Culture and Society

The terms “culture” and “society” are interrelated and, to a large extent, inseparable. “Culture” denotes a set of practices, beliefs, and traditions, whilst a “society” is a group of people who occupy a shared social space: for example, they might live in the same country, form part of the same national community, or live under the authority of the same government. Put simply, “society” refers to people, and “culture” refers to their ways of life. Since the beginning of human history, people have lived in many different types of societies (from hunter-gather societies to industrial societies) and they continue to engage in a diverse range of behaviours. Social relationships and cultural practices vary significantly within and between different geographical regions, as well as over time. As a result, the theme of “Culture and Society” captures the heterogeneity of human experiences, in different periods and places.

At BOA, the theme of “Culture and Society” often overlaps with themes such as “Media and Communications”, “Philosophy and Religion”, and “Science and Technology”, and relates to a rich variety of historical developments and movements. For instance, the collections detailed below inform our understanding of everyday life in capitalist, socialist, colonial, and post-colonial societies; they trace the evolution of artistic mediums and styles, including literature, music, and film; they highlight changing attitudes towards sexuality and gender in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries; and they provide key insights into the history of race and ethnicity.