Культура и национальное самосознание Европы. Практикум на английском языке

a clash between the Buddhist

Sinhalese and the Hindu Tamils,

whose armed wing is the

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam.

2. The common ties of

2. The clash of the

humanity are stronger than any

civilisations is not a myth but a

cultural

differences

dividing

reality that is taking shape in the

mankind. Tolerance for difference

minds

of

people

through

flourishes

and

evidence

for

discussions,

news,

education,

cooperation is stronger than for

books

and

religious

teaching.

conflict. Thus

Muslims

continue

Though the West is allowing

to flourish in the West, while

many of its citizens to accept

westerners

also

stream

into

Islam,

Christianity

does

not

Islam, making it the fastest

grow in the Muslim countries,

growing religion in the world.

resulting in frustration in the

There are many families in

ranks of the missionaries who

Christian Europe which do not

collect millions of dollars from

mind their children following a

rich Christians in the name of

faith often labelled as terrifying.

spreading the message of Christ.

And latest reports tell us that

Conflict between Islam and the

after 11 September 2001, western

West is also shown through

countries

still

remain

the

disputes over religious practices,

favourite choice of Arab students

such as the banning of hijab in

for

higher

education.

So

French schools and attempts to

globalisation

has

united

various

control the teaching of religious

civilisations

under

one

roof.

institutions.

The

opposition

of

Geographical

boundaries

only

many Europeans to the idea of

remain on the globe as symbols,

allowing Muslim Turkey into the

like

latitudes

and

longitudes.

European Union

demonstrates

Every country wants to become

that they see Islam to be

rich

through

interdependence

something un-European – an

with others, by selling its talents,

unacceptable “other”.

natural resources

and

shares

abroad. Even countries like Saudi

Arabia and Pakistan, which are

often blamed for the roots of

terrorism, are in a race towards

economic prosperity.

41

3. So-called civilisations are

3. The idea that there is a

not monolithic but very varied,

clash of civilisations does not

with their own internal tensions

claim that these great cultural

and conflicts, so any idea that

blocs

are

monolithic.

there are blocs of civilisations in

Nonetheless, groups

of

nations

clear opposition to each other is

sharing

religious and

cultural

flawed. For example, not all

traditions have much more in

Americans agree

with

their

common than dividing them, and

country’s

strong

support for

their

shared

interests

are

Israel. Many

European

states

radically opposed to those of

opposed US action against Iraq

other civilisations. For example,

in 2003. And Saudi Arabia and

as long as the Palestinian

Iran are very different types of

problem exists,

the

threat

of a

Islamic

state,

often strongly

terrible

clash

of

civilisations

opposed to each other on

beginning looms over the world.

political

and

religious

issues.

Uncritical American support for

In any case, the people of Israel

Israel helps to explain why

are actually cousins of the Arabs.

Muslims all over the world see

When the Christian West did not

themselves as in opposition to

want the Jews to stay in their

the West. They ask why is the UN

land, it was the generosity of the

so lazy in sending its army to

Arabs that gave Jewish refugees

arbitrate in Palestine, when the

a place to live. Though Israel

world saw the marching of

today is a nuclear power, yet its

armies from scores of western

people are now tired of the

countries to free Kuwait from

strenuous war. The anti-war

Saddam? Why do they think it is

crowd is swelling; in the USA, in

fine for Israel to acquire nuclear

Britain and in Israel too there is

weapons but Iran must be

a desire to find a long lasting

punished for merely trying to

solution.

develop civilian nuclear power?

Even if Israeli citizens are fed up

of war, yet their leaders are not

willing to compromise on the

security of Israel.

1.

Moving

towards

the

1. No culture in the world

American way of life necessarily

can survive in unchanging. In

means the slow decay of

order to survive, the cultures of

individual

national

cultural

the world have always - and must

identities. As these valuable and

always - adapted to new

historically

significant

cultures

conditions

and

realities.

As

vanish, the world will lose

America’s

global

authority

cultural diversity - such as in art,

increasingly

becomes

a

reality,

music, and literature - that has so

cultures will begin to slowly

enriched humanity’s history. In a

move towards the American way

world where the borders between

of life not as a product of force,

states are becoming increasingly

but rather as a natural

symbolic, the loss of diversity

consequence

of

increased

between countries will also mean

contact with America’s dominant

a loss of choice for human beings

culture.

Some

cultural

with the desire to settle in a

institutions will be lost, others

country that suits their tastes. As

will survive, and still others will

America’s

culture

becomes

become altered in reaction to it.

universal, Americans and others

Resisting the evolutionary impact

lose their ability to choose, even

of the American way of life

in the context of that great

would only serve to counteract

patriotic

American

slogan:

an extremely important

process

“America: love it or leave it!”

in the histories of the world’s

cultures.

2. Differences in ways of life

2.

Rejecting

the

American

between

countries

can

have

way of life denies the world’s

positive economic consequences.

people

important

economic

The

economic

theory

of

advantages,

especially in terms

comparative

advantage

states

of mobility. The more similar

that efficiency is maximized when

countries’ cultures are, the more

those countries that can produce

likely one is to be able to move

goods or services at the lowest

between them, seeking economic

cost do so. The entire concept of

opportunity

and

advantage.

comparative

advantage

depends

Many

economists

believe

that

on

major

differences

between

mobility of labour (that is, the

countries

and their

respective

ability of workers to move across

ways of life. Convergence to the

international

frontiers)

is

an

43

American way of life will mean

important ingredient of economic

the loss of some of the distinctive

growth.

As

cultures

move

differences that are fundamental

towards the American way of

to

maintaining

countries’

life, they will be better able to

comparative

advantage

in

the

make easy the free movement of

supply of particular goods and

people to fill specific demand for

services.

For

example,

French

their labour or skills, because

culture is closely tied up with the

many of the most difficult

idea of “terroir” - the special

barriers

to

movement,

in

qualities of the land in particular

particular those that deal with

regions,

and

this

contributes

adjustment

to

new

cultural

strongly to its production of

surroundings, would dissolve.

speciality foods and drinks -

many of which are major exports.

3. The American way of life

3. The American way of life

is itself unhealthy for people

may well be unhealthy, but it is

everywhere. Defined by a taste

also delicious. Americans are not

for salty and greasy fast foods, an

the only people who flock to the

overloaded work schedule, and a

purveyors of freeze-dried, deep-

inactive

lifestyle,

the American

fried, sugary, salty, and greasy

way of life is one of the most

foods. The reason that so many

important

reasons

that

the

indulge this way is that fast food,

American

population is

among

for all its faults, is tasty. If we

the world’s most unhealthy, in

are to accept the virtues of an

terms of stress, fitness, and body

individual’s

choice,

the

weight. By soundly rejecting this

American way of life must not be

unhealthy way of life in favour of

rejected.

more

sensible

and

healthy

routines, the world does a credit

to its collective health and

wellbeing.

4. America has developed its

4. As far as ways of life are

unique set of cultural institutions

concerned, the American is a

during its more than 200 years of

pretty

strong

choice.

The

nationhood. As the world’s oldest

American way of life boasts an

democratic epublic,

the

United

emphasis on hard work, self-

States has the advantage of

sacrifice,

equality,

and

having

developed

its

culture

democracy. Cultures

converge

44

along with its own history. Like

toward this particular set of

all cultures, America’s culture is

traits because they are uniquely

tailor-made. It addresses the

desirable as a way of life.

particular needs - present and

Convergence between cultures is

historic - of its home country. As

a necessary consequence of an

such, the American way of life

increasingly interconnected and

cannot be assumed to be

globalized world. And if cultures

transferable to other parts of the

are to converge, then the

world, with different histories and

American way of life, with its

realities.

As

experiences

in

admirable

values

and

great

Vietnam in the 1970s and Iraq in

institutions, is a strong option. In

the 2000s demonstrate,

attempts

other words, when it comes to

to spread the most basic

cultural evolution and diffusion,

constituent of the American way

one could do a lot worse than to

of life - democracy - often end in

converge towards the American

failure. If the desirable elements

way of life.

of the American way of life, such

as democracy, are to be adopted

by people in other parts of the

world,

the

necessary foundation

must be laid organically by the

country’s

own

experience. That

is, the country must become

democratic not by adopting the

American way of life, but rather

by proceeding

through

national

experiences of the sort that

shifted

America’s own

political

culture toward democracy in the

late 1700s.

5.

America’s culture should

5. It is a mistake to see

be rejected because it is inferior

American culture as all of a

to those of many other nations. In

piece - there are many different

film, music, art, sport and many

aspects

to

US

popular

other aspects of life, the

entertainment,

including

jazz,

American way is childish and

blues,

indie

film-making,

simplistic. Hollywood only makes

experimental art, cutting-edge

movies

which

appeal

to

the

architecture,

demanding

45

lowest instincts of the mass

literature, etc. Most Americans

audience,

delivering

violence,

enjoy the diversity of cultural

dazzling

special

effects

and

options available to them, and it

simplistic

story

lines.

Popular

is this, as well as the individual

music is loud, aggressive and

art forms, which the rest of the

unsophisticated.

Sports

are

world can learn from. But at its

designed for showy spectacle and

best, all American culture is

constant celebration of

frequent

possessed of a democratic spirit

scoring, rather than as a

and accessibility, which marks it

prolonged

examination

of

skill

out from the elitism of art, music,

and strategy. Even clothing is

etc. in much of the rest of the

garish and utilitarian. Such a

world.

culture has nothing to offer the

rest of the world.

Motivations of French Muslims

Secularism arguments against

who wear the hijab

wearing the hijab

1. The wearing of the scarf or

1. The hijab is a symbol of

hijab in France, and in the main

belonging

to

the

Muslim

countries of origin of French

community.

Women who

wear

Muslims (Algeria, Tunisia,

the hijab display their religious

Morocco, Turkey), is a relatively

and community affiliation, which

recent phenomenon. Its core is a

harms the unity and secularism

general movement toward the

of the French Republic. (Since

traditional values of Muslim

1905 church and state have been

communities.

separated in France by the law).

2."Respectability" and

2. The position of the

"discretion." News, movies, and

French government

is

that

music aimed at young men often

secularism

in

schools

is

contain stereotypical "easy girl"

incompatible

with

wearing

characters who are sexually taken

ostentatious

religious

articles,

at will and who are always un-

whatever they be.

scarfed. This leads many to the

idea that women who show their

hair are not respectable and are

offered (or are offering themselves)

sexually to everyone. More

generally, advertising and the

media present a standard model of

Western women. This vision of

Western women lead French

Muslim women to wear the veil to

affirm their respectability.

2. Muslim identity in the face

2. French educators

of what is considered French

opposes the veil in general, and

bigotry (нетерпимость) against

particularly in classes. Their

Muslims. Wearing the scarf is a

arguments are connected to both

way for French Muslim women to

secularism and feminist

guard their identity.

arguments, a majority of French

educators being women.

47

a) Switzerland

1.

13 %

b) Germany

2.

24 %

c) Sweden

3.

13 %

d) USA

4.

12%

5.

35%

Vocabulary to learn

1. to adopt

e.g. to adopt Western style

2. affiliation

e.g. community affiliation

3. agreement

e.g. There is no agreement about

the question

6. to allow; to be

allowed

7. amendment

e.g. an amendment to the

8. to ban, a ban

constitution

e.g. This statement calls for

9. to call for

10. community

a rejection of EU

e.g. the composition of

11. composition

immigration

16. to be in favor of (a law)

17. to forbid; to be forbidden

18. to generate

19. harm, to harm

20. to hold a strike

e.g. tohomogenize ethnically

21. to homogenize

different populations

22. to lead to…

e.g. This leads to the idea that…

23. to offer; an offer

24. mosque

e.g. The main obstacle, to

25. obstacle

26. possibility

overcome the obstacle

e.g. representatives from

27. representative

European parties

28. recent

e.g. recent phenomenon

29. to reject, rejection

e.g. a rejection of EU expansion

30. to state; a statement

e.g. government statement

31. to suspend

e.g. girls were suspended from

school

32. tensions

e.g. tensions between communities

33. values

e.g. traditional values of Muslim

34. violence

e.g. to prove themselves worthy

35. worthy