The Components of Culture: Symbols

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The Components of CultureSymbols
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Key Questions

• What are cultural symbols?
• Give an example of a symbol for a country or
  region.
• Give an example of a symbol for an idea or
  belief.
• Are any symbols global?
• In what ways can symbols be controversial?
• How might a symbol have more than one meaning?
• What do symbols reflect about a culture?

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Definition

• A symbol is anything that represents something
  else.

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Symbols exist for countries

• Each of the following symbols is associated with
  a particular country or region of the world.
• Do you know what this is?

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How about this?
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Or this?
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Or this?
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Some symbols are widely recognized
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Others are common, but not global.
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Do you think someone who wasnt an Canadian would
understand these?
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Do you, as Canadians, know what these symbols
represent?
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Remember that the same symbol is rarely used
globally.

• For example, an Westerner might say that this is
  a symbol of prestige

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But in other parts of the world, these are also
prestige symbols.
How might these be signs of prestige?
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Even a person can be a symbol.
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Sometimes a symbol seems simple enough, such as a
flag.
What does this flag represent?
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But even one symbol can have several different
meanings.

• Sometimes
• it depends
• on the
• situation
• in which
• the symbol
• is used.

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What does this flag symbolize?
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Symbols can also be controversial.
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Why might this symbol be contested around the
world?
What does this symbol represent?
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Gestures are another type of symbol.

• How many gestures do you know for the following
  ideas?
• We won!
• Youre late!
• Go away.
• Im full.

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What ideas are being communicated by these
gestures?
Do you think these mean the same thing in all
places?
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To Summarize

• Symbols represent something else.
• A symbol can be a sign, a place, a gesture, or
  even a person.
• A symbol can be local, regional, national, or
  international.
• Each culture has its own unique symbols.
• Symbols are often controversial.