According to Edward Said, the idea of culture is tied to knowing how :

For Said, imperialism is not a simple act of accumulation and acquisition: it is sustained by cultural and ideological formations that win consent as well as impose force. Culture therefore helps explain how domination comes to be accepted, so that not all ruled people resent being ruled. This emphasis on culture and consent is the opposite of claiming that imperial rule rests on military force alone or that colonial ideology leaves community relations unaffected.