Culture is a notoriously amorphous concept. To some, it encompasses the arts, food and language associated with a particular group of people. To others, culture might be more clearly aligned with factors like race, gender, religion and politics. However you may conceptualize the term, culture is intrinsically linked to our daily lives and is constantly changing. Especially this week, as we celebrate Dartmouth’s culture during Homecoming, it is important to consider how we can think mindfully and critically about the issue.
This week, the Mirror tells a host of stories rooted in culture. We examine how students are feeling abut the separation of the Middle Eastern Studies and and Asian Studies, Cultures, and Languages programs a year after the fact. We explore how certain study abroad programs facilitate understanding of international cultures. We reflect on the multicultural experience. We look into sports culture at Dartmouth, and we tackle the concept of self-segregation within the College. The stories we tell this week only scratch the surface of what culture means to people. But we hope that this week’s issue helps you to consider what culture means to you and what it might mean to those around you. And we hope you think about how the definition of culture changes every day.
