Cultural Anthropology Final Study Guide

Flashcards covering medical anthropology, globalization, cultural flows, and the modernization of Chinese society and psychology.

What do medical anthropologists study? What are their focus and basic premises? How do they view the relationship between culture, biomedicine, and other healing systems?

• study of the intersection of culture, health, and medicine

• focusing on how health and illness are influenced by cultural beliefs, behaviors, and social structures

• basic premises include the idea that health and illness are not just biological conditions but are also deeply embedded in social and cultural contexts

• View relationship as complex and interwoven;

  explore how different cultural groups perceive and engage with various forms of healthcare &

  look at ways in which social inequalities and power dynamics impact health outcomes

According to Fadiman, what are the major cultural differences/conflicts in understanding and treating Lia’s epilepsy? Is a middle way or a compromised approach possible in your view? Why or why not? How is unequal power relationship articulated in Lia’s medical journey? (Discuss three examples from the book) What important lessons have you learned from Fadiman’s book?

Quag dab peg

A Hmong term meaning "the spirit catches you and you fall down," used to describe epilepsy as a condition caused by a wandering soul.

Cultural Competence

A value in healthcare emphasized by Fadiman that requires communication, cultural understanding, and considering the patient's perspective to bridge cultural divides.

Hmong Refugee Exodus

The mass flight of Hmong people from Laos following the Vietnam War because the communist government viewed them as enemies for allying with the United States.

Globalization

The process by which businesses or organizations develop international influence, resulting in increased interconnectedness and interdependence of world economies, cultures, and populations.

Localization

The process of adapting a product or content to a specific locale or market, involving deep cultural and contextual adaptation beyond simple translation.

Liberalization of Trade

The reduction of trade barriers like tariffs and quotas through international agreements and organizations like the WTO to facilitate global trade.

Labor Exploitation

A cost of globalization noted in the film The True Cost, where companies outsource production to countries with lower wages and poor working conditions to minimize costs.

Cultural Homogenization

The concern that globalization leads to a loss of cultural diversity as global brands and Western lifestyles are promoted over local traditions and identities.

Ethnoscapes

One of Arjun Appadurai's five dimensions, referring to the movement of people across cultures and borders, including migrants, tourists, and refugees.

Technoscapes

The global configuration of technology that moves at high speeds across previously impervious boundaries.

Financescapes

The rapid disposition of global capital and the fluctuating landscapes of financial markets and exchanges.

Mediascapes

The distribution of electronic capabilities to produce and disseminate information through newspapers, television, and film available to global audiences.

Ideoscapes

Global cultural flows consisting of state ideologies or counter-ideologies of movements, often rooted in the Enlightenment worldview.

Global Cities

Also known as world or alpha cities, these are urban centers that serve as economic powerhouses, cultural centers, and hubs for international organizations and transportation.

Global Disconnect

James Ferguson's concept describing how certain regions are integrated into the global economy through resources but marginalized and excluded from its benefits.

Abjection

In the context of Zambia's Copperbelt, the state of being marginalized and existing on the periphery of the global economy in conditions of poverty despite resource wealth.

Anxious Society

Li Zhang's description of modern China, triggered by rapid socioeconomic changes, competitive education, job market pressures, and a perceived moral crisis.

Bentuhua

The localization or indigenization process of making global ideas and practices, such as psychotherapy, fit into the local Chinese cultural context.

Satir Model

A family therapy model adapted by Chinese therapists to emphasize the collective and familial aspects of culture, focusing on communication within the family structure.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

A form of psychotherapy focused on changing negative thought patterns, modified in China to potentially integrate elements of traditional "thought work."

Sandplay Therapy

A Jungian-influenced therapy using scenes in a sandbox, which resonates with Chinese culture's value for non-verbal expression and symbolic language.

Therapeutic Governing

The appropriation of psychotherapeutic techniques by organizations like the military or police to manage personnel, aiming for psychological well-being and social stability.

Therapeutic Self

A sense of self emerging in China that emphasizes personal reflection and social embeddedness, combining psyche management with physical activities for holistic health.

Ziwo

The Chinese notion of self, which involves a complex relationship between individual needs and social obligations.

Extractive Economy

An economic system, discussed by James Smith in relation to coltan mining in the DRC, often associated with environmental destruction, labor exploitation, and armed conflict.

Coltan

A mineral essential for producing tantalum used in cell phones and electronics, the mining of which is linked to cycles of violence and poverty in the DRC.