Culture Genocide

Cultural Genocide is a term that describes the ultimate extermination of one small culture due to pressure exerted by a larger culture. Historically cultural genocide has occurred when other organized cultures sweep over a populated territory. However, this expression has generally been applied to contacts between Western European cultures and less developed or unified nations or groups.

A lack of understanding of minority cultures leads dominant nations to repress or forbid small cultural techniques, languages, and rituals. However, a small percentage of a culture may be preserved by surviving practitioners. As later generations become influenced by more modern cultures, the old culture eventually becomes extinct.

ee also

* Americanization
* Westernization
* Population history of American indigenous peoples