ANT-110 FINAL EXAM - flashcards

affinal kin

relatives by marriage

bilateral descent

system of descent under which individuals are equally affiliated with their mother’s and father’s descent group

consanguineal

describes relations by descent

exogamy

a rule specifying that a person must marry outside of a particular group

inheritance

the transfer of property between generations

kinship

a culturally defined relationship established on the basis of descent ties or formed through marriage

matrilineal descent

a rule that affiliates a person to kin of both sexes through females only

matrilocal (residence)

a system of residence in which a husband lives with or near his wife’s kin after marriage

patrilineal descent

a rule that affiliates a person to kin of both sexes through males only

patrilocal (residence)

a system of residence in which the bride and her children live with her husband’s family after marriage

unilineal descent

descent group membership based on links through either the maternal or the paternal line, but not both

kinship charts

visual representations that outline the relationships between individuals and families, illustrating connections such as descent, marriage, and familial ties

"Meet the Patels"

Ravi Patel’s documentary film exploring his Indian-American identity, cultural expectations, and the pressures of arranged marriage, specifically as they pertain to family relationships and the lives of immigrant families

arranged marriage

the process by which senior family members exercise a great degree of control over the choice of their children’s spouses

love marriage

a union where the individuals choose their partners based on romantic love and personal attraction rather than through arrangements made by family members or adherence to cultural norms

bridewealth

goods presented by the groom’s kin to the bride’s kin to legitimize a marriage (a.k.a. “bride price”)

dowry

presentation of goods by the bride’s kin to the family of the groom or to the couple

endogamy

a rule prescribing that a person must marry within a particular group

fraternal polyandry

a custom whereby a woman marries a man and his brothers

hypergamy

marrying into a higher or equal social group, increasing one’s own social status

marriage

the customs, rules, and obligations that establish a socially endorsed relationship between adults and children as well as between the kin groups of the marriage partners

monogamy

a rule that limits a person to be married to only one spouse at a time

neolocal residence

system under which a couple establishes an independent household after marriage

nuclear family

a family organized around the conjugal tie (the relationship between husband and wife) and consisting of a husband, a wife, and their children

polyandry

a rule permitting a woman to have more than one husband at a time

polygamy

a rule allowing more than one spouse

polygyny

a rule permitting a man to have more than one wife at a time

Hannaford; "The Appeal of Absent Husbands"

an anthropological account of the Senegalese phenomenon of absent husbands, created by migration, work, etc., that affects power distributions within the household; includes how families adapt to the absence, the emotional and psychological impacts on both partners, and the social advantages or disadvantages that may arise from such arrangements

two-spirit

an alternative gender role in native North America (formerly called “berdache”)

gender

a cultural construction that makes biological and physical differences between male and female into socially meaningful categories

gender hierarchy

the ways in which gendered activities and attributes are differentially valued and related to the distribution of resources, prestige, and power in a society

gender ideology

the totality of idea about sex, gender, and the natures of men and women within a culture

gender roles

behaviors that societies consider appropriate for people of different sexes

hijra

an alternative gender role in India conceptualized as neither man nor woman

initiation rituals

ceremonial events or rites that mark an individual’s transition from one stage of life to another, often signifying their entry into a particular social group, community, or cultural identity

private/public dichotomy

a gender system in which women’s status is lowered by their almost exclusive cultural identification with the home and children, whereas men are identified with public, prestigious, economic, and political roles

sex

the biological difference between male and female

sexuality

relating to the realm of erotic desire, passion, and pleasure

toms and dees

distinct identities within some subcultures of Thailand, involving the romantic pairing/partnership of female individuals who adopt more masculine traits, behaviors, and roles (toms) and other female individuals who assume more traditionally feminine roles and characteristics (dees); the relationship dynamics between these two reflects broader themes of gender performance, and societal norms, allowing for a less binary view of gender expression

bissu

a recognized gender identity within the Bugis culture of Indonesia, traditionally regarded as a third gender; characterized by a blend of masculine and feminine traits; believed to possess unique spiritual powers, often serving as intermediaries between the human world and the spiritual realm; highly respected and hold positions of significance, as they are thought to bring balance and harmony to the community

Margaret Mead; "Sex and Temperament"

an exploration of how different cultures construct gender roles and traits, challenging the notion that characteristics such as aggression, nurturing, or passivity are biologically predetermined; three societies studied in Papua New Guinea; highlighted that gender is a cultural construct influenced by the norms and values of each society, allowing researchers to understand gender as a social rather than purely biological dimension

Graham; “It’s like one of those puzzles”

an anthropological account examining the unique gender system of the Bugis people of South Sulawesi, Indonesia; explores the Bugis concept of gender as fluid, with distinct alternative gender categories—the bissu (a third-gender group with spiritual significance), calabai (men who take on feminine roles), and calalai (women who take on masculine roles); discusses how these categories challenge Western, binary notions of gender

six features of religion

1) have stories that members believe are important

2) make extensive use of symbols and symbolism

3) propose the existence of non-empirical beings, powers, states, places, qualities, etc.

4) include rituals and specific means of addressing the supernatural

5) have experts in the practice of religion

6) are subject to change

animism

the notion that all objects, living and nonliving, are imbued with spirits

contagious magic

the belief that things once in contact with a person or object retain an invisible connection with that person or object

communitas

a state of perceived solidarity, equality, and unity among people sharing a religious ritual, often characterized by intense emotion

fetish

an object or material that holds significant symbolic meaning (or sexual attraction) for an individual

god

a named spirit who is believed to have created or to control some aspect of the world

imitative magic

the belief that imitating an action in a religious ritual will cause the action to happen in the material world

master symbol

a central concept or image within a culture that encapsulates shared meanings and values, serving as a focal point around which social beliefs and practices can be organized

magic

an attempt to mechanistically control supernatural forces; the belief that certain words, actions, and states of mind compel the supernatural to behave in predictable ways

monotheism

belief in a single god

myths

sacred stories or narratives

polytheism

belief in many gods

prayer

any communication between people and spirits or gods in which people praise, plead, or request without assurance of results

priest

one who is formally elected or appointed to a full-time religious office

religion

a social institution characterized by sacred stories; symbols and symbolism; the proposed existence of immeasurable beings powers, states, places, and qualities; rituals and means of addressing the supernatural; specific practitioners; and change

rites of intensification

rituals structured to reinforce the values and norms of a community or the strengthen group identity

rite of passage

a ritual that marks a person’s transition from one status to another

rituals

formalized, structured sequences of actions or ceremonies that are performed in specific contexts, often imbued with symbolic meaning and cultural significance

sacred narratives

stories held to be holy and true by members of a religious tradition

sacrifice

an offering made to increase the efficacy of a prayer or the religious purity of an individual

shaman

an individual who is socially recognized as having the ability to mediate between the world of humanity and the world of gods or spirits but who is not a recognized official of any religious organization

sorcery

the conscious and intention use of magic

syncretism

the merging of elements of two or more religious traditions to produce a new religion

taboo

a social or cultural prohibition against a particular practice, behavior, or discussion, often based on moral judgments, religious beliefs, or societal norms

witchcraft

the ability to harm others by harboring malevolent thoughts about them; the practice of sorcery

Wolf; “Virgin of Guadalupe”

an anthropological piece examining the cultural and social significance of the Virgin of Guadalupe, a key icon in Mexican and Mexican-American culture; analyzes how the Virgin, originally associated with the Catholic Church, has become a powerful symbol of identity, resistance, and cultural continuity among the Mexican people, especially during times of social change and upheaval; describes the Virgin as a symbol of hope, compassion, and maternal protection

Gmelch; “Baseball Magic”

an anthropological account of rituals, superstitions, and beliefs that surround the game of baseball; examines how players engage in various forms of 'magic' to influence outcomes and enhance their performance, highlighting the intersection of sport and spirituality; identifies specific rituals, such as wearing lucky items, practicing pre-game routines, and performing certain actions to appease good luck or ward off bad luck; argues that rituals serve essential psychological functions for players, providing them with a sense of control and comfort in a relatively unpredictable sport

Death Practices in Toraja

the postmortem practices and funerary rites of a subculture of Indonesia, categorized by intricate death rituals, including: keeping the mummified remains, regularly exhuming the remains to clean and care for them, opening the coffins of long departed relatives for a family reunion, performing warrior dances at large funerals, separating life and death rituals for fear of unwanted combination, and believing that the deceased are not truly dead but are rather "sick" and slowly beginning their journey to the afterlife

globalization

culture is best analyzed as the global flow of identity, symbolism, money, and information

multinational corporation (MNC)

a corporation that owns business enterprises or plants in more than one nation

demographic transition

the tendency for family size and fertility to decline as societies transition from majorities that are poor and rural to majorities that have more wealth and are urban

sweatshop

generally, a pejorative term for factories with working conditions that may include low wages, long hours, inadequate ventilation, and/or physical, mental, or sexual abuse

urbanization

the process by which more people move from rural areas to cities, leading to the growth of urban areas

China’s one-child policy

a population control measure implemented by the Chinese government in 1979 to limit most urban families to having only one child; aimed to reduce China's rapidly growing population and alleviate economic and environmental pressures

"Big Mac Attack" and "Globalization of Sushi" readings

1: explores the globalization of fast food, focusing on how McDonald's has spread worldwide and adapted to different cultural contexts; examines the cultural, economic, and social effects of McDonald's global expansion, whether it represents cultural homogenization or the blending of global and local influences

2: explores how sushi, a traditional Japanese food, has become a global culinary phenomenon; discusses how sushi has been adapted internationally and considers the implications of this global spread, including the commercial and cultural shifts that occur when a local food tradition is embraced worldwide

Hansen; “Helping or Hindering?”

explores the complex dynamics of the global second-hand clothing trade, whether this trade benefits or harms developing countries, considering arguments for and against it; covers arguments from providing affordable clothing and supporting local economies, to undermining local textile industries, creating dependency on international trade, and contributing to environmental harm

"India Calling"

a 2005 documentary that explores the rise of India's call center industry and its impact on the global economy, particularly the outsourcing of customer service jobs; highlights the lives of Indian call center workers, their experiences with Western corporate culture, and the cultural shifts occurring in India as a result of globalization

major subfields of anthropology

• biological anthropology

• linguistic anthropology

• archaeology

• cultural anthropology

ethnocentrism

judging other cultures from the perspective of one’s own culture; the notion that one’s own culture is more beautiful, rational, and nearer to perfection than any other

cultural relativism

the notion that cultures should be analyzed with reference to their own histories and values, in terms of the cultural whole, rather than according to the values of another culture

culture shock

feelings of alienation and helplessness that result from rapid immersion in a new and different culture

ethnography

the major research tool of cultural anthropology; includes both fieldwork among people in society and the written results of fieldwork

participant observation

the fieldwork technique that involves gathering cultural data by observing people’s behavior and participating in their lives

Franz Boas

founding father of American anthropology; supported a diverse range of students (i.e., women, ethnic minorities, etc.); developed participant observation strategies; a strong proponent of cultural relativism

Bronislaw Malinowski

worked mainly in tribal islands of Papua New Guinea; strong proponent of participant observation; main goal of obtaining the native’s point of view by living among them; upheld functionalism within these social communities

Margaret Mead

worked mainly in Samoa (& South Pacific); a “public intellectual” in the US; early pioneer in ethnographic filmmaking; themes of adolescence and sexuality in research; believed in making work accessible to the average American

culture

the shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and artifacts that characterize a group or society; includes language, traditions, art, food, religion, and social practices, and shapes how individuals interact with each other and their environment; is learned, passed down through generations, and constantly evolves