Anthropology

Anthropology

The study of human culture (a social science)

Anthro

People

Logy

study of

Culture

The practices and ideologies of a group of people joined in community

Culture universals

Something that all cultures created
Ex. Architecture/shelter, economics, beauty standards, gender roles, jobs, beliefs about nature, art, teaching, morality, special dishes, clothing/dress, technology, music, etc.

Culture diversity

Variety within cultures
Ex. Religions, etc.

Ethnocentrism

Practice of viewing one's culture as central or superior

Ethno

Group of people, culture

Centr

center

Ism

practice of

Example of ethnocentrism and why it can be important

Roman Empire (helped them because of the confidence it gave the Romans)

It keeps the culture alive and gives confidence, but it starts trying to overrule other cultures (which is usually a negative thing)

Ethnography

Specific piece of culture and does not compare it; direct field of work, often immersive; descriptive; single view (one culture); holistic (sum is greater than parts: understand the whole culture by including as many aspects as possible)

Ethnology

Takes an element of a culture and compares to other cultures; often relies on the work of several ethnographers; analytical; comparative; usually looks at a specific element of culture across cultures

Anticipatory socialization

Something that people engage in to prepare for future life roles or expectations (ex. older people preparing for retirement)

Collective identity

Shared experiences based on the time-period the group lived (ex. gen Z going through Covid, people born in or after the 1990s find technology necessary)

Age stratification

Members of society are classified and have a social status associated with their age (ex. other generations thinking that gen Z is weak because we acknowledge mental health)

Sex

Biological differences

Gender

Cultural traits assigned to females and males

Gender socialization

Process we experience throughout our life associated with becoming a woman or man

Gender identity

An individual's self-concept of being a female or male and their association with feminine and masculine qualities

Gender stratification

Focuses on the unequal access females have to socially valued resources, power, prestige, and personal freedom as compared to men based on differing positions within the socio-cultural hierarchy

Gender inequality

Unfair treatment of a gender (often women), usually reinforced by media by its underrepresentation which shows that the opposite gender (usually men) is the standard

Sexuality

An inborn person's capacity for sexual feelings

Culture codes

Prescribe sexual behaviors as legal, normal, deviant, or pathological (ex. in the US, people have restrictive attitudes towards premarital sex, extramarital sex, and homosexuality compared to other nations)

Sexual orientation

A biological expression of sexual desire or attraction (culture sets the parameters for sexual norms and habits)

Dominant regional culture

Marginalizes those who do not possess or have the cultural characteristics of that geographic location

Social stigma

Society's effects that people face based on a condition or characteristic they have

Fitness-minded culture

Society views health and wellness as the norm and ideal life experience as well as perceiving those that have this as having a greater social status than those with an illness or health and body differences

Race

A label that has become part of society's culture with no justifiable evidence to support differences in physical appearance substantiate that there are a variety of human species

Ethnicity

Refers to the cultural characteristics related to ancestry and heritage and describes shared culture such as group practices, values, and beliefs

Minority groups

People who receive unequal treatment and discrimination based on social categories (like gender, sexuality, race and ethnicity, religious beliefs, or class)

There are seven intergroup relations between dominant and minority groups influencing not only the racial and ethnic identity of people but also opportunities and barriers each will experience through social interactions

Genocide, population transfer, internal colonialism, segregation, assimilation, multiculturalism, and pluralism

Genocide

Attempts to destroy a group of people because their race or ethnicity. "Labelling the targeted group as inferior or even less than fully human facilitates this

Population transfer

Moves or expels a minority group of people through direct or indirect transfer. Indirect transfer forces people to leave by making living condition unbearable, whereas, direct transfer literally expels minorities by force

Internal colonialism

Refers to a country's dominant group exploiting the minority for economic advantage. It generally accompanies segregation

Segregation

Minority groups live physically separate from the dominant group by law

Assimilation

The process in which a minority group assumes the attitude and the language of the dominant or the mainstream culture. An individual or group gives up its identity by taking on the characteristics of the dominant culture. When minorities assimilate by force to dominant ideologies and practices, they can no longer practice their own religion, speak their own language, or follow their own customs

Multiculturalism

The most accepting intergroup relationship between dominant and minority groups; it encourages variation and diversity. It promotes affirmation and practice of ethnic traditions while socializing individuals into the dominant culture. This model works well in diverse societies comprised of a variety of cultural groups and a political system supporting freedom of expression

Pluralism

A mixture of cultures where each retains its own identity. Groups exist separately and equally while working together such as through economic interdependence where each group fills a different societal niche then exchanges activities or services for the sustainability and survival of all. Both the multicultural and pluralism models stress interactions and contributions to their society by all ethnic groups

Racism

Occurs when discrimination centers on a race

Individual discrimination

Unfair treatment directed against someone

Institutional discrimination

Negative systematic treatment of individuals by society through education, government, economy, healthcare, etc.

Informal religion

Someone who participates in this may or may not be member of an organized religious group and experiencing a communal spirit, solidarity, and togetherness through shared experience

Formal/institutional religion

Someone who participates in this is a member of an organized religious group who attends religious services and practices rituals

Scarcity of salvation

Not enough salvation to go around, people were selling indulgences

Socio-economic status

Something that influences someone's personal or social identity (ex. wealth, net worth, etc)

Power

The ability to influence others directly or indirectly, and prestige is the esteem or respect associated with the social status

Social stratification

A ranking that creates inequality in society and determines one's social position in areas such as income, education, and occupation

Meritocracy

Social ideal or value, but no society exists where the determination of social rank is purely based on merit

Intersectionality

An analytical framework (a way of understanding) for understanding how the combination of different aspects of social and political identities combine to create different modes of discrimination and privilege (affects experience)

Privilege

Advantages that people with certain characteristics can get while people without them cannot