Social Sciences in China (Chinese Edition)

No. 4, 2024

Socialization of Traditional Culture and Its Practical Value

(Abstract)

Hu An’ning

The creative transformation and innovative development of excellent traditional culture cannot be achieved without a meticulous examination of the socialization process of traditional culture. Based on the cognitive dual-process model, individual cognitive processes (thinking) are categorized into reflective cognition and intuitive cognition. Subsequently, integrating individuals’“expression” (speech) and “action” (conduct) towards traditional culture, a four-classification framework for the socialization of traditional culture is proposed, distinguishing between “thinking and speech” and “thinking and conduct”: namely, vague speech, thorough speech, compliance-based action and habitus-based action. Through “cultural socialization toward native residents” and “cultural socialization toward foreign residents,” two instances of traditional cultural socialization directed towards different subjects, this classification framework aids to clarify the multidimensional socialization performance of traditional culture at the “actor” level in practice. It also demonstrates the multiple focuses and goals of traditional culture in the process of overseas dissemination and mutual learning between civilizations. The classification framework for the socialization of traditional culture broadens the existing cultural sociology research approaches of “listening to speech” and “observing conduct” from a mechanistic perspective, while also effectively promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of excellent traditional culture.