An American begins to take an interest in the culture of India and starts wearing saris and bindis in public. Another American likes to wear elaborate feathered headdresses to music festivals. These individuals are engaging in what social scientists call:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The individual wearing saris and bindis in public is appropriating aspects of Indian culture for their own personal use, without regard for the cultural significance and context behind those items. Similarly, the individual wearing feathered headdresses is appropriating aspects of Native American culture without understanding their significance and cultural context. Cultural appropriation is a concept in which people from dominant cultures adopt aspects of marginalized cultures without understanding or respecting their cultural significance or history.

An American Begins to Take an Interest in the Culture