cultural anthropolgy unit 2

Culture:

Definition: Shared learned system of beliefs, values, behaviours, symbols, and practices
Key point: Humans are biocultural organisms shaped by both biology and culture
Why it matters: Central concept in anthropology

E.B. Tylor:

Definition: Early evolutionist anthropologist; first major definition of culture
Key point: Believed in “psychic unity” and cultural evolution
Why it matters: Helped establish anthropology as a discipline

Psychic Unity:

Definition: Idea that all humans think similarly and follow same developmental path
Key point: Societies seen as progressing at different speeds
Why it matters: Influenced early evolutionary anthropology

Armchair Anthropologist:

Definition: Anthropologist who studies cultures indirectly through reports/artifacts
Key point: Did not conduct immersive fieldwork
Why it matters: Early anthropology relied heavily on secondhand information

Shared Culture:

Definition: Culture exists collectively within groups
Key point: People share meanings, symbols, and expectations
Why it matters: Creates social cohesion and communication

Learned Culture:

Definition: Culture acquired through socialization and enculturation
Key point: Not biologically inherited
Why it matters: Explains human behavioural diversity

Patterned Culture:

Definition: Culture follows recognizable structures and routines
Key point: Behaviour is not random
Why it matters: Helps organize society

Adaptive Culture:

Definition: Culture helps humans survive environments
Key point: Humans adapt culturally more than biologically
Why it matters: Explains human survival across environments

Symbolic Culture:

Definition: Humans attach shared meaning to symbols
Key point: Language, religion, flags, money are symbolic
Why it matters: Symbols organize communication and identity

Bronislaw Malinowski:

Definition: Founder of functionalism and participant observation
Key point: Culture satisfies human needs
Why it matters: Changed anthropology through immersive fieldwork

Participant Observation:

Definition: Living within a community while studying it
Key point: Anthropologist participates in daily life
Why it matters: Main anthropological research method

Functionalism:

Definition: Theory that cultural institutions serve social functions
Key point: Institutions maintain stability and meet needs
Why it matters: Influential early anthropological theory

Radcliffe-Brown:

Definition: Functionalist anthropologist focused on social systems
Key point: Developed organic analogy
Why it matters: Viewed society as interconnected system

Organic Analogy:

Definition: Society functions like a body with connected parts
Key point: Institutions work together to maintain order
Why it matters: Explains social stability

Franz Boas:

Definition: Father of North American Anthropology
Key point: Rejected racist evolutionism and promoted cultural relativism
Why it matters: Major shift away from hierarchical thinking

Cultural Relativism:

Definition: Understanding cultures by their own standards
Key point: Rejects ethnocentrism
Why it matters: Core principle of anthropology

Historical Particularism:

Definition: Each culture shaped by unique historical experiences
Key point: No universal developmental path
Why it matters: Opposed cultural evolutionism

Four-Field Approach:

Definition: Cultural, biological, linguistic anthropology + archaeology
Key point: Boas integrated all four fields
Why it matters: Standard structure of anthropology in North America

Clifford Geertz:

Definition: Interpretive anthropologist focused on meaning
Key point: Culture is “webs of significance”
Why it matters: Shifted anthropology toward interpretation

Interpretive Anthropology:

Definition: Study of cultural meaning and symbols
Key point: Focuses on interpretation over scientific laws
Why it matters: Emphasizes human meaning-making

Webs of Significance:

Definition: Shared systems of meaning humans create
Key point: Humans live within symbolic systems
Why it matters: Central idea in Geertz’s theory

Human Agency:

Definition: Ability to make choices and act independently
Key point: Humans shaped by culture but not controlled by it
Why it matters: Balances structure and individual action

Material Culture:

Definition: Physical objects created and used by humans
Key point: Includes tools, clothing, buildings, technology
Why it matters: Reveals information about societies

Technology:

Definition: Skills and knowledge used to create material culture
Key point: Reflects adaptation and survival strategies
Why it matters: Shows relationship between culture and environment

Cultural Practices:

Definition: Everyday actions carrying cultural meaning
Key point: Includes rituals, greetings, eating habits
Why it matters: Reinforces values and social norms

Cultural Frames:

Definition: Shared ways of interpreting situations
Key point: Different cultures interpret behaviour differently
Why it matters: Shapes perception and communication

Cultural Roles:

Definition: Expected social positions in society
Key point: Examples include parent, teacher, elder
Why it matters: Organizes social behaviour

Values:

Definition: Cultural ideas about what is important or desirable
Key point: Influence behaviour and norms
Why it matters: Shape social priorities

Beliefs:

Definition: Ideas about what is true or false
Key point: Can form larger ideological systems
Why it matters: Influence worldview and behaviour

Ideology:

Definition: System of beliefs supporting group interests
Key point: Often connected to power structures
Why it matters: Shapes political and social systems

Antonio Gramsci:

Definition: Marxist thinker associated with cultural hegemony
Key point: Dominant groups shape accepted beliefs
Why it matters: Explains cultural power

Cultural Hegemony:

Definition: Dominant values become seen as “normal”
Key point: Maintains power without force
Why it matters: Explains social control

Counterhegemony:

Definition: Resistance to dominant cultural systems
Key point: Seen in protest and activist movements
Why it matters: Shows cultural conflict and resistance

Norms:

Definition: Rules for acceptable behaviour
Key point: Connected to cultural values
Why it matters: Regulate social life

Folkways:

Definition: Informal everyday norms
Key point: Violations seen as rude or awkward
Why it matters: Maintain social expectations

Definition: Strong moral norms
Key point: Violations punished more seriously
Why it matters: Protect important social values

George Murdock:

Definition: Anthropologist who studied cultural universals
Key point: Founded HRAF database
Why it matters: Compared cultures cross-culturally

Cultural Universals:

Definition: Traits found in all societies
Key point: Includes language, family, religion, cooking
Why it matters: Suggests shared human needs

Enculturation:

Definition: Process of learning culture
Key point: Humans learn norms, values, language socially
Why it matters: Explains cultural transmission

Psychological Anthropology:

Definition: Study of culture and personality/emotions
Key point: Connects psychology and anthropology
Why it matters: Examines cultural influence on individuals

Ruth Benedict:

Definition: Founder of Culture and Personality School
Key point: “Culture is personality writ large”
Why it matters: Connected culture to emotional patterns

Culture and Personality School:

Definition: Theory linking culture and personality development
Key point: Culture shapes emotional behaviour
Why it matters: Influenced psychological anthropology

Piano Analogy:

Definition: Emotions compared to piano keys
Key point: All humans share emotions but cultures emphasize different ones
Why it matters: Explains cultural variation in emotion

Archaeology:

Definition: Study of human societies through material remains
Key point: Scientific and methodical, not treasure hunting
Why it matters: Reveals information about past societies

GIS:

Definition: Geographic Information Systems used in archaeology
Key point: Maps artifacts and settlement patterns
Why it matters: Helps visualize change over time

Prehistoric Archaeology:

Definition: Studies societies without written records
Key point: Relies entirely on material remains
Why it matters: Main source of information about early humans

Historic Archaeology:

Definition: Studies societies with written records
Key point: Combines texts and artifacts
Why it matters: Expands historical understanding

Classical Archaeology:

Definition: Study of ancient Greece, Rome, Egypt
Key point: Focuses on classical civilizations
Why it matters: Major archaeological specialization

Underwater Archaeology:

Definition: Archaeology of submerged sites
Key point: Includes shipwrecks and underwater ruins
Why it matters: Expands archaeological evidence

Ethnoarchaeology:

Definition: Uses modern cultures to interpret ancient remains
Key point: Studies living practices for comparison
Why it matters: Helps explain artifact use

Linguistic Anthropology:

Definition: Study of language and culture
Key point: Examines communication and meaning
Why it matters: Language shapes social life

Structural Linguistics:

Definition: Study of language structure and grammar
Key point: Languages organize meaning differently
Why it matters: Explains communication systems

Language and Thought:

Definition: Relationship between language and perception
Key point: Language may shape categorization
Why it matters: Connects language to worldview

Russian Blue Example:

Definition: Russian language has more distinctions for blue shades
Key point: Language influences perception categories
Why it matters: Example of language affecting thought

Sociolinguistics:

Definition: Study of language in social groups
Key point: Language marks identity and belonging
Why it matters: Explains slang and generational speech

Historical Linguistics:

Definition: Study of language change over time
Key point: Examines language families and relationships
Why it matters: Helps trace migration and cultural contact