Cultural Patterns and Landscapes

By the end of this lesson, you will understand how physical geography and natural resource availability impact cultural practices across geographic locations, creating different cultural landscapes that are, at the same time, also similar.

I Feel Like I Should Get Out the Lawnmower....

Have you ever wondered why locations look, feel, and function so differently, but at the same time have many similarities?

The simple answer to that question is variation in cultural traits and diffusion, but if we dig deeper, we will see that the answer is much more complex.

What is culture anyway?

It’s one of those we know it when we see it concepts, which is difficult to describe. That is because our culture is innate; we grow up in it and don’t even have to think about it. However, in order to analyze other cultures, we need to be able to break them down into parts.

The video below will explain how we do that.

Put Your "Cultural" Glasses On!

One of the most important aspects of analyzing cultures is the lens we use. We have to look at cultures through a culturally relative lens. This means we should understand and evaluate a culture based on its own values and beliefs, not by comparing it to our own culture. Instead of judging another culture as “right” or “wrong,” cultural relativism encourages us to look at why people in that culture act, believe, or live the way they do.

This is important to us as geographers for the following reasons

Helps geographers avoid ethnocentrism (the belief that one’s own culture is superior to another).
Encourages open-mindedness and a better understanding of cultural diversity.
Allows geographers to analyze cultural practices fairly and accurately without bias.

Before we go further, we need to be clear on the different categories of culture that geographers use to frame their cultural analysis.

Accessible Version: Different Categories of Cultures

Global Culture, also called popular culture, is heterogeneous, technology driven, influenced by urban areas, corporations, and social media.
Local Culture, often referred to as folk culture, tends to be ethnically homogeneous, tied to local areas and resources, and based more in rural societies.
Indigenous cultures are a subset of local cultures and address cultural practices of a group that is no longer the dominant ethnic group of the area. Cherokee Indians in North Georgia are an example of indigenous cultures.

Iceberg Ahead!

One way of explaining how personal and varied cultural traits are is to use the analogy of an iceberg.

The image illustrates the "Cultural Iceberg" model This idea is based on the work of anthropologist Edward Hall and divides culture into Observable or behavior-based traits and Not Observable or belief-based traits.

Observable characteristics are above the line and make up about 10 % of our culture. It is also what people see.
Not Observable characteristics lie below the waterline; they are what other people can’t see about us. They make up about 90% of our culture and are the beliefs and values that we hold as most important.

As geographers, in order to truly analyze a culture, we must be aware that most culture is not observable, and we need to look below the surface when studying cultures different from our own.

So, how do we “get” our culture?

There are many formative forces that build cultures, and they are often deeply personal. Family, community, and religious beliefs begin shaping our culture from the time we are born. Outside influences also help us form our cultural values and beliefs. Educational systems and media – including social media can have a profound impact on cultural beliefs.

The image illustrates the "Cultural Iceberg" model, which categorizes cultural traits into visible and invisible aspects.
Visible or Observable Culture Traits: Include elements like sports, food, clothing, music, and language.
Invisible or Non-observable Culture Traits: Encompass deeper aspects such as work ethic, religious beliefs, values, gender roles, and the concept of beauty. The model highlights that the majority of culture (the "iceberg" below the water) is hidden and not immediately apparent.

Analyzing Our Cultural Landscape

Now, let’s put it all together: the application of these skills and concepts is the analysis of cultural landscapes. Cultural landscapes are the visible imprint of culture on the physical environment, showing how people shape and reflect their beliefs, history, and identity in a space. This is the essence of what makes one location different from others.

We look at the following concepts when analyzing a cultural landscape:

Cultural Landscape Analysis

Geographic Analysis	Geographers look at spatial patterns that exist and how society shapes its local environment to gain insight into what a society values.
Cultural Diversity	When people of different ethnic or cultural backgrounds live in a place, their identities shape the physical environment. Languages on signs (Spanish in parts of Texas, French in Quebec) Ethnic restaurants and markets (Indian grocery stores, Korean BBQ restaurants) Religious buildings (mosques, Hindu temples, synagogues, churches) These features make the cultural landscape more diverse and help geographers understand who lives there and what they value. Culturally diverse societies often lead to a stronger sense of place. Ethnic diversity can also lead to ethnic enclaves. These neighborhoods where one ethnic group is most common support, preserve culture, and make a visible impact on the landscape.
Architecture Types	Architecture types can reflect the following on a cultural landscape: History Identity Religious Iconography Preservation of heritage Symbolism – national pride, history, religion Geographers also study the values shown in architecture. Traditional and indigenous architecture use resources and inspiration from local areas. Modern architecture focuses on function over design. Local culture and resources are not considered in this style. Postmodern architecture is a reaction to modern architecture, while also incorporating local culture into the design of the building.
Sequent Occupancy	Impact of previous cultures in a geographic location, leaving their mark throughout history. This process helps create a unique cultural landscape. For example, Incan ruins combined with Spanish influence in Bolivia and Christian and Muslim influences in Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia are examples of distinct cultural landscapes that evolved through subsequent occupancy.
Land Use Patterns	How land is used for housing, jobs, farming, recreation, or religion—can tell us a lot about what a society values. People with shared cultural backgrounds often live close to one another. This can create ethnic neighborhoods, which are areas where a specific group’s culture is easy to observe. These neighborhoods show cultural presence in space. Ethnic neighborhoods, such as Chinatown and Little Italy, are areas that help preserve cultural identity and provide a sense of community for immigrants and their descendants.
Survey Systems	Methods for dividing land for settlement reflect cultural and historical context. Systems include: · Long-lot (long, narrow plots along water) – used by French colonists in North America · Metes & Bounds (uses natural landmarks) – used in England and throughout the British colonies · Township and Range (grid system) – used by the US government post-Revolutionary War (1785)
Placelessness	Globalization and the spread of global culture can contribute to a lack of a unique identity in a location. Fast food chains, global businesses, and mass-produced housing can make places feel like they are all the same.
Centripetal forces	Forces that unite people and bring them together. Examples include having a common language, a strong sense of identity, nationalism, or a homogeneous united community.
Centrifugal forces	Forces that divide a group of people and push them apart. Examples include discrimination, political or economic inequalities, a large variety of languages spoken, or negative stereotypes. Centrifugal forces occur when there is tension and division.

Let’s practice analyzing cultural landscapes. Below is a street scene of the bustling, vibrant Myeong-Dong shopping district at night, with illuminated signs, in Seoul, South Korea. Use the buttons on the image to learn more about what each part of the landscape can tell us about our analysis.

In the modern world, it is extremely rare for cultures to exist in isolation. Cultural traits such as language, religion, writing, art forms, music, and food have been diffusing across the globe for centuries.

►Next Up: Our next question is how these cultural traits diffused and what impact they had on existing cultures?

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