Skip to Content
MicrosoftTeams-image (180)Menu Bookmark
banner

Professional Learning

Professional Learning banner
Bookmark

Engaging with Asia through The Arts

Menu

Definitions

A number of definitions exist in relation to culture. The following provides an overview from key national and international research and frameworks.

‘Culture - A set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features of a society or social group, encompassing all the ways of being in that society or social group; including art and literature, lifestyles, ways of living together, value systems, traditions and beliefs. Each culture is a sum of assumptions and practices shared by members of a group distinguishing them from other groups.’

The Victorian Curriculum Intercultural Capability Glossary

‘…“Culture” is a difficult term to define because cultural groups are always internally heterogeneous and contain individuals who adhere to a range of diverse beliefs and practices. Furthermore, the core cultural beliefs and practices that are most typically associated with any given group are also constantly changing and evolving over time. However, distinctions may be drawn between the material, social and subjective aspects of culture, that is, between the material artefacts that are commonly used by the members of a cultural group (e.g. the tools, foods, clothing, etc.), the social institutions of the group (e.g. the language, the communicative conventions, folklore, religion, etc.), and the beliefs, values, discourses and practices which group members commonly use as a frame of reference for thinking about and relating to the world.

Culture is a composite formed from all three aspects, consisting of a network of material, social and subjective resources. The full set of cultural resources is distributed across the entire group, but each individual member of the group only uses a subset of the full set of cultural resources that is potentially available to them (Barrett et al., 2014).’ 

Global competency for an inclusive world. OECD 2016

The definition of culture has long been a controversy and the term is used in a variety of ways. One commonly used definition is: ‘[Culture] is that complex whole which includes knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, laws, customs, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by [a human] as a member of society.’

UNESCO

‘When we talk about “culture” we often mean intellectual and creative products, including literature, music, drama, and painting. Another use of “culture” is to describe the beliefs and practices of another society, particularly where these are seen as closely linked with tradition or religion. But culture is more than that. Culture is part of the fabric of every society, including our own. It shapes “the way things are done” and our understanding of why this should be so.’

Culture, Gender Equality and Development Cooperation

‘Intercultural Education - Developing an understanding of other people and an appreciation of interdependence... in a spirit of respect for the values of pluralism, mutual understanding, peace and cultural diversity... the learner needs to acquire knowledge, skills and values that contribute to a spirit of solidarity and co-operation among diverse individuals and groups in society.’

UNESCO Guidelines on Intercultural Education

‘Intercultural understanding is an essential part of living with others in the diverse world of the twenty-first century. It assists young people to become responsible local and global citizens, equipped through their education for living and working together in an interconnected world.

Intercultural understanding combines personal, interpersonal and social knowledge and skills. It involves students learning to value and view critically their own cultural perspectives and practices and those of others through their interactions with people, texts and contexts across the curriculum.’

Australian Curriculum

back to top