Andrew Chesterman, Itamar Even-Zohar on research on cultures, part 1 of 3

TL;DR

Significant new knowledge has emerged in cultural psychology, cultural economics, and cultural evolution in the past 20 years.

Transcript

just where we're coming from in our disciplines in your own field has there been any significant specifically new knowledge produced in the last 10 or 15 years in recent 20 years in at least three fields connected with my field culture research first a new semi a new quasi-discipline emerged that's called cultural psychology a large group of psycho... Read More

Key Insights

• 🫵 Cultural psychology challenges the view of the self as an isolated entity and recognizes the influence of socio-cultural factors.
• ❓ Cultural economics incorporates cultural parameters into the study of the economy, expanding traditional models.
• 👶 Cultural evolution highlights the essential role of culture in the survival of species, offering a new perspective on cultural studies.
• 💡 Mimetics, the study of memes, has been applied in translation studies to understand the role of translations in transmitting cultural ideas.
• 😷 The ability to ask questions and engage in criticism is crucial for intellectual curiosity and the progress of thought.
• 🚱 Non-Western societies that discourage questioning and criticism may hinder intellectual development.
• ⚾ Consensus-based cultures value agreement over opposition, but this does not necessarily impede rationality or development.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is cultural psychology, and how does it differ from traditional psychology?

Cultural psychology recognizes that the psyche is not isolated but shaped by socio-cultural factors. This recognition challenges traditional views of the self as an isolated entity and emphasizes the impact of culture on psychology.

Q: How has cultural economics expanded our understanding of the economy?

Cultural economics, introduced by Pierre Bourdieu, acknowledges that culture plays a significant role in economic activities. This approach challenges the traditional Marxist model and opens up new perspectives for studying globalization, commercial interactions, and business management.

Q: What is cultural evolution, and why is it important?

Cultural evolution is the study of how culture influences the survival of species. It highlights that many animals cannot survive without learning from each other, emphasizing the critical role of culture in their lives. This field offers a new basis for conceptualizing culture as a condition for life to exist.

Q: How has mimetics been applied in translation studies?

Mimetics refers to the concept of memes, which are ideas that replicate and spread through learning. In translation studies, mimetics is seen as a productive framework for understanding how translations carry and transmit cultural ideas across different societies.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Cultural psychology has emerged as a new discipline, recognizing that the self is influenced by socio-cultural parameters.

• Cultural economics, pioneered by Pierre Bourdieu, has incorporated cultural factors into understanding the economy.

• Cultural evolution, studied by biologists, highlights the importance of culture for survival and aims to establish a science of culture.