Historical Particularism/Evolutionism
How did Morgan's theory of cultural evolution differ from earlier explanations of human diversity?
Morgan rejected the idea of human degradation, proposing instead that all societies progress through universal stages (Savagery, Barbarism, Civilization). His approach was systematic, based on technological and social developments rather than religious or racial assumptions.
Which famous anthropologist was the nephew of Emile Durkheim?
Marcel Mauss
What is the name of the island group where Malinowski did his research?
The Trobriand Islands
Why is dirt matter that is out of place?
The concept of dirt functions as a byproduct of social systems of order and classification, and is inherently linked to symbolic systems of purity. It serves to condemn elements that disrupt or contradict established categories.
Why might Firmin have chosen to focus on examples from Haiti in his work, and what implications does this choice have?
Firmin chose Haiti as it was the first independent Black republic, challenging racist assumptions. This choice provided concrete evidence against racist theories, emphasized historical context in understanding achievements, and challenged Eurocentric bias in anthropology.
What theoretical perspective was heavily influenced by Durkheim and his focus on social cohesion?
Functionalism (especially structural-fucntionalism)
What is the difference between the two strands of functionalism of Malinowski and Radcliffe-Brown?
Focus on culture, individuals, universal human needs, based on fieldwork and description VS Focus on the social/society, continuance and stability of society, primacy of theory
Into which two paradigms can we classify Mary Douglas?
Symbolic Anthropology, due to the symbolism of purity and pollution in different societies, and Structural-Functionalism, particularly in her study of the underlying structures that organize experience and meaning. Also influenced by Radcliffe-Brown.
What are the key principles of positivism, and how might applying this methodology to anthropology change the field's approach?
Positivism emphasizes observable phenomena and empirical evidence. Applying it to anthropology could increase systematic observation, reduce speculative explanations, encourage search for universal patterns, and promote a more rigorous, scientific approach to studying human societies.
Why should we consider voodoo as a religion, according to Price-Mars?
Because, just as with other religions, it brings people together (social cohesion) and has a sense of the sacred and profane.
What is the function of the joking relationship, according to Radcliffe-Brown?
It regulates social behavior between certain individuals in a was that supports the stability of the social order.
What is the difference between an anomaly and ambiguity? What does Mary Douglas explain about both?
Mary Douglas argues that, although 'anomaly' refers to an element that does not fit within a given set, and 'ambiguity' refers to statements open to two interpretations, the practical difference between these two terms is negligible.
Compare and contrast Historical Particularism with Morgan's evolutionary theory. How do their basic assumptions differ?
Morgan's theory assumes universal stages of development, while Historical Particularism emphasizes unique cultural contexts. Morgan seeks general laws; Particularism focuses on individual cultures. Morgan implies cultural hierarchy; Particularism promotes cultural relativism.
What does Mauss want to illustrate when he writes that the ‘spirit’ (‘hau’) of the gift remains attached to its origin?
That gifts create a bond between giver and receiver. The spirit of a gift wants to come back to its place of origin or need the receiver to produce an equivalent to replace it (counter-gift/obligation to return).
In Marriage Conditions in a Palestinian Village, Hilma Granqvist argues that we should not perceive bride price as the selling/buying of women. What arguments does she present?
Several arguments: Men do not hold absolute power over their wives; Women remain member of the patrilineage of their own family; A women returns to her father’s house if her husband dies.
How does Babcock-Abrahams build on the work of Douglas, and what critique does she offer?
Dirt as culturally defined 'matter out of place' (trickster). But deviant behavior and marginality are essential to the structure and definition of social systems, suggesting that society not only tolerates some degree of disorder but also requires it in the form of a 'tolerated margin of mess'.
Analyze the relationship between subsistence methods and cultural evolution in Morgan's theory. How might this perspective be critiqued from a modern anthropological standpoint?
Morgan saw subsistence methods as key indicators of evolutionary stage, driving cultural change. Modern critiques: oversimplifies culture-subsistence relationship, neglects other factors, shows ethnocentric bias, overlooks hunter-gatherer complexity, ignores human agency and historical contingencies.
Why can we, according to Peter van Rooden, see the societal response to the Nashville declaration as a Durkheimian moment?
Because it shows what we perceive as being sacred, namely the right and freedom to love whomever you want, was profaned.
Evolutionists argued that societies evolve from animist, then polytheist, monotheist, into eventually secular societies. How does Malinowski criticize this idea?
He shows that every society has science and religion existing side by side.
What happens when the fool or trickster becomes central to the action" and still retains the ability to "dissolve events" and "throw doubt on the finality of fact" - what, in short, happens in this negative dimension of symbolic action?
When the trickster becomes central, they invert reality, dissolve facts, and challenge social norms, creating space for new ideas and transcendent values.