Sociocultural Anthropology 111 ~ one World many Peoples Textbook Notes

Culture

A shared system of meanings, values, beliefs, norms, and practices about experience, which is learned and passed across generations.

Sociocultural Anthropology

A comparative and holistic study of societies and cultures globally, focusing on social structures and cultural practices.

Biological Anthropology

Focuses on human and primate evolution, biological variation, and health, including sub-fields like primatology and forensic anthropology.

Archaeology

Studies human history and prehistory through excavation and analysis of artifacts to reconstruct past societies.

Linguistic Anthropology

Studies the relationship between language and culture, including communication structure and its influence on social identity.

Ethnographic Fieldwork

Immersion in a community to observe and interact for a deeper understanding of culture.

Qualitative Research

Research methods designed to explore complex phenomena rather than measure them.

Quantitative Research

Research methods that involve the generation of statistical data.

Rapport

A feeling of affinity and friendship between anthropologist and informant.

Emic Perspective

The insider's perspective on a culture.

Etic Perspective

The outsider's perspective on a culture.

Representation

The way a group is depicted in writing or images.

Salvage Anthropology

A 19th-century approach documenting the cultural practices of indigenous peoples at risk of extinction.

Ethnography

A written description and analysis of a cultural group, usually based on fieldwork.

Culture Shock

Disorientation experienced when adjusting to a new cultural environment.

Informed Consent

The process ensuring research participants understand study goals and give permission to participate.

Essentialism

Creating generalizations or stereotypes about a group's culture or behavior.

Armchair Anthropology

An outdated approach relying on secondary sources rather than direct fieldwork.

Culture Change

Alteration in meanings and ways of life, often driven by internal or external factors.

Bands

Small, egalitarian social units, usually consisting of 25 to 50 individuals.

Foragers

Societies that sustain themselves by hunting, gathering, and fishing.

Sedentary

Living in permanent or semi-permanent settlements.

Slash-and-burn Agriculture

A method of clearing land by cutting vegetation and burning it to prepare for crops.

Clans

Unilineal descent groups claiming a common ancestor.

States

Complex societies with centralized political control and bureaucratic structures.

Irrigation Agriculture

Cultivation using artificial water systems for delivering water to plants.

Natural Selection

Darwin's concept that species survive and adapt based on advantageous traits.

Unilineal Evolution

The theory that societies progress through a fixed sequence of stages.

Ethnocentrism

The tendency to view one's own culture as superior.

Cultural Relativism

Understanding beliefs and activities in terms of one's own culture.

Symbolism

The study of how objects or actions represent meaning in a cultural context.

Shared Meaning Systems

Collective interpretations used by people to make sense of the world.

Worldviews

Comprehensive understandings of the world reflecting cultural perspectives.

Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis

Theory that language structure affects thought and worldview.

Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS)

Local knowledge held by indigenous communities, developed over generations.

Kinship

The system of social relationships connecting people through descent and marriage.

Descent Systems

Rules by which ancestry and group membership are traced.

Marriage

A socially sanctioned union that includes mutual rights and obligations.

Family

A group of people connected by blood, marriage, or shared residence.

Patrilocal Residence

Couples living with the husband's parents after marriage.

Matrilocal Residence

Couples living with the wife's parents after marriage.

Neolocal Residence

Couples establishing a new, independent household.

Age Sets

Groups formed of individuals initiated into adulthood at the same time.

Social Construction of Gender and Sexuality

The idea that gender and sexuality are shaped by cultural norms and historical contexts.

Self

An individual's awareness of their own being and experiences.

Social Identity

Part of self-concept derived from group membership.

Ascribed Status

Social position assigned at birth or involuntarily later in life.

Achieved Status

Social position obtained through one’s own efforts.

Ethnicity

Social group category based on common cultural heritage.

Race (as a Social Construct)

The classification of people based on perceived physical differences.

Nationality

Status of belonging to a particular nation-state.

Gender Identity

An individual’s internal sense of their gender.

Sexuality

An individual’s sexual orientation and capacity for attraction.

Intersectionality

The framework for understanding how social identifiers combine to create unique experiences.

Identity Politics

Political movements based on shared experiences of injustice among particular social groups.

Status

Recognized social position carrying specific rights and duties.

Class

A system of social stratification based on economic factors.

Caste

A rigid system of social stratification associated with birth.

Social Stratification

Hierarchical division of society into layers based on unequal resource distribution.

Power

The ability to influence others' behavior or achieve goals.

Prestige

The high esteem or respect accorded to individuals or groups.

Marginalization

The process of pushing certain groups to the fringes of society.

Systems of Oppression

Interlocking systems maintaining inequality by denying rights to certain groups.

Maintenance of Hierarchies

Mechanisms that perpetuate existing social structures and inequalities.

Conflict Resolution

Methods facilitating the peaceful ending of conflict.

Peacemaking

The process of establishing or restoring harmony after conflict.

Warfare

Organized armed conflict between political communities.

Restorative Justice

An approach emphasizing repair of harm caused by crime.

Mediation

A neutral third party facilitating dispute resolution.

Adjudication

Formal resolution of disputes by an impartial third party.

Non-Violent Resistance

Achieving goals through peaceful protests or civil disobedience.

Role of Rituals in Conflict Management

Structured actions used to address and resolve conflicts within a culture.