Unit 1: Module 1.4 Theories Of Cultures And Anthropology

Question 1

Richard Lee

Answer 1

Eating Christmas in Kalahari.
Buys an Ox, expects everyone to be greatful. They laugh at him and make comments contrary to what he expected. In their culture you are not to boast because everyone shares. Example of ethnocentrism (cultural biases)

Question 2

Anthropology

Answer 2

Social science focus on human experience time and place.

Question 3

4 fields

Answer 3

Archeology, cultural, linguistic, biological

Question 4

Cultural Anthropology

Answer 4

A holistic (connected as a whole) study of human cultures in all their complexities.

Question 5

Cultural Contact

Answer 5

No culture is free of outside influence. Cultures are interconnected in direct and indirect ways.

Question 6

4 models of cultural interation

Answer 6

Class of civilizations (conflict model), McDonaldization (takeover and homogenization model), Hybridization (blending model), Localization (local take some aspects of global culture and create new meanings).

Question 7

Cosmopolitanism

Answer 7

An outlook that combines universality and difference. Accepts differences and being able to navigate it on a daily basis. Ex: Egyptian women watching tv navigate cultural differences.

Question 8

Unilinear Cultural Evolutionism

Answer 8

Theory that all cultures naturally evolve through the same sequences of stages from simple to complex. Old view of human differences Ex: savage-barbarian-civilized

Question 9

Historical Particularism

Answer 9

Franz Boas and influenced Mead and Benedict.
Theory that cultures develop in specific ways because of their cultural trajectories and unique histories, not uniform processes. Cultures change over time differently

Question 10

Structural Functionalism

Answer 10

Each element of society serves a function to keep the system balanced. Works like a living organism. Malinowski and Evan Pritchard

Question 11

Interpretivist Approach

Answer 11

Symbolic system that leads to understanding deeper meanings and shared cultural knowledge, beliefs and values. Clifford Geertz Ex: wink vs twitch based on context

Question 12

Culture and Power Approach

Answer 12

Structure of power/influence create and organize inequalities in social relations. Balance of power is changing. Gramsci, Foucault, Wolf, Mintz

Question 13

Wolf

Answer 13

Argued that all human relationships have a power dynamic. Shows an uneven distribution.

Question 14

Gramsci

Answer 14

Hegemonic power vs brute force. Hegemonic (dominant group to create agreement without force). Expectation that people will self correct their behavior based on hegemonic power.

Question 15

Agency

Answer 15

Ability and actions of a person to resist hegemonic power and cultural expectations

Question 16

Foucault

Answer 16

Discipline and power. Those in power set norms people internalize and then align their behavior.

Question 17

Postmodern Approach

Answer 17

Focus on processes that uphold or change cultural norms/beliefs and differences.
Wolf, Appadurai, Abu-Lughod, Asad

Question 18

Emic vs Etic

Answer 18

Emic inside deeper meanings explanatory level
Etic descriptive level what is actually happening

Question 19

Cultural Relativism

Answer 19

Understanding and analyzing culture without judgement.

Question 20

Reflexive Anthropology

Answer 20

The filters we use to understand the world and the life experiences we have. Anthropologists biases; cant be objective

Question 21

Rosaldo

Answer 21

Grief and the Headhunter Rage. Could only relate to the practice of headhunting (wanting the head of the one responsible for loved one death) after he lost his wife and experienced grief.
Ex of reflexive anthropology

Question 22

Annette Weiner

Answer 22

Role of the researcher (reflexivity) Repeated Malonowski study from perspective of the women. Realize he missed some stuff; having a fuller view of how the economy operated.

Question 23

Culture and personality theorist

Answer 23

Anthropologist that focus on culture as the principal force in shaping the personality of a society and the role of personality in cultural institutions. Mead and Benedict.