Layout 1

Cultural Variations in Marriage and Family

heritage. This may manifest in a distinct
manner of communication, religion, dress,
food habits, and other mannerisms.
While we may choose to ignore all or
certain aspects of our ethnic heritage, we
cannot change our racial makeup.
Sometimes race and ethnicity overlap—
certain races develop distinct cultural
patterns which relate more to ethnicity
than race. A more common occurrence
today is to find many ethnic groups within
a single racial group. For example, in the
United States, white southerners differ
culturally from whites on the West Coast
and southern Alabama blacks differ
culturally from Chicago blacks.

Defining Cultural Diversity

Each ethnic group expresses a distinct
culture, which is defined as the values,
beliefs, and norms characterizing a group
in a particular place and time. Included in
the culture are its patterns of marriage and
family life. Societies respond to cultural
diversity in different ways. In some
societies, a dominant culture will
discourage families of other cultures from
practicing their unique cultural patterns of
language, dress, childrearing, and marriage
rituals. A dominant culture which does
this exhibitsethnocentrism, the belief that
one’s own culture is superior to others. An
ethnocentric perspective often fails to
appreciate other cultures and sees diverse

family patterns as somehow “wrong.”

Sometimes a dominant culture will go

beyond encouraging change and may force

a minority culture to assimilate into the

larger culture.Cultural assimilationmeans

“to make similar,” to blend into a larger

culture and lose the unique norms and

values which distinguish a minority

culture from a dominant culture.

We have only to look at Native-

Americans to find a history of cultural

assimilation. Most Native-Americans do

not speak the language of their ancestors

or practice tribal customs. Only about one

third of Native-American families still live

on reservations (Ogunwole, 2006). Of

those, most have adopted the patterns of

the larger culture.

America’s early history seems to point

to a melting pot ideology. Amelting pot

Many families maintain some of their ethnic traditions.

© Getty Images