"Cultural appropriation is the inappropriate or unacknowledged adoption of an element or elements of one culture or identity by members of another culture or identity. This can be especially controversial when members of a dominant culture appropriate from minority cultures."
This subfield examines the roles of power, dominance, and oppression in the appropriation of cultural expressions.
Cultural Appropriation: The act of taking elements from one culture and using them in another culture without permission or cultural understanding.
Power Dynamics: The ways in which power is distributed and negotiated in society, particularly along lines of race, gender, class, and other identities.
Privilege: Advantages and benefits bestowed on individuals or groups based on their social identity, such as race, gender, or class.
Oppression: The systematic disadvantage and mistreatment of certain groups of people due to their social identity.
Colonialism: The domination and control of one group of people over another, typically through the use of economic, political, and military power. Often results in the cultural appropriation of the colonized group.
Stereotypes: Preconceived ideas or beliefs about a group of people based on their social identity. Often used to justify power imbalances and discrimination.
Racism: Discrimination and prejudice against people based on their race or ethnicity.
Cultural Exchange: The sharing and learning of cultural practices between different groups of people, based on mutual respect and cultural understanding.
Intersectionality: The complex and interconnected ways in which different forms of oppression intersect and affect individuals based on their multiple social identities.
Appropriation vs. Appreciation: The difference between using elements from another culture in a respectful and culturally informed way (appreciation), versus taking and exploiting those elements without cultural understanding or permission (appropriation).
Social Justice: The pursuit of equality, fairness, and justice for all people, particularly those who are marginalized and oppressed.
Cultural Sensitivity: The ability to appreciate and respect cultural differences, and to avoid cultural stereotypes or misconceptions.
Decolonization: The process of undoing the systemic harm and imbalance caused by colonialism, particularly in the realm of cultural appropriation.
Identity: The various social identities that individuals hold, such as race, gender, class, and sexuality, and how those identities intersect and affect their experiences of power and oppression.
Allyship: The active support and advocacy of marginalized groups by individuals who hold privileged identities, through actions such as listening, learning, and amplifying marginalized voices.
"Cultural appropriation differs from acculturation, assimilation, or equal cultural exchange in that this appropriation is a form of colonialism."
"Cultural appropriation is considered harmful by various groups and individuals, including Indigenous people working for cultural preservation, those who advocate for collective intellectual property rights of the originating, minority cultures, and those who have lived or are living under colonial rule."
"Cultural appropriation can include exploitation of another culture's religious and cultural traditions, dance steps, fashion, symbols, language, and music."
"Those who see this appropriation as exploitative state that cultural elements are lost or distorted when they are removed from their originating cultural contexts, and that such displays are disrespectful or even a form of desecration."
"The imitator, 'who does not experience that oppression is able to 'play', temporarily, an 'exotic' other, without experiencing any of the daily discriminations faced by other cultures'."
"The 'fetishising' of cultures, in fact, alienates those whose culture is being appropriated."
"Critics note that the concept is often misunderstood or misapplied by the general public, and that charges of 'cultural appropriation' are at times misapplied to situations such as trying food from a different culture or learning about different cultures."
"Others state that the act of cultural appropriation as it is usually defined does not meaningfully constitute social harm, or the term lacks conceptual coherence."
"Additionally, the term can set arbitrary limits on intellectual freedom, artists' self-expression..."
"Furthermore, the term can reinforce group divisions, or promote a feeling of enmity or grievance rather than of liberation." Note: As the paragraph does not contain 20 distinct study questions, some questions may require additional reflection or expanding upon the given information.