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lf/hat is Culture? The ambiguity of the concept of culture is notorious. Some One of the oldest definitions of culture was given by the British anthropologist, Sir E.B. Tylor (1832-1917) in the opening lines of his book, Primitive / Cultures (1871) : ~ Culture is that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, customs, and other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society • .JI'~---~ 4
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Here are a few more attempts to define culture . . . American anthropologist ~argaret M~!"~- (~9_21 -782_ express or govern social relationships, the characteristic forms through which members of the societ communicate. Clifford Geertz (b. 1926), ~ Professor of Social Science {. _, t .~ at Princeton University q: ~ j Culture is simply the ensemble of il J stories we tell ourselves about ourselves. -:l_ {I On the basis of these definitions, culture seems to be (almost) it\ everything and cultural studies the study of (almost) everything! f 5

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lf/hat is Culture?

The ambiguity of the concept of culture is notorious. Some

One of the oldest definitions of culture was given by the British anthropologist, Sir E.B. Tylor (1832-1917) in the opening lines of his book, Primitive / Cultures (1871) :

~

Culture is that complex whole which includes knowledge,

belief, art, morals, law, customs, and other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society •

.JI'~---~

4

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