Anthropology 490 - Human-Environment Dynamics

Flashcards covering key concepts from ANTH 490, focusing on human-environment relationships in anthropology.

Anthropology

The study of the human condition, including aspects of past, present, and future.

Cultural Ecology

Examines how cultures adapt to specific environmental conditions, focusing on technology, subsistence systems, and social organization.

Political Ecology

Analyzes how environmental issues are shaped by power dynamics, inequality, and global economic forces.

Ethnoecology

Studies how different cultures perceive and interact with their natural environments.

Historical Ecology

Views landscapes as products of long-term interactions between human societies and ecological systems.

Phenomenology of Landscape

Considers how humans perceive and experience their environments through their bodies.

Ontological Connections

Explores how different cultures conceptualize what the environment is, moving away from Western dualism.

Cosmology

The study of the universe and how meanings, myths, and beliefs shape human relationships with nature.

Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)

Indigenous knowledge systems that generate ecological insights through observation and practice.

Multispecies Ethnography

Explores human relationships with various life forms, emphasizing interconnectedness and shared existence.

Environmental Ethics and Relationality

Studies reciprocity, obligation, and responsibility toward land in various cultural contexts.

Cultural Models of Nature

Explores how societies categorize and evaluate environments, influencing behavior and relationships.

Environmental Anthropology of Risk, Disaster, & Resilience

Examines how communities understand and respond to environmental hazards and challenges.

The Anthropology of Infrastructure

Studies how infrastructures like roads and dams influence human-environment interactions.

Spiritual Ecology

Intersections of religious beliefs, rituals, and ecological stewardship.

Material Culture

How people transform natural materials into meaningful objects and understand their significance.

Environmental Memory

How memories are embedded in landscapes and how these are disrupted by displacement or climate change.

Environmental Justice

Focuses on the intersection of ecological issues with race, class, and structural inequality.

Medical Ecology

Examines how environmental conditions affect human health outcomes.

Energy Anthropology

Studies how societies conceptualize and use energy forms, focusing on cultural transitions.

The Anthropocene

A term describing the current geological epoch viewed as shaped by human impact on Earth.

Extractionist Ideals

The concept of dominating and controlling land/nature often compared to patriarchal structures.

Eco-Somatics

Focuses on embodied experiences and sensory interactions with nature.