Traditions are a subject of study in several academic fields of the social sciences – mainly anthropology, archaeology and biology – with slightly different meanings in different fields. It is also used in various contexts in other fields such as history, psychology and sociology. Social scientists and others have worked to refine the concept of the common-sense tradition into a useful concept for scientific analysis. In the 1970s and 1980s, Edward Shils explored the concept in detail. [17] Since then, various social scientists have criticized traditional notions of tradition; Meanwhile, “tradition” has come into use in biology because it is applied to nonhuman animals. The term “traditional cultural expressions” is used by the World Intellectual Property Organization to refer to “any form of artistic and literary expression in which culture and traditional knowledge are incorporated. They are passed down from generation to generation and include handmade textiles, paintings, stories, legends, ceremonies, music, songs, rhythms and dances. [52] In Japan, certain works of art, structures, craft techniques and performing arts are considered by the Japanese government as valuable heritage of the Japanese people and protected by the Japanese Law on the Protection of Cultural Property. [50] The Act also identifies persons trained in traditional arts as “living national treasures” and promotes the preservation of their craft. [51] Traditions are long-standing customs and practices. Maybe it`s a family tradition to open Christmas presents on Christmas Eve because your parents were too eager to wait. The concepts of tradition and traditional values are often used in political and religious discourse to establish the legitimacy of a particular canon of values. In the United States, in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, the concept of tradition has been used to defend the centrality and legitimacy of conservative religious values.

[32] Similarly, the orthodox theological lines of thought of a number of world religions openly identify themselves as those that want a return to tradition. For example, the term “traditionalist Catholic” refers to those, like Archbishop Lefebvre, who want Church worship and practices to be as they were before the Second Vatican Council of 1962-65. [33] Similarly, Sunni Muslims are called Ahl el-Sunnah wa Al-Jamā`ah (Arabic: أهل السنة والجماعة), literally “people of [Muhammad`s] tradition and community,” emphasizing their attachment to religious and cultural tradition. In 1981, Edward Shils, in his book Tradition, presented a definition of tradition that was generally accepted. [12] According to Shils, tradition is everything that is transmitted or transmitted from the past to the present. [12] There was more than one tradition in the Scottish Berserker family to confirm the truth about this. In many countries, joint efforts are being made to preserve traditions that are at risk of being lost. A number of factors can exacerbate the loss of tradition, including industrialization, globalization and the assimilation or marginalization of certain cultural groups. [45] Traditional festivals and lifestyles are among the traditions to be preserved.

[46] Similarly, the concept of tradition has been used to advocate the preservation and reintroduction of minority languages such as Cornish under the auspices of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. [47] More specifically, the Charter states that these languages “contribute to the preservation and development of Europe`s cultural wealth and traditions.” The Charter further calls for “the use or adoption of. traditional and correct forms of place names in regional or minority languages”. [48] Similarly, UNESCO includes both “oral tradition” and “traditional manifestations” in its definition of a country`s cultural property and heritage. It therefore works to preserve the tradition in countries like Brazil. [49] In archaeology, the term tradition is a collection of cultures or industries that appear to evolve over time. The term is particularly common in the study of American archaeology. [17] An example of an invention of the tradition is the reconstruction of the Palace of Westminster (seat of the British Parliament) in the Gothic style. [19] Similarly, most of the traditions associated with the monarchy of the United Kingdom, which are believed to be deeply rooted in history, actually date back to the 19th century. [12] Other examples are the invention of tradition in Africa and other colonial possessions by the occupying power. [21] Demanding legitimacy, the colonial power often invented a “tradition” with which it could legitimize its own position. For example, a particular succession in a chiefdom could be recognized as traditional by a colonial power to favour its own candidates for the position.

Often these inventions were based on some form of tradition, but were exaggerated, distorted, or biased against a particular interpretation. Another important sociological aspect of tradition is that which relates to rationality. It is also related to the work of Max Weber (see Theories of Rationality) and was popularized and redefined by Raymond Boudon in his 1992 book Action. [12] In this context, tradition refers to the way of thinking and acting, which is justified by “it has always been so”. [12] This reasoning forms the basis of the logical error of the appeal to tradition (or argumentum ad antiquitatem),[30] which takes the form: “That`s okay, because we`ve always done it that way.” [31] In most cases, such a call can be refuted on the grounds that the “tradition” advocated may no longer be desirable or, despite its former popularity, may never have been. In the field of musicology and ethnomusicology, tradition refers to belief systems, repertoire, techniques, style and culture passed down to subsequent generations. Tradition in music suggests a historical context with which distinctive patterns can be perceived. In addition to a sense of history, traditions have a fluidity that makes them evolve and adapt over time. Although musicology and ethnomusicology are defined as “the scientific study of music,”[28] they differ in methodology and subject of research.

“Tradition or traditions can be presented as a context in which the work of a particular composer can be studied, or as part of a broader historical perspective.” [29] Outside Iran, Rigi`s “confession” appeared to be part of the long tradition of testimonies from prisoners there. Tradition may also refer to prehistoric beliefs or customs, with lost or obscure origins that have existed since time immemorial. [8] Originally, traditions were transmitted orally without the need for a writing system. Tools that support this process include poetic means such as rhyme and alliteration. The stories thus obtained are also called tradition or as part of an oral tradition. The idea of tradition is important in philosophy. Twentieth-century philosophy is often divided between an “analytical” tradition prevalent in English-speaking and Scandinavian countries and a “continental” tradition widespread in German-speaking and Romance Europe. Increasingly central to continental philosophy is the project of deconstructing what its proponents, following Martin Heidegger, call “tradition” that began with Plato and Aristotle.