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Cultural Appropriation Vs Appreciation

Cultural Appropriation 

 

“The unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the practices, customs, or aesthetics of one social or ethnic group by members of another (typically dominant) community or society.” (Oxford English Dictionary, 2018) 

 

Appropriation vs Appreciation  

Appropriation Appreciation  

"Cultural appropriation highlights the power imbalance that remains between those in power and those who've been historically marginalized.

...They remain blissfully unaware of the roots of such dress and the challenges those who originated it have faced in Western society." (Lang, 2013).

“Cultural appreciation, on the other hand, is when an individual or community of people engages in the norms and traditions of another culture while acknowledging the source. "(Blue Cross and Blue Shield, 2022).

 

The critical difference between appropriation and appreciation often comes down to cultural humility. Before engaging with something, it’s essential to be curious about its origins, learn as much as possible and give the proper credit.” (Blue Cross and Blue Shield, 2022) 

 

Frequently Asked Questions: 

How do I avoid cultural appropriation? How can I be sure it’s appreciation? 

  • Do your research. 

  • Consider the privilege you may hold 

  • Support art from the communities that originate it 

  • Attribute cultural norms to the communities that originated them. 

Definitions

Cultural Appropriation
"The adoption by a group of a specific element of another culture, as forms of dress, personal adornments, music and art styles, religious beliefs, social behaviour, etc., usually involving some degree of assimilation into the culture which is borrowing it, and sometimes viewed negatively by the group from which the appropriation is made" ("Cultural Appropriation," 2017).
 
Stereotyping
  • "Overly simplified conceptions, images, or beliefs about individuals and specific social groups. Popular stereotypes rely on assumptions, are often mistaken for reality, and usually have negative connotations" read more (Silverman & Silverman, 2012).
  • "Ethnic and racial stereotypes are simplistic, often negative, generalizations ascribed to ethnic/racial/national groups and members based on perceived cultural deficiencies and characteristics" read more (Nguyen-Perez, 2014).

White Privilege

Blackface (also Ministrelsy)

  • "This is why blackface is offensive" by Harmeet Kaur (CNN)

  • "By distorting the features and culture of African Americans—including their looks, language, dance, deportment, and character—white Americans were able to codify whiteness across class and geopolitical lines as its antithesis" (National Museum of African American History & Culture, n.d.)

TedTalks

Emmanuel Resources

References

Cultural appropriation. (2017). In S. Butler (Ed.), Macquarie Dictionary (7th ed.). South Yarra, Australia: Macquarie Dictionary Publishers. 

Lang, N., & Blogger, G. (2013, November 29). Settling the Katy Perry controversy: “Yellowface” is not beautiful. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/opinion/la-xpm-2013-nov-29-la-ol-katy-perry-american-music-awards-yellowface-20131127-story.html 

Minnesota, B. C. and B. S. of. (2022, July 25). Walking the line between appreciation and appropriation. Sahan Journal. http://sahanjournal.com/sponsored/lines-drawn-cultural-appropriation-and-cultural-appreciation/ 

National Museum of African American History & Culture. (n.d.). Blackface: The birth of an American stereotype. Retrieved from https://nmaahc.si.edu/blog-post/blackface-birth-american-stereotype

Mishan, L. (2022, September 30). What does cultural appropriation really mean? The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/30/t-magazine/cultural-appropriation.html 

Nguyen-Perez, R. (2014). Ethnic and racial stereotypes. In S. Thompson (Ed.), Encyclopedia of diversity and social justice. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. 

Oxford English Dictionary. (n.d.). Cultural appropriation. In Oxford English Dictionary. Retrieved February 6, 2024, from https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/8175480404. 

Silverman, R. E., & Silverman. (2012). Stereotypes. In M. Kosut (Ed.), Encyclopedia of gender in media. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. 

Smith, A., Crosthwaite, J., & Clark, C. (2014). White privilege. In S. Thompson (Ed.), Encyclopedia of diversity and social justice. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. 

Solanka Estrada, Meera. (2017, June 28). The fine line between cultural appropriation and appreciation. (2017, June 28). HuffPost. https://www.huffpost.com/archive/ca/entry/the-fine-line-between-cultural-appropriation-and-appreciation_a_23004529