What is cultural diffusion

The following study guides in this unit series go into additional examples of cultural diffusion in specific historic and modern contexts. Relocation Diffusion occurs when people move from their original location to another and bring their innovations with them. Immigration from country to country, city to city, etc.

As they relocate to a new location, they bring their ideas, cultural tradition such as food, music, and more. As masses of individuals immigrate to a new environment, they bring along their cultural connections, influencing others in the new environments. Relocation diffusion can also be forced rather than chosen. Many cultural components of Southern US architecture, cuisine, and music have African and Caribbean origins due to the forced relocation and enslavement of African people during the trans-atlantic slave trade.

Another example is the cultural diffusion from when over two million persecuted Jewish people fled Eastern Europe between and to live in Britain or the United States. Expansion Diffusion is the spread of an idea through a population where the amount of those influenced grows continuously larger.

There are three sub-types of Expansion diffusion: Stimulus, Hierarchical, and Contagious. Contagious Diffusion is defined as distance-controlled spreading of an idea through a local population by contact from person to person. Similarly to a disease, it spreads rapidly from one source to others from person to person.

Another way to think of it is like the spreading of a forest fire. Missionaries spread christianity. All memes exhibit contagious diffusion! Hierarchical Diffusion is when an idea spreads by passing first among the most connected individuals, then spreading to other individuals. Think of the chain of command in businesses, and the government. The Federal government such as the president, vice president, cabinet members are the first to be informed of governmental matters before the general public and state government employees.

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Many people in European cities and former colonies speak both their native tongue and English. In fact, almost 80 percent of English speakers in the world are non-native speakers due to the spread of the language through imperialism and trade. Japanese culture has often fascinated foreigners. The popularity of sushi around the world, a traditional Japanese dish, exemplifies the spread of Japanese culture and cuisine.

Around years after it was founded, the French Quarter in New Orleans still displays an array of French culture through its architecture and cuisine. In fact, the day is probably a bigger celebration in the US now than in Mexico itself. Religion and Cultural Diffusion For many cultures, religion has always been an integral part of life. Let's take a look at cultural diffusion at work in religious circles. Christianity started in Israel but is now practiced all over the world, initially spread far and wide by the Roman Empire.

Like Christianity, Islam is no longer contained to one region of the world following immigration. An example of forced diffusion is the Spanish, French, English and Portuguese forcing the native population of the Americas to become Christian. Cultural Diffusion in Technology They say knowledge is power. Let's take a look at technological diffusion through the years.

Paper was first made in China, eventually spreading to the Middle East and Europe. Gunpowder also originated in China. Of course, nations all across the globe went on to produce gunpowder, too.

The fax machine was invented by Scottish inventor Alexander Bain , but certainly didn't remain in the UK alone. The anti-lock brake system was developed in the United States, despite many claims that the German manufacturer, Mercedes, got there first.

The Germans then perfected it. Economics and Cultural Diffusion Even before the Middle Ages, when merchants traded their goods by traveling from region to region, the benefits of cultural diffusion were apparent. Let's take a look at the economics behind cultural diffusion.