- Question
What is cultural appropriation?
Cultural appropriation, the adoption of aspects of another culture by members of a dominant culture, is not a new phenomenon. Today, wearing an insensitive Halloween costume or sporting a certain hairstyle can draw accusations of cultural appropriation. But what is cultural appropriation? A form of neo-colonialism? Racism? Cultural theft? Political correctness gone too far? Or is cultural appropriation actually cultural appreciation?
Political correctness gone too far
Western culture has a long history of borrowing from other cultures. Our cooking, art, and music demonstrates a rich blend of cultural influences. Yet all of a sudden, Western culture is not allowed to borrow from any other cultures.
A cultural appreciation
This position reframes cultural appropriation as cultural appreciation. It argues that borrowing aspects of another culture is a sign of respect rather than theft, since the wish to emulate a culture is fundamentally a compliment to it, reflecting genuine admiration.
Cultural theft
This position defines cultural appropriation as a form of theft: the taking or exploitation of elements of a culture one does not belong to, often for personal gain. It frames the act as the unjust extraction of another group's cultural property rather than respectful exchange.
Racism through aesthetic
This position defines cultural appropriation as racism expressed through aesthetics. It argues that this specific form of cultural borrowing erases the people it takes from — a kind of colonialism that is belittling and demeaning rather than a neutral or appreciative exchange.
Cultural appropriation is a meaningless term
This position holds that 'cultural appropriation' is at best an imprecise term and at worst meaningless. It argues that the concept ignores class, that 'cultural colonisation' would be more accurate, and that what matters is not the act of borrowing itself but how it is done.