Anthro 9 Key Concepts

Identity

Identity can refer either to the individual’s private and personal view of the

self or to how one is perceived by others within social and cultural contexts.

Culture

culture refers to organized systems of concepts such as symbols, beliefs, values that make up societies and who people are.

Symbolism

The way in which people link objects, actions, processes or images to ideas creating a variety of symbols which mean different things to different cultures. The symbols can depict different meanings that can be explicit or implicit 

Social relations

The often complex and diverse relationships between 2 or more individuals in a network of relationships.

Belief and knowledge

Convictions, viewpoints, and values that are considered “the truth” and are shared by members of a social group. Sometimes coming from known cultural experience.

Change

The alteration or modification of cultural or social elements in a society. Change may be due to internal dynamics within a society or the result of contact with another, or the result of globalisation

Power

a person or group’s ability to greatly influence manipulate or control others and resources.  

Materiality

Objects, resources and belongings have cultural meaning.

Society

the way in which humans organize themselves in groups and networks. Society is created and sustained by social relationships among persons and groups