By: Brian Gumm

Brian Gumm — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 19:22:15 +0000

You already heard me say this over e-mail, Chelsea, but now publicly: well-done! :)

Raad, I did a study on American Christianity and culture last fall and relied heavily on the work of sociologist, James Davison Hunter, in his book To Change the World: The irony, tragedy, and possibility of Christianity in the late modern world. He articulates 11 points about culture and culture change that may help your wonderings in re: culture…

On culture:
1) Culture is a system of truth claims and moral obligations
2) Culture is a product of history
3) Culture is intrinsically dialectical
4) Culture is a resource and, as such, a form of power
5) Cultural production and symbolic capital are stratified in a fairly rigid structure of “center” and “periphery”
6) Culture is generated within networks
7) Culture is neither autonomous nor fully coherent

On cultural change:
1) Cultures change from the top down, rarely if ever from the bottom up
2) Change is typically initiated by elites who are outside of the centermost positions of prestige
3) World-changing is most concentrated when the networks of elites and the institutions they lead overlap
4) Cultures change, but rarely if ever without a fight

This is quoted from section headings, pgs. 32-44. If you want to see my full paper on the matter, here’s the link:

So to quickly answer your two questions, 1) it’s hard to define culture which is mostly why I like the points that Hunter makes above, and 2) No, I don’t think there’s an abstract “thing” called “American Culture” that’s unchanging and timeless. It’s more like a moving, morphing, living thing that has history and character, and is written onto and enacted by American people, and then acted back upon, and also spread around the world in various ways (for better and worse).

Hope that’s helpful!

By: Raad Amer

Raad Amer — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 17:00:48 +0000

Very interesting and will written reflection. I wish I have the time to write. I think You touched on a multiple issues in this reflection. The most important, in my point of view, is the question of culture. I didn’t understand the meaning of culture, although you did elaborate on being a peacebuilder and a follower of Christ. Two questions that emerged from my reading to your reflection:
1- How do you define culture?
2- Is there is really anything called American Culture? How would you describe that?
I asked because I am struggling with the same questions, mainly number 2.

Thank you for the courage to put this wonderful post together.

Excellent Work

Comments on: Questions, Ponderings, and Dreams: Reflections on Attachment

By: Brian Gumm

By: Raad Amer