Cultures and their roles: An overview

Cultures are an integral part of our being. We are born in cultures, which mould our behaviours, attitudes, and cognitions. Culture is a system of meanings and knowledge, belief systems, and morals as well as laws. Culture is acquired, and people change in response to culture and, in return, individuals change culture. Culture informs our world view and offers symbols with specific meanings, not only for individuals in that particular culture but also for others looking in. Culture needs to be differentiated from race and ethnicity. Furthermore, for migrants there are stages in the process of migration that affect their processes of acculturation, which can result in different types of adjustment in the new country, including assimilation, biculturalism, and deculturation. The response of the new country is also important in welcoming or rejecting migrants whatever their reason for migration. Cultural competence is a part of good clinical practice.