What is Culture?

Culture is defined as a system of knowledge, beliefs, patterns of behaviors, artifacts, and institutions that are created, learned, shared, and contested by a group of people (Guest, 2023). Culture is embedded in every level of our lives, from how and where we eat, play, and work.

Culture is a natural part of our lives and what it means to be human. If asked to think about what culture means, you may immediately think about where your family came from (e.g., Ireland, India, Mexico, Nigeria, or Tibet), but culture also extends to the places we live, play, and work. For example, phrases like a “Midwest goodbye”, “being an Illini”, or a “hipster” represent cultural traits based on where someone lives, went to school, or how they like to dress. Whether you’re a community member, frontline practitioner, or mental health specialist, we are all members of many different cultures that reflect our individual perspectives and experiences, our family backgrounds and histories, our collective beliefs and values, and even shared events and activities.

Given that culture is an integral part of who we are, it is essential that we consider culture when preventing targeted violence, ensuring that our decisions are based on facts and those that take into account multiple perspectives. The need for cultural considerations in the context of targeted violence prevention is outlined in the U.S.  Department of Homeland Security’s 2024 Prevention Resource document.