Culture Shock In Sociology

Culture Shock in Sociology: Understanding the Disorientation of a New Culture

Introduction:

Have you ever stepped off a plane into a completely foreign world, feeling utterly disoriented and overwhelmed? That feeling, that jarring disconnect between your familiar reality and a radically different one, is culture shock. While often experienced by travelers, culture shock is a significant concept within sociology, offering crucial insights into human adaptation, social interaction, and the very nature of culture itself. This comprehensive guide delves into the sociological understanding of culture shock, exploring its causes, stages, impacts, and the strategies individuals employ to navigate this challenging experience. We'll examine various theoretical perspectives and real-world examples to provide a complete picture of this fascinating sociological phenomenon. Prepare to unravel the complexities of culture shock and gain a deeper understanding of its profound implications.

1. Defining Culture Shock: More Than Just Jet Lag

Culture shock transcends simple discomfort or homesickness. Sociologically, it's defined as the psychological distress experienced by individuals when immersed in an unfamiliar culture. This distress stems from the disruption of ingrained cultural norms, values, beliefs, and expectations. It’s not merely a matter of adjusting to a new climate or cuisine; it's about grappling with a fundamentally different way of life, from communication styles and social etiquette to deeply ingrained worldviews. This disorientation can manifest physically, emotionally, and psychologically, leading to a range of symptoms.

2. The Stages of Culture Shock: A Journey Through Disorientation

While individual experiences vary, researchers have identified distinct stages in the culture shock process. These stages aren't always linear, and individuals may fluctuate between them:

Honeymoon Phase: Initial excitement and fascination with the new environment. This is often characterized by positive perceptions and a sense of adventure.
Negotiation/Frustration Stage: The initial euphoria fades, replaced by frustration, anger, and feelings of helplessness. Everyday tasks become challenging, and communication breakdowns become frequent. This is where the core symptoms of culture shock become most prominent.
Adjustment Stage: Gradual adaptation begins. Individuals start to understand the new culture's nuances, develop coping mechanisms, and build relationships with locals. This stage involves learning to navigate the complexities of the new environment effectively.
Acceptance/Adaptation Stage: A sense of belonging and comfort emerges. Individuals feel more confident in their ability to function within the new culture, embracing its differences and finding a sense of normalcy. However, this doesn't necessarily mean a complete loss of connection to their original culture.
Re-entry Shock (Reverse Culture Shock): Upon returning to their home culture, some individuals experience a form of culture shock in reverse. This is because the familiar environment may now feel foreign, and they may find it difficult to readjust to their previous way of life.


3. Sociological Perspectives on Culture Shock: Unveiling the Underlying Mechanisms

Several sociological theories shed light on the processes involved in culture shock.

Symbolic Interactionism: This perspective focuses on how individuals interpret and make sense of their experiences in a new cultural context. It emphasizes the role of communication and social interaction in shaping individuals’ understanding of their surroundings and their emotional responses.
Functionalism: This theory views culture shock as a disruption of social order and equilibrium. It emphasizes the importance of social institutions in providing individuals with a sense of stability and predictability, and how the absence of familiar structures contributes to culture shock.
Conflict Theory: This perspective highlights the power imbalances and inequalities that may exacerbate culture shock. It considers how cultural differences can lead to prejudice, discrimination, and conflict, creating additional challenges for individuals navigating a new cultural setting.


4. The Impact of Culture Shock: Beyond Personal Discomfort

Culture shock's effects extend beyond personal distress. It can impact:

Academic Performance: Students studying abroad, for example, often experience decreased academic performance due to the emotional and cognitive challenges of adapting to a new environment.
Mental Health: Prolonged or severe culture shock can contribute to anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.
Intercultural Relations: Difficulties in communication and understanding can strain relationships with locals and hinder successful integration into the new community.
Economic Productivity: In the workplace, culture shock can reduce productivity and efficiency, particularly for individuals who have relocated for work.

5. Coping Mechanisms and Strategies for Navigating Culture Shock

Individuals employ various strategies to cope with culture shock. These can include:

Seeking social support: Connecting with other individuals who share similar experiences can provide emotional support and practical advice.
Learning the local language: Improving communication skills significantly reduces feelings of isolation and frustration.
Engaging in cultural activities: Immersion in the local culture helps to foster understanding and appreciation.
Maintaining connections with home: Keeping in touch with family and friends can provide a sense of grounding and continuity.
Seeking professional help: If the symptoms of culture shock are severe or persistent, professional guidance from therapists or counselors can be beneficial.


6. Culture Shock and Globalization: A Modern Perspective

In an increasingly globalized world, understanding culture shock is more important than ever. Increased migration, international travel, and intercultural interactions have heightened the frequency and significance of culture shock experiences. This highlights the need for increased awareness, support systems, and strategies to help individuals navigate the challenges of living and working across cultures.

7. Case Studies: Real-World Examples of Culture Shock

Examining real-world case studies, such as the experiences of international students adjusting to university life in a foreign country or immigrants settling in a new nation, vividly illustrates the diverse manifestations and impacts of culture shock. Analyzing these examples allows for a deeper understanding of the individual and societal factors that shape this experience.

8. Conclusion: Embracing the Challenges of Cultural Adaptation

Culture shock, while challenging, is ultimately a testament to the power of human adaptability. It's a process of learning, growing, and broadening one's understanding of the world. By acknowledging the complexity of this experience, understanding its various stages, and employing effective coping mechanisms, individuals can navigate the challenges of culture shock and emerge with a richer, more nuanced perspective on themselves and the world around them.


Book Outline: "Navigating the New World: A Sociological Exploration of Culture Shock"

Introduction: Defining culture shock within a sociological context.
Chapter 1: Theories of culture shock (Symbolic Interactionism, Functionalism, Conflict Theory).
Chapter 2: The stages of culture shock (Honeymoon, Negotiation, Adjustment, Acceptance, Re-entry).
Chapter 3: Impacts of culture shock (mental health, academic performance, intercultural relations).
Chapter 4: Coping strategies and support systems for navigating culture shock.
Chapter 5: Culture shock in a globalized world; case studies and real-world examples.
Conclusion: Reflections on the significance of culture shock in shaping individual and societal understanding of cultural adaptation.


(Each chapter would then be expanded upon, creating a full-length book based on the information provided above.)


FAQs:

1. Is culture shock only experienced by those who travel internationally? No, culture shock can be experienced in various contexts, including moving to a different region within one's own country, starting a new job with a significantly different work culture, or even major life transitions.

2. How long does culture shock typically last? The duration of culture shock varies greatly depending on individual factors, the degree of cultural difference, and the support systems available. It can range from a few weeks to several months or even longer in extreme cases.

3. What are the most common symptoms of culture shock? Common symptoms include feelings of isolation, anxiety, depression, frustration, anger, irritability, homesickness, difficulty sleeping, and physical ailments.

4. Can culture shock be prevented? While culture shock cannot be entirely prevented, understanding its stages and potential impact, along with proactive preparation, can significantly reduce its intensity and duration.

5. What role does language play in culture shock? Language barriers significantly contribute to culture shock, hindering communication and leading to feelings of isolation and frustration.

6. How can family and friends help someone experiencing culture shock? Providing emotional support, maintaining regular contact, and showing understanding are crucial. Avoid dismissing their feelings or minimizing their experience.

7. What kind of professional help is available for individuals struggling with culture shock? Therapists, counselors, and support groups specializing in cross-cultural adjustment can offer valuable guidance and support.

8. Is reverse culture shock as intense as initial culture shock? The intensity of reverse culture shock varies greatly, but it can be surprisingly challenging for some individuals, as they readjust to a culture they once considered familiar.

9. How can institutions and organizations support individuals prone to culture shock? Providing pre-departure orientation, access to support networks, language training, and cultural sensitivity training can significantly help individuals manage the challenges of adapting to a new environment.


Related Articles:

1. The Psychology of Adaptation to New Cultures: Explores the psychological mechanisms involved in adjusting to new cultural environments.
2. Cross-Cultural Communication: Breaking Down Barriers: Focuses on effective communication strategies in diverse settings.
3. The Role of Social Support in Reducing Culture Shock: Discusses the importance of social networks in navigating cultural transitions.
4. Culture Shock and Mental Health: A Comprehensive Overview: Examines the link between culture shock and various mental health challenges.
5. Immigrant Integration and the Culture Shock Experience: Explores the unique challenges faced by immigrants adjusting to a new country.
6. International Student Adjustment: Overcoming Culture Shock in Academia: Addresses the specific challenges faced by international students.
7. Reverse Culture Shock: Readjusting to the Familiar: Discusses the challenges and coping mechanisms for individuals experiencing reverse culture shock.
8. Building Resilience: Coping Strategies for Individuals Facing Cultural Change: Offers practical tips and strategies for developing resilience during cultural transitions.
9. The Sociological Impact of Globalization on Cultural Identity: Examines how globalization impacts individual and collective cultural identities and the experience of culture shock.


  culture shock in sociology: The Psychology of Culture Shock Colleen A. Ward, Stephen Bochner, Adrian Furnham, 2001 Incorporates over a decade of new research and material on coping with the causes and consequencs that instigate culture shock, this can occur when a person is transported from a familiar to an alien culture.
  culture shock in sociology: Culture Shock Adrian Furnham, Stephen Bochner, 1986
  culture shock in sociology: Psychology Culture Shock Colleen Ward, Stephen Bochner, Adrian Furnham, 2020-10-07 Crossing cultures can be a stimulating and rewarding adventure. It can also be a stressful and bewildering experience. This thoroughly revised and updated edition of Furnham and Bochner's classic Culture Shock (1986) examines the psychological and social processes involved in intercultural contact, including learning new culture-specific skills, managing stress and coping with an unfamiliar environment, changing cultural identities and enhancing intergroup relations. The book describes the ABCs of intercultural encounters, highlighting Affective, Behavioural and Cognitive components of cross-cultural experience. It incorporates both theoretical and applied perspectives on culture shock and a comprehensive review of empirical research on a variety of cross-cultural travellers, such as tourists, students, business travellers, immigrants and refugees. Minimising the adverse effects of culture shock, facilitating positive psychological outcomes and discussion of selection and training techniques for living and working abroad represent some of the practical issues covered. The Psychology of Culture Shock will prove an essential reference and textbook for courses within psychology, sociology and business training. It will also be a valuable resource for professionals working with culturally diverse populations and acculturating groups such as international students, immigrants or refugees.
  culture shock in sociology: Culture shock and stress among international students Saied Faqe Ibrahim, 2015-11-27 Research Paper (postgraduate) from the year 2012 in the subject Sociology - Culture, Technology, Nations, grade: 60, Sheffield Hallam University (Sheffield Hallam University), course: Sociology planing and Policy, language: English, abstract: The main aim of this research is to describe the culture shock and stress, to explore the means of reducing the cultural shock and pressure that is experienced by international students in the United Kingdom and to explain the benefits of studying abroad. In addition, the research design employed a qualitative methodology. After getting consent, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with male participants and the data gathered from three interviewees chosen on the basis of different demographic backgrounds, being from the United Kingdom. The thematic analysis method is to analyse transcribed data. The results of this exploratory research of culture shock and stress; many themes have been specified and explained; such as language, food, weather, dress, education system, technology, and transportation. They are related to the sources of the culture shock, the effect of shock on the international students and the attempts to reduce the culture shock. Also, several themes have been specified, explained and analysed below in terms of sources of pressure, that influence of international students in the UK during studies such as language, academics, differences of culture and homesickness. Also, some benefits of study abroad and methods to decrease stress have been given.
  culture shock in sociology: Introduction to Sociology 2e Nathan J. Keirns, Heather Griffiths, Eric Strayer, Susan Cody-Rydzewski, Gail Scaramuzzo, Sally Vyain, Tommy Sadler, Jeff D. Bry, Faye Jones, 2015-03-17 This text is intended for a one-semester introductory course.--Page 1.
  culture shock in sociology: Writing Across Culture Kenneth Wagner, Tony Magistrale, 1995 This book is about culture shock and the writing process. For a student, the relationship between writing and the challenge of living in a foreign culture may not be obvious. The purpose of Writing Across Culture is to aid the student in documenting and analyzing the connection. If culture can be broadly defined as the unwritten rules of every-day life, one effective method for learning these rules is to write about them as they are discovered. In this way, it is possible to see writing as a tool for cultural inquiry and comprehension, and, hence, an antidote for culture shock. Writing Across Culture encourages its readers to become writers engaged in a dialogue - between the individual and the new society - about everyday cultural differences.
  culture shock in sociology: Culture Shock Adrian Furnham, Stephen Bochner, 1986-01-01
  culture shock in sociology: Cultural Adaptation in the Workplace Martha Tyler John, Donald G. Roberts, 2017-06-26 B: Vocational Program Samples and Publications -- C: Survey Letter -- D: Interview Protocol -- E: Company Procedures Schema -- F: Company Procedures/Employee Corollary Schema -- G: Governmental Role in Cultural Adaptation Process -- Bibliography -- Index
  culture shock in sociology: Cultures in Contact Stephen Bochner, 2016-07-01 International Series in Experimental Social Psychology, Volume I: Culture in Contact: Studies in Cross-Cultural Interaction is part of a series of books that presents development in the field of social psychology; each volume contains materials such as empirical research, research procedures, theoretical formulations, and critical reviews of the relevant literature. This particular volume covers the processes and outcomes of cross cultural encounters. The book consists of eight chapters, which are organized into three parts. Part I discusses various types and purposes of cross-cultural contact and reviews the major empirical findings relating to the field. Part II deals with the processes underlying effective communication between culturally diverse persons. Part III concerns itself with practical outcomes of culture contact, such as the reactions of the persons engaged in the meeting. The text will be of great interest to researchers and professionals concerned with the nature of cross-cultural interactions, such as sociologists and social psychologists.
  culture shock in sociology: Cultural Sociology of Mental Illness Andrew Scull, 2013-12-20 Cultural Sociology of Mental Illness: An A to Z Guide looks at recent reports that suggest an astonishing rise in mental illness and considers such questions as: Are there truly more mentally ill people now or are there just more people being diagnosed and treated? What are the roles of economics and the pharmacological industry in this controversy? At the core of what is going on with mental illness in America and around the world, the editors suggest, is cultural sociology: How differing cultures treat mental illness and, in turn, how mental health patients are affected by the culture. In this illuminating multidisciplinary reference, expert scholars explore the culture of mental illness from the non-clinical perspectives of sociology, history, psychology, epidemiology, economics, public health policy, and finally, the mental health patients themselves. Key themes include Cultural Comparisons of Mental Health Disorders; Cultural Sociology of Mental Illness Around the World; Economics; Epidemiology; Mental Health Practitioners; Non-Drug Treatments; Patient, the Psychiatry, and Psychology; Psychiatry and Space; Psychopharmacology; Public Policy; Social History; and Sociology. Key Features: This two-volume A-Z work, available in both print and electronic formats, includes close to 400 articles by renowned experts in their respective fields. An Introduction, a thematic Reader’s Guide, a Glossary, and a Resource Guide to Key Books, Journals, and Associations and their web sites enhance this invaluable reference. A chronology places the cultural sociology of mental illness in historical context. 150 photos bring concepts to life. The range and scope of this Encyclopedia is vivid testimony to the intellectual vitality of the field and will make a useful contribution to the next generation of sociological research on the cultural sociology of mental illness. Key Themes: Cultural Comparisons of Mental Health Disorders Cultural Sociology of Mental Illness Around the World Economics Epidemiology Mental Health Practitioners Non-Drug Treatments Patient, The Psychiatry and Psychology Psychiatry and Space Psychopharmacology Public Policy Social History Sociology
  culture shock in sociology: Culture Shock - Psychological Reactions to Unfamiliar Environments ,
  culture shock in sociology: Indigenous Peoples and Colonialism Colin Samson, Carlos Gigoux, 2016-12-16 Indigenous peoples have gained increasing international visibility in their fight against longstanding colonial occupation by nation-states. Although living in different locations around the world and practising highly varied ways of life, indigenous peoples nonetheless are affected by similar patterns of colonial dispossession and violence. In defending their collective rights to self-determination, culture, lands and resources, their resistance and creativity offer a pause for critical reflection on the importance of maintaining indigenous distinctiveness against the homogenizing forces of states and corporations. This timely book highlights significant colonial patterns of domination and their effects, as well as responses and resistance to colonialism. It brings indigenous peoples issues and voices to the forefront of sociological discussions of modernity. In particular, the book examines issues of identity, dispossession, environment, rights and revitalization in relation to historical and ongoing colonialism, showing that the experiences of indigenous peoples in wealthy and poor countries are often parallel and related. With a strong comparative scope and interdisciplinary perspective, the book is an essential introductory reading for students interested in race and ethnicity, human rights, development and indigenous peoples issues in an interconnected world.
  culture shock in sociology: Culture in Networks Paul McLean, 2016-11-11 Today, interest in networks is growing by leaps and bounds, in both scientific discourse and popular culture. Networks are thought to be everywhere – from the architecture of our brains to global transportation systems. And networks are especially ubiquitous in the social world: they provide us with social support, account for the emergence of new trends and markets, and foster social protest, among other functions. Besides, who among us is not familiar with Facebook, Twitter, or, for that matter, World of Warcraft, among the myriad emerging forms of network-based virtual social interaction? It is common to think of networks simply in structural terms – the architecture of connections among objects, or the circuitry of a system. But social networks in particular are thoroughly interwoven with cultural things, in the form of tastes, norms, cultural products, styles of communication, and much more. What exactly flows through the circuitry of social networks? How are people's identities and cultural practices shaped by network structures? And, conversely, how do people's identities, their beliefs about the social world, and the kinds of messages they send affect the network structures they create? This book is designed to help readers think about how and when culture and social networks systematically penetrate one another, helping to shape each other in significant ways.
  culture shock in sociology: An Extraordinary Theory of Objects Stephanie LaCava, 2012-12-04 A haunting and moving collection of original narratives that reveals an expatriate's coming-of-age in Paris and the magic she finds in ordinary objects An awkward, curious girl growing up in a foreign country, Stephanie LaCava finds solace and security in strange yet beautiful objects. When her father's mysterious job transports her and her family to the quaint Parisian suburb of Le Vésinet, everything changes for the young American. Stephanie sets out to explore her new surroundings and to make friends at her unconventional international school, but her curiosity soon gives way to feelings of anxiety and a deep depression. In her darkest moments, Stephanie learns to filter the world through her peculiar lens, discovering the uncommon, uncelebrated beauty in what she finds. Encouraged by her father through trips to museums and scavenger hunts at antique shows, she traces an interconnected web of narratives of long-ago outsiders, and of objects historical and natural, that ultimately help her survive. A series of illustrated essays that unfolds in cinematic fashion, An Extraordinary Theory of Objects offers a universal lesson—to harness the power of creativity to cope with loneliness, sadness, and disappointment to find wonder in the uncertainty of the future.
  culture shock in sociology: Future Shock Alvin Toffler, 2022-01-11 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The classic work that predicted the anxieties of a world upended by rapidly emerging technologies—and now provides a road map to solving many of our most pressing crises. “Explosive . . . brilliantly formulated.” —The Wall Street Journal Future Shock is the classic that changed our view of tomorrow. Its startling insights into accelerating change led a president to ask his advisers for a special report, inspired composers to write symphonies and rock music, gave a powerful new concept to social science, and added a phrase to our language. Published in over fifty countries, Future Shock is the most important study of change and adaptation in our time. In many ways, Future Shock is about the present. It is about what is happening today to people and groups who are overwhelmed by change. Change affects our products, communities, organizations—even our patterns of friendship and love. But Future Shock also illuminates the world of tomorrow by exploding countless clichés about today. It vividly describes the emerging global civilization: the rise of new businesses, subcultures, lifestyles, and human relationships—all of them temporary. Future Shock will intrigue, provoke, frighten, encourage, and, above all, change everyone who reads it.
  culture shock in sociology: Resonance Hartmut Rosa, 2019-07-26 The pace of modern life is undoubtedly speeding up, yet this acceleration does not seem to have made us any happier or more content. If acceleration is the problem, then the solution, argues Hartmut Rosa in this major new work, lies in “resonance.” The quality of a human life cannot be measured simply in terms of resources, options, and moments of happiness; instead, we must consider our relationship to, or resonance with, the world. Applying his theory of resonance to many domains of human activity, Rosa describes the full spectrum of ways in which we establish our relationship to the world, from the act of breathing to the adoption of culturally distinct worldviews. He then turns to the realms of concrete experience and action – family and politics, work and sports, religion and art – in which we as late modern subjects seek out resonance. This task is proving ever more difficult as modernity’s logic of escalation is both cause and consequence of a distorted relationship to the world, at individual and collective levels. As Rosa shows, all the great crises of modern society – the environmental crisis, the crisis of democracy, the psychological crisis – can also be understood and analyzed in terms of resonance and our broken relationship to the world around us. Building on his now classic work on acceleration, Rosa’s new book is a major new contribution to the theory of modernity, showing how our problematic relation to the world is at the crux of some of the most pressing issues we face today. This bold renewal of critical theory for our times will be of great interest to students and scholars across the social sciences and humanities.
  culture shock in sociology: The Sociology of Globalization Luke Martell, 2010-03-08 List of Figures, Tables and Boxes p. vi Introduction: Concepts of Globalization p. 1 1 Perspectives on Globalization: Divergence or Convergence? p. 19 2 The History of Globalization: Pre-modern, Modern or Postmodern? p. 43 3 Technology, Economy and the Globalization of Culture p. 67 4 The Globalization of Culture: Homogeneous or Hybrid? p. 89 5 Global Migration: Inequality and History p. 105 6 The Effects of Migration: Is Migration a Problem or a Solution? p. 120 7 The Global Economy: Capitalism and the Economic Bases of Globalization p. 135 8 Global Inequality: Is Globalization a Solution to World Poverty? p. 159 9 Politics, the State and Globalization: The End of the Nation-state and Social Democracy? p. 188 10 Global Politics and Cosmopolitan Democracy p. 214 11 Anti-globalization and Global Justice Movements p. 239 12 The Future World Order: The Decline of American Power? p. 259 13 War and Globalization p. 287 Conclusion p. 310 Acknowledgements p. 316 References p. 317 Index.
  culture shock in sociology: Sex Cultures Amin Ghaziani, 2017-04-03 Why is it so hard to talk about sex and sexuality? In this crisp and compelling book, Amin Ghaziani provides a pithy introduction to the field of sexuality studies through a distinctively cultural lens. Rather than focusing on sex acts, which make us feel flustered and blind us to a bigger picture, Ghaziani crafts a conversation about sex cultures that zooms in on the diverse contexts that give meaning to our sexual pursuits and practices. Unlike sex, which is a biological expression, the word 'sexuality' highlights how the materiality of the body acquires cultural meaning as it encounters other bodies, institutions, regulations, symbols, societal norms, values, and worldviews. Think of it this way: sex + culture = sexuality. Sex Cultures offers an introduction to sexuality unlike any other. Its case-study and debate-driven approach, animated by examples from across the globe and across disciplines, upends stubborn assumptions that pit sex against society. The elegance of the arguments makes this book a pleasurable read for beginners and experts alike.
  culture shock in sociology: The End of Illusions Andreas Reckwitz, 2021-06-28 We live in a time of great uncertainty about the future. Those heady days of the late twentieth century, when the end of the Cold War seemed to be ushering in a new and more optimistic age, now seem like a distant memory. During the last couple of decades, we’ve been battered by one crisis after another and the idea that humanity is on a progressive path to a better future seems like an illusion. It is only now that we can see clearly the real scope and structure of the profound shifts that Western societies have undergone over the last 30 years. Classical industrial society has been transformed into a late-modern society that is molded by polarization and paradoxes. The pervasive singularization of the social, the orientation toward the unique and exceptional, generates systematic asymmetries and disparities, and hence progress and unease go hand in hand. Reckwitz examines this dual structure of singularization and polarization as it plays itself out in the different sectors of our societies and, in so doing, he outlines the central structural features of the present: the new class society, the characteristics of a postindustrial economy, the conflict about culture and identity, the exhaustion of the self resulting from the imperative to seek authentic fulfillment, and the political crisis of liberalism. Building on his path-breaking work The Society of Singularities, this new book will be of great interest to students and scholars in sociology, politics, and the social sciences generally, and to anyone concerned with the great social and political issues of our time.
  culture shock in sociology: Questions of Culture in Autoethnography Phiona Stanley, Greg Vass, 2018 This book showcases, with examples from myriad contexts and standpoints, how cross-cultural autoethnographies might be done effectively, ethically, and reflectively.
  culture shock in sociology: The Five Stages of Culture Shock Paul Pedersen, 1994-12-12 The educational literature suggests that international contact contributes to a comprehensive educational experience. The Five Stages of Culture Shock examines an international shipboard educational program and seeks to identify specific insights resulting from informal extracurricular contact between students and host nationals in the context of culture shock experiences. Using the critical incident methodology, Pedersen analyzes students' responses to nearly 300 specific incidents which resulted in insights that apply to the students' own development, as well as the sociocultural context of the host countries. This use of critical incidents shows one way to evaluate and assess the subjective experiences of the informal curriculum. More broadly, the analysis sheds light on the concept of culture shock as a psychological construct.
  culture shock in sociology: White Fragility Dr. Robin DiAngelo, 2018-06-26 The New York Times best-selling book exploring the counterproductive reactions white people have when their assumptions about race are challenged, and how these reactions maintain racial inequality. In this “vital, necessary, and beautiful book” (Michael Eric Dyson), antiracist educator Robin DiAngelo deftly illuminates the phenomenon of white fragility and “allows us to understand racism as a practice not restricted to ‘bad people’ (Claudia Rankine). Referring to the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially, white fragility is characterized by emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and by behaviors including argumentation and silence. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium and prevent any meaningful cross-racial dialogue. In this in-depth exploration, DiAngelo examines how white fragility develops, how it protects racial inequality, and what we can do to engage more constructively.
  culture shock in sociology: Why Race Still Matters Alana Lentin, 2020-04-22 'Why are you making this about race?' This question is repeated daily in public and in the media. Calling someone racist in these times of mounting white supremacy seems to be a worse insult than racism itself. In our supposedly post-racial society, surely it’s time to stop talking about race? This powerful refutation is a call to notice not just when and how race still matters but when, how and why it is said not to matter. Race critical scholar Alana Lentin argues that society is in urgent need of developing the skills of racial literacy, by jettisoning the idea that race is something and unveiling what race does as a key technology of modern rule, hidden in plain sight. Weaving together international examples, she eviscerates misconceptions such as reverse racism and the newfound acceptability of 'race realism', bursts the 'I’m not racist, but' justification, complicates the common criticisms of identity politics and warns against using concerns about antisemitism as a proxy for antiracism. Dominant voices in society suggest we are talking too much about race. Lentin shows why we actually need to talk about it more and how in doing so we can act to make it matter less.
  culture shock in sociology: Culture Shock and Multiculturalism Edward Dutton, 2011-11-15 It used to be widely accepted amongst anthropologists that when they conducted fieldwork with foreign cultures they experienced something called ‘culture shock.’ This book will argue that ‘culture shock’ is a useful model for understanding an important part of human experience. However, in its most widely-known form, the stage model, ‘culture shock’ has been heavily influenced by the same anti-science, latter-day religiosity that has become so influential more broadly: Multiculturalism. This book will examine culture shock through the model of ‘religion.’ It will show how the most well-known model of culture shock – so popular amongst business consultants, expatriates, international students and travelers – has become a means of promoting and sustaining this replacement religion which includes everything from dogmatism and fervour to conversion experience. By so doing, it will aim both to better understand culture shock and to show how it can still be useful, if divorced from its implicitly religious dimensions, to broadly scientific scholars. It will also suggest how anthropology itself might be stripped of its ideological infiltration and returned to the realm of science.
  culture shock in sociology: Popular Music and Society Brian Longhurst, 2007-05-07 This new edition of Popular Music and Society, fully revised and updated, continues to pioneer an approach to the study of popular music that is informed by wider debates in sociology and media and cultural studies. Astute and accessible, it continues to set the agenda for research and teaching in this area. The textbook begins by examining the ways in which popular music is produced, before moving on to explore its structure as text and the ways in which audiences understand and use music. Packed with examples and data on the contemporary production and consumption of popular music, the book also includes overviews and critiques of theoretical approaches to this exciting area of study and outlines the most important empirical studies which have shaped the discipline. Topics covered include: • The contemporary organisation of the music industry; • The effects of technological change on production; • The history and politics of popular music; • Gender, sexuality and ethnicity; • Subcultures; • Fans and music celebrities. For this new edition, two whole new chapters have been added: on performance and the body, and on the very latest ways of thinking about audiences and the spaces and places of music consumption. This second edition of Popular Music and Society will continue to be required reading for students of the sociology of culture, media and communication studies, and popular culture.
  culture shock in sociology: Shell-Shock and Medical Culture in First World War Britain Tracey Loughran, 2017-02-27 This book provides a thought-provoking exploration into the diagnosis of shell-shock and medical culture in First World War Britain.
  culture shock in sociology: Dude, You're a Fag C. J. Pascoe, 2012 Draws on eighteen months of research in a racially diverse working-class high school to explore the meaning of masculinity and the social practices associated with it, discussing how homophobia is used to enforce gender conformity.
  culture shock in sociology: Mastering Sociology: A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding Society Dominic Front, Mastering Sociology: A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding Society is an indispensable resource for students, scholars, and anyone interested in delving deep into the intricate fabric of human social life. With ten meticulously crafted chapters covering everything from the foundational principles of sociology to cutting-edge contemporary issues, this book offers a thorough exploration of the discipline. From sociological theories to social institutions, socialization to social change, each chapter provides a wealth of knowledge presented in a clear and engaging manner. Whether you're seeking to grasp the complexities of social stratification, unravel the dynamics of social interaction, or explore the impact of globalization, this book equips you with the tools and insights needed to navigate the intricate landscape of sociology. With its rich blend of theory, research, and real-world applications, Mastering Sociology is not just a textbook—it's a roadmap to becoming truly amazing at understanding society.
  culture shock in sociology: Consumer Culture and Modernity Don Slater, 1999-02-03 This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the issues, concepts and theories through which people have tried to understand consumer culture throughout the modern period, and puts the current state of thinking into a broader context. Thematically organized, the book shows how the central aspects of consumer culture - such as needs, choice, identity, status, alienation, objects, culture - have been debated within modern theories, from those of earlier thinkers such as Marx and Simmel to contemporary forms of post-structuralism and postmodernism. This approach introduces consumer culture as a subject which - far from being of narrow or recent interest - is intimately tied to the central issues of modern times and modern social thought. With its reviews of major theorists set within a full account of the development of the subject, this book should be of interest to undergraduate and postgraduate students in the many disciplines which now study consumer culture, including communications and cultural studies, anthropology and history.
  culture shock in sociology: Trauma Jeffrey C. Alexander, 2013-04-26 In this book Jeffrey C. Alexander develops an original social theory of trauma and uses it to carry out a series of empirical investigations into social suffering around the globe. Alexander argues that traumas are not merely psychological but collective experiences, and that trauma work plays a key role in defining the origins and outcomes of critical social conflicts. He outlines a model of trauma work that relates interests of carrier groups, competing narrative identifications of victim and perpetrator, utopian and dystopian proposals for trauma resolution, the performative power of constructed events, and the distribution of organizational resources. Alexander explores these processes in richly textured case studies of cultural-trauma origins and effects, from the universalism of the Holocaust to the particularism of the Israeli right, from postcolonial battles over the Partition of India and Pakistan to the invisibility of the Rape of Nanjing in Maoist China. In a particularly controversial chapter, Alexander describes the idealizing discourse of globalization as a trauma-response to the Cold War. Contemporary societies have often been described as more concerned with the past than the future, more with tragedy than progress. In Trauma: A Social Theory, Alexander explains why.
  culture shock in sociology: Gender and Sexuality Momin Rahman, Stevi Jackson, 2010-12-06 This new introduction to the sociology of gender and sexuality provides fresh insight into our rapidly changing attitudes towards sex and our understanding of masculine and feminine identities, relating the study of gender and sexuality to recent research and theory, and wider social concerns throughout the world.
  culture shock in sociology: Being an Academic Joёlle Fanghanel, 2011-08-26 The role of academics in universities worldwide has undergone unprecedented change over the past decade. In this book Fanghanel discusses the effect on academics of modes of governance that have fostered the application of market principles to higher education and promoted flexibility and choice as levers for competition across the sector. She explores what it means to be an academic in the 21st century with reference to six ‘moments of practice’ through which she analyses the main facets of academic work and the responses of academics to this neoliberal drive. Being an Academic effectively examines the frameworks that govern academic work and academic lives, and the personal beliefs and ideals that academics bring with them as educators and researchers in higher education. It argues that there is a rich, critical, empowering potential within the academy that can be harnessed to counter the neoliberal stance and shape a meaningful contribution to modes of enquiry that deal with complexity and uncertainty in a global world. Drawing on empirical research collected from a global range of academics, this book examines how academics respond to structural challenges. It offers a re-appraisal of the main dynamics underpinning the professional and intellectual engagement of academics in today’s universities to feed a reflection on possible responses to the complex contemporary world with which the academic endeavour is engaged. The themes explored include academics’ positioning towards: Performativity and managerialism Regulation and professionalisation of practice The relation to learning and students The discipline Research Globalisation Each chapter includes vignettes illustrating the theme addressed, a discussion with reference to the context of policy and practice, published literature and illustrative reference to empirical data collected through interviews amongst academics in the UK, Europe, North America, South Africa and Australia. Providing a fresh look at the role of academics in a changing world, this book is essential reading for all those engaging in higher education research, lecturers new to higher education, and practising academics navigating through their complex role.
  culture shock in sociology: Culture and Art Zygmunt Bauman, Dariusz Brezezi¿ski, Thomas C. Campbell, Mark E. Davis, Jack Palmer, 2021-05-20 Previously unpublished writings on culture and art by one of the most influential social thinkers of our time--
  culture shock in sociology: Down to Earth Sociology: 14th Edition James M. Henslin, 2007-02-13 Presents a selection of forty-six readings that provide, an introduction to the sociological perspective, look at how sociologists conduct research, examine the cultural underpinnings of social life, and discuss social groups and social structure, gender and sexuality, deviance, and social stratification, institutions, and change.
  culture shock in sociology: Women in the Field Peggy Golde, 1986-07-28 What is it like to be an anthropologist or, more specifically, a woman anthropologist? Here we see highly trained and qualified women anthropologists examining their own efforts to live and work in alien cultures in many parts of the world. New chapters have been added to this ground-breaking volume, and each contributor is, in one way or another, a pioneer. All have chosen to devote their lives and energies to the understanding of worlds not their own. All have felt it important to explain what they do, why they do it, and how they feel about their work. Cultures vary widely in their perception of a woman engaged in anthropological field work. Each of these women has had to deal with the influence of her gender, as well as the subject of her study, on the mechanics of establishing a living-working relationship with people of another culture. The diversity of their responses to the presence of a foreign woman at work in their midst gives the book an invaluable cross-cultural perspective, as does the great variety of reactions and strategies on the part of the authors themselves. Besides providing rare insight into field work in general, Women in the Field mirrors the difficulties and delights of any person thrust into an unfamiliar culture.
  culture shock in sociology: The Oxford Handbook of Cultural Sociology Jeffrey C. Alexander, Ronald Jacobs, Philip Smith, 2012-01-26 Since sociologists returned to the study of culture in the past several decades, a pursuit all but anathema for a generation, cultural sociology has emerged as a vibrant field. Edited by three leading cultural sociologists, The Oxford Handbook of Cultural Sociology presents the full theoretical and methodological vitality of this critically significant new area.The Handbook gathers together works by authors confronting the crucial choices all cultural sociologists face today: about analytic priorities, methods, topics, epistemologies, ideologies, and even modes of writing. It is a vital collection of preeminent thinkers studying the ways in which culture, society, politics, and economy interact in the world.Organized by empirical areas of study rather than particular theories or competing intellectual strands, the Handbook addresses power, politics, and states; economics and organization; mass media; social movements; religion; aesthetics; knowledge; and health. Allowing the reader to observe tensions as well as convergences, the collection displays the value of cultural sociology not as a niche discipline but as a way to view and understand the many facets of contemporary society. The first of its kind, The Oxford Handbook of Cultural Sociology offers comprehensive and immediate access to the real developments and disagreements taking place in the field, and deftly exemplifies how cultural sociology provides a new way of seeing and modeling social facts.
  culture shock in sociology: Sexual Cultures Jeffrey Weeks, 1996-07-13 The new sociology of sexuality has a two-fold aim: to demonstrate how the social shapes the sexual; and to analyse how the sexual in turn becomes a focal point for personal identity, cultural anxiety value debates and political action. Drawing on papers from the 1994 British Sociological Association annual conference on 'Sexualities in Social Context', this volume brings together key contributors to this stimulating new approach. Topics covered include theoretical developments, the relationship between history and contemporary controversies, community and identity, especially in the context of AIDS, value conflicts and changes in the meanings of intimacy. The book as a whole offers a significant intervention into debates on sexuality, and a thoughtful contribution to the broadening of the sociological agenda.
  culture shock in sociology: Why Love Hurts Eva Illouz, 2013-05-20 Few of us have been spared the agonies of intimate relationships. They come in many shapes: loving a man or a woman who will not commit to us, being heartbroken when we're abandoned by a lover, engaging in Sisyphean internet searches, coming back lonely from bars, parties, or blind dates, feeling bored in a relationship that is so much less than we had envisaged - these are only some of the ways in which the search for love is a difficult and often painful experience. Despite the widespread and almost collective character of these experiences, our culture insists they are the result of faulty or insufficiently mature psyches. For many, the Freudian idea that the family designs the pattern of an individual's erotic career has been the main explanation for why and how we fail to find or sustain love. Psychoanalysis and popular psychology have succeeded spectacularly in convincing us that individuals bear responsibility for the misery of their romantic and erotic lives. The purpose of this book is to change our way of thinking about what is wrong in modern relationships. The problem is not dysfunctional childhoods or insufficiently self-aware psyches, but rather the institutional forces shaping how we love. The argument of this book is that the modern romantic experience is shaped by a fundamental transformation in the ecology and architecture of romantic choice. The samples from which men and women choose a partner, the modes of evaluating prospective partners, the very importance of choice and autonomy and what people imagine to be the spectrum of their choices: all these aspects of choice have transformed the very core of the will, how we want a partner, the sense of worth bestowed by relationships, and the organization of desire. This book does to love what Marx did to commodities: it shows that it is shaped by social relations and institutions and that it circulates in a marketplace of unequal actors.
  culture shock in sociology: Understanding Intercultural Communication Stella Ting-Toomey, Leeva C. Chung, 2012 Written in a conversational style, this book introduces students to the foundations of intercultural communication, a vibrant discipline within the field. Authors Stella Ting-Toomey and Leeva Chung take a multicontextual, inclusive approach that balances international and intercultural communication issues against U.S. domestic diversity issues. In addition to emphasizing a value-oriented perspective on intercultural encounters, the text contains a robust ethical chapter, complete with specific guidelines that will help students become ethical intercultural communicators. By integrating current empirical research with lively intercultural examples, the authors ask thought-provoking questions and pose ethical dilemmas for students to ponder. The text offers a sprawling treatment of such topics as ethnic and cultural identity change, culture shock and intercultural adjustment, romantic relationships and raising bicultural children, global identity challenges, and decision-making choices in intercultural ethics.NEW TO THIS EDITION: * Two new special features, Blog Pic and Blog Post, which update all the photos and poignant personal stories found throughout the first edition * A greater focus on the impact of technology on intercultural communication message exchange processes * An updated discussion of multiracial and biracial identity in Chapter 4 * Updates to the popular Jeopardy Boxes BL More than 250 new references * Live-chat, a special boxed feature, which emphasizes the importance of adaptive code-switching in managing intercultural misunderstanding via lively dialogue SUPPORT PACKAGE FOR INSTRUCTORS: An Instructor's Manual / Test Bank that contains more than 500 pages of original exercises, activities, up-to-date media resources, classical and contemporary film lists, sample syllabi, and paper assignments. A password-protected Companion Website that features the Instructor's Manual, PowerPoint lecture slides, a Student Success Manual, and links to supplemental material and films.
  culture shock in sociology: Radicalism in French Culture Niilo Kauppi, 2016-10-17 An invisible pattern draws together most studies dealing with French cultural radicalism in the 1960s with intellectual creation reduced to individual creation and the role of semiotic and social factors that influence intellectual innovation minimized. Sociological approaches often see a more or less external link between social location and intellectual production but, because of their structural approach, they are incapable of taking into account unique historical circumstances, the crucial role of personal impulses, and more importantly the semiotic logic of ideas as conditions of innovative thinking. This ground-breaking book will further an internal sociological analysis of ideas and styles of thought. It will show that the defining but largely neglected feature of what has become French theory was a collective mind and style of thought, an explosive but fragile mixture of scientific and political radicalism that rather quickly watered down to academic orthodoxy. For some time, radical intellectuals succeeded in producing ideas that were perfectly in tune with the demands of the consumers, mostly the young university audience. Ideas were used as part of radical posture that was set in opposition to the establishment and those in power. Ideas could not be too empirical or verifiable, and they had to shock. It is not surprising that a slew of new sciences and concepts were invented to indicate this radical posture. The central argument of this study is that ideas become power-ideas only if they succeed in uniting individual and collective psychic investment in powerful social networks with significant institutional and political backing. These conditions were met in the French context for a certain specific period of time. From roughly the mid-1960s to the beginning of the 1970s, radical intellectuals such as Roland Barthes, Pierre Bourdieu, Jacques Derrida, Michel Foucault, Julia Kristeva developed a host of new ideas, concepts and theories, a number of which have subsequently been labelled as French theory.