Primates, Anthropology, and Race: Key Concepts and Differences

5 key primate qualities

Grasping hands/feet, forward-facing eyes, sociality, large brains, parental investment.

Where do primates live?

Primates live worldwide in tropical/subtropical zones; apes live in Africa and Southeast Asia.

Strepsirrhines vs. Haplorrhines

Strepsirrhines (lemurs, lorises): small, nocturnal, arboreal, smell-focused, small brain/body ratio. Haplorrhines (monkeys & apes): larger, vision-focused, arboreal/terrestrial, larger brain/body ratio.

Old World Monkeys vs. New World Monkeys

New World: Americas, smaller, arboreal, prehensile tails. Old World: Africa/Asia, larger, diurnal, often terrestrial, sitting pads.

Nocturnal vs. Diurnal

Nocturnal = night-active; Diurnal = day-active.

Homology vs. Analogy

Homology = shared ancestry; Analogy = similar traits w/o shared ancestry (convergent evolution).

Chimpanzee traits

Hierarchies, male-dominated, territorial, violent, warfare/conquest tendencies, use tools.

Bonobo traits

Peaceful, female power, non-reproductive sex for conflict avoidance, prosocial, tool use.

Differences between chimps and bonobos

Chimps = hierarchy, aggression; Bonobos = cooperation, sex as conflict resolution, more egalitarian.

Brachiation, Knuckle-Walking, Bipedalism

Brachiation = arm swinging; Knuckle-walking = quadrupedal on knuckles; Bipedalism = upright walking.

What does 'anthropology' mean?

From Greek: Anthropos = humankind, Logos = word/story.

What makes anthropology holistic and comparative?

It studies humans across time, cultures, and biology, comparing across groups.

Four subfields of anthropology

Archaeological, Biological, Linguistic, Sociocultural.

What makes humans unique?

Language, abstract thought/representation, technological innovation.

Define culture

Taken-for-granted rules, norms, morals, and behaviors of a social group.

Seven basic elements of culture

Learned, uses symbols, dynamic, integrated, shapes lives, shared, gives norms/'right' ways.

Enculturation

Process of learning social rules & cultural logic of a society.

Cultural universals vs. generalities vs. particularities

Universals = all cultures; Generalities = most cultures; Particularities = unique.

Ethnocentrism vs. Cultural Relativism

Ethnocentrism = judging others by one's own culture; Cultural relativism = understanding on their own terms.

What is participant observation?

Immersing in and observing daily life, taking field notes.

Semi-structured interviews

Pre-written, open-ended questions allowing guided flexibility.

Emic vs. Etic perspectives

Emic = insider's view; Etic = outsider's analytical view. Both are useful.

Thick description (3 components)

Relevant detail, cultural context (emic), scholarly analysis (etic).

Rapport - best ways to build it

Joining in, multiple engagement opportunities, balancing questions with open observation.

Define culture shock

Anxiety/panic from loss of familiar cues & rapid disorientation.

Anxiety

Panic from loss of familiar cues & rapid disorientation.

Ethics in anthropology

Protect interlocutors, ensure informed consent, avoid harm, collaborate.

Tuskegee Syphilis Study

No informed consent; participants denied treatment.

Stanford Prison Experiment

Psychological harm from simulated prison environment.

Species

Group that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.

Great chain of being

Hierarchical ranking of species, assumed fixity. Contradicted by evolution.

Darwin & Wallace's contribution

Proposed natural selection as mechanism for evolution.

Adaptation

Traits that improve survival/reproduction.

Modern Synthesis

Combination of genetics & evolution (mutation, natural selection, gene flow, drift).

Mutation

DNA change.

Natural Selection

Traits selected for/against.

Gene Flow

Exchange between populations.

Genetic Drift

Random change in small populations.

Biocultural

Intersection of biology and culture in human evolution.

Human genetic uniformity

99.9% shared genetic material; most variation within populations, not between.

Phenotype

Observable traits.

Genotype

Genetic makeup.

Skin color variation & adaptation

Related to melanin, UV radiation, and Vitamin D absorption.

Ethnicity

Group identity based on shared culture, history, kinship, language.

Race

Social construction linking traits to ancestry; implies biological division; hierarchy based on physical differences.

Difference between race & ethnicity

Ethnicity = shared culture/history; Race = hierarchical system tied to physical traits.

Audrey Smedley's argument about race

Biological race not supported by science, but race is socially real.

Three things race is not

Not biological, not universal, not ahistorical.

Intersectionality

Overlap of identities (race, gender, class, etc.) shaping experiences.

Assimilation vs. Multiculturalism

Assimilation = adopting dominant culture, erasing differences; Multiculturalism = coexistence of distinct cultures.

De facto vs. de jure racism

De jure = by law; De facto = in practice, without legal enforcement.

Jamestown founded when?

1607, Virginia Company of London.

Point Comfort, 1619 significance

First arrival of enslaved Africans to English America.

Angela

Enslaved woman at Jamestown; archaeological excavation provides insight into enslaved lives.

Indentured servitude vs. enslavement

Indenture = temporary, contractual; Enslavement = permanent, inherited, involuntary.

Bacon's Rebellion impact on race

Led elites to harden racial divisions to prevent multiracial alliances.

Redlining vs. Blockbusting

Redlining = denial of loans to certain areas; Blockbusting = instilling fear to drive white flight & profit off resales.

FHA & GI Bill impact

Expanded white middle class but discriminated against Black families.

Alexander's main point about race

Systems of racial control evolve (slavery → Jim Crow → mass incarceration).