kultursammanhang

Kultursammanhang is a Swedish term that translates to cultural context. It refers to the set of socially shared meanings, norms, values, practices, institutions, and historical experiences that shape how individuals understand and respond to events, texts, and interactions within a group or society.

It includes language, religion, education systems, kinship, gender norms, economic structures, media representations, and political arrangements. These elements are not static; they vary across regions, communities, and over time, creating different frames through which people interpret actions and symbols.

In research and professional work, kultursammanhang is used to analyze how communication is shaped by context. Interpreting a statement or behavior requires considering the cultural assumptions and power relations that influence meaning. It also affects how information is collected, translated, and understood across cultures. The concept emphasizes that meanings are not inherent in objects or texts but arise in relation to social practices within a culture.

Relation to other concepts: kultursammanhang is distinct from but related to culture (kultur) and context (kontext). It stresses embeddedness—the idea that practices are nested in a larger social setting. Practitioners note the dynamic and layered character of kultursammanhang, including subcultures, globalization, and intercultural contact.

Applications include cross-cultural communication, education, marketing, ethnography, and policy analysis. Examples show how a management meeting, a classroom exchange, or a literary text can be interpreted differently when the kultursammanhang is taken into account.