Page 131 - Sociology and You

Chapter 3 Culture
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R
R
R
RRRDRL
R DLDRLRL LRLDRR
D D R R District of R R Columbia
RRRRRD
R RL
R
Gun Control
Some observers believe groups that pro- R mote gun ownership form a subculture.
For example, the National Rifle
Association (NRA) brings together people
who share an interest in guns and the right to own them. The map displays the states that permit citizens to carry con- cealed guns.
R
RRR R
L
Concealed Carry Codes:
R Right-to-carry permitted: Less restrictive discretionary permit system.
L Right-to-carry permitted: Limited by local authority’s discretion over permit issuance.
D Right-to-carry denied: No permit system exists; concealed carry is prohibited.
Source: NRA Institute for Legislative Action
R
Interpreting the Map
1. What code marks the states with the most liberal gun control laws?
2. Can you find a pattern between gun control and regions in the U.S.?
3. How might regional differences in gun control laws reflect variations in socialization patterns?
Manus of New Guinea, in contrast, the man is completely in charge of child rearing. Among the Mbuti pygmies, the Lovedu of Africa, and the Navajo and Iroquois Indians, men and women share equally in domestic and economic tasks (Little, 1975).
Why do cultural universals exist? The biological similarity shared by all human beings helps to account for many cultural universals. If a society is to survive, children must be born and cared for, and some type of family structure must exist. (Groups that deliberately eliminate the family—such as the Shakers religious sect of New England—disappear.) Because people become ill, there must be some sort of medical care. Because people die, there must be funeral rites, mourning, and inheritance rules. Because food is necessary, cooking must be done.
The physical environment provides another reason why cultural univer- sals exist. Because humans cannot survive without protection from the envi- ronment, some form of shelter must be created. Armies were formed to settle disputes over boundaries and important waterways.
Finally, cultural universals exist because societies face many of the same social problems. If a society is to survive, new members must be taught the