Pants-of-dog wrote:No, the differences are not that big. For example, we all speak the same language.
Africa has thousands of languages. And yet all these differences are ignored.
Can you provide a logical reason for ignoring all the cultural differences in Africa, but not Europe?
Please provide your evidence that there are radical cultural differences in sub-Saharan Africa, by the ten measuring sticks (Identity, Authority, Risk, Achievement, Time, Communication, Lifestyle, Rules, Expressiveness, & Social Norms), such that the subcontinent should be divvied up the way Europe is.
The fact that other Eurocentric taxonomies also make the same error does not mean it is not an error.
If they
all do it, it's probably not an error
The differences between the Netherlands and Denmark, for example, are far less than the differences between Mexico and Chile.
Again, provide proof for your assertion.
That is because you asked what a non-Eurocentric definition would be.
Yes, and you have so far failed to provide one.
Next up, the Eastern European/Central Asian culture cluster.
Cultural Values- As with all of the clusters, you can find some research on all of the cultural dimensions related to some or all of the nations in the eastern European/Central Asian cluster. A few of the ones that are most important to note are collectivism, high power distance, competitive, and particularist—each of which reflect the ways this culture has learned to address survival.
- For the most part, this cluster is collectivist more than individualist, but what’s interesting is that it’s primarily a family collectivism (kinship family). Therefore, it’s unlikely that someone will behave as much as a collectivist in the work environment as someone might from an Asian or Arab culture—but the loyalty to one’s extended family is significant. Families had a strong tie as they picked up and moved from one place to another.
- Power distance, which we usually see with collectivism, outlines who has the authority to care for and give direction to the rest of the family and clan. This cluster is high power distance.
- The eastern European/Central Asian cluster is competitive because this is a survival technique against weather, geography, emperors, and other clans. This cluster is also particularist; it is clear that different rules should apply to one’s kin than to just anyone. This stems from nomadic roots.
Dos and Taboos- English is widely spoken or understood, but it is always good to learn a few words of greeting and thanks in the specific language. This goes a long way toward respecting the unique heritage.
- If you happened to be served something that you find unpalatable while dining at someone’s house, your best bet is to eat it anyway. Serving guests the best and most expensive food is often a point of pride in eastern European households, and you risk offending your host—or, worse, hurting his or her feelings. Fortunately, bread is an almost constant accompaniment to any meal, so when the fish is too fishy or the caviar is too salty, you have something with which to smother the flavor.
- Expect to see very expressive, gregarious greetings among family and close friends, such as a noisy embrace and kissing several times on the cheeks, including men to men as well as men to women, but it is common to just give a stranger a handshake.
Ranking & ScoreNation / Ranking / Score
Albania 38 7.84
Armenia 54 7.42
Belarus 92 6.65
Bosnia & Hertzegovina 55 7.30
Bulgaria 39 7.79
Croatia 37 7.86
Cyprus 36 7.93
Czech Republic 21 8.34
Georgia 41 7.74
Greece 57 7.73
Hungary 45 7.65
Kazakhstan 73 6.90
Kosovo — —
Kyrgyzstan 67 6.98
Macedonia — —
Montenegro 53 7.43
Poland 40 7.78
Russia 114 6.34
Serbia 58 7.30
Slovakia 33 8.20
Slovenia 35 7.97
Ukraine 118 6.26
Personal FreedomNation / Personal Freedom / Rule of Law / Security & Safety / Movement / Religious Freedom / Assoc., Assem., & Civil Soc. / Expression & Information / Identity & Relationships
Albania 8.01 5.3 9.3 10.0 9.2 10.0 8.6 5.8
Armenia 7.15 4.9 9.1 8.3 6.2 6.5 7.2 8.2
Belarus 6.66 5.1 9.2 8.3 5.2 2.5 5.8 9.0
Bosnia & Hertzegovina 8.04 5.5 9.1 8.3 8.5 9.5 8.7 9.0
Bulgaria 8.04 4.9 9.8 10.0 7.1 9.5 8.8 8.2
Croatia 8.45 5.7 9.9 10.0 8.1 9.0 8.6 10.0
Cyprus 8.18 6.6 9.8 7.5 7.2 8.5 9.5 8.3
Czech Republic 8.92 7.8 9.9 10.0 7.8 9.5 9.5 8.2
Georgia 7.53 5.4 9.1 6.7 7.2 8.5 8.6 8.2
Greece 8.07 5.8 8.7 10.0 7.3 10.0 8.7 8.3
Hungary 8.04 5.4 8.7 10.0 7.3 9.0 8.8 10.0
Kazakhstan 6.69 4.5 9.0 8.3 5.5 4.0 6.2 9.0
Kosovo — — — — — — — —
Kyrgyzstan 7.05 3.8 8.5 8.3 7.1 — 6.2 10.0
Macedonia — — — — — — — —
Montenegro 8.03 5.2 9.1 10.0 8.9 — 7.7 9.0
Poland 8.32 6.4 9.7 10.0 6.3 9.0 8.6 9.0
Russia 5.90 4.0 7.7 5.0 4.6 5.0 6.1 9.0
Serbia 7.71 4.4 9.3 10.0 8.3 8.0 8.5 8.2
Slovakia 8.54 6.1 9.6 10.0 7.7 10.0 9.3 9.0
Slovenia 8.78 6.5 9.7 10.0 9.0 10.0 9.4 9.0
Ukraine 6.56 4.5 7.9 6.7 5.9 5.5 7.4 9.0
Economic FreedomNation / Economic Freedom / Size of Government / Legal System & Prop. Rights / Sound Money / Freedom to Trade Int'l / Regulations
Albania 7.67 7.5 5.1 9.6 8.3 7.8
Armenia 7.70 7.4 5.9 9.5 8.2 7.5
Belarus 6.64 6.1 5.3 7.4 6.8 7.5
Bosnia & Hertzegovina 6.69 5.6 4.2 8.3 7.8 7.5
Bulgaria 7.54 7.1 5.3 9.4 8.1 7.7
Croatia 7.26 5.7 5.6 9.6 8.2 7.3
Cyprus 7.68 6.9 6.1 9.4 8.3 7.7
Czech Republic 7.75 6.7 6.4 9.3 8.2 8.2
Georgia 7.94 7.6 6.3 8.9 8.7 8.1
Greece 6.59 4.4 5.7 8.0 7.7 7.2
Hungary 7.27 5.4 6.0 9.7 8.0 7.3
Kazakhstan 7.10 7.0 5.3 8.9 6.6 7.7
Kosovo — — — — — —
Kyrgyzstan 6.92 7.0 4.3 9.3 7.4 6.7
Macedonia — — — — — —
Montenegro 6.84 5.9 4.9 8.1 8.2 7.0
Poland 7.24 5.6 5.8 9.7 7.9 7.2
Russia 6.78 6.3 4.8 9.3 6.8 6.6
Serbia 6.89 6.4 5.0 8.2 7.6 7.2
Slovakia 7.51 6.5 5.7 9.5 8.3 7.6
Slovenia 7.15 5.3 6.2 9.4 7.9 7.0
Ukraine 5.96 7.2 4.4 5.0 6.8 6.4
AveragesRank: 55.30
Score: 7.47
Personal Freedom: 7.73
Rule of Law: 5.39
Security & Safety: 9.16
Movement: 8.87
Religious Freedom: 7.22
Association, Assembly, & Civil Society: 8.00
Expression & Information: 8.11
Identity & Relationships: 8.72
Economic Freedom: 7.16
Size of Government: 6.38
Legal System & Property Rights: 5.42
Sound Money: 8.83
Freedom to Trade Internationally: 7.79
Regulations: 7.36
Society cannot exist, unless a controlling power upon will and appetite be placed somewhere; and the less of it there is within, the more there must be without.
—Edmund Burke