Chapter 1 Flashcards
anthropological perspective
the point of view of the people within that cultural context.
anthropology
the holistic study of humankind.
applied anthropology
branch of anthropology in which practitioners use anthropology in the service of particular social concerns.
archaeology
the study of material artifacts to understand a people’s culture and society, usually in the past.
cultural anthropology
the description, interpretation, and analysis of similarities and differences in human cultures.
cultural other
a term used to refer to the subjective experience of difference at the cultural level; identifying “us/me” and “them/you” through cultural symbols and markers.
ethnoarchaeology
an approach to archaeology that combines the analysis of material life with information taken from contemporary populations.
ethnographic fieldwork
anthropology’s hallmark research method, based upon the anthropologist’s direct experience in a culture.
ethnographic interviews
documented conversation with research participants that may be formal or informal.
ethnography
a rich description and analysis of a culture that includes the anthropologist’s experience of “being there.”
excavation
a rigorous method of extracting artifacts from underground; the primary data collection method of archaeologists.
focus groups
a type of interview in which small groups of people are asked to discuss a particular topic while the anthropologist takes notes.
“go native”
an expression referring to a phenomenon in which an anthropologist fully affiliates with the culture being studied.
holistic understanding
the view that all parts of human life—from birthing practices to the economy to warfare to art—are interconnected.
life history
an interview or series of interviews that document the trajectory of a single life.
