SOC401 Handouts Topics 1-45

Lesson 01 WHAT IS ANTHROPOLOGY?

Definition of Anthropology Activities of an Anthropologist Branches of Anthropology Cultural Anthropology

Anthropology can be best defined as the study of the various facets of what it means to be human. Anthropology is a multidimensional subject in which various components are studied individually and as a whole to develop a better understanding of human existence. In this lecture we will not only be developing an understanding of the definition of anthropology, we will also be looking at what an anthropologist does. In addition to this we will also be looking at the various branches of anthropology with a focus on cultural anthropology.

Definition of Anthropology

Anthropology is derived from the Greek words anthropos for human and logos for study, so if we take its literal meaning it would mean the study of humans. In one sense this is an accurate description to the extent that it raises a wide variety of questions about the human existence. However this literal definition isn’t as accurate as it should be since a number of other disciplines such as sociology, history, psychology, economics and many others also study human beings. What sets anthropology apart from all these other subjects? Anthropology is the study of people, their origins, their development, and variations, wherever and whenever they have been found on the face of the earth. Of all the subjects that deal with the study of humans, anthropology is by far the broadest in its scope. In short anthropology aims to describe, in the broadest sense, what it means to be human.

Activities of an Anthropologist

As we already know, anthropology is the study of what it means to be human. So the study of the influences that make us human is the focus of anthropologists. Anthropologists study the various components of what its means to be human.

Branches of Anthropology

A

Physical Anthropology – Is the study of humans from a biological perspective.

Essentially this involves two broad areas of investigation. a. Human paleontology -: this sub branch deals with re-constructing the evolutionary record of the human existence and how humans evolved up to the present times. b. Human variation -: The second area deals with how/ why the physical traits of contemporary human populations vary across the world.

B

Archeology – study of lives of people from the past by examining the material culture they have left behind

C

Anthropological Linguistics – the study of human speech and language

D

Cultural Anthropology – the study of cultural differences and similarities around the world

Now that we have briefly defined the various branches of anthropology, lets us now take an in-depth view of cultural anthropology.

Cultural Anthropology:

As we have discerned above, cultural anthropology concerns itself with the study of cultural differences as well as the similarities around the world. On a deeper level the branch of anthropology that deals with the study of specific contemporary cultures (ethnography) and the more general underlying patterns of human culture derived through cultural comparisons (ethnology) is called cultural anthropology. Before cultural anthropologists can examine cultural differences and similarities throughout the world they must first describe the features of specific cultures in as much detail as possible. These detailed descriptions (ethnographies) are the result of extensive field studies in which the anthropologists observes, talks to and lives with the people under study. On the other hand ethnology is the comparative study of contemporary cultures, wherever they are found. The primary objective of ethnology is to uncover general cultural principals/rules that govern human behavior.

I Urban Anthropology – studies impact of urbanization on rural societies and the dynamics of life within cities II Medical Anthropology – studies biological and socio-cultural factors that effect health or prevalence of illness or disease in human societies III Educational Anthropology – studies processes of learning of both formal education institutions and informal systems which can use story telling or experiential learning IV Economic Anthropology – studies how goods and services are produced, distributed and consumed within different cultural contexts V Psychological Anthropology – studies relationship between cultures and the psychological makeup of individuals belonging to them

Holistic and Integrative Approach

Cultural anthropologists consider influences of nature and nurture, across all locations and across different periods of time. When various specialties of the discipline are viewed together, they provide a comprehensive view of the human condition

A

Ethnocentrism – a belief that one’s own culture is not only the most desirable but also superior to that of others.

B

Cultural relativism – looks at the inherent logic behind different cultures and practices in the attempt to understand them

Cultural anthropology enhances understanding of differences and prevents oversimplified generalizations. It increases self-knowledge about our own thinking, values and behavior and helps develop cognitive complexity through integration (interconnectedness) and differentiation (different aspects of a singular

entity). Cultural anthropology is also useful in facilitating meaningful interaction with other cultures and sub-cultures.

Components: parts Paleontology: specialized branch of physical anthropology that analyses the emergence and subsequent evolution of human physiology Variation: degree of difference Archeology: sub field of anthropology that focuses on the study of pre-historic and historic cultures through the excavation of material remains. Contemporary: current Urban: city based Ethnocentrism: the practice of viewing the customs of other societies in terms of one’s own.

Lesson 02 THE CONCEPT OF CULTURE AND THE APPLICATION OF CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY

Examining Culture Culture is learned

Examining Culture

We began this course by defining anthropology and its various branches. We also looked at the chief duties of an anthropologist. In this session we will be taking a more detailed look at cultural anthropology and its application. We will also be dissecting the phenomena of culture and looking at the special functions of applied anthropology. Last but not least, as we all know all human occupations have their own set on ethical implications, in this lecture we will be analyzing what an anthropologist owes to their profession and to society at large.

Before we take a more in-depth look into cultural anthropology, we must take a moment to first define what exactly is meant by culture. In a non-scientific way culture refers to such personal refinements as classical music, the fine arts, cuisine, and philosophy. So an example of this theory, a person is considered more cultured if he listens to Bach rather than Ricky Martin or to make this example more nationalistic, a person is said to be cultured if he listens to Nusrat Fateh Ali rather than Abrar-ul-Haq. However anthropologists use this term in a much broader term than the average man. Anthropologists don’t differentiate between the cultured people and un-cultured people. All people have culture according to the anthropological definition.

We will define culture as every thing people have, think, and do as members of a society. This definition can be most useful since the three verbs correspond to the three major components of culture. That is, everything people have refers to material possessions, everything people think refers to the things they carry around in their heads, such as ideas, values, and attitudes; and everything people do refers too behavior patterns. Thus, all cultures compromise material objects, ideas, values, and attitudes; and patterned ways of behaving.

Just to give you better understanding of culture, let us look at some of its main attributes:

Culture includes everything that people have, think and do as members of a society. All people have a culture Culture comprises material objects; ideas, values and attitudes; and patterned ways of behaving Culture is a shared phenomenon

For a thing, behavior or idea to be classified as being cultural, its must have a meaning shared by most people in a society. Because people share a common culture, they are able to predict, with-in limits, how others will think and behave. Cultural influences are reinterpreted and thus do not yield uniform effects.

Culture is learned

One very important factor to remember about culture is that it’s learned. If we stop to think about it a loot of what we do during our waking hours is learned. Brushing our teeth, eating three times a day, attending school, tying our show laces, these are all actions that we had to learn and yet they are an integral part of our culture. While humans do have instincts, culture is not transmitted genetically. The process of learning culture is called enculturation, which is similar in process but differs in terms of content. Culture is necessary for our survival and effects how we think and act. People from the same culture can predict how others will react due to cultural conditioning.