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Engaging Anthropological Theory > Functionalism, Structuralism > Flashcards

Functionalism, Structuralism Flashcards

1
Q

Epistemology

A

What we know and how we know it. methods, validity, and scope. Epistemology is the investigation of what distinguishes justified belief from opinion.

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2
Q

Cultural Evolution

A

Unilineal, same stages, toward civilization (19th century)

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3
Q

Comparative Methods

A

Primitive cultures are living fossils to investigate extinct cultures
-Make assumptions about family, politics, artifacts etc.

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4
Q

Psychic Unity of Man

A

All humans have same fundamental capacities

-Same kind, same mind

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5
Q

Lewis Henry Morgan

A

Late 19th Century, North America

  • Scientific model of Evolution
  • Technology and language
  • Types of government
  • Experimental knowledge=evolution driving force
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6
Q

Morgan’s Contributions

A

Upper Middle lower Savagery and Babrarism, then Covilization.
Two types of government:
1) Based on kinship
2)Based on Government
Modern cizilization = territory + property

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7
Q

Morgan’s indicators of Evolution

A

Subsistance technology and Language

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8
Q

According to Morgan, what causes evolution?

A

Experimental knowledge
Germ of thought in lower stages germinate into proper ideas in the right environment
-Creates new subsistancy technologies

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9
Q

Darwin

A

early 19th Century

-Evolution, natural selection

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10
Q

Social Darwinism

A

Social theory based on natural selection

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11
Q

Moral Being

A
  • Reflect on past actions and motives
  • Approve + dissaprove
  • Judged morally on ither vs. christianity
  • Darwin
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12
Q

Does race afect Morgan’s Germ of Thought Hypothesis?

A

No, mnetal principles same in all races.

-Time and Circumstance influence

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13
Q

Germ of thought

A

Germ of thought in lower stages germinate into proper ideas in the right environment
-Creates new subsistancy technologies

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14
Q

What was Boas’s critique of Morgan?

A
  • Illogical grouping (Some societies ha complex gov but simple tech etc. Can’t compare cultures to the same standards
  • Ethnocentric, racist. Inferior societies.
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15
Q

Edward Bernett Tylor

A

Late 19-20th Century

  • Regected religious views of culture
  • Evolution of religion–> Increasing rationality through stages
  • Survivals
  • Comparitive Method
  • Downplays Darwinian evolution
  • Culture isn’t inate, rather effects of laws and regulation
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16
Q

Survivals

A

EB Tylor. Customs, practices, opinions carried by habbit
-proof of older primitive ways
“Non-functional cultural traits

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17
Q

Tylor’s comparitive method

A
  • Catalougue elements of culture and compare like animals and plants
  • Same as a physical science
  • Physcic unity of man, uniform action/causes
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18
Q

Did EB Tylor agree with Armchair anthro?

A

yes; organise, analyse, classify data

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19
Q

Karl Marx + Friedrich Engles

A

mid-late 19th Century

  • Socialism needs to be sc ientific
  • Evonlutionary model of economic systems
  • Identitity effected by class structures
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20
Q

Marxism

A
  • Unequal access to resources for living (land etc.)
  • Ruling class (chuirch and state) control means of production
  • Class structure
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21
Q

Compare Marx, Tylor and Morgan’s views on evolution

A

Morgan: communal kinship –>egalitarian organisation–>territory and propertty. Linked to tech and Intiutions

Tylor: religious ideas, beliefs

Marx: Political/economic system. Capitalism is not inate, we will evolve into “ultmiate communism” - building off Morgan

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22
Q

What did Tylor focuss on?

A

(C)ulture was single body of beliefs and ideas. Some communities have less Culture than others. Relies of pshycic unity of man and uniform actions/causes.

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23
Q

Baldwin Walter Spensor: Off the Veranda

A
  • Salvage Ethnography
  • Data collected like a science
  • “other” vocabulary
  • Man Colonial workers Involved
  • Australia
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24
Q

Emile Dirkheim

A

Late 19th Century

  • Founder of sociology
  • Sociology at par with physical sciences
  • Focussed on cohesion and maintaining integrity
  • Ahistorical/synchronous
  • All religions are fundamentally equal
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25
Q

How was dirkheim different than Marx?

A
  • Inherited Decartes’ Logic independant from experience
  • Synchronous
  • Focussed on cohesion, not differences and conflict
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26
Q

Descarte

A

Positivism: Cultures are verifiable by scientific measurements.

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27
Q

Mechanical solidarity

A

Social cohesion kept by sharing knowledge, belifes, enforces by rituals (Durkheim)

  • Reinforced by religious communal actions and totemic beliefs based on their specific social situations
  • Homogenity; little internal difference
  • Identity lies on kinsip relations and networks
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28
Q

Organic Solidarity

A

Social cohesion maintained by differences and interdependance of classes, professions, and specialisations

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29
Q

Did Durkheim agree with Social Darwinism?

A

Not fuly: Didn’t think that some cultures grew and succseeded more than others through conflict and competition.
-Still believed in some evolution (mechanical solidarity to organic solidarity). Change comes from needing more solidarity.

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30
Q

What does Durkhiem see about simpler societies?

A

NOT living fossils, but simplified versions of civilized societies. All about cohesions.

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31
Q

What are collective representations?

A

Shared ideas, beliefs, values, among the collective. Function to express and define relationships. Not reduceable to individuals. Collective and complex (religious ideas ect.) Harmony not conflict!!

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32
Q

3 Terms define by Durkheim

A

organic solidarity
mechanical solidarity
collective representations

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33
Q

Marcel Mauss

A

20th century

  • The Gift
  • Student of Durkheim
  • Reciprical exchange and boligation shape and have implications on all economy, social, policical, religious etc.
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34
Q

Evolutionist Theorists

A

Morgan, Eb Tylor, Marx, Social Darwinism, Durkheim (to a degree)

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35
Q

Functionalists

A

Durkhiem , Mauss, Boaz, Kroeber

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36
Q

Total Social Fact

A

(Total Social Phenomenia)

  • elementary principles and structure that have implications on many feilds (social, economic etc. )
  • Informs and organises
  • Glue that unifies social institutions
  • The Gift
  • Maus
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37
Q

How is Mauss different than Durkhiem?

A

Inspired by durkheim but focusses on individuals instead of collective mind of group

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38
Q

Examples of total social fact

A
  • Ongka’s Big Moka: How priniciples of Moka effecting individuals
  • Potlatch: Not just economic but contractual, religous, social etc.
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39
Q

Social Fact

A

-Durkheim
Social phemonena shared among society exerted over individuals from its original manifestation.
-Social intitutions such as marriage, laws, beliefs, professional codes

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40
Q

Difference between Total social fact and Social fact

A

Total social fact has implications on MANY social facts

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41
Q

What are Durheim’s thoughts on religions?

A

Religion= fundamentally social

  • Combines reasona nd logic and experience
  • Religion = social conformaty
  • Moralls codes explicitaly shared
  • NOT AN EVOLUTION but changes to satisfy human needs and curiousity.
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42
Q

How does Durkheim see religion in mechanical society vs. organic societies

A

mechanical= less diversified, widely shared beliefs.

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43
Q

Are Mauss’s gifts altruistic?

A

no!

44
Q

What are three steps to reciprocity?

A

Give, recieve, pay back in more. Governs social organisation

-Way of looking at mirco-level social order

45
Q

Frans Boas

A

Early 20th century

  • Agaisnt racism
  • No culture is better than another!
  • Cultural relativism
  • Four field approach
  • extensive feildwork
46
Q

Cultural relativism

A
  • Cultures are result of uniquie histories. Should be compared to others.
  • Diresctly agaisnt cultral evolution
  • Boaz
47
Q

Four Field approach

A 
prehistory
linguistics
physical anthro
cultural observation
-Must study extensively and live with the peoples
48
Q

Four Field approach

A

prehistory
linguistics
physical anthro
cultural observation
-Must study extensively and live with the peoples
-lots of data collection (salvage ethnography)
-Boas

49
Q

How did Boaz help to debunk physical anthropology racism?

A

Studied head shapes to prove they don’t determine culture at all

50
Q

Historical Particularism

A 
Need to know: 
-Enviornmental conditions
-physcological factors
-historical links particular to own circumstances
unique, no universal laws
51
Q

Equifinality

A

Seperate processes have led to similar inventions, institutions and outcomes. Convergent proccesses but not the same (bow and arrows)

52
Q

What principle was a solution to phsycic unity of man?

A

Equifinity - finite number of ways to do things means similar results sometimes

53
Q

What is diffusion? What school of thought does it belong to?

A

Ever idea invented once and then shared among cultures. Evolutionism

54
Q

What does Boaz not agree with?

A

Cultural evolution, diffusion, ethnocentric theories

55
Q

Salvage ethnography

A

Need to collect as much data as possible from dying cultures.

56
Q

Was boaz concerned with theory?

A

No, he was anti-theoretical and said theory will come when we know more (premature at this point)

57
Q

Alfred Kroeber

A

20th Century

  • Studied under boas
  • Superorganic
58
Q

Superorganic

A

-Kroeber

-

59
Q

Superorganic

A
  • Kroeber
  • Cultural patterns and trends (fashion)
    • These are influencing individuals, not thew other way around
  • Culture generates itself can’t be defined by individuals
  • Importance of nature over nurture
  • Major defiance of Boas’s way of thinking
  • Inspired by Durkhiem
60
Q

Difference between cultural evolution and evolution?

A

Evolution: Universal laws that dictate change in societies

Cultural evolution: Set stages of human evolution (Morgan)

61
Q

2 differences between Boas and Kroeber

A

1) Boas: individuals influence culture
Kroeber: cultural patterns influence individuals
2) Boas: Intensive study of single societies
Kroeber: Regional surveys of general traits
Kroeber DOES agree that human differences ARE CULTURAL, NOT BIOLOGICAL/ RACE RELATED

62
Q

In Eighteen Proffesions, What does Kroeber say?

A
  • No Great Man, only people inflluenced by culture. Biographies not important for history
  • People are placeholders
  • Civilsation is an entitty of itself
63
Q

How does Kroeber disagree with Durheim?

A
  • Cultural laws cant be compared to physcial science

- Not focussed on laws throughout societies but circumstances unique to each culture.

64
Q

Compare radcliff brown and Malinkowski’s functionalism

A

Brown: Parts of society contribute to the whole society
Malinowski: Culture responds to biolodigcal needs
-Both scientific ecxperiment to see societal details
-Both reject cultural evolution

65
Q

What is syncronous approach? what school of thought does it belong to?

A

Analyse culture at fixed pont. Ignores history and outside influences (isolates factors for social science research) FUNCTIONALISM

66
Q

What analogy do functionalists use to examine functions?

A

Analogy of the Body

  • Society= organism
  • Each part of society fit together and have unique function in larger structure/body
  • Equilibrium is maintained through social matrix of institutions
67
Q

Explain American Functionalsim

A

Some syncronic some did diachronic

  • Thoughts and behaviours in relation to cultural components
  • Boas and students
  • reconstructing, salvaging endangered Indigenous cultures
  • Studying native Americans ad Pacific Islands
68
Q

Explain British Functionalism

A

Syncronic study of social structures/ social matric

  • Social function= role that individuals play in maintaing the whole
  • Watching native societies in action
  • Sutdying colonies
69
Q

What are three main aspects of British Functionalism?

A
  • Interested in instituions more than material things
  • Sees society as stable and harmonious
  • Syncronic
70
Q

Alfred Radcliff Brown

A

early 20th century

  • Studying cultures as service to colonial administration
  • Anthro serves empire
  • Social Anthro= natural science, scientific method used
71
Q

Brownislaw Malinkowski

A

Early 20th century

  • Served empire who funded reasearch
  • Believed colonialism benefited study subjects
  • Later shifted thoughts when older
72
Q

What did Radcliff Brown study?

A

how rituals and kinship contributed to social structure in primitive societies

  • Institutions = rules of human conduct
  • Insisted primitive peoples had complex sosical institutions, not chaotic
  • People come and go but social structure stays same
73
Q

Why doesn’t Brown and Malinowski not use history?

A

Congecture, no written history. Irrational narratives

74
Q

Why does Brown disagree with Boas?

A

Brown believe sin scientific appraoch:

Not popular for the masses, and should reject history

75
Q

What does Radliff Brown’s Functionalism look like?

A
  • Institutions that contribute to whole instead of humans or individuals.
  • Culture is just a construct and isn’t tangible.
  • People come and but kinship structures stay the same
76
Q

How is Brown’s functionalism influenced by Durkheim?

A
  • Social institutions maintain equilibrium

- Social function is social solidarity

77
Q

Bronislaw Malinowski

A

20th century
Torbian Islands
-Empathy for subjects, though unhappy/racist in private
-Participant observation, emic and etic

78
Q

Participant Observation

A

Boas, Malinowski

-Objectivism synthesised with insider subjectivism. Scientific and involved. Need to kmnow languages

79
Q

Emic Vs. Etic

A

Emic=Insider point of view
Etic= Outsider (can be compared to other cultures)
Epistemological perspectives

80
Q

Describe Malinowski’s Methods

A

Scientific, live with natives, specific ways to collect, determine, use evidence
-Theories hsouldn’t be preconcieved. Don’t distort facts to fit theory

81
Q

What elements of society did Malinowski focus on?

A

Biological needs and cultural responses:

metabolism, kinship, sehlter, protection vs. Food equipment, mating, bodily comforts, safety

82
Q

How does magic and kula function for society?

A

Magic is rational, psycological function to reassure unpredictable events. Intelligent.
Kula Utilitarian items to keep peaceful relationships among partners

83
Q

Differences and similarities of Brown and Malinowski

A

Malinowski: Individuals, sympathetic, rational, and purposeful
Brown: Institutions, culture is construct not tangible

84
Q

Where does our prof do Research?

A

Fatrnal polyandry in Ledac, Indian Hymalayas.

  • One man married to multiple women
  • Woman marries all the brothers. Each has own responsibility
85
Q

What are three theoretical functions for polyandy?

A

Economic-> ecological or economic constraints. Means to an end
Cultural–> Cultural value to not splitting land etc.
Fruedian Outlook–> Latent homosexuality??

86
Q

What would Brown, Malinkowski and emic say about polyandry?

A

Brown–> Wouldn’t ask why but how it’s working. What role does it play?
Malinowski–> Biological need (landscape requires it)
Emix–>mutual sharing, cooperation, comprimise, lots of labour need to share

87
Q

Edward Evans Pritchard

A

20th century

  • Witchcraft, oracles, and magic in Azande
  • Magic is logical under social circumstances
88
Q

Explain Azande’s use of magic. Who studied this?

A

Evens Pritchard
Witchcraft used to explain what science can’t (grainhouse collapses from termites but WHY when a certain person is sitting there)
-Dual mode of rationalisation

89
Q

What are Evan’s Prichards methods?

A
  • Not scientific- this dehumanizes
  • More tanslator of culture
  • Logical connective maps that explain humanity
  • Meaning in society comes from cultural structures
  • History is imporetant but not for determining how culture is
  • Emic view can’t inform cause it’s too close to it….
  • Cultural relativism
90
Q

Claude Levis Strauss

A

20th century

  • Founder of French Structuralism
  • Reciprocity and kinship
  • Grammar of culture
91
Q

Three things that influenced Strauss

A

Marxism, geology, psycoanalysis

below surface, processes affecting us, economic base influencing individuals

92
Q

British Structuralism

A

Social Structures and elements of social organisation that are imperacle and visible

93
Q

French Structuralism

A

Meaning comes from comparisons. Rooted in linguistics (phemones only have meaning when put together)

  • Cultural systems have essential core
  • Made of elementary structures
94
Q

Levis Strauss’s mmethods

A

-Grammar of culture
-Units of cultural discourse are created by binary opppositions
units= oposing terms
-units are arranged to make current cultureal production

95
Q

Elementary structures

A

Universal mental logics and their cultural manifistations. Logic that affects everyday life

96
Q

Explain Strauss’s theories of myth

A

Four Winnabego myths

-All myths have same structure and polar systems (male/femal, undergifted/overgifted)

97
Q

Explain how Strauss uses Mauss’s theories

A

Reciprical exchange + gift in simple kinship symstems
= elementary structure (universal)
=fundamental principle of cohesion
Incest tabboo =binary elementary structure and meaning–>forms civil societies
-market system and rules of reciprocity
(Exchange of women defines reltrionships in groups)

98
Q

Atoms of culture

A

set of kinship structures, Strauss

Oppositions determine kinshop relations

99
Q

phenomes

A

smallest units in language. just a sound until combined for meaning

100
Q

How does Strauss see culture like language?

A

culture is symbolic and unconcious meanings
Human thoughts based on contrast (binary)
Grammar of culture= dos and donts
Culture changes but logic, structure, form doesn’t
Rules and structures can even change but common base doesn’t

101
Q

Extplain kindship through Mauss’s eyes

A

Exchange of women defines relationships in groups

Mediates groups, can cause positive or negtive effects

102
Q

contrasting category

A

Relationships with immediate family members through blood and marriage

103
Q

incest taboo

A

logical opposition between kin and non-kin

104
Q

What are qritiques of Strauss?

A

Not imperical and doesn’t consider cultural context
Eridution (sophisticated) theory but not always accurate
valueble for data collecting and organising
Not scientific- some don’t like that you can’t prove or disprove it

105
Q

Marshal Sahlins

A

Late 20th Centrury

  • Structure of conjuncture
  • Used French structuralism but said it wasn’t statis. Subject to trasnformation on context
106
Q

Structure of conguncture

A

Sahlins

-How apparently static cultures change through time

Engaging Anthropological Theory (1 decks)

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