ethnocentrism

Examples of ethnocentrism in the following topics:

• Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism

  • Ethnocentrism, in contrast to cultural relativism, is the tendency to look at the world primarily from the perspective of one's own culture.
  • But imposing these values on people with a different culture is ethnocentric and, therefore, has become controversial.
  • Ethnocentrism, a term coined by William Graham Sumner, is the tendency to look at the world primarily from the perspective of your own ethnic culture and the belief that that is in fact the "right" way to look at the world.
  • For instance, reluctance or aversion to trying another culture's cuisine is ethnocentric.
  • Examine the concepts of ethnocentrism and cultural relativism in relation to your own and other cultures in society

• Ethnocentrism & Cultural Relativism

  • Ethnocentrism is the tendency to look at the world primarily from the perspective of one's own culture.
  • Many claim that ethnocentrism occurs in every society; ironically, ethnocentrism may be something that all cultures have in common.
  • He defined it as, "The sentiment of cohesion, internal comradeship, and devotion to the in-group, which carries with it a sense of superiority to any out-group and readiness to defend the interests of the in-group against the out-group. " Ethnocentrism often entails the belief that one's own race or ethnic group is the most important and/or that some or all aspects of its culture are superior to those of other groups.
  • Sociologists study ethnocentrism because of its role in various elements of social life, ranging from politics to terrorism.
  • This is also an area where sociologists often become advocates as they attempt to reveal ethnocentric biases to those who hold them with the aim of helping people realize that such biases are seldom beneficial to social solidarity and peaceful human relations.

• Cultural Universals

  • Cultural relativism was, in part, a response to Western ethnocentrism.
  • Ethnocentrism may take obvious forms, in which one consciously believes that one people's arts are the most beautiful, values the most virtuous, and beliefs the most truthful.

• Levinson

  • In this dissertation, he attempted to develop a way of measuring ethnocentrism.

• Value Clusters

  • It is linked with a relatively ethnocentric outlook and low levels of trust and tolerance.

• Modernization and Technology

  • This can lead to ethnocentric bias and prejudice against poorer countries who do not develop the new technologies that higher income countries do.