Cultural Anthropology A tool for understanding what makes people and cultures different and what makes them the same.

What is Culture? Culture is defined as: A specific set of learned behaviors, beliefs, attitudes, values, and ideals that are characteristic of a particular society or population. It is instilled in us at even the earliest stages of life.

Culture as a Learned Characteristic Culture is learned and passed down from previous generations. This is also called Enculturation It is not something an individual is born with.

What aspects of culture exist? What “makes up” culture? Politics (government, law, judicial system) Economics (exchange of goods & services, production of goods & services, forms of property) Family (marriage, sex, child rearing, family relationships)

Culture continued Communication (body language and speech) Recreation and leisure (hobbies, interests) War

Common Knowledge and Beliefs Science Myth Attitudes Religion Philosophy Values

Commonalities within Material Culture Food Dress Tools Transportation Shelter Art Weapons Industry

What else do cultures have in common? Culture is learned (e.g. learn that we should dye our hair, especially women) Culture is shared (e.g. North American culture, marriage involves two people) Culture defines nature (biological needs and tendencies ) biological need for company, but how we deal with relationships culturally will vary

What else do cultures have in common? Culture shapes how we perceive and understand the world (e.g. the Inuit people developed numerous ways to describe snow to help them with survival) Culture has patterns (core values that seem self evident) e.g. democracy, use of technology

Two Components of Cultural Anthropology Ethnography and Ethnology

Fieldwork Process by which data is gathered from the study location. This can be as far away as Australia or as close as your local delicious and refreshing Starbucks™

So what’s the difference between Ethnography and Ethnology? Detailed description of a culture based on field work. Ethnology Comparing different cultures to try and discover broader patterns that extend across many cultural groups.

Methodology in the Field Participant Observation Associated with Ethnography This is an anthropological technique used to understand groups of people by interacting with them in their own environment. An anthropologist will go and live with a certain group of people for an extended period of time and this allows for a more complete view of the culture being studied. Informants: These are individuals who assist the Ethnographer in interpreting certain aspects of the culture being observed.

Who are the Nacirema?