Anthropology 3 Flashcards
What are the 5 school of thoughts in cultural anthropology
- cultural relativism
- Funcional theory
- cultural materialism
- Feminist anthropology
- Postmodernism.
what does Ethnocentric mean
Evaluating other peoples and cultures according to the standards of one’s own culture
What is cultural relativism
Anthropologists cannot compare two cultures because each culture has its own internal rules that must be accepted
Everyone sees the world through a lens created by their culture
What is functional theory
Beliefs, actions, or relationships within society must meet the needs of individuals.
Example: Trobriand Islands cultural exchange of jewelry forming the “Kula Ring” to maintain peaceful relationships, ceremonial exchange actually served real economic, social, political functions
What is cultural materialism
Conditions and the environment shape culture
If something is not of value to a culture, it will disappear.
What is feminist anthropology
Women’s voices should be brought to the forefront of study to be heard and included in research
What is Postmodernism
It is impossible to have any “true” knowledge about the world, as there is no objective truth
What we know about the world is our own construct
Anthropologists can’t study their subjects in an objective or detached way
what is lingua franca
is a language or mixture of languages used as a medium of communication by people whose native languages are different
What is Pidgin language
A pidgin is a language that has a small vocabulary and is a combination and distortion of two or more languages.
What is creole language
is a stable natural language that develops from the simplifying and mixing of different languages into a new one within a fairly brief period of time
What is euphemism
a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.
eg. “Passed away” instead of “died” “Let go” instead of “fired” “Make love” instead of “sex” “Put down” instead of “euthanized
What is special about La gomera
On the island, they speak in a whistled languge.
What is Locard’s exchange principle
Every contact by a criminal leaves behind a trace.
Who is edmond locard
Locard’s most famous contribution to forensic science is known today as “Locard’s Exchange Principle”. According to Locard, “it is impossible for a criminal to act, especially considering the intensity of a crime, without leaving traces of this presence”.
What is ossification
The natural process of bone formation
What is HMS Beagle and why is it famous
Why is the HMS Beagle Famous? HMS Beagle was the ship in which the naturalist, Charles Darwin, sailed around the world from 26 December 1831 to 27 February 1832. The rich variety of animal and plant species that Darwin saw on the voyage on the Beagle led him to develop his theory of ‘evolution by natural selection
Who were laetoli footprints made by
were most likely made by Australopithecus afarensis
Why did Richard lee conduct the experimetn
Because of studies, he read about evolution and his personal interest in hunting and gathering societies.
He was hoping to gain insight into human behaviour and hour our hunting and gathering ancestors may have behaved.
Case study: Bronislaw Malinowski in the Trobriand Islands
In 1915 Bronislaw Malinowski immersed himself in their culture with the goal of “[grasping] the native’s point of view, his relation to life, to realize his vision of his world.”
Malinowski established ideals of fieldwork in ethnography by declaring clear stages of fieldwork, and what researchers should do while interacting with the natives. We have noted four principles Malinowski emphasised in social research.
He also learned about a system of exchange of shell jewellery around a circuit of far-flung islands, known as the “kula ring”. This is a form of balanced reciprocity that reinforces trade and social relations.
In addition in 1944, he developed a theory that stated human beings have a set of universal biological needs and various customs and institutions are developed to fulfil those needs.
Case study: Lera Boroditsky
- Pormpuraaw, a small Aboriginal community
- the Kuuk Thaayorre, like many other Aboriginal groups, use cardinal-direction terms — north, south, east, and west — to define space.
- This is done at all scales, which means you have to say things like “There’s an ant on your southeast leg” or “Move the cup to the north northwest a little bit.”
- One obvious consequence of speaking such a language is that you have to stay oriented at all times, or else you cannot speak properly. The normal greeting in Kuuk Thaayorre is “Where are you going?” and the answer should be something like “ Southsoutheast, in the middle distance.” If you don’t know which way you’re facing, you can’t even get past “Hello.”
Case study: Lee Berger
paleoanthropologist known for the discovery of the fossil skeletons of Australopithecus sediba, a primitive hominin species that some palaeontologists believe is the most plausible link between the australopithecines (genus Australopithecus) and humans (genus Homo)
