German 'National Character' and Cultural Profile: Some Thoughts

Scientific Essay , 1984 , 32 Pages , Grade: none

Cultural Studies - European Studies

Discussion of the concepts "national character" and "cultural profile" in view of German history and culture.
(Presented at the Fift Annual Conference of the Western Association for German Studies, Seattle/Washington, 1981/10/9; In: Acta Humanistica 14/1. Humanities S. No. 11, 1984, 216-249)

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• German "Nationalcharakter" and Cultural Profile: Some Thoughts
• The Problem of "National Character"
• Cultural Profiles
• Two Approaches to Cultural Profiles
• The Usefulness of Cultural Profiles
• Cultural Profiles and Personality Types
• The Danger of Biological Determinism
• Language and National Character
• Limitations of Cultural Profiles
• A Pragmatic Approach

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This text explores the concept of "national character" and proposes the alternative approach of cultural profiles to analyze the characteristic cultural manifestations of a nation. The author argues that cultural profiles provide a more nuanced and objective way to understand a nation's cultural identity, avoiding the pitfalls of biological determinism and focusing on observable cultural achievements.

• National Character vs. Cultural Profiles
• Historical and Phenomenological Approaches to Cultural Analysis
• The Limits of Biological Determinism in Cultural Understanding
• The Usefulness of Cultural Generalizations
• The Role of Psychology in Understanding Cultural Profiles

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• The author begins by criticizing the simplistic and often inaccurate generalizations about "national character" found in various works. They argue that these generalizations are not helpful for understanding German civilization and propose focusing instead on objective cultural achievements.
• The text delves into the complexities of "national character" and its limitations, particularly in the context of rapid social change. The author introduces the concept of "cultural profiles," which they see as a more effective way to examine a nation's cultural manifestations.
• Two approaches to cultural profiling are discussed: the historical and the phenomenological. The historical approach focuses on tracing cultural features back to their origins, while the phenomenological approach looks for patterns and structures within a nation's cultural manifestations.
• The author argues that cultural profiles can be useful tools for understanding cultural observations and providing points of reference. They emphasize that cultural profiles should be based on historical and not biological determinants.
• The text explores the relationship between cultural profiles and personality types, suggesting that psychology can offer valuable insights into understanding cultural differences in style and temperament. The author cautions against attributing national character to biological factors, advocating for a focus on historical determinants.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

Key words and concepts explored in this text include: "national character," cultural profiles, historical analysis, phenomenological approach, cultural achievements, personality types, biological determinism, value hierarchies, cultural generalizations, and the limitations of cultural analysis.

• College: Kyoto Sangyo University (German Department)
• Grade: none
• Author: Dr. Wolfgang Ruttkowski (Author)
• Publication Year: 1984
• Pages: 32
• Catalog Number: V8104
• ISBN (eBook): 9783638151757
• ISBN (Book): 9783638799003
• Language: English
• Tags: Cultural Profiles, deutscher Nationalcharakter, Voelkerpsychologie, nationale Stereotypen, Kulturpsychologie, Kulturantropologie