Verified Document

Westernization African Culture And The Western Influence Essay

Westernization African culture and the Western influence

Every community has it peculiar culture and norms that identify it and sets it apart from the remaining cultures. There are native cultures that the Africans were accustomed to and adored them as their noble way of life. However, there came the intrusion of the Western culture from Europe that grossly interfered with the African culture is several aspects. There was a massive "decentering" of cultures among the Africans and the consequences of these mass "decentering" are felt to date in very significant ways.

The 'decentering' of the culture and the cultural ways among the Africans was a peculiar one in the entire world, this is because Africa as a continent was ambushed by the European powers that were at that time and sub-divided it and shared it out among themselves in the form of colonies. The scramble was so intense that some European powers went to war with each other trying to get a piece of Africa in the mid to late nineteenth century.

Bearing the fact that there were diverse powers from Europe who came into Africa, it meant that diverse and divergent cultures descended upon Africa as well. There was introduction of cultures that were upheld by the British, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Belgium and Spanish backgrounds (Ehiedu E.G. Iweriebor, 2011). This was quite a variegated cultural infestation that befell Africa.

This was the duration when there was a lot of industrialization going on in Europe and due to the industrial revolution that presented a great demand for raw materials, the European powers therefore decided to venture into Africa for these raw materials. As they explored and exploited the raw materials from Africa, they consequently spread their culture and way of life as well as the effects of industrialization that was going on back at home.

One of the most central aspects of the intrusion of...

The African family culture was structured around an extended family and close ties in general. With the introduction of the western lifestyle, the relationships became selective and people continually dropped the extended family relationships as everyone turned to self for everything. The subsistence farming which was greatly supported by the communal lifestyle got eroded by the modernization in this industrialization period as many people in the urban areas concentrated on working in industries hence creating a lot of pressure on the food produced at the villages (Kua Jonathan, 2010). This was probably the biggest 'decentering' of culture that Africa suffered during this period of time.
Education system also became more westernized in this century where the academics were more inclined towards science and scientific discoveries. This saw a shift from religious studies that dealt with theology, to scientific questioning of the religious standpoints. Education system became more and more inclined towards the west where emphasis on empiricism engulfed all the spheres of education and logical arguments and philosophies were given more priority over the religious beliefs.

Westernization also brought about secularization, where there was a radical shift from superstition to science. Anything ranging from the weather to the worst disasters to epidemics was no longer explained by approach to God/deities but through science. God and religion continually became a personal matter in this century and individualism fast replaced the communal orientation. People started doing what was in their best interest and not the interest of the community. These vast transitions that caused instability in the social system can be seen in the poems of Baudelaire who was a poet at this transitional time that confused many. He was one of the many disaffected and alienated…

Sources used in this document:
References

Art History Unstaffed, (2011). Baudelaire and Modernity. Retrieved September 4, 2011 from http://www.arthistoryunstuffed.com/tag/industrial-revolution/

Ehiedu E.G. Iweriebor, (2011). The Colonization of Africa.

http://exhibitions.nypl.org/africanaage/essay-colonization-of-africa.html

Fred W. Rigs, (1999). Coping with Modernity: Constitutional Implications. Retrieved September 4, 2011 from http://www2.hawaii.edu/~fredr/6-mstza.htm
http://www.bukisa.com/articles/252477_the-effects-of-modernity-in-oceania
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Western Education in Ethiopia There
Words: 2820 Length: 10 Document Type: Term Paper

" (Bitek, 1989, Ngugi wa Thiongo, 1986, Mazrui, 1986, 2001, Mamdani, 1990, 1993, Copans, 1990, Rwomire, 1992, and van Rinsum, 2001; as cited in: Nyamnjoh, 2004) According to Nyamnjoh (2004) "...the elite have 'often in unabashed imitativeness' and with little attempt at domestication, sought to reproduce, even without finances to sustain, the Oxfords, Cambridges, Harvards, Stanfords and Sorbonnes of England, the U.S.A. And France." (Nyamnjoh, 2004) Education in Africa is stated

Effects of Globalization on Native Non-Western Cultural
Words: 1185 Length: 4 Document Type: Essay

Globalization and its effects on non-Western cultural practices Globalization is typically defined as the phenomena of increasing world interconnectedness. It is an undeniable feature of the modern world. The world is gets smaller as technology advances and economies become interlinked. Today's economic crisis is a prime example of globalization. One nation undergoing a financial crisis can easily become an international economic meltdown. Nederveen (2009) comments how modernization has advanced at the

Muhammad Ali in Egypt and the Influence
Words: 14314 Length: 48 Document Type: Dissertation or Thesis complete

Muhammad Ali in Egypt and the Influence of Napoleon Services and Mission of Muhammad Ali Pasha Reforms under the Regime of Muhammad Ali Pasha Societal Reforms Education Reforms Westernization Economic Reforms Agricultural Reforms Political Reforms Political Reforms Economic Strengthening Activities to Make Egypt Self Sufficient Muhammad Ali the Father of Modern Egypt AFU Armed Forces Union CGS Chief of the General Staff CUP the Committee of Union and Progress Dev-Sol Revolutionary Left Dev-Yol Revolutionary Way D-SK Confederation of Unions of Revolutionary Workers DP Democrat Party EEC or EC European

Nigeria, the Most Populous Country
Words: 3274 Length: 12 Document Type: Term Paper

Traditional social hierarchy, which was practiced in pre-colonial times, survived in the form of ethical norms. Nigerians are very respectful to the holders of traditional titles such as chief, emir, Oba or Eze; as in ancient times chiefs' role was semi-divine as they were considered to be appointed by supreme powers. Holders of these titles take high positions in modern community hierarchy, especially in rural areas. Inner tribe relations based

Democratic Development in Africa Challenges
Words: 2542 Length: 8 Document Type: Essay

Challenges to Democratic Development in Africa Introduction The political life in Africa has largely been characterized by poor governance and an inherently poor democratic record. This has in most cases led to not only political disillusionment, but also despair – effectively stifling the continent’s economic advancement. In effect, the challenges facing the continent as far as democratic development is concerned stem from political misrule coupled with the adverse effects of imposed westernization,

Good Hair Bad Hair
Words: 2276 Length: 7 Document Type: Term Paper

Hair" "Bad Hair" The relationship between politics and African-American hair is tenuous at best. Any researcher would be hard pressed to find another race or group of people whose hair factors into its politics. Indeed, such a notion borders on ridiculousness. It is difficult to imagine a group of people such as the Serbians, who faced extermination because of a political situation involving their race (Bowen 3), attempting to utilize

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now