MIDTERM 3 Flashcards
sex
biological characteristics related to reproduction
the 3 characteristics of sex
morphological (primary and secondary)
gonadal (ovaries and testes)
chromosomal (xy and xx)
gender
culturally constructed categories /meanings for perceived sex differences
how is gender expressed
symbols
what does gender organize?
social life (expected roles, statuses, behaviours)
biological determination
view that human behaviour is exclusively outcome of our biological bodies
3 symbols of gender
language (prosody, kinesics, vocab etc.)
consumption (styles of dress)
objects/locations
how are gender roles reinforced?
social/legal pressures
many societies divide work based on what?
sex/gender
Scythians
nomadic horse people from Ukraine
wore gnome hats
male-bodied people adopted women symbolic/social roles
fulfilled important judicial functions for the king
two-spirit and examples
people who combine male/female roles
indigenous NA cultures (Zuni, Navajo)
which culture has a 3rd gender identity?
Hijra/Kinnar, South Asia
neither male or female
male bodied but feminine identified
patriarchy
society where men hold power in all/most domains
matriarchy
society where women hold power
spatial separation
women barred from activities, spaces and property rights
gender roles among the san
no status difference between men/women
men/women do different work
participate in different rituals/dances
both may become respected healers
sexuality
rooted in human reproduction with significant personal/cultural variation
heteronormativity
heterosexual monogamous relationships considered normal, natural and preferred
3 groups of reinforcements that regulate normative sexual behaviour
legal marriage
tax law, visitation of rights
ceremony, ritual, media
sexuality among the san
sexual play in young people is considered normal
women/men expected to seek/enjoy sex
divorce is simple to obtain
sexual abuse rare
kinship
culturally recognized ties between related people
there is significant cultural variation between what 4 groups?
status/roles
childcare
suitable marriage partners
appropriate sexual relationships
titles like mother/brother indicate what 4 things?
how to behave
our responsibilities
who has authority over us
who we have authority over
kinship status in the san
joking vs respect/avoidance relationships
different forms of address (formal/informal)
same gender siblings = joking
parent/child = respect
son in law/mother in law are not supposed to speak at all
consanguineal
connections based on blood connections
affinal
relationships created through affinity (marriage)
chosen kin
family by choice rather then blood/marriage
adoption or close friendships
lineage
trace direct descent to known ancestor
clan
belief in common ancestor even if links aren’t known
what are clans composed of?
multiple lineages
bilateral descent
descent traced through both families
unilineal descent
descent traded through mother OR fathers family
what does each thing on a kinship diagram represent?
triangle = male
circle = female
horizontal line = sibling/marriage relationship
vertical line = parent/child relationship
ego = individual of reference
patrilineages
descent through father
inheritance from father to son
what is the most common form of lineage organization?
patrilineages
matrilineages
descent through mother
inheritance from mother to daughter OR from mothers brother to nephew
parallel cousins (Hawaiian system)
children of fathers brother or mothers sister
cross-cousins (Hawaiian system)
children of fathers sister or mothers brother
san name relationships
limited pool of names
no family names
nicknames
family
smallest group of individuals who view themselves as related
live together
interact daily/share resources
nuclear/conjugal family
parents and dependent children
extended family
at least 3 generations sharing a household
norm in parts of Asia, Middle East and Africa
adoption
transforms non-kin to kin
endogamy
marriage within a refined social group
exogamy
marriage outside a defined social group
4 types of social boundaries
class
culture
religion
language
neolocal
new location
patrilocal
near grooms fathers family
matrilocal
near brides mothers family
avunculocal
near grooms mothers brother (uncle)
monogamy
one spouse at a time
Polygamy
more than one spouse at a time
2 forms of polygamy
polygyny
polyandry
polygyny
one man married to multiple women
Sororal polygyny
man marries group of female siblings
polyandry
one women married to multiple men
Fraternal polyandry
women marries group of male siblings
san men in polygynous relationships are likely to be what?
healers
dowry
from parents of bride to groom/his family
bride wealth
transfer of resources from family of groom to family of bride
opposite of dowry
bridewealth
bride service
groom provides period of labor to the bride’s family
arranged marriage
marriages organized by families of participants
sorority marriage
widower marries wife’s sister
Levirate marriage
widow marries husbands brother
what is ritual identified by?
activities such as speech, singing, dancing, gestures
boundary zones and examples
space between profane/sacred world
caves and temples
rituals to prevent pollution
baths
purification
4 examples of participation/offerings
eating/drinking
Song
Gestures
Sacrifices
3 stages of rite of passage
Separation - left behind the old life
Transition - liminal period (communitas)
Reaggregation or incorporation (return to community on new form)
western cultural myths
Origins in greek and roman antiquity
Sense of contiguity and legitimacy
Cultural concerns over decline/fall of civilization
“The fall of rome”
magic
Practices intended to directly use or control supernatural forces rather than through intersection of a deity etc
sympathetic magic
like causes like; symbolic representation of subject or effect
Contagion
objects/people may transfer power or contamination through contact
Divination
predict future events
religion
Set of practices/beliefs related to scared things
Extend human relationships to non-humans
usually supernatural
supernatural
phenomena beyond human perception
Anthropomorphic
human-like beings with personalities and goals
animism
animating spirits/souls
animatism
impersonal supernatural force/energy
san ancestor spirits
high/low god and numerous human/animal spirits
Ancestors become lonely and wished to be joined
Causes illness and misfortune
Healing involves discouraging spirits
Appeased by naming descendants after them
priests vs shamans
priests - full-time ritual specialists
segregated from society
common in state societies
shamans - part-time religious practitioners
can travel/contact supernatural forces directly
offer advice, healing and divination
common in non-state societies
proto-sciences
attempt to understand, predict and control natural phenomena
6 explanations fro religion (people names)
Golden bough
malinowski
freud
marx
Harris
emil Durkheim
Syncretism and examples
blending of different traditions
Catholic saints and indigenous religious figures
Roman pantheism
Ancient egyptian religion
what 3 things is change commonly associated with?
political, economic and social movements
Revitalization
deliberate, organized attempt to strengthen religion
nativism
rejection of reform/return to “old ways”
Maji Maji rebellion (tanzania)
1905 German east Africa
economic/religious/political movement
opposed and fought german colonial forces
Led by religious figure (Bokero)
