During this second module, we focus upon the concept of culture and all its components. After you have read the reading assignment and lectures for this module, please respond to all parts of the discussion:

The sociologist, Robin Williams Jr., originally created a list of ten central values in American culture in 1970.

How do you believe this list might be different if it were created today?

Which values do you believe have changed since this list was originally made? Why?

Please use examples to illustrate how these values have changed using the media, social policy, politics, or otherwise.

What are five symbols important to American culture? Are they important to you? How and why?

What problems arise from excessive ethnocentrism?

Class, in this second class discussion, we are studying the concept of culture, which is a very important part of the discipline of sociology.

Culture is broken down by sociologists into two broad components - material culture and non-material culture. Material culture represents the important "objects" of the culture, those used often and those highly valued. For example, in our nation, we highly value technology, which has many different forms - it is a significant part of our material culture.

In contrast, non-material culture is made up of the values, beliefs, traditions, and social norms of a national culture. For example, in this discussion we are discussing values, those beliefs, like symbols, that represent our nation and what it stands for. Values are a significant part of our non-material culture. They can change over time with changes within a nation.