I was discussing on another forum the systematic destruction of certain cultures or ways of life of certain indigenous peoples of the world, usually for religious purposes in the past, more recently in the name of "progress." Is there a word for this? I was thinking of something similar to genocide, but not killing the people, only their traditional culture and customs.

Assimilation is all I can think of. Sounds interesting!

J

All I can think of is acculturation, but that means adapting one’s culture, not exactly losing it, so I don’t know.

Brazilian dude

There is a term for this: "Cultural Genocide"
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_genocide)
and it is a practise in many parts of the world where ancient cultures persist alongside more modern ones. (please note, that was not a judgement of the respective value of either culture)

Assimilation is the subtle form of cultural genocide.

Azh

am½ba

Fæncy shmæncy.

Brazilian dude

The idea makes me think of how an am½ba surrounds and swallows a bit of food.

This is called invagination, if I’m not mistaken.

Brazilian dude

Mass tourism?

Frank

[quote author=Brazilian_dude link=board=what;num=1127865878;start=0#6 date=09/27/05 at 23:15:58]
This is called invagination, if I’m not mistaken.

Brazilian dude

[quote author=Katy link=board=what;num=1127865878;start=0#7 date=09/27/05 at 23:27:16]Well it would be inapropriate as it’s usually men who are the enforcers eh?

Kt

Perhaps he’s referring to the people affected as "getting screwed"?  

The function of surrounding and eliminating something "foreign" is performed by a macrophage. But one must ‘effort" to turn that into macrophagination, or some such.
-gailr