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Introduction
In order to understand the cultural practices of other people and our own without being affected by ethnocentrism, we can use the guideline of cultural relativism. Cultural relativism is about understanding the cultural practices of other cultures by examining them from the contexts of those who practice them. Similarly, we can understand our cultural practices better by examining them from the context of others or outsiders. Ethnocentrism pushes a person to perceive his/her culture as superior to others, making it difficult to understand other cultures. This also makes it difficult to understand another culture from an emic perspective but even more difficult to understand your own culture from an etic perspective. Cultural relativism implies taking an etic perspective to your own culture while taking an emic perspective to another culture. This way you can get an unbiased understanding of cultural practices from the two cultures. Over the course of this paper, I will examine an aspect of my own culture through an etic lens in order to gain the perspective of an outsider, and I will examine an aspect of the Chicano culture from an insider’s perspective in order to become more familiar with the motivations behind this practice. Specifically, I will examine Christianity in America and Islam in Saudi Arabia. I will examine the cultural perspectives of the Arab nation in an emic view and describe American Christian religion from an outsiders view.
In this section, I will discuss the Christianity in America from an etic perspective. According to Crapo, “etic models invariably describe each culture in ways that seem alien to its own participants but that facilitate comparisons between cultures and the discovery of universal principles in the structure and functioning of cultures” (Crapo, 2013, p.27). This means that in order to have an outsider’s description of the American culture, it is wiser to step outside the American perspective. In the article “The Bizarre Dating Rituals of The Nacirema”, Miner (1956), describes the American culture in a unique perspective and gives the reader a view that is not imaginable to the normal American. In an American perspective, the Nacirema are a people of bizarre cultural practices which leads any American reader into a judgmental state. Christian American ways probably seem bizarre to any outsider.
Christianity is viewed as a religion that allows people most of their freedoms and rights. Americans believe in their freedom of religion and the rights to have an individual view and opinion. Therefore, in the US, people have the freedom to dress in their own choice of dress code and people have the freedom to interpret the holy bible in their own understanding. However, it is difficult to understand the similarities between different Christian churches, (Robson, 2013). For example, some Christian churches in the US accepts same sex marriages while others view same sex marriage as a defection from Christianity. The Christian religion in America seems confused and mixed up with no defined ways of behavior. For example, Muslims describe a unique code of dressing and are governed by rules of their religion. Christianity, especially in America seems to be open with no unique rules to govern the followers’ behaviors. The people have different interpretations of the same writing of their holy book and the views never seem to converge. Americans seem to be guided by their own views and not by a unique description of the bible.
Americans have also changed lots of things in the bible especially those relating to women. For example, in the book of 1 Timothy 2: 11-15, the bible describes the submissive nature of a woman and states that the woman should not exercise authority over men. However, Christians in American have a different interpretation of the verse and the bible, (Trigilio & Brighenti, 2011). Women become Bishops and teach men in churches while the men learn quietly. This is the exact opposite of what is described in the aforementioned verse. Similarly, the book of 2nd Timothy 2: 9-10 states that a woman should dress with decency and modesty without use of Gold or expensive cloths, (Trigilio & Brighenti, 2011). Christians in America interpret the verse differently. Cristian women can be seen walking around without very expensive clothing, while others deem beauty as the power of expensive ornaments and jewelry. Religion in the American culture can be described as an individual’s understanding of the bible and other holy books. For this reason, women wear braided hair and use expensive cloths and jewelry to showcase their beauty even in churches.
In this section, I will examine the Islam religion in the most strict and extreme cultural perspective and where it is followed to the later, Saudi Arabia. An emic understanding of culture as described by Crapo (2013, p.27), “An emic description or analysis—that is, an insider’s or native’s meaningful account—may be written for outsiders but portrays a culture and its meanings as the insider understands it”. Culture in the Islamic nation of Saudi Arabia is governed and dictated by the holly book of Quran. The people of Saudi Arabia are governed by the Sharia law which is very strict on many things including dress code and women position in the society.
It is unfair to term the actions and behavior of the Islamic community as being restrictive of freedom and not giving women their rightful positions in the society. The Quran describes the role of the woman in the society as under that of a man. Women are restricted from wearing indecent clothing and showing parts of their body. Similarly, women are viewed as the image of holiness and respect for both God and man. Therefore, women are required to wear veils and dresses that cover all parts of their body. Even in times of very harsh temperatures, the women are required to cover their bodies all the time, (Hoodfar, 1997). However, Islamic women living in other countries including the US continue to cover their bodies wear their veils even when living in countries with freer choices of dress code. Even though women from other cultures deem the act as being an apologist or stereotypical of the women, Muslim women adore it.
Women of the Islamic community view their bodies a holy and feel that covering their bodies shows respect for their bodies and God, a show of dignity and decency. Even though this women are often harassed by their counterparts from other cultures, Muslim women respect their religion and choose to cover their bodies as a show of what they believe in and protection of their bodies, (Hoodfar, 1997). Similarly, Muslims all over Saudi Arabia continue to worship different times of the day as a show of strict observation of the requirements of Prophet Muhammad. The sharia law governs many other different sectors of the society in Saudi Arabia and other Islamic nations. However, there are those that associate women dressing, especially the veil as the symbol of oppression and may be found to have filed complaints in different organizations. Religion for some is forced, while for others it is simply a matter of choice and even if they move to other location, they would not change their religion. Some Muslim women would still cover their faces even if there was no sharia law to force them to use the veil and other forms of dresses required in Islam.
Conclusion
As observed in the above discussions, it is clear that ethnocentrism prevents sociologists and scientist from uncovering some truths about different cultures. However, anthropology provides us with cultural relativism to understand reality behind our culture and others without being ethnocentric. Ethnocentrism hinders our understanding of other cultures and our own because of imposing judgement based on our understanding. Viewing our Christian religion with an etic perspective shows some of the issues that to us seems normal and decisive while in the eyes of an outsider, they may seem the exact opposite. Understanding Islam from an insider’s perspective may also show the willingness by Muslims to follow their laws and the requirements of their religion. Yet, we judge them for decisions they make guided by the understanding of their religion. An emic perspective of Islam provides us with a different view of the religion with the unforced choices of a religion often viewed as forced. Taking an emic perspective of another culture and an etic perspective of our own culture allows you to understand view the facts often hidden by the prejudices about the two cultures.
References:
Hoodfar, H. (1997). The veil in their minds and Our Heads: Velling Practices and Muslim Women in the Politics of Culture in the Shadow of Capital.
Robson, R. (2013). Dressing Constitutionally: Hierarchy, Sexuality, and Democracy from Our Hairstyles to Our Shoes. Cambridge University Press.
Trigilio Jr, R. J., & Brighenti, R. K. (2011). Women in the Bible for Dummies. John Wiley & Sons.
