BARRIERS TO DIFFUSION

1. BARRIERS TO DIFFUSION • TIME and DISTANCE DECAY – farther from the source & the more time it takes, the less likely innovation adopted • CULTURAL BARRIERS – some practices, ideas, innovations are not acceptable/adoptable in a particular culture – e.g. pork, alcohol, contraceptives… • PHYSICAL BARRIERS – physical barriers on the surface may prohibit/inhibit adoption

2. RELOCATION DIFFUSION Sequential diffusion process in which the items being diffused are transmitted by their carrier agents as they evacuate the old areas and relocate to new ones. The most common form of relocation diffusion involves the spreading of innovations by a migrating population. (de Blij/Murphy – 7th ed., page R-26)

3. Expansion Diffusion • EXPANSION DIFFUSION • Spread of an innovation/idea through a population in an area in such a way that the # of those influenced grows continuously larger, resulting in an expanding area of dissemination. (de Blij/Murphy – 7th ed., page R-20)

4. Structural assimilation measures the ability of a minority group to fully integrate into the host society

5. Ahimsa is a religious tenet shared by Hinduism and Buddhism that discourages violence against others

6. Acculturation • Acculturation – when smaller/weaker groups take on traits of the larger/dominant culture. Can be 2-way process – e.g. Aztecs acculturated into Spanish culture, but some Aztec traits remained and became Spanish culture.

7. The adobe house is ideally suited for a diurnal climate characterized by hot daytime temperatures and cold nighttime temperatures because its thick earthen walls absorb heat in the day and release it at night. This is why adobe is a vernacular architectural style common to the American Southwest, where a diurnal climate is present

8. Folk Culture • Cultural traits such as dress modes, dwellings, traditions, and institutions of usually small, traditional communities • Examples? • Amish, Mennonites, Hutterites • Select areas of LDCs

9. Popular Culture • Cultural traits such as dress, diet, and music that identify and are part of today’s changeable, urban-based, media-influenced western societies. • Examples? • Blue jeans • Hip Hop

10. Folk cultures are more homogeneous than popular cultures because they belong to smaller groups of individuals who share a common local environment, a common history, and common values. Unlike popular cultures, folk cultures are more insulated, less exposed to outside influences, and less liable to frequent changes over time

11. A dialect is a particular form of a language that is peculiar to a specific region or social group. A dialect represents a cultural trait, a single aspect of an overarching cultural complex

12. Neolocalism – seeking out regional culture and reinvigorating it (ex. Little Sweden in Kansas) • Commodification of a culture can compromise authenticity becoming a stereotype –examples? • Cherokee • Branson, Mo • Guinness and the Irish Pub Co.

13. A built industrial landscape that shows evidence of abandonment, disinvestment, and general neglect is considered derelict. Derelict landscapes can range from vacant housing complexes in disrepair to abandoned factories to littered and overgrown recreational fields

14. Distance Decay Graph • Learn to think about distance decay in a “spatial” context • Think of distance decay in terms of an ‘x’ and ‘y’ axis

15. A dogtrot house, which features a covered breezeway situated in between two separately enclosed cabins, was a popular vernacular house style in the American South before air-conditioning. The central breezeway, which channeled air currents through the covered space, provided a relatively cool, partially enclosed living area during summer months

16. Landmarks are distinctive points of reference, such as a clock tower or billboard sign, that help individuals orient themselves in familiar space

17. Nodes are points of intersection, such as a bridge or city square, which help individuals navigate through familiar spaces

18. Local Culture • Local culture – group of people in a particular place who see themselves as a collective or community, who share experiences, customs, and traits, and who work to preserve those traits and customs in order to claim uniqueness and to distinguish themselves from others

20. Kinds of Expansion Diffusion • Hierarchical Diffusion – spread of an idea through an established structure usually from people or areas of power down to other people or areas

21. Examples of Hierarchical Diffusion • iPhones (as do most new technologies) diffused hierarchically. iPhones, though cheaper, may still be too expensive for most consumers to buy; therefore diffusing hierarchically • AIDS is typically viewed as hierarchical because if its historically distinctive URBAN to URBAN diffusion pattern • Fashion trends diffuse classically from URBAN to URBAN area

22. This is a map of the diffusion of _______?Human Geography, Knox & Marston, 2nd Edition – page 45

23. Expansion Diffusion • Contagious Diffusion– spread of an idea/trait/concept through a group of people or an area equally without regard to social class, economic position or position of power.

24. Diagram of Contagious DiffusionHuman Geography, deBlij & Murphy, 7th ed. Page 28 • ‘A’ is a diagram of contagious diffusion. Notice virtually all ‘adopt.’ • ‘B’ is a diagram of hierarchical diffusion. Notice the leapfrogging over some areas.

25. Expansion Diffusion • Stimulus Diffusion – the spread of an underlying principle even though the characteristic itself does not spread. • OR • Stimulus Diffusion- involves the transfer of an underlying concept or idea, without the specific accompanying traits due to some cultural or other barrier to the movement of the idea

26. An example of Stimulus Diffusion • McDonald’s spread to India; however, Indian Hindus do not eat beef. Indian McDonald’s serve veggie burgers, which is culturally acceptable. The idea (McDonald’s burgers) was acceptable, but not in its original form – hence stimulus diffusion.

27. Relocation Diffusion • This occurs when the people migrate and take their cultural attributes with them.

28. Relocation and Expansion – In ReviewHuman Geography, Fellmann, Getis & Getis, 8th ed. Page 55 • ‘A’ is relocation diffusion as the person goes. • ‘B’ is expansion diffusion as the idea/trait moves or transports.

29. AIDS and Relocation Diffusion • Some authors suggest AIDS diffuses through relocation diffusion. This is true by the fact that the diffusers “take” the disease with them. However, AIDS is not contracted by everyone in its path. More importantly, the pattern of AIDS diffusion is more classically hierarchical (and therefore expansion).

30. Migrant Diffusion (a form of Relocation Diffusion) • Migrant Diffusion is when an innovation originates and enjoys strong, but brief, adoption there. The innovation may travel long distances (& be thriving), but could be faded out back at the point of origination – e.g. influenza in China will reach the U.S., but the epidemic could be over in China by the time it takes hold in the U.S.

31. One more look…Wal-Mart as bothcontagious and reverse hierarchical diffusion – WHY?Human Geography, Fellmann, Getis & Getis, 8th Ed. Page 57

32. How about another example of reverse hierarchical diffusion?

33. What about Soccer?

34. Nicholas Christakis: How social networks predict epidemicshttp://www.ted.com/talks/nicholas_christakis_how_social_networks_predict_epidemics.html

35. Random Thoughts on Diffusion • Expansion Diffusion • Contagious • Does not need have a specific pre-existing structure for transmission • Disease contagion is a prime example • Don’t forget the orange scent spreading around the room • Hierarchical • requires a pre-established structure to channel the flow ie 'chain of command' or network of power • Relocation Diffusion • Movement of people and things • Europeans moved to the Americas and brought their culture with them

36. How did you become a “knower” of your favorite kind of music? • Where is its hearth? • How did it reach you? • What type of diffusion?

37. Assimilation – the minority population reduces or loses completely its identifying cultural characteristics and blends into the host society • Acculturation - cultural modification or change that results when one culture group adopts traits of a dominant society; cultural development or change through “borrowing • In The Kite Runner, how well did the Afghans adapt to America?

38. Rural Local Cultures • Hutterites • Branch of Anabaptists • absolute pacifism • Live in rural, self-sufficient “colonies” • Forbid use tv, radio • Usually only 1 • telephone for the • community • Avoid pictures

40. Urban Local Cultures • Ethnic Neighborhoods – Hasidic Jews • Pious • Distinctive clothes • Speak Yiddish • Do not watch tv, but will listen to radio • Other Urban Local Culture examples • Italian neighborhoods, Chinatowns, Mexican, Russian, Polish

42. Makah American Indians • Early culture included whale hunting • However, whale hunting in the 17th – 19th century became increasingly commercial and detrimental to the whale population • 1946 – International Whaling Commission instituted regulations • 1990’s – Makah American Indians, Washington reinstated whale hunting facing much protest • 1999 – whale killed but not in traditional way with canoes and harpoons, but according to IWC regulations a .50 caliber rifle

43. Material folk culture regions • Each region possesses many distinctive items of material culture • Quebec French folk region-grist windmills with stone towers, and a bowling game played with small metal balls • Mormon folk culture — distinctive hay derricks and gridiron farm villages • Western plains ranching folk culture — the “beef wheel,” a windlass used during butchering

44. Quebec • Petanque, a bowling game played with metal balls, diffused to Canada with French immigrants in the 16th century. It has persisted as one aspect of Quebec French folk region.

45. FOLK LIFE • Material Culture - Artifacts • Physical, Visible Things • Musical Instruments, Furniture, Tools, Buildings • The Built Environment – the landscape created • The Contents of Houses & Shops

46. Nonmaterial Culture • Mentifacts & Sociofacts • Oral Traditions, Folk Songs, Stories, Philosophies • Includes beliefs, practices, aesthetics, and values of a group of people • Mentifacts represent the ideas and beliefs of a culture, for example religion, language or law • Sociofacts represent the social structures of a culture, such as tribes or families. • artifact is a human-made object which gives information about the culture of its creator and users

47. Music • American folk music began as transplants of Old World songs • Northern song • Featured unaccompanied solo signing in clear hard tones • Featured Fiddle or fife-and-drum • Southern, Backwoods, and Appalachian song • Featured unaccompanied high pitch and nasal solo singing • Marked by moral and emotional conflict • Roots of country music • Western song • Factual, narrative songs • Themes of natural beauty, personal valor, and feminine purity • Some songs reworked as lumberjack ballads

49. Country and Western music • Impact of migration of Upland Southern folk on bluegrass music • Migrated to Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma plus the Depression era movement of “Okies” and “Arkies” to the Central Valley of California • Provided natural areas for bluegrass expansion in the mid-twentieth century

50. Food and drink Local cuisine based on what is available • Also is based on local customs • Ex. Geophagy – eating dirt, • common in Africa & southern United States, • may counteract digestive issues, • common among pregnant women