Anthropology 101 Midterm Review

Four field approach

cultural, linguistic, archaeology, biological anthropology combined to create the AMERICAN tradition of anthropology

The Enlightenment

intellectual, philosophical, and scientific movement of ideas in 18th century Europe

defined by skepticism, rationality, & empiricism

empiricism

prioritization of knowledge based on first hand experience

1. empirical evidence
2. rational observation
3. conclusions over time

cultural anthropology

studies cultures and people within them

focuses on contemporary cultural systems, variation, and human behavior

linguistic anthropology

studies how language influences social life

attempts to explain linguistic variation, meaning, and relationships between languages and societies

archaeology

studies humanity and cultures of the past

accompanied with recovery, analysis, and interpretation of material culture

biological anthropology

studies humans of biological species

1. examines biological, behavioral, ecological traits of humans and hominids

Anthropology

the study of being human

skepticism

no longer relies on faith/assumption

rationality

idea that all people are rational and make decisions in accordance with logical ideas

culture

ideas and behaviors that are learned and transmitted

1. culture is learned
2. culture is never static

sociology

gathering information about humans and finding patterns

armchair anthropology

scholars researching anthropological conclusions based on the written accounts of others

Bronislaw Malinowski

(1884-1942) traveled to the Tribune Islands and discovered the Kula ring... trapped there for four years and forced to undergo participatory research

Methodology

system of methods used for investigation

fieldwork

methodology of first hand observation in non controlled environment

participant observation

methodology of directly participating in everyday lives of people one studies

colonialism

the policy and practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it, and exploiting it

ethnography

written account of anthropology narratives and data

Journal article

shorter article published in themes (under ethnography)

book chapters

shorter chapters by different researches centralized around a topic (under ethnography)

ethnocentricism

regarding one's own culture as inherently superior to another

cultural relevatism

not imposing one's values on another culture

interpreting the aspects of culture according to its own point of view

reflexivity

1. ability to view one's own culture OBJECTIVELY
2. accounting for the actions and perspective of oneself in anthropological fieldwork and subsequent findings

participants

individuals being studied in anthropological research

informed consent

documented approval by participants being studied
1. provide information about goals, method, use, rights
2. inform that participants can withdraw
3. protection for participants and researchers and institutions

sectarianism

excessive attachment to a particular sect or party, especially in religion.

social structure

the features of a society supported by culture

(symbols, languages, hierarchy, kinship, myth)

functionalism

all aspects of society have a function and serve a purpose within social structure

(the functional aspect of symbols everywhere)

symbols

something used to represent an idea or an object

1. multi-level meanings
2. often abstract
3. often important in function function and interpretation of rituals
4. often signify relationships

public symbols

symbols shared and meaningful for all members of a particular group

sign

signifies a direct one-to-one correlation between sign and meaning

semiotics

study of symbols

boundaries

physical and imagined differences

(legal, sacred, local, natural)

taboo

an action, object, or quality that is restricted and or forbidden in a specific cultural context
1. culturally reinforced
2. classifying and delineating
3. breaking it can be POWERFUL
4. change over time
5. flexible term

routine

a repeated action that has one dimensional meaning

ritual

ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a culturally prescribed order

1. symbolic actions and multilevel meanings
2. participants have little choice about actions and structure of the ritual (and sometimes participation)
3. culturally constructed and reinforced

calendrical rituals

take place at specific times of year often for the care and maintenance of the whole society

Communitas

group solidarity

critical rituals

occur to mark an important time within someone's life

sacred rituals

connected with spiritual matters

secular rituals

pertaining to non-spiritual matters

Liminoid phase/period

period of ritual play during which normal rules of conduct are suspended

1. has qualities of rites of passage and liminal phase
2. help maintain social relationship and order by temporarily breaking down hierarchy, rules, and formality
3. ALWAYS temporary and followed by a return to normalcy

catharsis

process of releasing/providing release from strong/repressed emotions

Ludic

characterized by play

Nomu-nication

in Japanese culture in which boss takes workers out for drinks in which workers can criticize them without it being held against them

belief system

system of belief taken on faith that cannot be scientifically proven

rites of passage

a series of rites that mark the TRANSFORMATION from one stage of life to another

1. movement of one social category to another
2. enter new social category upon completing rite
3. individual generally has NO control over the process
4. involves prep/training
5. reinforce communitas and passes on cultural knowledge
6. involve at least one liminal phase

preliminary rites

ritual tasks before liminal phase

liminal rites

ritual tasks during or DIRECTLY before liminal phase

post liminal rites

ritual tasks after liminal phase

liminal phase

a transitional stage between social categories

1. individuals are ritually separated from community
2. normal cultural rules are suspended
3. often taboo for community to contact those in a liminal phase

age set

a group of individuals of similar age (often sharing special links because of that age)

age grade

levels of seniority through which age sets pass collectively as they grow older

identity

the way in which individuals and groups see themselves and the way that others see them

achieved identity

parts of a person's identity presented by the individual

ex: clothing, jewelry, decorations, makeup, fitness

body modification

deliberate altering of human anatomy

ex: circumcision, piercings, tattoos, plastic surgery, scarification

situational identity

parts of a person's identity defined by social network group belonging, and/or setting

ex: fandom, sports team, education, religion, nationality, ethnicity, ancestral background, occupation

social stratification

a society's organization of individuals/groups into hierarchy based on social factors

What are some social factors that influence social stratification

socioeconomic status, religion, race, situational identity, education, family background, citizenship, ethnicity

social capital

contextual value of an individual's social relationship

AKA "who you know matters"