Culture and Policy in Africa (Essay Sample)

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The relationship between culture and policy in Africa
The African society has varied ways of educating their children as well as handling things such as business amid others. Form of education or business could be via art forms, music, initiation camps or even partisanship (Swidler 14). During the colonial regime, African traditional culture was threatened; this could be because of dividing the African territories without categorization of language, values as well as tradition.
In most cases, most Africans opted to emulate the culture of their masters to co-exist with them in a proper manner. This was a mandate aimed at ensuring their day to day activities such as business (barter trade) was still on course. After most countries in Africa gained independence, there was need to adopt policies that would restore their cultural undertaking as well as amend the new cultures adopted from their masters (Swidler 5). This was done to make sure that there were continuous steps towards ensuring Africa is a better place to be. Therefore, based on the above problem statement this paper will discuss the relationship between culture and policy in Africa. Culture: This is the dynamism of diverse material, spiritual, emotional and intellectual features that compose a social group or society with inclusion of arts but also such aspects as ideals, beliefs, values, expression and worldwide views of individuals as well as their social behaviors (Nagel 1).
Policy: This refers to the measures related to culture irrespective of local, national international or regional level that are centered on culture as such or developed to have effect on cultural expression of people, societies, and groups in Africa (Nagel 7). It counts towards the production, creation, distribution and dissemination or cultural activities, services and goods.Cultural Dynamics and Policy ChangeAfrican countries are prone to ensure either change or stability since the people in the society or the cultural architects rapidly change their cultural policies to improve and adapt their behaviors. This is in accordance with the notion of their social, economic and ideological environment. It may be deduced that the changes and stability could be positive or negative in cultural dynamics. Cultural policies adopted by most African countries could breed adverse social or economic changes that result in the cultural dearth. Therefore, based on the above argument it can be noted that policies implemented by African countries are the cause of both negative and positive changes that take effect in culture.
On the other hand, this deepens the relationship that co-exists with African culture and policies. There is a correlation between the two making them exist in a mutual relationship (Castells 2). This denotes that without better and self-explanatory cultural policies as well as other policies driven towards cultural strengthening the existence of positive cultural changes in Africa will not be supportive towards economic, social and political growth and development.The Realm of Policy Development and cultural change in Africa  According to Gupta, Akhil and Ferguson, Nigeria implemented and has since practiced a model of growth and cultural development entrenched in the modernization policy (p. 2). The policy is rooted in the reasons for Nigeria cultural disintegration. This is due to the absence of the right systems or frameworks needed to support the policy and the cultural change that the country has undergone over the years. Due to the high population in Nigeria, there have been difficulties in maintaining cultural policies that could be able to be supported by the entire society. As a result of higher religious differences in the country, cultural experts have expressed their concerns that to correct this situation, the modernization policies have to be implemented in phases (Gupta, Akhil and Ferguson 4). In essence, such cultural dimension in a country such as Nigeria is a real example of many countries in Africa.
This denotes that the continent is not only affected by the changes in cultural or the East Dominance culture but also the state of the art of African people’s behavior and perception of their culture (Nagel 2). Despite the fact that the continent has been on the eve of making sure that it culture is protected in the best ways possible, there has been a negative perception of the people themselves.
The same can be said that Africans opt to copy or to emulate western countries culture and policies. This is and was aimed at making Africa a developed continent as others, but this has not offered the best solution so far to all African countries. Ideally, it can be noted that culture and policy are set of variables that exist dependently (Castells 1). For example, although...