other useful materials not on the exams

Texas A & M

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Cultural Anthropology Main Characteristics of Anthropology

The Fields of the General Anthropology archaeology physical or biological anthropology (bioanthropology) linguistic anthropology cultural / social anthropology

The Fields of the General Anthropology archaeology physical or biological anthropology (bioanthropology) linguistic anthropology cultural / social anthropology

Texas A & M

Main Characteristics culture as a primary concept comparative methods as major approaches to the study of human behavior development and structure (usually involving field work) holism or the study of "humankind" as a whole, as a primary goal of anthropology

Main Characteristics “culture” as a primary concept

Main Characteristics learned shared transmitted from generation to generation based on symbols integrated “culture”

Main Characteristics “culture” is not inherited (biological) it is not “instinct”

Main Characteristics “cultures” are integrated interact and change

The Concept of Culture Microculture a distinct pattern of learned and shared behavior and thinking found within larger cultures such as ethnic groups in localized regions local cultures

microcultures can include ethnic groups within nations e.g., Anishinabe (Chippewa; Ojibwa) e.g., Rom (Gypsies) e.g., Irish “Travellers” sometimes incorrectly called “Gypsies” e.g., Basques e.g., Kurds e.g., Australian Aboriginals The Concept of Culture

Microculture a distinct pattern of learned and shared behavior and thinking found within larger cultures such as ethnic groups in localized regions local cultures Macroculture a distinct pattern of learned and shared behavior and thinking that crosses local boundaries, such as transnational culture and global culture The Concept of Culture

macrocultures can include groups across nations e.g., Rom (Gypsies) e.g., ? Al Qaeda The Concept of Culture

Main Characteristics culture as a primary concept comparative method as major approach to the study of human behavior

the comparative method compares things, for e.g., process of domestication / civilization wheat – Turkey rice – China maize – Mexico manioc – Brazil Main Characteristics

the comparative method compares things, for e.g., process of domestication / civilization wheat – Turkey rice – China maize – Mexico manioc – Brazil Main Characteristics

Understanding Physical Anthropology and Archaeology, 8th Ed., p Time line for Ch. 16 Food Production. Neolithic Chapter 16 Food Production: A Biocultural Revolution

Origin of Domestication for Selected Plants Understanding Physical Anthropology and Archaeology, 8th Ed., p rice 7,000 ybp manioc 4,200 ybp maize 4,200 ybp wheat 10,500 ybp millet 4,000 ybp

Main Characteristics culture as a primary concept comparative method as major approach to the study of human behavior holism or the study of "humankind" as a whole, as a primary theoretical goal of anthropology

The Fields of the General Anthropology archaeology physical or biological anthropology (bioanthropology) linguistic anthropology cultural / social anthropology

The main fields of general anthropology

holism

difficult terms

Glossary ethnography scientific description of cultures (“a portrait of a people”)

ethno – graphy graph from the Greek, meaning something “written” or “drawn” Glossary

ethnology comparative study of cultures this is different from...

Glossary ethology scientific study of the social behavior of animals, especially in their natural environments note that there is no n in ethology

Glossary primatology scientific study of the social behavior of primates, especially apes and monkeys

Glossary “primates” prosimians (“pre-monkeys”) monkeys apes and also humans

Main Characteristics culture as a primary concept comparative method as major approach to the study of human behavior holism or the study of "humankind" as a whole, as a primary theoretical goal of anthropology fieldwork as a primary research technique (“participant observation”)

Glossary Other important terms include...

Glossary ethnocentrism judging other cultures by the standards of one’s own culture rather than by the standards of that particular culture

Glossary cultural relativism the perspective that each culture must be understood in terms of the values and ideas of that culture and should not be judged by the standards of another

Glossary absolute cultural relativism the perspective that says a person from one culture should not question the rightness or wrongness of behavior or ideas in other cultures because that would be ethnocentric World War II Holocaust arranged “underage” marriage female genital mutilations withholding of medical treatment of children for religious reasons polygyny....

Glossary critical cultural relativism offers an alternative view that poses questions about cultural practices and ideas in terms of who accepts them and why, and who they might be harming or helping

People live in Multiple Cultural Worlds

class race ethnicity sex/gender age institutions

“units of analysis” may include: one person (e.g., Paul Buffalo)Paul Buffalo the family (e.g., Strodtbeck) the community a region a culture “national character” (a nation) Multiple Cultural Worlds

The Three Major Contemporary Debates Biological Determinism vs. Cultural Constructionism (“nature vs. nurture”) (“learned vs. inherited”) Ideationism vs. Cultural Materialism Individual Agency vs. Structuralism (“free will” vs. “power structures”)