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CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
INTRODUCTION TO ANTHROPOLOGY
1. Derived from Greek word anthropos= man
2. Ology=study of
3. Definition=holistic, scientific study of humankind,
both past & present
a. Whole-understand the interrelationship
between all parts.
b. Broad-virtually everything associated with
human is included in anthropology
Ex: politics, religion, marriage, art, language, skin
color, blood types, diseases, etc.
TRADITIONAL 4 SUB-DISCIPLINES
I.
PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY=BIOLOGICAL
ANTHRO
 Main focus – humans as biological organisms
A. Interests/Fields
1. Evolution=physical/genetic changes over time
 Paleoanthropology=study of fossils
2. Nonhuman primates
a. Group of mammals
b. Are human primates?
Yes.
c. Apes, monkeys
d. Why study them?
 Genetically closest
 Similarities & differences
 Window into our past
3. Forensic anthropology=examination of skeletal
material for legal i.d.
II.
ARCHAEOLOGY
1. Main goal-reconstruct past life styles of a people
How? Through analysis of their material remains =
artifacts-Ex: pottery, monuments, utensils, jewelry.
2. Study garbage=
Garbology
a. Why study? Reflects a lot about life styles.
b. Father of=William Rathje
c. Everywhere people have been
III. LINGUISTICS
1. Study of languages
a. Written & oral
Why study?
A. Language argued to be most striking cultural
feature of humans
B. Reflects culture
1. What’s important- large array of terms. Ex: Nuer
(Sudan, Africa)
Cattle – 400 terms
C. Communicate
IV. CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
A. Main focus-human behavior
 Learned (not inherited) - socially
transmitted
1. Learn social norms-what’s acceptable
&appropriate
a. Foods
Ex: pony in Tonga
Ex: Kaluli (New Guinea) – semen w/ginger & salt.
Why? Increases likelihood of learning another
language (spoken by neighboring tribes) =
promotes learning.
2. Some behaviors learned consciously
Ex: Say please and thank you.
Sitting properly
 Some Arabic countries-rude to sit w/legs crossed
at knee to show soles of shoes or socks.
 Thai nightclub in L.A.
3. Other behaviors learned unconsciously/subtly.
a. Use of space = proxemics
 Developed by Edward T. Hall
 Elevator proxemics
4. Some behaviors learned as a combination of
consciously & unconsciously
Ex: ladies in the shower
B.Emphasizes cross-cultural=comparative
approach
1. Examines similarities & differences in all
peoples & cultures.
a. Preliterate through technologically
advanced societies.
 What would anthropologists study
about U.S. people?
Gangs, prostitutes, middle class, Native
Americans, drug use,etc.
b. In all aspects – ex: economics
 $$-Money=form of wealth in U.S.
 Is money only form of wealth?
No—cattle, pigs,yams, shells, etc.
c. Complete view & understanding of the
human condition.
V.
APPLIED ANTHROPOLOGY
1. Recently, another sub-discipline included.
2. Uses knowledge & methods of other 4 traditional
sub-disciplines to apply to solve practical
problems and address current issues.
Ex: how to provide excellent health care to a multiethnic U.S. population
VI. Wrap of Intro to Anthropology
1. Cell of anthropology
A. Theory= set of validated hypotheses that
systematically explains relationship between
certain variables or phenomena.
B. Goal in cultural anthropology is to generate
theories—about??
Human behavior
2. Characteristics of anthropology
a. Scientific in method
b. Global in scope
c. Holistic in perspective
3. How does Cultural Anthro differ from Sociology?
A. Who do sociologists mainly study—from where
and when?
B. Which other sub-discipline do sociologists
exclude?