Particular and universal dialectics and development-oriented cultural changes

Subject Areas : Journal of Iranian Social Development Studies

Adel Abdollahi ¹ (National Institute of Population Research)

Received: 2017-06-21 Accepted : 2017-08-28 Published : 2007-12-22

Keywords: Hawraman, particular and universal dialectics, global culture, local culture, development,

Abstract :

On co-existence of local and global cultures, theorists such as Robertson and Giddens focus on the dialectics of the local and global culture. Inspired by this approach, this paper delves into the particular and general dialectics and development-oriented cultural change in Hawraman. The central questions are: How do local residents think about the dialectics of local and global cultures? What is their impression about universalist and particularistic behaviors? Methodology of the article is qualitative methods. Different techniques such as oral history, content analysis, field observations and interviews are used for data collection.The collected data was analyzed using content and thematic analysis techniques. The results showed that a change has happened in Hawraman handicrafts to increase product sale and efficiency; this is in line with the revival of the local within the framework of global rules. In this regard, Hawramani youth are trying to represent local culture in the media in order to promote tourism and universalization of local culture. Women see economic activity as a liberating behavior which provides them with various opportunities. Also, the people in Hawraman have had a local reading of the universal rules, such as environmental protection, and, in this way, have made the dialectics of the particular and the universal. In this way, they have made the grounds for institutionalization of development-oriented and universalist perspectives. So, it is necessary to pay attention to the cultural contexts of local communities and pave the path of development by appropriately combining the global with the local culture.