Cultural Anthropology Lecture Notes

Ant 101 - Cultural Anthropology

Lecture 1 - What is Anthropology?

  • Study of humanity in all its aspects.
  • There are 5 subfields of anthropology:
    • Biological/Physical Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Linguistic Anthropology
    • Cultural Anthropology
    • Applied Anthropology

History of Anthropology

  • 19th Century:
    • Increased contact with non-Western societies due to trade and colonialism.
    • Influence of the Enlightenment and its emphasis on "science".
    • Darwin's theories of evolution and natural selection.
    • Initial focus on studying remote, "primitive" (non-Western) societies.
    • Belief in stages of human culture/civilization, following an evolutionary model.
  • Franz Boas:
    • A key figure in American anthropology.
    • Known for his anti-racist stance.

Purpose of Cultural Anthropology

  • Learn about humanity through cross-cultural comparison.
    • Making the exotic familiar and the familiar exotic.
  • Understand life from the native point of view (emic perspective).
  • Present knowledge through teaching and writing.
  • Foster understanding across difference.
    • Combating ethnocentrism, racism, and intolerance.
  • Offer theory to interpret human life and culture.
  • Produce positive change in people’s lives.

Key Concepts

  • Holism:
    • Viewing the entirety of humanity, understanding interconnections.
  • Ethnocentrism:
    • Viewing other cultures through one's own biased lens.
  • Cultural Relativism:
    • Viewing other cultures on their own terms.
    • Important to note that cultural relativism is NOT moral relativism.
  • Etic:
    • Neutral, scientific perspective.
  • Emic:
    • Native/local perspective.

Anthropological Challenges

  • Colonial legacies, decolonialism efforts that continues to affect research and relationships.
  • Relations with "the Other", addressing power dynamics and representation.
  • Research ethics, ensuring responsible and respectful engagement with communities.

My Research in Benin

  • Focuses on:
    • Marriage, gender, and power dynamics.
    • Religion: Christianity and Vodun.
    • Witchcraft and the occult.

Benin

  • West African country where research was conducted.

Host Family

  • Living with a host family as part of fieldwork.

Interviews

  • Conducting interviews as a key research method.

Visual Documentation

  • Women Cooking for a Ceremony
  • Vodun Possession Dance
  • A Healer's Shrine
  • Eastern-Inspired Spiritual Healing
  • Spiritual Market, Abomey

What do Anthropologists DO?

  • Research:
    • Fieldwork and writing (ethnography).
    • Studying industrial and non-industrial societies.
  • Teaching.
  • Policy advocates, working with non-profits.
  • Government careers.
  • International aid agencies.
  • Consultants/researchers for health departments, election organizers, agricultural initiatives.

Careers & Post-Grad Plans

  • Grad school options:
    • Anthropology, linguistics, public health, law, archaeology, education, international development, human rights, museum studies, social work, film studies, etc.
  • Internships:
    • CDC, Care, Amnesty Int’l, Carter Center, Refugee Services.
  • Service opportunities:
    • Peace Corps, Teach for America, Fulbright.
  • Career paths:
    • Non-profit, public service, museums, human rights.
    • Corporate world: law, marketing research, UX research, product design.