Anthropologists
Franz Boas
A German-trained social scientist, pivotal in U.S. anthropology.
Rejected evolutionary theories; championed cultural relativism.
Emphasized fieldwork and data collection.
Argued that cultures are shaped by their history, not by comparison to others.
Cultural Anthropology
Study of learned behaviors and cultural practices within specific human groups.
Foraging
depends on natural resources "plants and animals"
Emic
Insider Look
Functionalism
views society as a system of interdependent parts that work together to maintain social order
Bronislaw Malinowski
British-trained anthropologist, influential in establishing British anthropology
Focused on participant observation, where the researcher becomes deeply involved with the community.
Emphasized the rationality of native practices, promoting respect for cultural differences.
His approach was similar to Boas’s in emphasizing fieldwork.
Linguistic Anthropology
History, structure, and variation of language in human societies
Pastoralism
Domesticated animals " Dairy and meat"
Etic
outsider look
American Boazian tradition
a theory that emphasizes cultural relativism, the idea that each culture has its values and standards
- holism (incorporating all parts of culture and using multiple avenues to study culture)
Lewis Henry Morgan
Founded US Anthropology
- kinship (family structures) and social evolution
Archaeology
Material remains (artifacts, architecture, etc.) to reconstruct past cultures
Horticulture
Growing of plants with nonmechanical technology
Postmodernism
Not assuming that the world is "knowable"
- After the post-modern term, anthropologists became more sensitive to who they were studying.
Anthros must consider their own culture to understand another
Integrative Stratification
Stratification is not just based on wealth but also on status and prestige.
You can have status but no money
You can have money but no status
Edward Burnett Tylor
Had the idea that people would work up to their highest potential. Believed there is a progressive development of human cultures from the most primitive to the highest stages of civilization.
Biological Anthropology
Human evolution, biology, primatology, and skeletal analysis
Agriculture
Food production using more complex technology
Cultural Relativism
You accept that other peoples cultures is correct in their eyes, just like yours is correct in your own eyes
Anthropological Theory
What are the most important aspects of culture and how should we study them?
1. Cultures are learned
2. Culture involves symbols
3. Cultures are patterned
4. Culture is shared by members of a group
5. Cultures are adaptive
6. Cultures are subject to change
A.R. Radcliffe Brown
He helped further develop the theory of structural functionalism. he posits that society is a system of interconnected parts (institutions) where each element performs a specific function to maintain the stability and overall equilibrium of the social structure
Applied Anthropology
Using anthropological methods to solve real-world problems in social, political, and economic domains.
Industrialism
Machine technology - chemical food process
The belief that your culture and way of living is superior
Structuralism
Focus on deeper knowledge and focus on universals