Anthropology 1001 Unit 1 Flashcards
Anthropology
the study of people
Major goal of Anthropology
understand what it is to be human
Bicultural Approach definition
a perspective that anthropologists will take when they are trying to understand what it is to be human
Bicultural Approach involves
the inter-relationship between biology and behavior/culture
how our biology/genetics affect our behavior ex. how we see the environment, politics, etc.
Holistic
of or pertaining to the entire organism
Comparative (cross-cultural)
Anthropologist make comparisons in order to understand people in different places
warning when making comparisons
must be careful to avoid judging, alienating, etc.
Ethnocentric
belief int he inherent superiority of one’s own ethnic group or culture
Yanomami
proof that ethnocentricity is inherent
Group of people from the Amazon studied in the 60’s that were isolated.
In their language, they call themselves “the people” – an outsider is not considered a person (aka sub person)
One step from egocentric to
judgemental
Cultural Relativism
viewing a culture within its own historic and environmental context
Problems with cultural relativism
Difficult when you know something is harmful – poses ethical problems
ex: female genital mutation –unsterile environment, infection, etc. but females want to because of their culture
Anthropologists vs. Heath Care Workers
Anthropologists: preserving and studying culture
Health Care Workers: control outbreaks with no regard for how modern medicine shapes the culture
Field Work
time of data collection that all anthropologists do
Ex: working with informants in foreign culture, excavating a historical site, working with artifacts, etc.
The Four Subfields of Anthropology
Linguistic, Sociocultural, Archeology, Biological
Linguistic Anthropology
Scientific study of language
study communication, how they use and origin of language, when communication started
examples of Linguistic Anthropology
symbols (written expression of language), body language, altering language for different situations, body language communication
Sociocultural Anthropology
broader than linguistic, studies culture
different levels of culture
ex: american vs. southern vs. differences in classroom behavior
Culture
learned behavior that is passed down through generations that is distinct among groups of people.
culture is evolutionary
Culture can include
rituals/belief systems
- kinship (ideas of marriage and family)
- political structure (dynamics of power
- how goods/resources are distributed
- medical culture/practices
- entertainment (sports, movies, literature, art)
ethnnology
study of a group, nation, or people
ethnography
graphs: written account
documentation of a tribe or group of people
Archeology
the study of material remains left behind by a culture
ex: pottery, architecture, weapons
Excavation
systematic uncovering of the past