When individuals interact in foreign culture, and find it unpleasant and upsetting is known as, cultural shock. When people feel confuse, upset, out of place or uncertain around new culture, it means they are experiencing cultural shock. World comprises of many diverse cultures, each country has its own culture. When individuals encounter and experience different culture for the first time, which differs from theirs. Generally, they feel disoriented and uncomfortable.

For instance, if a Muslim visits china and notices, dog meat cuisines, in the menu of Chinese restaurant. He may feel confuse or upset because, eating dog meat is prohibited in his religion. People experience cultural shock, when come across different norms and customs. Or, if a Muslim visits America, and sees women in skirts and shorts. He may not feel comfortable around women in provocative attires. It may be an unpleasant and concerting experience for him. Moreover, an American who works in Greece, may possibly not like Greek customs. Greeks do not maintain distance when they talk to others. They hug their acquaintances to greet them. On the other hand, American customs differ from Greeks. They maintain their distance during conversation and avoid physical contact. Americans possibly will feel uncomfortable and confuse around Greeks. However, Greeks could be surprised by American culture. They may possibly think, Americans are emotionally cold and consider themselves superior.

Usually, we do not pay attention to our surroundings and traditions of cultures. Therefore, we experience cultural shock, when we realize diverse cultures exists within the world. It is disturbing and surprising for us to know, people have different culture and follow different ways of life. We forget that, traditions which are strange and upsetting for us, are normal and functional in other culture. We do not think that, our traditions and cultural practices may seem, strange and abnormal to other cultures as well.

Written By, Khushdil Khan Kasi

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Collective efficacy is dependent upon the shared values of individuals living in a community. If members of community have shared values to prevent crimes and willing to cooperate with one another, to fight the violence and crimes are more likely to create safe environment in the community.

From sociological perspective, collective efficacy is informal norms which control the deviant behavior of the members of community. Practicing of such informal norms on the daily basis leads to prevent delinquent behavior in a community. In order to develop a collective efficacy, members of community should have unity and trust. Without solidarity and cooperation it is impossible for a community members to prevent crimes.

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“Emile Durkheim” belonged to the structural-functional school of thought. He was interested in the study of social structure and its functions. How different part of society function and contribute to the functioning of society as whole. He believed that social solidarity is the main element which hold society together. Social solidarity is the feeling of unity among individuals with one another and with society or what makes society solid, viable and hold it together. He explained solidarity in two different type of societies. He says that, mechanical solidarity exist in a societies which has simple social structure like rural society. Whereas organic solidarity exist in the society which has complex social structure like urban society.

Mechanical Solidarity

According to “Emile Durkheim”, traditional societies or rural societies has mechanical solidarity. Individuals bond together in traditional society by the homogeneity. The division of labor is very slight in this type of society. Individual almost have similar skill sets and have similar job responsibilities. In traditional society individuals earn their livelihood from agriculture and in agriculture societies there is very low division of labor almost every individual is peasant. Moreover, people of rural society share similar religion, culture, norms, believes and values. Due to the homogeneity they are connected with one another and society, which is characterized by, “Emile Durkheim” as mechanical solidarity. Mechanical solidarity is based on the sameness of people living in a society. Emile Durkheim built an analogy which compare a society with a machine or a series of machines which are manufactured similarly. Suppose if there is a problem in a part of machine because of which machine is not working. It can be replaced by the same part of other machine and it will start working again. By this analogy Durkheim was trying to prove that, traditional or rural societies are held together by homogeneity.

Organic Solidarity

Emile Durkheim believed that, modern industrial societies has organic solidarity. Individuals in modern bond together by heterogeneity. In urban society division of labor is very high; every individual possess different skill set or specialization. Moreover, individuals dissimilar, religion, believes, values norm and culture. So the logic dictated question arises here that, what hold them together? The answer is interdependence. Individuals in urban society are dependent on each other because of high division of labor, they trade their skills with one another which connects them with each other. Suppose if someone need legal assistance he will hire a lawyer, if someone car is broke he will go to mechanic for repair and if someone need hair cut he will go to barber. Individuals in urban society rely on each other that is what unify them. Emile Durkheim compared modern societies with organism, which are composed of multiple organ and each organ has its specialized function, organism is healthy if each part or organ perform its function. Similarly, modern society are composed of multiple institutions and each has its own specialized function if each individual and institution perform its function then it will result in healthy society.

By Khushdil Khan Kasi

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