How would an insider's view (emic) of this culture differ from an outsider's view (etic)?
Madrid's culture is very unique and the Madrileños' practices and way of life can seem very different to those of other countries. One example that must be raised when discussing emic and etic views of Madrid is the issue of bullfighting.
Emic: Madrid (as well as other cities in Spain) is well known for bullfighting. This tradition has been practiced for at least 4000 years, and it is thought to have been made popular by the Romans and their gladiatorial fights in which animals were tortured, maimed and then slaughtered, for the benefit of the spectators' amusement. Many people have protested against the torture of these animals, calling the whole practice cruel and inhumane. As a result of this, bullfighting has been banned in certain areas of Spain, but is still done in Madrid. Being a bullfighter used to give you great status within the Spanish community. For each victory, the competitor could be awarded parts of the bull such as its ears, tail or hooves as a trophy. Matadors still do achieve some status through this, however it does depend on who they surround themselves with. Some people see bullfighting as a magnificent cultural practice that must be upheld for tradition. Others, however, find bullfighting archaic and barbaric and are willing to protest against it.
Etic: It can be hard for foreigners to understand why Madrileños can become so excited for a bullfight, as it is a bloody sport that almost always ends in the death of either the matador or the bull. Watching a bullfight is not for the faint-hearted and to see it, you must be prepared to see much blood and deal with the intense noise of the excited crowd, egging on the matador. It is a sport where culture is competing with safety and animal rights. Many outsiders argue that in this case, animal welfare rights are more important than keeping a cultural tradition
Other examples where emic and etic views may differ is the amount Madrileños drink. However, drinking at most meals is a part of their culture and unlike many people in Australia, the USA or other countries, Spanish people tend not to binge drink and each serve of beer and wine is much smaller than what would be served in a restaurant in Australia. Another example is that many foreigners believe most Madrileños smoke and if they do they smoke a lot. However an insider in Madrid's culture may (or may not) be so against smoking as it is something many Madrileños are brought up seeing their parents do and do not always choose to smoke cigarettes but also pipes. However, in recent years, the Spanish government has implemented more anti-smoking laws that prohibit smoking in some public spaces, in turn this has encouraged many to quit smoking.
There are many other example of emic and etic views differing when it comes to Madrid, however it is generally perceived to have a bright, interesting, colourful culture and Madrileños will generally agree with this.
Emic: Madrid (as well as other cities in Spain) is well known for bullfighting. This tradition has been practiced for at least 4000 years, and it is thought to have been made popular by the Romans and their gladiatorial fights in which animals were tortured, maimed and then slaughtered, for the benefit of the spectators' amusement. Many people have protested against the torture of these animals, calling the whole practice cruel and inhumane. As a result of this, bullfighting has been banned in certain areas of Spain, but is still done in Madrid. Being a bullfighter used to give you great status within the Spanish community. For each victory, the competitor could be awarded parts of the bull such as its ears, tail or hooves as a trophy. Matadors still do achieve some status through this, however it does depend on who they surround themselves with. Some people see bullfighting as a magnificent cultural practice that must be upheld for tradition. Others, however, find bullfighting archaic and barbaric and are willing to protest against it.
Etic: It can be hard for foreigners to understand why Madrileños can become so excited for a bullfight, as it is a bloody sport that almost always ends in the death of either the matador or the bull. Watching a bullfight is not for the faint-hearted and to see it, you must be prepared to see much blood and deal with the intense noise of the excited crowd, egging on the matador. It is a sport where culture is competing with safety and animal rights. Many outsiders argue that in this case, animal welfare rights are more important than keeping a cultural tradition
Other examples where emic and etic views may differ is the amount Madrileños drink. However, drinking at most meals is a part of their culture and unlike many people in Australia, the USA or other countries, Spanish people tend not to binge drink and each serve of beer and wine is much smaller than what would be served in a restaurant in Australia. Another example is that many foreigners believe most Madrileños smoke and if they do they smoke a lot. However an insider in Madrid's culture may (or may not) be so against smoking as it is something many Madrileños are brought up seeing their parents do and do not always choose to smoke cigarettes but also pipes. However, in recent years, the Spanish government has implemented more anti-smoking laws that prohibit smoking in some public spaces, in turn this has encouraged many to quit smoking.
There are many other example of emic and etic views differing when it comes to Madrid, however it is generally perceived to have a bright, interesting, colourful culture and Madrileños will generally agree with this.