Spotlight on Students: Cultural Relativism & Ethnocentrism

Each semester my students are tasked with deconstructing a situation where a cultural misunderstanding occurs in order to demonstrate their understanding of cultural relativism and ethnocentrism.  The following is an example of exemplary student work from one of my students.  

Topless swimming is commonplace throughout Europe.  Image Source: www.inquisitor.com

Hailey Hernandez, Anth 101: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology Student

As per our assigned reading this week, the goal of this paper is to discover how ethnocentrism differs from cultural relativism. A young college student had recently met an international student, Anna, from Germany. The two girls had made plans to go swimming at a community pool. Once the girls arrived at the pool, they began to remove their clothes down to their swimming suits. Anna continued to remove her swim suit top unveiling her bare breasts. Anna’s new friend immediately heard others around them snickering with rude comments. The locals at the pool quickly became shocked and horrified. Anna’s friend advised her to put her top back on. Anna had a dazed look in her eyes. Her friend then explained to her in America you cannot abide in public nudity. Anna was confused as to why it was not permitted in the United States because in Germany nudity was socially accepted.  

There are many different approaches that could have been taken on the described situation. There are two terms that need to be focused on- ethnocentrism and cultural relativism. In the book, Culture, ethnocentrism is defined as “The tendency to view one’s own cultural as superior and to apply one’s own cultural values in judging the behavior and beliefs of people raised in other cultures… ethnocentrism contributes to social solidarity, a sense of value and community, among people who share a cultural tradition” (Gezon and Kottak, 2013, p. 30). Conflicting against ethnocentrism, cultural relativism is another term that must be viewed. Culture defined cultural relativism as “…the viewpoint that behavior in one culture should not be judged by the standards of another culture… cultural relativism argues that there is no superior, international, or universal morality, that the moral and ethical rules of all cultures deserve equal respect” (Gezon and Kottak, 2013, p. 30).

  

The locals at the community pool acted in an ethnocentrism manner. Gezon and Kottok claim, “People everywhere think that the familiar explanations, opinions and customs are true, right, proper and moral” (2013, p. 30).  In other words, individuals only know what is “right” from living or being involved within a certain culture for a long period of time. Often, people do not want to see what is justifiable within other cultures because they do not want to face the norms of other culture’s values and believes. For example, the surrounding people at the pool criticized Anna for simply carrying out an action she did not know was wrong to do in America. A judgment was placed upon Anna due to her removing her swim top. Culture states, “[People] regard different behavior as strange, immoral, or savage” (Gezon and Kottok, 2013, p. 30). In Anna’s case, others at the community pool made rude and unnecessary comments based on believing Anna was strange and “needed to go back from where she came from.” The Americans at the pool did not take the time to understand why Anna proceeded as she did before they spoke hurtful words and prior to Anna reflecting on how nudity is normal in Germany.

If the locals at the community pool acted in a cultural relativism style, Anna would not have been asked to put her swimming suit top back on nor would the abrupt comments been made. The people at the pool would have accepted her in the nude and understood as to why she removed her top. This is because cultural relativism allows a judgment free zone toward other cultures. In Culture, it suggests, “…To understand another culture fully, you must try to see how the people in that culture see things. What motivates them- what are they thinking- when they do those things? Such an approach does not preclude making moral judgments or taking action” (Gezon and Kottok, 2013, p. 31). This seems to be true. You cannot understand a culture by the concepts you may have an idea of or from being around a culture for a short amount of time. The authors state, “…one can understand the motivations for the practice by looking at the situation from the point of view of those who engage in it” (Gezon and Kottok, 2013, p. 31). The goal to understand a culture is to experience it by living in it, to be able to study it, understand why and how they have their own values and beliefs, and accept it. With that said, it will be a challenge for any individual throughout our world to practice cultural relativism. Many people have not been able to experience any other culture besides the one(s) they were raised within. 

Fortunately, I have been raised around two different cultures- the American lifestyle and many of the Hispanic traditions. Because of this, I am aware of different values each culture carries out. I believe I can be more understanding toward different cultures. If I was Anna’s new friend, I would have initially acted in the same manner as described. I would have been shocked, asked her to put her swim top back on and acted in an ethnocentrism demeanor. After Anna would have detailed to me as per why she removed her top, I would have been more understanding. I would have then explained to her that Americans do not believe in public nudity. I would suggest to Anna that if she wanted to tan in the nude, she could do so in her private backyard or in a tanning bed. I would have attempted cultural relativism, although I would have not fully understood as to why her culture allows public nudity. Because of my upbringing, I would have been more understanding then others toward Anna.

           

Works Cited 

Gezon, L., & Kottak, C. (2013). Culture. In Culture (2nd ed., p. 30,31). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.