Ethnocentrism Dissertation Example

Ethnocentrism

Ethnocentrism is the act of judging an individual’s culture basing the judgment on one’s values or the standards of one’s culture. Ethnocentric individuals compare the cultures of others relative to their cultures particularly concerning language, customs, behavior and religion. Ethnocentrism results in one feeling and thinking that their culture is superior to others’. As such, these individuals have poor communication skills and relations with individuals from other cultures (Booth 5). These individuals also have very shallow points of view that are limited to their own culture alone.
By using the cultures as the basis for judging other cultures, it is almost impossible for them to acknowledge their misconceptions of the other cultures. These individuals think that their culture is very progressive while the others are primitive. Ethnocentrism is based on values or ideas imposed on an individual from childhood. Ethnocentrism affects both an individual and the society. The society forms the basis for the values, conceptions and misconception of other cultures (Booth 5). The practice does not necessarily imply that ethnocentrism does not have positive impacts on individuals or societies. In fact, ethnocentrism has great impact on the societies and individuals as well.

Ethnocentrism enables social solidarity within different cultures and society, and this leads to cooperation. It leads to provision of protection to group members through the creation of a sense of belonging. Individuals who are weak and hopeless feel strong and encourages by joining a certain group. In these cases, the people in lower ranks are given compensation through protection. It also promotes the ideologies of nationalism and patriotism as it stirs the feeling and sense of belonging. In other aspects, ethnocentrism develops social relations through stimulating a sense of belonging (Booth 5).

Monsoon Wedding is a Bollywood movie about the culture of India with aspects of weddings, family relations and religion. The culture of India has been portrayed with a lot of positivity and beauty as any other culture. The portrayal can be termed as positive as it stimulates positivity in individuals. Through travels to Africa, one can get a glimpse of the cultural diversity of the continent. These experiences serve as eye openers to the understanding of different cultures. Getting to understand the Indian and African cultures outlines how one has misinterpreted other cultures.

Ethnocentrism creates boundaries and limits in social groups due to prejudice and misconceptions about other cultures. This prejudice leads to conflict and rivalry among different cultural groups which reduces the levels of the corporation in the society. Ethnocentrism also confines one to a smaller group and hinders personal and social development. One is confined within cultural limits and lacks knowledge of changes beyond the cultural group. The cultural confinement also limits one to making advances as required by the changes in the modern world and therefore remains backward (Booth 6).

Experiences from the Bollywood movie and the trip to Africa also outlined how ethnocentrism has affected our view of Africa and India. The belief that our cultures are superior to that of Africa and India was a hindrance to us enjoying the different cultures. Ethnocentrism led to harboring of feeling about these two distinct cultures which resulted in misconception and misjudgment. Ethnocentrism makes it difficult for an individual to relate to other as one may feel not understood by them. As such, one is not able to experience and enjoy the different and diverse cultures.

Works cited
Booth, Ken. Strategy And Ethnocentrism (Routledge Revivals). Taylor And Francis, 2014.