It takes only a moment to describe a bright red ribbon hanging across a door: thin, red, tied in a knot at the upper end, visible from the sidewalk outside. We are only starting to interpret that image when we…

Two families celebrate a festival in different ways. The first cooks a big public dinner, while the second holds a smaller, private celebration. We might want to take either story as representative of a culture’s practices, but both practices belong…

A coffee cup on a desk might appear to be a poor subject for cultural investigation. However, its shape, imagery, substance, cost, origin, and daily function can indicate beliefs about relaxation, aesthetics, labor, self-image, and social practice. Cultural research frequently…

What does a hand raised look like? It could be a greeting, a vote, an oath, a protest sign, or a salute. The physical gesture is largely the same, but the meaning depends on the situation, audience, time period, and…