Anthropology basics

Part 1

What is anthropology

The study of the biological and cultural unity and diversity of humankind, past and present, throughout time and space.

• developed as a scientific field in the U.S in the 19th century

Four main subfields of anthropology

• cultural/sociocultural

• archaeology

• linguistic

• biological

What are the 2 dimensions of Cultural/Sociocultural Anthropology

ethnography and ethnology

anthropology

• Culture and Communities

• Cultural groups around the globe

• Holistic understanding of humans across time and space

• Immersive, local data collection methods

• Emphasis on qualitative research, but not exclusively

• solutions must attend to cultural relative understanding

Archaeology

• Focus on material remains

• Rather than observing human behavior directly, reconstruct culture through physical, tangible remains (“material culture”)

• E.g., Rathje’s garbology: insights into “ideal” versus “real” culture

Rathje’s garbology: insights into “ideal” versus “real” culture

• insights into “ideal” versus “real” culture

• gather data about alcohl consumption → asking questions about alcohol comsumption then digged through the garbage

• numbers were usally bigger than what people were saying

Linguistic Anthropology

• Grammar, sound, and meaning in language

• Historical linguistics: ancient languages and linguistic variation through time

• Sociolinguistics: how language and culture/social organization and behavior interact and intertwine

Biological Anthropology 5 main interests

• human evolution

• human genetics

• human growth and development

• human biological plasticity (malleability)

• primatology

What is a 5th subdiscipline of anthropology

applied anthropology

• action-oriented

• problem- solving

• collaborative

comparative perspective

An approach in anthropology that examines cultural differences and similarities across societies to understand human behavior and social practices it

• makes cultures visible.

• embraces a cross-culture perspective, deep appreciation for human diversity

Holistic/ holism perspective

“ systems” perspective (everyhting is interelated)

cultural relativism

a core concept that encourages researchers to understand and respect cultural differences without judgement. It's based on the idea that all cultures have their own values and practices, and that these practices make sense within their own cultural context

Ethnocentrism

tendency to view other cultures only in relation to one’s own and them make judgements based on that point of view.

ethnology

the study of the characteristics of various peoples and the differences and relationships between them.

systems thinking

a way of studying society as a complex system by looking at how its parts interact. It's a holistic approach that emphasizes the relationships between parts of a system

culture shock

“the feeling of disorientation experienced by someone who is suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture”