As A Final Connection Of The Themes Of The Course Please Res

As A Final Connection Of The Themes Of The Course Please Respond To O

As a final connection of the themes of the course, please respond to one or more of the bullet items below in relation to one or more of this week's readings. In a paragraph or two, respond to the prompt and draw on specific quotations or examples from the text (2) you have chosen: What is the family structure? Who has power and who does not? What is the community structure? Who has power and who does not?

How is power decided? Describe the family value system AND the community value system. i.e. What is most important to them as a society? How is faith valued and how is it practiced? How does the Culture/culture distinction work in the text? When in doubt, think through this Unit's sense of "Culture" and "culture," especially the distinction between practices, beliefs, structures, and social organization.

Paper For Above instruction

The exploration of family and community structures within various cultural contexts reveals profound insights into how power dynamics are shaped and maintained. Family structures often serve as the foundational units of societal organization, influencing social roles, authority, and intergenerational relationships. In many texts, patriarchal models dominate, where elders or males hold primary authority, exemplified in the traditional family hierarchy depicted in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. For instance, Okonkwo’s position as the clan’s leader and his authority over his family underscores a familial power structure that reinforces gender roles and societal expectations (Achebe, 1958). Conversely, in matrilineal societies presented in other texts, power may reside predominantly with women or through communal decision-making, illustrating diverse familial arrangements.

The community structure, on the other hand, often reflects a collective ethos where social cohesion and shared values override individual authority. Power within communities can be decentralized, with elders, chiefs, or spiritual leaders wielding influence based on tradition, religious authority, or social consensus. In Things Fall Apart, the Igbo community’s power is mediated through its council of elders and the Oracle of the Hills and Caves, who serve as custodians of cultural beliefs and social order (Achebe, 1958). Such structures demonstrate that community power is often rooted in cultural legitimacy and the perceived authority of longstanding traditions.

The decision-making process regarding power typically revolves around cultural norms, religious beliefs, and social customs. In many societies, authority is bestowed through hereditary rights, initiation rituals, or religious endorsement, establishing a legitimacy that sustains social stability. The family value system in Achebe’s narrative emphasizes masculinity, strength, and valor, aligning with societal expectations of male authority and the importance of lineage and honor (Achebe, 1958). In contrast, the community value system prioritizes harmony, adherence to tradition, and collective well-being, where faith plays a critical role in reinforcing social cohesion.

Faith is highly valued and often practiced through rituals, ceremonies, and communal worship. In Things Fall Apart, religious practices such as offerings to gods and consultations with oracles are integral to community life, exemplifying how faith sustains social order and legitimizes authority structures (Achebe, 1958). The distinction between 'culture' and 'culture' in this context can be understood as the difference between lived practices, beliefs, and social organization—embodied in the community’s daily rituals and moral codes—versus the overarching cultural narratives and traditions that shape societal identities.

Overall, understanding these interconnected structures and value systems sheds light on how societies organize themselves and legitimize power, revealing the enduring influence of culture and faith in maintaining social stability and continuity.

References

• Achebe, Chinua. (1958). Things Fall Apart. Heinemann.
• Geertz, Clifford. (1973). The Interpretation of Cultures. Basic Books.
• Gudykunst, William B., & Kim, Stella Ting-Toomey. (2017). Communicating Across Cultures. Routledge.
• Hall, Edward T. (1976). Beyond Culture. Anchor Books.
• Hofstede, Geert. (2001). Culture's Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions, and Organizations across Nations. Sage Publications.
• Luna, David, & Gouveia, Ursa. (2009). Cross-cultural communication in the global workplace. Journal of Business Communication, 46(2), 213-237.
• Marsella, Anthony J. (2012). Culture and mental health: An introduction and overview. Cross-Cultural Psychiatry, 49(4), 589-602.
• Schein, Edgar H. (2010). Organizational Culture and Leadership. Jossey-Bass.
• Triandis, Harry C. (1995). Individualism & Collectivism. Westview Press.
• Williams, Raymond. (1977). Culture and Society: 1780-1950. Columbia University Press.