Cultural Appropriation And Its Effect On Society - 1495 Words

In the simplest of terms, cultural appropriation is loosely defined as an act that occurs when someone of a dominant culture adopts or utilizes certain aspects of a culture that is not their own. However, appropriation goes far beyond that, and can be especially harmful to the marginalized groups that are having their culture appropriated by dominant groups. A deeper look focuses on the power dynamic that exists within and constitutes appropriation. In other words, when members of a dominant group or culture and take elements of a culture that has been systematically oppressed by the dominant groups in America, they are enacting appropriation. The issue becomes more problematic when these dominant groups (which are typically white people) use elements of a subordinate culture without acknowledging or being aware of the original context or source of the materials being appropriated. This isn’t to say that there cannot be cultural exchange (appreciation), or assimilation either. It is important to distinguish appropriation from assimilation, which often occurs when a less dominant group has to adopt elements of the dominant culture in order to survive or endure the systems put in place. For marginalized groups, assimilation helps to avoid even greater struggles, while appropriation is often a case of a dominant group having a choice as to whether or not they want to adopt certain elements of another culture. This emphasizes the power imbalance that serves as the main dynamicShow MoreRelatedCultural Appropriation And Its Effect On Society1640 Words   |  7 Pagesconversations being had about race and its role in society today. Everywhere you look, in every news story and Facebook status, there is an ongoing debate regarding race and inequality. One of these major discussions regards cultural appropriation, which is an infamous problem around Halloween. Many individuals are confused by this concept of appropriating culture simply because they cannot distin guish the line between appreciation and appropriation. Thus, these blurred lines lead to offending culturesRead MoreCultural Appropriation And Its Effect On Society Essay1505 Words   |  7 Pagesto its people. Culture show the struggle the knowledge, the life, and the death of a people. Cultural appropriation is defined as the adaptation or use of elements of one culture by the members of another culture. Seen by some as controversial where minority culture is used by cultural majority (whites), and is seen as stripping it of its importance and intellectual properties.Cultural appropriation, it is something that we as a people should not accept nor should we ignore it.For it has been committedRead MoreCultural Appropriation And Its Effects On Society Essay1679 Words   |  7 Pagessubject of that culture out of context until it is no longer â€Å"special† or â€Å"sacred†? Or is cultural appropriation a term used to reclaim a culture that a group wants to keep fo r itself? Maybe it’s the assumption all cultures must uphold their own ways of speaking, looking, and living without allowing anyone else to mimic them as to always stand out and hold a place in society. Regardless, cultural appropriation has been a trending topic of conversation and news in the past few years, and thas inhibitedRead MoreCultural Appropriation And Its Effects On Society1820 Words   |  8 PagesImagine a world in which cultures where being mocked by dressing like them, making profit from their cultures, and stealing the cultures ideas, this is an example of Cultural Appropriation. â€Å"Cultural appropriation is defined as the adoption or use of elements of one culture by members of a different culture† (Seghal 1). It is not something that has to be imagined as it is the reality that we live in today. Many problems have arisen the past year in ethnicity issues, and it is all due to people notRead MoreCultural Appropriation And Its Effects On Society1 228 Words   |  5 PagesCultural appropriation is becoming a more and more prevalent problem in society today. It has the negative connotation of taking from another culture. The public doesn’t seem to notice when they are taking another culture, but it is seen as a massive disrespect to the culture because of this. The five authors of the articles all agree that cultural appropriation is the taking from one culture and implementing it into your own; however, the authors opinions differ on what should be done about thisRead MoreCultural Appropriation And Its Effects On Society1965 Words   |  8 Pages Cultural appropriation defines as someone taking or borrowing aspects of another culture that is not their own. Author Lilly Workneh gives a clear definition when stating, â€Å"Appropriation [of a culture] occurs when a style leads to racist [assumptions and] generalizations†¦where it originated, but is deemed as high-fashion, cool, or funny when the privileged take i t for themselves† (Workneh). Whether it is intentional or not, appropriating a culture involves partaking in the continuation of disempoweringRead MoreThe Negative Implications Of Cultural Appropriation1718 Words   |  7 PagesThe Negative Implications of Cultural Appropriation Samantha Mulcahy INTC 1F90 Jeff Reichheld Seminar 3 Seminar Leader: Jeff Reichheld 13 March 2016 Word Count: 1526 Cultural appropriation is something that is commonly seen around the world in the Grand Narratives of dominant westernized cultures. The cultural appropriation of minority cultures in order to construct the Grand Narratives of dominant cultures has a negative effect on those who are apart of the oppressed minorities. TheseRead MoreThe Double Standard Of Cultural Appropriation : What Is Wrong With Your Favorite Pop Stars?1474 Words   |  6 PagesThe Double Standard of Cultural Appropriation: What is Wrong With Your Favorite Pop Stars? While adolescents struggle to find their identity in the world, some struggle between two different worlds: firstly) conforming to the behaviors in western society; and secondly) having pride in one’s culture. In accordance: A person s cultural identity forms important and vulnerable parts of who they are. We tend to define ourselves by what we believe and express our beliefs through certain symbolsRead MoreEffects Of Cultural Appropriation On The Fashion Industry1316 Words   |  6 PagesJulia Raffa English 1110.01 David Winter 23 October 2015 The Effects of Cultural Appropriation in the Fashion Industry The fashion industry is one of the most prevalent and visible forms of influence on today’s society. Billboards, malls, magazines, TV, movies, advertisements, runways, etc. are filled with fashion campaigns usually distributed to make a statement and to influence the consumers. Often times, the fashion industry engages in offensive promotions like romanticizing eating less andRead MoreAmeric The Multinational Society884 Words   |  4 PagesMultinational Society,† Ishmael Reed gives his readers no context for his expertise in the subject of multiculturalism, though he is black and has seen first-hand his family’s culture mixed with other cultures present in the United States. His best examples of cultural blending happening, and indeed being a positive thing, is when he compares the attitude of xenophobes to those of the actual colonial-era Puritans, who were a stunningly brutal people. Reed’s examples of the failings of other societies that