Sociologists define culture as “the ways of thinking, the ways of acting, and the material objects that together form a people’s way of life” (Macionis 40); but when and how are cultures developed? A society’s values and beliefs derived from their people’s ancestry, their economy or way of living in relation to their physical environment, and political situation all play active roles in forming a society’s culture. In addition, local variables alone do not develop a society’s culture in the modern era. One must not only consider the affects of globalization on a local culture, but also, contrastingly, a local culture’s ability to affect the global stage and its interactions within it. Until the rise of terrorist threats within the Horn of Africa, many people outside of senior government officials probably never heard of the country of Djibouti; however, Djibouti’s culture is an excellent example of how a local culture can influence a country’s role and relations within the international community. This paper will examine how the social, political, and economic history of Djibouti shaped its current culture and how the existing culture is influencing global relations and U.S. interests within the Horn of Africa.
First, we will explore Djibouti’s social, political, and economic history to understand its culture today. Djibouti is located within the Horn of Africa, with Eritrea bordering its north, Ethiopia to the west, Somalia to the south, and the Gulf of Aden that leads to the Red Sea to its east. The size of the state of New Jersey, it contains a population of over half a million people, which primarily consists of the Afar, also referred to as Danakil, and the Issa, a branch of Somalis, who were nomadic herders and set...
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Thesis & Preview of Main Points: I will discuss the culture of Ethiopia and its geography
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It is thought-provoking, in the sense that Africa’s need for foreign created a race to the bottom, much like what Pietra Rivoli described in The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy. Due to some African states’ reliance on foreign aid in order to mine and profit on their resources, they allow business standards to be lowered and for Chinese firms to tip the contracts moresoever in the favor of Chinese firms. This lowers the potential earnings of African states by lowering royalty rates, for example. Additionally, Burgis’ research was thorough and transparent. When he did not receive a response or if his questions were dodged, he made it obvious to the readers. Sure, some could view this book as too anecdotal to be used as a credible source of Africa’s situation. However, this is due to the nature of the system Burgis is writing about; after all, they are shadow states for a reason. Some readers will be saddened by this text, others angry, most curious to learn more, but above all, everyone will be intellectually stimulated and
Chad is an ethnically diverse African country that also happens to be one of the poorest countries in Africa. Chad gained its independence from France in 1960 after a sixty year rule. There are several national cultures in Chad that are based on ethnoregional and religious affiliations. There are more than 200 ethnic groups in Chad, and those in the north and east are typically Muslim; most southerners are Animists and Christians. Through their long religious and commercial relationships with Sudan and Egypt, many of the people in Chad's eastern and central regions have become more or less Arabized, speaking Arabic and engaging in many other Arab cultural practices as well (Azevedo, Graham, and Nnadozie, 1997). The people who reside in southern Chad took more readily to European culture during the French colonial period.
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cultures of their own. Take South Sudan for example, according to Peter Gatluak of the Sudan Vision
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As the Europeans started to invade Africa and split up the land, they paid no attention to the already existing natural boundaries. Over time, villages with different cultures had set these boundaries. The Europeans ignored these invisible borders as they invaded. This caused soci...
...’s depictions of both traditional and modern beliefs in varying degrees illustrate the importance of both in contemporary Nigerian culture, as well as the greater Africa as a whole, and how both are intertwined and cannot exist without the other. In effect, she skillfully subverts stereotypes or single perceptions of Africa as backward and traditional, proving instead, the multifaceted culture of Africa. She further illustrates that neither traditional African nor western culture is necessarily detrimental. It is the stark contrast of the fundamental cultures that inevitably leads to clashes and disagreements. In the end, what holds African countries such as Nigeria together is their shared pride. Modern, western influences can bring positive changes to society, but new cultures cannot completely eradicate the foundational cultures to which a society is founded on.
Towards the end of the nineteenth century, Africa was caught up in a sea of change. By 1880, the slave trade was all but abolished, thanks to many of the European powers. This resulted in an almost complete reshaping of the political, social, and economic landscape; the upper class of Africans that were participating in this horrendous trade had lost one of their biggest means of acquiring wealth. Luckily for the rest of the population, the goods that had a high market value: ivory, copal, cloves, beeswax, honey, wild coffee, peanuts, cotton, rubber, and palm oil, could be procured by simple gathering or agriculture practices. This led to “a more equitable distribution of wealth, especially in the rural areas” (Boahen, 4) because everyone, not just the ruling class, could participate in this up and coming economy. This, in turn, gave rise to the status of the average African, because now he could produce commodities for sale. Additionally, since there were no concerns about becoming a commodity himself he was free of the worry he might be enslaved and shipped off to some unknown land. But most of all, with the absence of slavery came a period of peace and stability because the rulers of various kingdoms ceased to participate in the wars and raids that furnished them with slaves. It is because of these factors that on the eve of colonial conquest and occupation by the European powers, Africa was on the rise, politically, socially, economically, and intellectually. It could therefore be postulated that if it were not for the imposition of the colonial system the nation states emerging at the time, or even the entire continent itself, would have become a formidable world power.
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There is no doubt that European colonialism has left a grave impact on Africa. Many of Africa’s current and recent issues can trace their roots back to the poor decisions made during the European colonial era. Some good has resulted however, like modern medicine, education, and infrastructure. Africa’s history and culture have also been transformed. It will take many years for the scars left by colonization to fade, but some things may never truly disappear. The fate of the continent may be unclear, but its past provides us with information on why the present is the way it is.