Culture: definitions, contexts, and contemporary applications

Culture

Constraining a Culture: The Restrictions of Borders

Culture helps keep life interesting and helps make who we are. It is a basic foundation of our personalities and social behaviors. What would happen if the constraints caused by border conflicts actually helped stifle the development of various cultures within those conflicts. As seen in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, there are some border conflicts which can get way out of hand causing the socio-economic disenfranchising of an entire culture along with placing citizens of both nations in physical danger. This constraining qualities of heightened border tension and policies is also similarly seen in the United States with its border facing Mexico. In this conflict, although much less extreme, presents elements very similar to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. However, it is a third hybrid culture sprung out of the combination of the two which suffers most from trying to juggle identities revolving around two hostile cultures. Both cases have seen continuous failure of resolution, leaving little room for hope.

There are very similar shifts in culture emanating from the West Bank in the Middle East. This area of the world has been under constant turmoil since the end of World War II and the creation of the Israeli nation-state in controversial area once believed to be Palestine. Initially a Palestinian territory, the West Bank consists of the western portion of the River Jordan. Yet, the religious significance for the Jewish Israeli people proved to great of a lure, and Israel has occupied the area for generations. This move has caused great strife within the area with Palestine's refusal to simply give up their territory. In recent years, tensions have continued to rise, leading to failure of negotiations and all out physical hostility towards one another. In the midst of such looming conflict, the boundaries of the province have been renewed with new rigorous checkpoints which further isolate the two cultures and create a center tension point between the two nations. This tension then turns into resentment and xenophobia between two very similar, yet eternally different cultures. It creates two very different worlds within the same space.

The difficulties caused by the extreme separation and the rigor of getting through various checkpoints between the two nations have serious consequences on the two nations involved. Although Israel has strong Western allies which it can rely on for international trade and tourist income, Palestine finds little Western affiliated luxuries. In fact, the occupation of the West Bank and the tension within the given area has severely limited Palestine's potential to trade and reach other international income. This has lead to a serious threatening of Palestinian agriculture and business. There are vast socio-economic differences between the Palestinians who are currently suffering greatly from their current situation and the Israelis just across the river. This only fuels the fire, and throughout the generations potentially hopeful negotiations between the two nations have continuously resulted in failure. This has lead to a complete lack of efficient solution to help ease both the socio-economic suffering and the looming threat of physical violence. Unable to help the situation, or lighten the load of the burden on Palestine and Israel with such border constrictions, the situation proves doubtful to be resolved any time soon.