ethnocentrism

/,eθnou'sentrizm/
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ethnocentrism

A student learns about ethnocentrism in a social studies class.

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • Belief in the superiority of one's own ethnic group: The evaluation of other cultures according to preconceptions originating in the standards and customs of one's own culture. It involves judging another culture solely by the values and standards of one's own.
Usage and Examples
  • Noun:
    • Historical ethnocentrism often led colonial powers to dismiss indigenous cultures as primitive.
    • A key goal of anthropology is to study cultures without falling into the trap of ethnocentrism.
    • His comments revealed a deep-seated ethnocentrism, as he could not appreciate any tradition different from his own.
Advanced Usage and Concepts
  • Cultural Relativism: This is the opposing concept to ethnocentrism. It is the principle that an individual's beliefs and activities should be understood by others in terms of that individual's own culture.
    • Anthropologists practice cultural relativism to avoid ethnocentrism in their research.
  • "to view/see something through an ethnocentric lens": To interpret or judge something based on the standards of one's own culture.
    • Early travel writers often viewed foreign societies through an ethnocentric lens.
Variants and Related Words
  • Ethnocentric (adj): Characterized by or based on the attitude that one's own group is superior.
    • An ethnocentric perspective can hinder international cooperation.
  • Ethnocentricity (n): The quality or state of being ethnocentric; synonymous with ethnocentrism.
Synonyms
  • Chauvinism: Excessive or prejudiced support for one's own cause, group, or gender. (While similar, chauvinism can be broader, not exclusively ethnic.)
  • Parochialism: A limited or narrow outlook, especially focused on a local area; narrow-mindedness.
  • Xenophobia: Dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries. (This is a related but more severe attitude often stemming from ethnocentrism.)
Idioms and Common Phrases
  • (To be) blind to other cultures: An informal phrase describing an ethnocentric attitude.
    • The company's failure in the new market was due to leadership that was blind to other cultures.
  • "Our way is the right way": A phrase encapsulating the core belief of ethnocentrism.
ethnocentrism

A student learns about ethnocentrism in a social studies class.

Noun
  1. belief in the superiority of one's own ethnic group