As defined by merriam-webster dictionary, syncretism is “the combination of different forms of belief or practice” or “the fusion of two or more originally different inflectional forms” (syncretism, merriam-webster). Basically, in relation to culture syncretism, this means that two distinct groups with separate ideas, practices, or beliefs can have those aspects of their culture fuse together over time resulting in a new, homologous element. To illustrate this concept, we can look at the relationship between a group of Hmong immigrants and doctors here in the United States and how they both view health care. Although at first, the Hmong would only practice shamanistic rituals and the doctors refused to allow those rituals to be practiced on patients, that soon changed as not all rituals worked for the Hmong people and they began to accept some medical help from the doctors. Likewise, the doctors began to allow the rituals to be performed on some of the patients believing that it could possibly have a positive psychological impact on them. In this example, syncretism would be the fusion of practices between the doctors and the Hmong people. This action of two distinct practices of healing coming together at a compromise is the essence of syncretism and we find that this principle can be seen in many different aspects of culture across the world. This is important because it allows us to more closely examine the …show more content…
“Japan has crafted a more diversified financial system that has retained some of the features of a non-liberal system, adopted some features of an Anglo-American system, and also created some new practices that are distinct from any of the pre-existing systems” (Kushida and Shimizu 2). Over the last two decades, Japan’s financial market has become much more diversified and open. This is mainly due to new technology and increased interaction with other markets. In the journal we read how the ‘new’ Japanese financial system is “best represented by foreign investment banks, securities firms, insurers and some new Japanese entrants” (para. 6). The Hybrid system, in turn, is represented by “the three major financial groups, Mizuho, Mitsubishi UFJ and Mitsui Sumitomo, centered around their respective mega-banks” (para. 7) while the old system can be represented by “regional banks, which overwhelmingly retain traditional strategies (continued heavy reliance on retail banking), organizational structures (main bank relationships, seniority-based hierarchies) and norms (regionally based with close ties to local governments and an emphasis on relationship banking as a key source of client information)” (para. 8). In analysis of this gradual change, it is important to