. Our culture is bound with the religious point of view that we should worship Peepal, Bar, Tulasi , and also the earth. Similarly, our culture also teaches us not to use latrine near the source of water. It is a practice that shows the relationship between culture and environment. The people are forced to follow by showing the upcoming results of these activities. Some cultural practices are observed during festivals too. In Newari culture, the cleaning of wells is done in festival Sithi Nakha. Likewise, the cleaning of household and surrounding is done during Laxmi Puja in Tihar, the second greatest festival of Hindus so that Laxmi, the goddess of wealth would enter into a home and fulfill the house with wealth. Such practices are also prevalent in other culture which is a good practice and a support to make our environment good and sustainable.

References:

Miller, Jr. G.T. Living in the Environment. Wadsworth Publication, 2003.

S.C., Santee. Environmental Science. India, New Center: New Center Book Agency (P) Ltd, 2004.

T., Richard. Environmental Science Towards a Sustainable Future. India: PHI (P) Ltd., 2008.