79 and widespread immigration have changed contemporary society. Already contemporary U.S. society has found many ways to accommodate the peaceful coexistence of diverse cultural traditions. In fact, culture can also be a basis for connection and exchange in ways that help prevent, or even heal, confl icts. Cross-cultural experiences—from reading the novels, studying the art, or learning about the cuisine of another culture to traveling to other countries, studying new languages, or hosting foreign visitors in your home or school— may provide a bridge that promotes greater understanding and improved relationships across national boundaries. Indeed, throughout history the trend has been in the direction of increased tolerance, accommodation, and appreciation among different cultures. Cultura l Ac t i v i s m Many people are understandably passionate about cultural issues, which often refl ect their deepest concerns. As a result, people from across the political spectrum participate in a wide range of public activities aimed at promoting or contesting culturally specifi c ideas and practices. In this section, we briefl y review three contemporary forms of cultural activism: organizations that promote cultural pride, religious fundamentalism, and anticorporate activism. CULTURAL PRIDE ORGANIZATIONS In communities throughout the United States, a variety of civic organizations maintain and promote particular cultures. They provide children with classes about their cultural heritage and sponsor festivals and other events celebrating their traditions. Because New York City is so ethnically diverse, activities celebrating cultural pride take place throughout the city all year long, including the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in March, celebrating the experiences of the Irish and Irish Americans; the Puerto Rican Day Parade in June; the West Indian Carnival in September, which celebrates Caribbean cultures and histories; and the Chinese New Year Parade in January or February. The idea of embracing and celebrating one’s cultural heritage has become fi rmly embedded in U.S. society as well as in many other countries. RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISM A worldwide resurgence of religious belief among fundamentalists, who believe in the literal interpretation of sacred texts such as the Bible and the Qur’an, represents another form of cultural activism. Whether at home or abroad, religious fundamentalists are using their faith as the basis for their activism. They criticize the cultural values and practices of Western secular society and develop ways to preserve and promote their own cultural values. Islamic fundamentalists have challenged the export of Western culture to traditionally Muslim societies. They condemn what they perceive as the hedonism and decadent lifestyles promoted in such cultural products, themes that they say contradict Islamic teachings. They are especially In 2010 the French parliament began to enforce legislation that banned women from wearing face-covering veils in public. Supporters of the legislation argue that traditional religious garb like the face-concealing veil violates the norms of secular culture in France and is a sign of the oppression of women. Opponents of the legislation contend that it violates the rights of women to express their religious faith. CORE CONCEPTS CHALLENGE Do you think it is appropriate for the French government to ban the veil? Would you be in favor of such a ban in your community? If you were a woman raised in a culture in which wearing a veil is the norm, how would you react to an attempt to force you not to wear it? What reasons might members of a dominant culture use to justify imposing a ban on such clothing? for teaching Christian values in schools, the adoption of “English-only” laws, an end to bilingual education, and strict limits on immigration, among other measures, to shore up the dominant culture. As we will explore in Chapter 10, these arguments are similar to those made a century ago when new Irish, Russian, Italian, Polish, and other European immigrants arrived in the United States in great numbers. Back then these ethnic cultures were seen as a threat to American values. Societies do need common ground—supplied by their cultures—to function successfully, and sociologists since Emile Durkheim have recognized this need. Nevertheless, cultures are also evolving constantly. Think about how global travel, electronic communications, the global economy, Cultural Diversity
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