1. Key Aspects of Anthropology

2. Research Approaches in the Four Fields
Anthropology has been called “the most humane of the sciences and the most scientific of the humanities”
Wide range of approaches that span:
Science (hypothesis, observation, and testing)
Humanities (more subjective, based on feeling)

3. Research Approaches in the Four Fields
Anthropology as a social science is empirical – based on observations rather than on intuition or faith
Fieldwork (being on location and fully immersed in another way of
life) is a core methodological
aspect of anthropology.

4. Ethnography and Ethnology Summary
means “culture writing”
provides a first-hand, detailed description of a living culture
based on first-hand fieldwork and research of one culture

5. Ethnography
The systematic description of a particular culture based on firsthand observation.

6. Ethnography and Ethnology Summary
the study of one topic in more than one culture
marriage forms, economic practices, religion, etc.
comparative and cross-cultural
uses ethnographic material collected by a number of researchers

7. Cultural Relativism vs. Ethnocentrism
Anthropology focus on cultural relativism rather than ethnocentrism
Cultural relativism is the belief that each culture must be understood in terms of its own values and beliefs and not by the standards of another culture
Is the opposite of ethnocentrism
The belief that no culture is better than any other culture
Is gained by exposure to “other” ways with a sympathetic eye and ear to appreciating differences

8. Cultural Relativism vs. Ethnocentrism
Anthropology focus on cultural relativism rather than ethnocentrism
Ethnocentrism is judging other cultures by the standards of one’s own culture rather than the standards of other cultures
The belief that one’s own culture is the way of life and that other ways of life are strange and inferior

9. Absolute culture relativism versus Critical cultural relativism
Absolute cultural relativism says that whatever goes on in a particular culture must not be questioned or change because it would be ethnocentric to question any behavior or idea anywhere.
Star Trek’s “Prime Directive”?
No one shall interfere with
the culture/cultural evolution
of another planet under any
conditions
What are some challenges
of absolute cultural
relativism?

10. Absolute culture relativism versus Critical cultural relativism
Critical cultural relativism is an alternative to absolute cultural relativism
Critical cultural relativism says that some of what goes on in a particular culture can be questioned or changed because of an idea of a set of universal human rights.
What are some challenges of critical cultural relativism?