World Build Better Cultures with the 7 Circle Framework!

Welcome to my blueprint for the creation and writing of cultures for fantasy world building!

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Chapters

• 0:00 The most important question
• 1:17 Nested Circles of Culture
• 7:34 An Example
• 16:08 Subcultures & Neighbor Cultures
• 19:42 Creating Cultural History

Transcript

If you open an incognito Google search window and type in "how do I worldbuild," the most asked question is always, "How do I worldbuild culture?" That’s because culture is a massive part of worldbuilding and a complicated section that is difficult to wrap into a single reasonable-length answer. Today, I’m going to try and answer that question with another episode of Worldbuilding Blueprints from Just in Time Worlds with your host, Marie Mullany.

If you’re watching this on YouTube, there’s a playlist where you can watch the previous episodes in the information card. If you’re listening to this in a podcast app, the previous episodes are available there. In this episode, we’re going to talk about worldbuilding cultures via a model I developed that I call Just in Time Worldbuilding’s Circles of Culture. This model gives you a handy way to break down and organize the cultural elements of your fictional worlds so they feel rich, interconnected, and real. So grab your notebooks, and let’s get started with the innermost circle: cultural ideology.

At the heart of any culture is its ideology—the core values and beliefs that drive everything else. This is where we think about those big questions: Is the culture hierarchical, or does it lean toward egalitarianism? Do they value the collective good over individual achievement, or is it the other way around? Are they all about freedom and personal expression, or do they prefer order and tradition? And finally, are they rooted in their traditions, or are they progressive, always looking forward? These ideological choices set the tone for everything else in the culture, from laws to art. Think of this as the foundation of the house; without it, everything else crumbles.

As with every other circle we’ll discuss today, we have covered this in a previous podcast. So check that out if you need more detail on creating this circle or any other circle we’ll discuss today for your culture. Let’s move on to the second circle: cultural norms.

Moving outward, we hit norms—these are the day-to-day behaviors that stem from the core ideology. We’re talking about things like mores: the moral expectations, like honesty or loyalty; folkways: everyday customs, like how people greet each other or what they wear; and taboos: the things that are simply not done in this culture, like breaking sacred rules or violating social order. Cultural norms are where your world starts to feel alive because they dictate how people interact in their daily lives.

Next up is the third circle: cultural symbols. Symbols are the tools cultures use to express themselves. This includes language, gestures, flags, icons, and even naming conventions. Does your culture have a specific symbol that’s sacred? Maybe they communicate through an intricate sign language, or perhaps their naming conventions hint at family or clan histories. Symbols are subtle, but they’re incredibly effective for immersing your audience in the world you’re building.

And now we reach the fourth circle: kinship, which defines relationships. Is family central to this culture, or are kinship ties loose? Do clans and tribes play a major role? What about rites of passage—do they mark significant life stages? This layer is especially important when you’re building social systems. It answers questions about loyalty, inheritance, and even conflict.

The fifth circle, hierarchy, follows hard on the heels of kinship. Most cultures have some way of organizing power. Is it a rigid class system or a more fluid structure? Is religion tied to leadership? How do people move up or down in status? The hierarchy layer sets the stage for political intrigue, rebellion, and even day-to-day frustrations.

Speaking of political intrigue, the sixth circle is political systems and laws. Once you’ve nailed down the hierarchy, you can explore politics and laws. This is the formalization of the power structure; it’s where governance, legal systems, and cultural influence converge. For example, are laws based on tradition, religion, or practicality? How does the system reinforce or challenge the hierarchy? This layer helps ground your culture in practical reality.

Finally, the seventh circle: cultural expression. Here we get into the fun stuff—art, music, ritual, sports. This is how a culture’s identity shines. It reflects their core values and adds a ton of personality to your world. What kind of art does your culture produce? Are there rituals tied to their religion or their history? This layer is all about bringing everything together in a tangible way.

However, the circles alone are not enough. So, we have some cross-section lines that drive all the way through the circle and affect every layer of the culture.

The first set of lines are the material conditions of the culture. These include things like the economy: What do they trade? What’s the currency? Technology: Are they forging steel or harnessing magic? Geography: How does the environment shape their daily lives? Food and shelter: What do they eat? How do they live? For us as fantasy worldbuilders, material conditions also include magic and fantasy elements, like weird minerals or magical creatures. Material conditions ground your culture in practicality, shaping everything from their laws to their ideology and their art.

Another set of cross-section lines are identities: race, gender, religion, and sexuality. These factors influence and are influenced by every layer of culture. They can create subcultures, intersections, and areas of conflict or synthesis. For instance, if a culture has rigid gender roles, you might see distinct subcultures form around each gender, with their own norms and expressions. Of course, you want to consider your fantasy elements here too. Wizards might have their own identity, or you could have fantastical species like bird people with their own identities living in the same culture as stock-standard humans in a city-state that serves as a melting pot for the cultures of the lands around it. The city would have a culture with the identities of each species running through it as subcultures.

To demonstrate this model, let’s take an example from our world. I picked the Roman Republic as an ancient culture I know well and broke it down into a model.

At a high level, the core circle—cultural ideology—of the Roman Republic broke down as follows:

Hierarchy versus egalitarianism: The Roman Republic was strongly hierarchical, with a clear division between classes—patricians and plebeians—and an emphasis on maintaining social order. However, it also contained elements of egalitarianism, such as the rights of citizens to vote in assemblies and the gradual extension of political rights to the plebeians.

Collectivism was deeply ingrained in Roman society, with an emphasis on the welfare of the state above individual interests. The concept of civic duty was paramount, and the success of the Republic was considered a collective responsibility. However, they also celebrated individuals through triumphs for generals and other forms of recognition.

The Roman Republic balanced personal freedoms with a strong sense of order, enforced by law and tradition. The legal system, based on the Twelve Tables, provided a structured framework within which personal freedoms could be exercised.

The Roman Republic was fundamentally traditional, rooted in the mos maiorum—the customs of the ancestors. However, it did show progressive tendencies, particularly in its adaptation to changing circumstances, such as the extension of citizenship and the reforms of the Gracchi brothers.

In terms of the second circle—cultural norms—the mos maiorum dictated the moral code, emphasizing virtues like pietas (duty to the gods, family, and state), gravitas (seriousness), and virtus (manly excellence). These norms were deeply embedded in Roman identity.

In terms of folkways, Roman society had a range of everyday practices, from public bathing and communal dining to specific modes of dress, such as the toga, which was an indication of citizenship. There were also taboos, such as violating religious sanctity or desecrating temples. Failure to fulfill civic duties or acts that disrupted social order were heavily tabooed and could result in severe social and legal repercussions.

And then we come to Cultural symbols. Latin was the lingua franca of the Republic, not just for communication but as a carrier of Roman legal, religious, and literary traditions. Rhetoric was a highly valued skill, especially in politics and law. The fasces symbolized authority and power, while the eagle represented military might and divine favor. The Senate and People of Rome (SPQR) became a symbol of the state. Roman naming conventions followed a strict tripartite structure—praenomen, nomen, and cognomen—reflecting an individual's family lineage and social status.

The fourth circle, kinship, was defined by the familia, which was patriarchal, with the pater familias holding almost absolute power. Extended family and patron-client relationships were crucial. The gens (clan) was a key social structure, linking individuals to a broader network of kin and ancestors. Political alliances were often formed along these lines.

In terms of hierarchy, the fifth circle, the Republic was led by elected officials, including consuls and praetors, and a powerful Senate. The cursus honorum outlined the sequence of public offices that ambitious men could hold. Society was stratified into patricians, plebeians, and slaves. Over time, the equestrian class emerged as a powerful group within the republic. Religious offices, such as the Pontifex Maximus, or the Augers were often held by elite members of society, intertwining religious and political authority.

The sixth circle, political systems and laws, was characterized by a mixed constitution with power shared between the Senate, assemblies, and elected magistrates. The legal framework, beginning with the Twelve Tables, was central to Roman identity and governance. Roman law was complex and evolved over time, emphasizing property rights, civic responsibilities, and the sanctity of contracts. Legalism was a defining feature of Roman culture. The legal and political structures reinforced the social hierarchy to maintain public order and codify traditional values, ensuring the continuity of the Republic's way of life and supporting the inner circles--as it must under this model.

And finally in terms of cultural expressions, Roman art was influenced by the Greeks but focused on realism and public monuments reflecting the Republic's values and achievements. Public spectacles, including gladiatorial games, chariot races, and theater, were both forms of entertainment and expressions of Roman power and civic pride. Religious festivals, public sacrifices, and triumphs (military parades) were central to public life, reinforcing the connection between the state, gods, and people. Important rites included coming-of-age ceremonies for boys, marriage rituals, and funerary customs, all of which reinforced social roles and the continuity of the family and state.

That’s the main model of the Roman Republic. Let me know whether you think I defined the culture well at a high level and whether the model works for you. As I mentioned earlier, we also need to consider intersecting lines, so let’s talk about those for the Roman Republic, starting with material conditions.

The economy was primarily agricultural, supplemented by trade and military conquest, which brought in wealth and slaves. The distribution of wealth and land ownership was a constant source of tension. Romans were advanced in engineering and construction, building roads, aqueducts, and military fortifications that supported the expansion and maintenance of the Republic. Rome’s central location in the Mediterranean facilitated trade and military dominance, allowing the Republic to expand and secure resources. Roman cuisine reflected the agricultural basis of the economy, with an emphasis on grains, olives, and wine. Banquets and public feasts were important social events.

Now for identities. Roman identity was initially tied to citizenship in the city of Rome but expanded to include people from across the Republic as they were granted citizenship. Ethnic diversity increased as Rome conquered new territories. Roman society was patriarchal, with clearly defined gender roles for men and women. Women had limited public roles but could exercise influence within the family. Religion was integral to Roman identity, with a polytheistic belief system closely tied to the state. Religious rituals and the favor of the gods were seen as essential to the success of the Republic. Religious offices were often held by political leaders, and the state religion reinforced social norms and the authority of the state.

Now those identities bring up an interesting point. No culture exists in a vacuum. Even in an isolated kingdom, you’ll have subcultures, whether regional, racial, or religious. Each subculture inherits elements from the parent culture but adapts them to suit its needs. For example, if, like the Roman Republic, the culture has strong gender roles, each gender might form its own subculture in relation to some of the circles. The model accommodates this by means of inheritance. For each subculture, assume that most elements are inherited from the parent culture, except where altered. Each culture then contains its own subcultures.

For example, consider this as part of the Roman Republic subculture for women:

- Circles 1, 2, and 3 are unchanged.
- Circle 4: Kinship. Women are always under the authority of their *pater familias* and cannot lead the family. However, they may exert influence within the family, especially over the affairs of children. 
- Circle 5: Hierarchy. Women may not hold any elected office. However, some religious authority extends to women, especially in the shape of the Vestal Virgins, who tend the flame symbolic to Rome.
- Circle 6: Politics. Women were not considered citizens in their own right but could only be citizens through their connection to men. A woman was only a citizen if her father or husband was a citizen. This meant that women could not vote or participate in politics in any way. The law also did not regard women and men as equals. 
- Circle 7: Cultural expression. Roman culture’s natural reverence for sport extended to women. There are some references to women swimming, wrestling, and even participating in gladiatorial bouts. This circle remains unchanged for both women and men.

For other subcultures, like race, religious organizations, and regional variations, it’s possible to create similar variations on the culture where everything is assumed to be the same unless otherwise specified.

With regard to regional variation, consider a city versus a countryside setting. The USA is a good example of this. Each state forms a subculture, and often the cities within a state will form additional subcultures, which are grandchildren of the broader American culture. There are also subcultures formed through identities like race, which span across regional subcultures but are also influenced by those regional and national subcultures.

This brings us to neighboring cultures and how to handle intersecting cultures. Cultures that come into contact with each other will always influence one another. The cultures will first encounter each other at the expression layer and then slowly move inward, affecting each other and borrowing from one another. If you have multiple cultures or subcultures, lay their models side by side and consider how they borrow from one another in terms of cultural touch points or intersections formed by such contact. Remember that these intersections could represent areas of conflict, exchange, or synthesis.

Finally, in terms of the model, we must address the history of a culture. Creating the history of a culture is very much part of creating the model for the culture. A culture’s history isn’t just background flavor; it’s the “why” behind its values, norms, and structures. Perhaps the culture was previously part of another culture but broke away from its parent culture to found a new society—like the Romans, who believed themselves to be descendants of the Trojans, or the Puritans sailing away from Europe to the Americas. In such a case, the model would start as a subculture and grow into its own culture over time.

Or perhaps certain lines intersecting the culture shifted—such as an additional identity being added or the material conditions changing—causing an earthquake in the culture and altering even its core values. For an example of this, let’s look at the Roman Republic and its transformation into the Roman Empire.

As the Republic grew, its material conditions—such as wealth from conquests, power, and resources—centralized in the hands of the elite, undermining the egalitarian elements of the Republic’s ideology. The culture of the citizen-soldier faded as the legions became professional, paid armies. These changes rippled outward, affecting every layer of the cultural model. By the time the Republic gave way to the Empire, the core ideology had shifted to embrace stronger hierarchy and less civic egalitarianism. The old democratic structures were still there in name, but the culture itself had transformed into something new.

This kind of cultural evolution is a powerful tool for worldbuilding. Maybe your fantasy culture broke away from a parent culture, like the Puritans leaving Europe to form their own society. Or perhaps your culture is in the middle of a major upheaval, caught between old traditions and new ideas. By mapping out these shifts in your cultural model, you can create dynamic, living worlds where the past influences the present in meaningful ways. These shifts generate conflict, and with conflict comes plot and reader immersion.

And that’s my model of circles in full—starting with ideology, building out the layers up to cultural expression, and then adding intersecting lines like magic, fantasy, economics, and religion. Let me know what you think of the model in the comments or by sending podcast fan mail.

Next month, we’ll tackle the complicated beast called religion—one of the most polarizing and nuanced aspects of culture. Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss it. And a huge thanks to my members for sponsoring this podcast! Special shoutout to Lupex Lakshire, Katy Kofemug, and Tony Lamana—Just in Timers of the "Built in Stone" level; and Pablo Barros, Patricio, Aya Shameimaru, Tiffany Felix, and Dylan Buttera—Just in Timers of the "Built in Wood" level. All members get early access to my videos and access to the worksheets accompanying this podcast.

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