Culture and Meaning Flashcards
What is Anthropology?
It compares humans to other humans, as well as other organisms.
Anthropos: “human beings”
Logia: “the study of” or “knowledge of”
The 4 fields of Anthropology
- Biological Anthropology
- Archaeology
- Sociocultural Anthropology
- Linguistic Anthropology
Biological Anthropology
The study of evolution, function, and health of the human body and our closest primate ancestors across time and space
Archaeology
Studies human history and its artifacts through material remains of human groups to learn about how people live
Linguistic Anthropology
Studies the relationship between language and culture through language use, the structure of language, and language development over time
Sociocultural Anthropology
An approach that focuses on the differences and similarities in the ways that societies are structured and cultural meaning’s are created. (both a science and a humanities)
Society
The social structures and organisation of a group comprised of people who share a territory or culture
Culture
A system of meanings about the nature of experience that are shared by people and passed down from one generation to the next, including meanings people give to things like events, activities, people, and objects
Characteristics of culture
- Shared
- Learned
- Transgenerational
- Patterned
- Adaptive
- Symbols
(Ex; a potluck)
Cultural Factors
- Sex
- Status
- Age
- Class
- Gender
- Ability
- Sexuality
- Ethnicity
- Race
- Beliefs
Culture is NOT:
- Singular
- Quantifiable
- Something people have “more’ or “less’ of
- A possession
- Bounded
Conducting Anthropology
- Look for hidden meanings while putting aside our “normal”
- Relate culture to one another to translate meaning between them
- There are various versions of the world
Ethnocentric Fallacy
The mistaken notion that the beliefs and behaviors of other cultures can be judged from the perspective of ones own culture
Ethnocentrism
The tendency to judge beliefs and behaviours of other cultures from one’s own culture
Cultural Relativism
The effort to understand beliefs and behaviours of other cultures in terms of the culture in which they are found
Relativistic Fallacy
The idea that it is impossible to make moral judgements about beliefs and behaviours of others
Wari
Practiced Cannibalism by eating their dead. For them, eating their dead was compassionate as they try to maintain no connection with the dead.
Critical Cultural Relativism
An alternative perspective to cultural relativism. it questions cultural beliefs and practices
Cultural Text
A way of thinking about culture as text of significant symbols like words, gestures, drawings, natural objects, etc. (all symbols carry meaning)
3 problem Solving Tools
- Fieldwork experiences provide the ability to describe + document situations in detail
- Anthropological concepts help to understand behaviours (kinship relations, reciprocity, etc)
- Anthropological theories explain why humans organise their experiences into categories
Applied Anthropology
- A sub-discipline of anthropology
- helps explain diversity of meaning and helps sort through conflicts and misunderstanding.
- puts anthropological knowledge to use outside of academia
Other uses for anthropology:
- Indigenous Anthropology
- Legal Anthropology
- Political Economy
- Medical Anthropology
- Corporate Ethnography
Indigenous Anthropology
Applying research findings to problems that will help serve Indigenous communities
Legal Anthropology
Focuses on the study of power on a local, national, and global level. Also looks at land governance systems
Political Economy
Looks the intersects between politics and environmental concerns
Medical Anthropology
Focuses on healthcare practices and the impacts of infectious disease. Also looks at maternity and child health
Corporate Ethnography
Uses qualitative research to help with marketing design, user experience, urban development, etc. This form of anthropology can also present ethical issues
