Anthropology Flashcards
Define Anthropology
Study of Humans
What are the subfields of Anthropology?
1) Linguistics
2) Archaeology
3) Physical/ Biological Anthro
- Primatology
- Forensic Anthropology
4) Cultural Anthropology
* Applied Anthropology
What is Linguistics?
Meaning of culture in language
What is Archaeology?
- What we leave behind (remnant)
- Study of human artifacts
- Material record
What is Physical/Biological Anthropology?
- Looking at the study of the human body
- Evolution
- Genetic differences
Primatology
- Subgroup of Physical/Biological
- Gorillas and Chimpanzees
- Primates in natural habitats
Forensic Anthropology
*Subgroup of Physical/Biological
Complexity of situations
Cultural Anthropology
(Living)
(Socio-anthropology)
Study the living human
Applied Anthropology
- Not necessarily a subfield
- Crosses over all subfields
- Looking at things to solve human problems
What is an Anthropologists methodology?
- Ethnography
- Participant Observation
- Activity and the Product (Rapport)
- Techniques
- Value Holistic perspective
- Fieldwork
- Questions and Topics are imposed on us
What is an Anthropologist’s object of inquiry?
- Studying “The Other”
- Someone who’s different from you
How do Anthropologist’s organize their work?
Culture
“How they think”
High value on local (insider) knowledge
Importance of Field Notes
-Getting observations down
-Themes emerge from Data
-Developing a Theory/Thesis
can be challenged
Analytical
Abstract
What is Ethnography?
Description and analysis of culture of the insider’s perspective and anthropological experiences
What is Participant Observation?
“Being there”
- What do people value/ believe?
- Empathize with your people shows a connection/understanding
What is Activity and Product (Rapport)
- Gaining “trust” / commonalities
- Might make things easier
What Techniques do Anthropologists use?
- Focus groups
- Life histories
- Surveys
- Interviews
Value Holistic Perspective how?
- Understanding the whole culture
- How does it contribute to their lives/ practices
- complex
What is fieldwork?
Flexibility is important
How are questions and topics posed on us?
- New Q can emerge
- letting the data shape our research
What is the Meaning of Analysis?
Ethnography: to Describe and Analyze
Who are Anthropological Theorists?
- Karl Marx
- Emile Durkheim
- Max Weber
What was Karl Marx’s theory?
Modern perspective
1) Societies move through different stages of development
2) Class conflict: challenging the status quo
3) Power: economic wealth
4) Push for economic equality and social harmony
What was Durkheim’s theory?
- Challenging capitalism
1) Social Beings
2) Anti-utilitarian
3) Society is an organism
What was Max Weber’s theory?
1) Culture matters when it comes to economic development
2) “Protestant Work Ethic” (John Calvin)
- System of frugality
What is the Theory of Anthropology?
- Foundation of what Cultural Anthropologists do in research
- Formal description of some phenomenon that explains how the thing works
- 2 types
What are the two types of theories and what do they mean?
1) Nomothetic: generalized natural laws that predict and explain culture
2) Idiographic: provide rich descriptions of a case, not meant to be directly
