What is Anthropology? emphasis on Cultural anthropology Cultural Anthropology, Lecture 1 Dr. Martin

Learning Objectives 1. Develop an understanding of anthropology and how the subfields of anthropology interrelate 2. Distinguish between cultural anthropology and the other subfields of anthropology 3. Develop an understanding for the importance of anthropology, particularly cultural anthropology, in today’s world 4. Practice thinking like an anthropologist.

Anthropology Anthro= human Ology= the study of… The study of the past and present biological and cultural variation within the human species

Anthropology What Does It Mean To Be Human? Major question addressed within anthropology: What Does It Mean To Be Human?

Distinctive Way of Studying Humans 1. Holistic Emphasizes the functional relation between parts and the whole No single aspect of culture can be understood alone Integration of all that is known about humans and their activities Past Present Language Holism= Integration Culture Genetics Anatomy

Distinctive Way of Studying Humans 2. Comparative Compare patterns of variation Consideration of similarities & differences Draw comparison Anthropology also includes the cross-cultural & relativistic perspective to comparison What does these perspective mean for anthropological studies? Compare objectively without making value judgments Look at culture in its own context

Distinctive Way of Studying Humans 2. Comparative & Cross-Cultural Perspective Skeletal Features Left: Chimpanzee; Right: Modern Human Coming of Age Ceremonies Left: Korean; Right: Maasi (Kenya)

Distinctive Way of Studying Humans 3. Field-based Data collection; direct contact Education and Identity in Rural France: The Politics of Schooling The Cultural Implications of International Migration in the Light of Fieldwork Evidence

Distinctive Way of Studying Humans 4. Evolutionary Observations placed in temporal framework Consider change over time How does this perspective apply to cultural anthropology? Cultural evolution – 19th century, considered an outgrowth of Darwinian evolution Over time, cultural change occurs as a result of humans adapting to some non-cultural stimulus Cultural evolution as a theory in anthropology was developed in the 19th century, and it was an outgrowth of Darwinian evolution. Cultural evolution presumes that over time, cultural change such as the rise of social inequalities or emergence of agriculture occurs as a result of humans adapting to some noncultural stimulus, such as climate change or population growth. However, unlike Darwinian evolution, cultural evolution was considered directional, that is, as human populations transform themselves, their culture becomes progressively complex.

Cultural and humans What is culture? Humans are biocultural organisms Set of learned behavior and ideas that humans beings acquire as members of a society Humans are biocultural organisms What does this mean? Triangle of Adaptation Biological and cultural factors influence the world around us Environment Biology Culture

Anthropology: Cross-Disciplinary Spans the social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities Diversity with the discipline : 4 subfields Biological (Physical) Anthropology Cultural Anthropology Linguistic Anthropology Archaeology Holistic Applied Anthropology

FIGURE 1.1 The subfields of anthropology Copyright © 2008 by Robert H. Lavenda and Emily A. Schultz.

Purpose: Describe, analyze, interpret, and explain social and cultural similarities and differences of living human cultures in all parts of the world

Cultural Anthropology Objectives of Cultural Anthropology What are the behavioral characteristics of the human species? Understand how all aspects of culture function as a whole. Study how cultures change over time

Cultural Anthropology Traditionally, non- western cultures. Today, a wider focus including segments of Western Society

Cultural Anthropology Variation in beliefs and behaviors of members of different human groups Shaped by sets of learned behaviors and ideas that human beings acquire as members of society Study all human societies Urban & Rural, Developed & Developing, Western & Non-Western Conduct fieldwork Participant observation Ethnography Samburu pastoralists in northern Kenya on issues relating to gender, sexuality, inter-ethnic violence, religion, and material culture Ethnography provides an account of a ‘particular’ community, society, or culture (based on fieldwork). During ethnographic fieldwork, the ethnographer gathers data that he/she organizes, describes, analyses, and interprets to build and present that account, which may be in the form of a book, article, or film. PO: which means that we take part in community life as we study it. Anthropologists have learned that the best way to really get to know another society and its culture is to live in it as an active participant rather than simply an observer. My first research project was located in Ghana, West Africa and focused on the social and economic organization of a market place system that connected a large commercial town to a rural hinterland. The main economic base of the locality was cocoa production for export, which was organized through a government marketing board and not the normal marketing system I was investigating. However, I was interested in all sorts of other activities in order to achieve a wide perspective on the local economy and culture. My fellow harvesters were all members of a reciprocal work party, who help on each others farms in turn during periods of peak labour demand. Although no payments are exchanged, everyone gets a reward of food and drink from the host farmer at the end of the day, and a party atmosphere dominates the day's events.

Cultural Anthropology Samburu pastoralists in northern Kenya on issues relating to gender, sexuality, inter-ethnic violence, religion, and material culture Ethnography provides an account of a ‘particular’ community, society, or culture (based on fieldwork). During ethnographic fieldwork, the ethnographer gathers data that he/she organizes, describes, analyses, and interprets to build and present that account, which may be in the form of a book, article, or film. PO: which means that we take part in community life as we study it. Anthropologists have learned that the best way to really get to know another society and its culture is to live in it as an active participant rather than simply an observer. My first research project was located in Ghana, West Africa and focused on the social and economic organization of a market place system that connected a large commercial town to a rural hinterland. The main economic base of the locality was cocoa production for export, which was organized through a government marketing board and not the normal marketing system I was investigating. However, I was interested in all sorts of other activities in order to achieve a wide perspective on the local economy and culture. My fellow harvesters were all members of a reciprocal work party, who help on each others farms in turn during periods of peak labour demand. Although no payments are exchanged, everyone gets a reward of food and drink from the host farmer at the end of the day, and a party atmosphere dominates the day's events.

Cultural Anthropology Research What Can It Tell Us? Social organization – comparison of different forms of human social life, kinship patterns, social groupings Cultural conflict – war, ethnicity, politics, aftermath of conflict Subsistence patterns – strategies, land ownership, environment

Cultural Anthropology Research What Can It Tell Us?

Summary - Anthropology Integrated, scientific, and holistic study of human cultural and biological variation Humans are biocultural organisms Biology and culture are interdependent Human biology makes culture possible- human culture makes human biological survival possible

Summary – Cultural Anthropology Sub-discipline of anthropology Studies all human societies Examines a wide-range of topics including but not limited to: Economics & Exchange Religion & Worldview Globalization Migration Subsistence Patterns Marriage & Family Politics & Government

Free-Write Jan 8, 2014 United Nations established Millennium Development Goals focusing on a wide range of topics including Food security & sustainable food future Halting the spread of infectious diseases Universal primary education Preventing under-five mortality Water sanitation and access to water Based off of what we learned today, briefly discuss how cultural anthropology research may help the United Nations and their partners achieve one of these goals.

In-Class Activity Research in Cultural Anthropology Worksheet In this activity, students will: Using areas of research interest, identify possible research questions / themes We will do one example as a class The other three examples will be worked on in small-groups. Be prepared to share your responses with the class.

Cultural Anthropology Worldview One’s placement in world Cultural group’s placement in world Interaction with environment Family Cultural definition of family Marriage patterns Individual & group roles Subsistence Patterns Usage of environment Animals or plants not consumed Parts of animal consumed Cultural Anthropology Health & Culture Sex differences Perception of health Geographical access to health