Unit 1: Key Definitions Flashcards
an approach to examining the human condition that is holistic, comparative, evolutionary, and grounded in fieldwork
anthropological perspective
the study of human societies, cultures and their development
anthropology
work that recognizes, analyzes, and attempts to dismantle deep systemic inequaloties created by colonialism
anti-rascist
the use of other anthropologists’s information to solve practical problems between cultures in cultural anthropology
applied anthropology
specialty of anthropology, interested in what humans can learn from ancient remains left behind from earlier societies
archaeology
organisms that shape culture through their biology and biochemistry as time passes (ex: humans)
biocultural organisms
a specialty of anthropology that views humans as biological organisms, compares/contrasts humans to other living things
biological/physical anthropology
two things that influence eachother in the process of development, they evolve at the same time and impact eachother!
co-evolved
oppressive cultural domination of a people by larger, wealthier powers
colonialism
an anthropological perspective that requires anthropologists to consider similarities/differences in a wide rnage of human societies before generalizing about human nature/society/history
comparative
recognizing internal differences, complex power relations, and historical context in which particular cultural traditions emerge and understanding cultural difference
critical culture relativism
specialty of anthropology that studies how variation in beliefs and behaviours is shaped by cukture and learned by different members of human groups
cultural anthropology
approaching other cultures with sympathy, not applying you own beliefs, values and practices… all cultures are equally valid!
cultural relativism (!)
a sector that develops research, policy and programming for the management and protection of natural/cultural resources
cultural resource management
learned behaviours and ideas that humans acquire as members of society
culture
the notion that what is considered immoral, moral, good or evil is dependant on culture, and there are no moral or ethical principles
ethical relativism
evaluation of other cultures according to preconceptions from your own set fo beliefs/culture
ethnocentrism (!)
an athropologists recorded description of a particular group of peoples way of life
ethnography (!)
the comparative study of two or more cultures
ethnology (!)
requires anthropologists to place their observations about human nature/society/history in a flexible framework that takes change in time into consideration
evolutionary
data collection in anthropology that takes anthropologists into direct contact and experience withe the people/sites/animals of interest
fieldwork (!)
study of skeletal remains to aid in criminal and human rights investigations
forensics
everyday, routine social activity rooted in habitual behaviour
habitus
a perspective on the human condition that assumes that mind and body, nature and culture, individual and society, and individual and environement permeate and even define one another
holism
human being’s ability to exercise SOME control over their lives
human agency
specialty of anthropology concerned with the study of human languages
linguistic anthropology
the aspect of social reality grounded in the objects and architecture that surround people
material culture
the act of reducing an individual or collective identity, such as ethnicity or gender, to objects
objectified
branch of anthropology that focuses on fossils
paleoanthropology
study of behaviour, biology, evolution and taxonomy of nonhuman primates
primatology
people who work with anthropologists and provide them with insight on their lives
research participants
form of colonialism where indigenous populations are displaced for new settlers
settler-colonial
something that stands for something else (ex: alphabetic symbols)
symbols
