Cultural Appropriation: Understanding the Complexity
Throughout history, human beings have consistently expressed concern about the potential dilution or contamination of their own cultures. Examples range from ancient Greece, where Therpandrus caused offense by adding an extra string to his lyre, to 16th-century China, where the emperor ordered the destruction of seafaring ships due to fears of foreign trade missions negatively impacting Chinese culture, and to 19th-century Germany, where composer Richard Wagner worried about the influence of Jewish culture on German identity.
Historically, it was the right-wing that opposed cultural influence, while the left defended it. However, in recent years, a shift has occurred, with many progressives expressing concern about cultural appropriation. While celebrating diverse cultural traditions, they caution against the borrowing or copying of elements from minority cultures.
A notable contemporary issue surrounding cultural appropriation involves public shaming of musicians for emulating minority styles and chefs being boycotted for recreating cuisine from different nations. For instance, Bon Appétit magazine apologized as part of their “archive repair project” for permitting a non-Jewish writer to publish a recipe for hamantaschen, a traditional Jewish dessert. In Britain, controversies arose around chef Jamie Oliver’s attempt to cook jollof rice and singer Adele’s choice to wear a traditional African hairstyle to the Notting Hill carnival. The Reading festival even implemented a ban on non-western attire to prevent cultural appropriation.
Today, it is widely accepted in many circles that individuals should avoid any actions that can be interpreted as cultural appropriation. While there are cases where cultural appropriation constitutes genuine injustice, the concept itself fails to capture the essence of these injustices. A closer examination of supposed instances reveals shortcomings in the concept.
For example, consider the infamous “Cinco de Drinko” party hosted by Baylor University’s Kappa Sigma fraternity in Waco, Texas in 2017. Critics argued that the non-Latino students appropriating Mexican culture were wrong, while others who dressed in maids’ outfits or construction vests were not. However, this perspective is flawed. Wearing a poncho or sombrero may be seen as tacky, but dressing as a maid or construction worker for a Mexican-themed party is a much more targeted and offensive insult. It implies that Latinos are limited to menial jobs rather than being college students or professionals.
Similar issues arise when discussing the cultural appropriation of music. Artists like Pat Boone have been criticized for appropriating songs from Black musicians who struggled with discrimination and were denied fame and financial success due to their skin color. While it is clear that these Black musicians faced harm, it is doubtful that the concept of cultural appropriation fully encompasses the nature of that harm. Just stopping Boone from popularizing the music would not have provided justice. Instead, justice would have involved addressing the systemic discrimination that prevented African American performers like Little Richard, Big Mama Thornton, and Muddy Waters from enjoying the rewards of their creative efforts.
The concept of cultural appropriation is contradicted by the reality of cultural exchange and limits our ability to recognize genuine injustices. It also leads to harmful consequences by fostering suspicion around healthy cultural exchanges.
The truth is, humanity’s greatest accomplishments derive from the blending and sharing of cultures. Trying to allocate specific cultural elements to one group is a fruitless endeavor. Restricting future cross-cultural influences would only stifle our collective creativity. As Kwame Anthony Appiah, a British-born Ghanaian-American philosopher, stated: “Cultures are made of continuities and changes, and the identity of a society can survive through these changes. Societies without change aren’t authentic; they’re just dead.”
Throughout history, cultural hybridity has led to some of the most celebrated eras of human achievement, from Baghdad in the ninth century to Vienna in the 19th century and London and New York in the 21st century. Embracing cultural influences is not a sin, but rather a promise of mutual enrichment and advancement if approached with respect.
Instead of condemning appropriation, society should aim to value all groups equally and foster an environment where cultural inspiration is freely exchanged. Embracing the joy of mutual influence is the path to a truly inclusive and creative society.
Yascha Mounk is a professor of international affairs at Johns Hopkins University and author of The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time. Order your copy at guardianbookshop.com to support the Guardian and Observer.
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