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Biological/Physical Anthropology

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Studying of humans as biological organisms - Primate relations - Human evolution - Human physical diversity

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Archeology

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Study of past cultures and interpretation of material culture in a variety of methods

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Linguistic Anthropology

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Structure of human languages (universal features & differences) - Relation between languages & world view - Social & Cultural uses of language

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Cultural Anthropology

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Study of living human cultures - Participant observation in fieldwork - Ethnology vs. Ethnography Brief history: - European nations funded a lot of explorations to try and make sense of the world in Asia (Sem = Dusty), Europa (Infer = Fair) & Africa (Cham = to be Black) - From explorations they engaged in colonialism - 19th Century Ladders > Grouped hugely diverse people into simple races > Conflated perceived biological differences with cultural differences > Assumed a linear evolutionary tract, whereby lower races would biologically and culturally evolve into higher ones ~ Front are Europeans and race goes down to by color ~ They had different ways to justify differences

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Human Ecology

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- Interaction of human groups with their environment - Foodways

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Applied Anthropology

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Applying techniques to solve real world problems

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"Armchair" Anthropology

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- Takes cultural phenomena out of context - Oversimplifies connections among cultures - Misinterprets events and practices > Jared Diamond is seen as an Armchair anthropologist, thinking he was studying the civilisations that wasted away. E.g. Easter Island or Baka teeth for females where they think its better to eat meat that way when its actually a beauty symbol to have pointed teeth

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Anthropology VS. Sociology

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Anthropology: Study of human beings and their ancestors through time in all characteristics of humanity, including physiology and evolutionary origins Sociology: Study of human society at a given period in time, focusing on social relationships.

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FILM Clip: The Office - "Diversity Day"

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Michael's approach to diversity was for the office to address all of the stereotypes, though it ended up turning into a free-for-fall to attack racial groups. This is because there are involuntary, embedded components to racial stereotypes in everybody, whether or not we morally address that its wrong, or use it to judge people.

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Salvage Ethnography

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To recover the culture that is going to be lost usually due to colonisation and assimilation. Can negatively cause a rush to document natives without proper treatment. Generally associated with the American anthropologist Franz Boaz; where him and his students aimed to record vanishing Native American cultures.

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Franz Boas

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He responded to the armchair anthropology & theories of cultural evolution at the time, responding with ethnographic fieldwork. Cultural difference came from tradition in spite of their environment, which shapes culture but doesn't determine it. He believed we could learn about other cultures such as kinship, leading to his urgency to dive deeper into researching the different cultures and through him, great anthropologists arose. He was a "public anthropologist" and advocated for others.

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Franz Boas: The Shackles of Tradition

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- Went to Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic in 1883 to map the uncharted coastline & study culture - Studied 3 trives in BC > Learnt local language > Greatly depended on Hunt (local taught to study his own community) to understand & record everything - Learnt the innuit's dependence on the environment wasn't the only thing that determined their culture - More he studied their culture, less they seemed like savages as Europeans had said - Edward Curtis recorded and photographed everything to preserve their culture (salvage ethnography) His Legacy: - We are all bound by the shackles of tradition -> We realise this by the way we judge others - Anti-racist activism, arguing that all cultures were equal

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Fieldwork

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Practical work conducted by a researcher in the natural environment, rather than in a laboratory or office.

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Participant-Observation

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Studying a culture by both participating, and observing, the actions and statements of its members.

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Ethnology

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The study of the characteristics of various peoples and the differences and relationships between them.

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Ethnography

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Background study (at the university, studying languages, history, other anthropological accounts) Fieldwork (leaving the university to spend time with the people you wish to study) Writing (return to the university and write about your findings and conclusions)

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History of Cultural Anthropology

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In 1930-60s, psychological ideas were brought into anthropology. The major area of interest in this approach was national character. We share culture, but are positioned on different factors. If not then we only think of stereotypes which do not define them. E.g. Margaret Mead film where she explored 4 different environments for child-rearing of bathing forms. In Europe: Anthropologists were sponsored by governments to study certain areas in Africa, since they earlier tried to generalise the range of cultures. E.g. Evans Pritchard research in the Nuer town in 1930s for the British Government benefitted them and helped to actively subdue that culture (ethical issue)

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Frank Cushing

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American anthropologist and ethnologist. Responded to the armchair anthropology & theories of cultural evolution at the time, responding with ethnographic fieldwork. He made pioneering studies of the Zuni Indians of New Mexico by entering into their culture; his work helped establish participant observation as a common anthropological research strategy.

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Bureau of American Ethnology

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Research branch of Smithsonian to study Native Americans (founded 1879) Frank Cushing worked for them and was part of the Smithsonian.

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Anti-racism in anthropology

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Franz Boas was trying to educated the public about the lack of understanding on race. He used Biological Anthropology by measuring immigrant's heads and saw no differences with race. Immigrant children were larger than parents since most were refugees and parents got less nutrients running away whilst children few with proper nutrients.

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British "Social Anthropology"

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Learning social structure by going into a community

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Interviewing

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Question (someone) to discover their opinions or experience.

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Subjects/Informants/Consultants

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Subjects: A person that is being discussed, described, or dealt with Informants: A person from whom a linguist or anthropologist obtains information about language, dialect, or culture. Consultants: A person who provides expert advice professionally

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Power and Ethics in research

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In the past, anthropologists were sponsored by governments to study certain areas in Africa, since they earlier tried to generalise the range of cultures. E.g. Evans Pritchard research in the Nuer town in 1930s for the British Government benefitted them and helped to actively subdue that culture (ethical issue) This shows the problems of using your power and being welcomed by another culture, to then use that information against them for your benefit. Another example is when an anthropologist wrote a paper about a small tribe, published it will all the specific information about the tribe's structure on where whom lives, and when another tribe read that paper, used it for their benefit and attacked the chief.

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READING: "Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving?"

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Colonial Feminism, Muslim women were being 'saved' by Christians from the Taliban/terrorists who would 'like to impose on the rest of us' with burqas and it later became a 'war against terrorism'. After being freed from the Taliban, Afgan women did not remove their burqas, which is widespread seen as a 'sign of their oppression'. Burqas weren't even invented by the Taliban, certain areas had worn it previously. Simply, people wear the appropriate form of dress for their social communities and are guided by socially shared status. We have to learn to not reduce the diverse situations and attitudes of millions of Muslim women to a single item of clothing.

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READING: "Shakespeare in the Bush"

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With stories that we grow up listening to, it differs greatly when we tell it to another culture. The author obviously struggled to keep Hamlet in context with the tribe as well as the truth to the story because they were so conflicting. That isn't to say that the original Hamlet was false, but to understand that there are instead other interpretations that may be true to others.

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culture VS. Culture

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A social grouping may not be a culture. Big C: To be wealthy and aristocratic. To have an interest in fine arts and to say someone is cultured makes it seem like there is a rank Little c: Everybody has culture. Culture is in the eyes of the beholder with your own research.

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Characteristics of a Culture

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Culture is Necessary - People need a shared system of meanings, values, symbols and understanding (Helps predict/interpret one another's behaviour.) Culture is Integrated - Anthropology recognises the need to study the inter-relationship of many aspects of human life Culture is Conservative; Culture is always Changing - Change is seen through technology, language, fashion, music - Conservatism is seen in ideas about gender and family - Change is often slow unless under special circumstances like societal revolution Culture is Learned - Transmitted socially, not biologically inherited - Enculturation is the process of culture (norms/rules) being transmitted from one generation to the next Culture is Normative - We learn appropriate behaviours and ideas for our age, gender, social context etc - Straying from norms subject people to social sanctions (time out, jail, disgust, violence) to make us behave more normally - There is subculture in large cultures as a 'refuge' for those who rather stray from the norms Culture is Shared - Makes understanding one another easier Culture is Multiple - In all societies, diff. categories of people have diff. experiences and so diff. expertise in diff. areas of cultural knowledge - Subculture: Smaller group within a culture that shares specialised knowledges, languages or identities Culture is Ideational - Culture is invisible, taking in form of diff. identities Culture is Embodied and Material - We make our culture with material by shaping objects (artifacts) to reveal our ideas and needs. - Material meaning it has concrete implications (e.g. access to healthcare) Culture is tied to Power - Seen in access to different things like food and knowledge

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Acculturation

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cultural modification of an individual, group, or people by adapting to or borrowing traits from another culture; Merging of cultures as a result of prolonged contact

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Enculturation

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Gradual acquisition of the characteristics and norms of a culture or group by a person, another culture, etc.

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Social Sanctions

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Measures used by a society to enforce its rules of acceptable behaviour. This can be through time outs for kids, jail, disgusted reaction, violence etc.

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Subculture

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Smaller group within a culture that shares specialised knowledges, languages or identities. In large cultures it serves as a 'refuge' for those who rather stray from the norms. E.g. Goth, Bodybuilding, AA, Fandom...etc

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Artifacts

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An object made by a human being, typically an item of cultural or historical interest to reveal ideas and needs.

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Ethnocentrism

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The belief that one's own culture's way of doing something is the right, natural, or universal way E.g. "How to prepare for taxes" on an article is ethnocentric since it automatically assumes the reader is from the US if it is written for American taxpayers. Antonym: Cultural Relativism

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Cultural Relativism

answer

The belief that we must understand other's cultural practices on its own terms. Or, to put it another way, the natives generally know what they're doing. E.g. "Do Muslim Women need saving?" - Burqas were modest & appropriate for upper class women - Gave women space to go out and feel comfortable - Became a way for women to hide things under their burka (like books etc) when the Taliban had forced it upon them Antonym: Ethnocentrism

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FILM CLIP: Thailand Eating

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Video showed people in Thailand eating bugs on the street. Shows ethnocentrism in food since many would believe it's gross when really it's just another culture. (Bugs are like lobsters since lobsters are basically large sea bugs)

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Cultural Analysis

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3 Ways to understand and describe other cultures - Particularist approaches: Involve extensive study of all aspects of one particular cultural group - Comparative approach: Involve comparing parallel cultural features, between two or more cultures. - Cross Cultural Themes: Food-ways, Child-rearing, Political structures, Religious practices etc. Example: Time, Culture and Lateness.

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Particularist Approach

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Involve extensive study of all aspects of one particular cultural group (One of the 3 ways of Cultural Analysis)

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Comparative Approach

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Involve comparing parallel cultural features, between two or more cultures. (One of the 3 ways of Cultural Analysis)

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Time, Culture and Lateness

answer

The Pace of Life in Six Countries (ranked 1-6 for each category) Accuracy of Walking Post Office Bank Clocks Speed Speed Japan 1 1 1 United States 2 3 2 England 4 2 3 Italy 5 4 6 Taiwan 3 5 4 Indonesia 6 6 5

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READING: "Tricking and Tripping"

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Sterk seeks to make the lives and choices of prostitutes understandable to her readers, who might otherwise find their lives strange and unworthy of understanding. (Ethnocentric to Cultural Relativism) From her observations and in-depth interviews, Sterk developed an analysis of these women's lives, focusing on the six areas: journeys into prostitution, types of prostitute, the role of pimps, the impact of AIDS, violence, and escape from prostitution. In the rest of the book, Sterk draws patterns (particular central values, repeated themes or judgments, common stories, etc.) out of her data concerning each of these areas, to describe and demonstrate how these prostitutes understand their lives and their world.

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READING: "Eating Christmas in the Kalahari"

answer

Shows insider/outsider status. To survive, you can't risk people getting big egos for they may leave the group. There are linguistic elements (criticism) to make sure people stay in the communal environment = Dependence and reciprocity issues. Negotiating your own cultural expectations and emotional needs lets you discover another culture's logic at the same time. The Kalahari people lashed out criticism towards the narrator so that he wouldn't get too arrogant in the ox that he bought for them. This is usually done to lower confidence with harsh remarks so nobody don't get too proud and over-controlling.

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FILM CLIP: Bowling for Columbine

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In this excerpt (and the whole film), Moore goes through a number of possible explanatory factors for the high level of gun violence in the U.S. relative to other countries. Is it because we own more guns? Have a violent history? Have a diverse populace? Watch more violent movies? He eliminates all these and comes to the conclusion that gun violence in America has a lot to do with our culture (propagated by the mass media): a culture of fear.

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Culture of Fear

answer

Society can often be strongly impacted by fear, and this creates a culture around that fear. An example may be the culture of fear in America that encourages people to buy guns to 'protect'' themselves

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Emic Perspective

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The emic perspective is held by members of that cultural group. Cultural anthropologists strive to achieve an emic understanding of the culture they study, then to translate it into etic terms so that other outsiders will learn to understand and appreciate that culture.

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Etic Perspective

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The etic perspective is held by outsiders, through their own ideas and concerns. Cultural anthropologists strive to achieve an emic understanding of the culture they study, then to translate it into etic terms so that other outsiders will learn to understand and appreciate that culture.

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Magic

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In the Nacirema tribe, they use 'magic' to cure different symptoms. "The magical beliefs and practices of the Nacirema present such unusual aspects that it seems desirable to describe them as an example of the extremes to which human behavior can go." From: "Body Ritual among the Nacirema"

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FILM CLIP: "That's 70's Show - The Water Tower"

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Eric sees his parent's have sex, and it sends him from an emic to an etic perspective like watching an animal documentary

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Exoticization of other cultures

answer

Portrayal of "others" based on our own values; charm of unfamiliar; National Geographic

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Ethnoelimination

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Study of bathroom behaviour (Privacy: recreate home in public, Masculinity: sexual/homophobic, Coolness: no acknowledgement)

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READING: "Chinese Table Manners: You Are How You Eat"

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Culture shock may occur for those not raised in a Chinese environment where they can learn all the rules to food etiquette. - Sharing food: seen as unhygienic - Importance of rice: grain, chopsticks

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READING: "Body Ritual Among the Nacirema"

answer

Written on Americans in purpose to make the emic, etic. Shrine = Bathroom Chest of Charms & Magic Potions = Medicine Cabinet Holy Mouth Men = Dentist

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READING: "Our Babies, Ourselves"

answer

Cultures successfully raise children differently (sleeping, carrying, feeding, crying, independence)

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School as a site for enculturation

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"School is an institution for drilling children in cultural orientations"

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"American Schoolrooms"

answer

"Nightmare that drives people away from something (in our case, failure) and toward something (success)" --> competition We want creative kids but won't question the 10 Commandments. In music class we learn to sing like everyone else, same in art class. "A negative attitude can be construed only as treason." - If you don't want to hang teacher's coat, you are rude - If you can't answer a question and someone else does, they use your failure to succeed

question

"Child Care in China"

answer

Based on 1989. Helping one another was more important than winning. This was when US had been more competitive than China.

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Educational Space

answer

We are a boxy culture. Look at our school spacing with rooms always having a specific purpose, e.g. gym, music room...etc

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Cultural Reproduction

answer

Creating the next generation, in terms of culture.

question

Explicit VS. Implicit Rules

answer

Rules specially told to us VS. Rules we must pick up due to social cues (the vast majority)

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Culture and Personality Approach

answer

Psychology; Child-rearing practice causes particular personalities (national character)

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Continuous care and contact model of parenting

answer

"High level of contact, frequent feeding, and constant supervision" all by the mother Traditionally the father would go to work and bond with the children in the weekends.

question

FILM: Bathing Babies in Three Cultures, Margaret Mead and Gregory

answer

New Guinea (one hand river dip) US (bathtub, pseudo-independent) Bali (playful splashing)

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Bateson

answer

Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson are anthropologists responsible for "Bathing Babies in Three Cultures"

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Kinship

answer

Classic anthropological concern (one of the first forms of research anthropology) - Biological & Cultural - Way to recognise a sense of organic continuity (being of the same blood" as someone else) and some sense of mutual obligation and solidarity

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Nuclear Family

answer

Mother, Father, and their children in one household

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Consanguinal Kinship

answer

Kin relations are based on shared blood - that is, biological relatedness

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Affinal Kinship

answer

Kin relations are based on marriage - in laws, broadly defined

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Fictive Kinship

answer

Kin relations identify an unrelated individual as a member of kin group E.g. Godmother, Uncle/Aunt (family friend)

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Unilineal Descent

answer

Descent traced through parents and ancestors of only one sex

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Bilateral Descent

answer

Descent traced through either/both parents

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Ambilineal Descent

answer

Online definition: Both unilineal descent groups - both patrilineal and matrilineal groups Class definition: Individual may choose group membership, influenced by economics, land ownership, politics, friendship, though is complicated by marriage.

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Latent Kinship

answer

Ties to kin outside the network that you usually keep in touch with - but can be activated in circumstances like need - Works for the American Kin unit since we don't function on kin units much

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Patrilineal

answer

Both males and females belong to their father's kin group but not their mothers

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Matrilineal

answer

Follows a female line - only daughters can pass on the family line to their daughters

question

"Personal Kindred" Pattern

answer

American Kin pattern. Only full siblings share the same set of kin.

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Hawaiian System

answer

All relatives of the same generation and sex are called by the same term, not a strongly lineage oriented system - There were a lot of resources which meant no stress

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Iroquois System

answer

Father & Father's brother are called by the same term Mother & Mother's sister are called by the same term Parallel Cousins: Children of parent's same-sex sibling; same name as sibling (M&M, F&F) Cross Cousins: Children of parent's opposite-sex sibling; good marriage partners (M&F, F&M)

question

Eskimo System

answer

Nuclear family is differentiated from other kin and members from one another; Kin outside the nuclear family are differentiated by generation and sometimes sex, but not maternal/paternal

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Marriage

answer

Relationship between 1+ men (culturally defined) and 1+ woman recognised by society as having a continuing claim to mutual sexual access

question

Polygamy

answer

Any marriage system with having more than one partner

question

Polygyny

answer

Any marriage system involving one man having multiple wives

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Polyandry

answer

A marriage system involving one woman having multiple husbands

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Incest

answer

Having sexual relations with an individual who is culturally defined as related to you in a way which makes such sexual activity inappropriate In the past, there were royalty that practiced in incest because there were so few appropriate for marriage. Kind Tut in Egypt married his sister and had children with birth defects since incest ran in their family.

question

Endogamy

answer

Marrying within some culturally defined group - Religion - Hometown - Race/Nation

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Exogamy

answer

Marrying outside some culturally defined group

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READING: "When Brothers Share a Wife"

answer

Fraternal Polyandry. This marriage prevents division of family possessions and gives a higher standard of living, giving less stress as being 'one' father with work. It also avoids family fission and favoritisms by the wife for her family if the brothers live apart with their own wives and work together. Untrue reasonings for this: Female infanticide (=shortage in females), Starvation (harsh climate), No Rights (in absence of a brother, they inherit the family estate)

question

Patrilocal

answer

Residence Patterns where a couple lives with the husband's patrilineal kin

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Matrilocal

answer

Residence Patterns where a couple lives with the wife's matrilineal kin

question

Avunculocal

answer

Residence Patterns where a couple lives with the wife's brother (children's uncle), frequently found in a matrilineal society

question

Ambilocal

answer

Residence Patterns where a couple lives near whichever family in convenience or has the most resources or work to share

question

Neolocal

answer

Residence Patterns where a couple lives somewhere new, and not close to family

question

READING: "How Many Fathers are Best for a Child?"

answer

Western Culture: Nuclear family, Children are a long-term economic responsibility for parents (failure to provide = against the law) Bari Tribe of Venezuela: Believe more than one man can contribute to conception (fetus builds over time), Men allowed lovers (since wives get large with pregnancy and can't be filled by the men), two fathers = lower mortality giving one husband at least for a wife if the other dies.

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FILM CLIP: Maasai Tribe: The meaning of love & polygamy - Tribal wives

answer

Maasai men have 1+ wives so they can share the hard work. They don't kiss or hug when they meet a girl, just sex. Senior wife gets more luxury, never jealous of others, being same ages and share stories.

question

Hunter-Gatherers

answer

Hunting wild animals and gathering wild plant foods as a way of life - No farming/raising food animals - Mobile lifestyle (nomadic) - Small social groups (20 people) - Few possessions - Food sharing - Gendered division of labor - Few status differences

question

Domestication

answer

The process whereby humans modify, either intentionally or unintentionally, the genetic makeup of a plant or animal population, to make them better-suited to human use

question

Pastoralism

answer

Form of subsistence based on care of herds of domesticated animals. - Benefit for animals: Protection from predators/illness - Benefit for people: Food & other useful produce, mobility, ability to use marginal ecological areas - Society characteristics > Low population density > People/Herds can live on harsh lands not suitable for farming

question

Nomadic Groups (Pastoralist)

answer

The whole group travels with the animals on their seasonal pattern. Nomadic groups must get other food by trade.

question

Transhumant Groups (Pastoralist)

answer

Only part of the group (usually men) travel with the animals while others stay in a settled village and grow crops

question

FILM: Baka: People of the Forest (1980s)

answer

Women set up camp & men hunt, eat winged termites full of protein, hunt for fish using poisonous trees, honey is luxury, rely on local village for material goods

question

READING: "African Polygyny: Family Values and Contemporary Changes"

answer

Misconception of the West is that polygyny's primary function is sexual gratification. Reality is that work is divided evenly among wives, treatment of wives must be equal, though first wife is the most respected.

question

The Kipsigis of Kenya

answer

Rift Valley, Kenya: Appealing environment The family herd = House, Property, Cattle (Women are in charge of the house, Men are in charge of the property) - Inheritance is split equally between brothers. - Bride-wealth: Payment by groom/family to bride's family for rights of marriage, sexual access, labor, children etc. (Cattle etc split equally between brothers) - Distinguishing fatherhood > Pater: Father in social responsibility & obligation > Genitor: Father in impregnation. Rights of affiliation means whatever his daughters get as bride-wealth is his. - If widowed at childbearing age, brother of deceased will take over as continuation of old marriage - If husband dies before wife has children, there are 2 plans: Woman marriage & Daughter adoption

question

Holism (Kipsigis of Kenya)

answer

Theory that universe and especially living nature is seen in terms of interacting whole rather than the sum of elementary particles

question

Family Herd (Kipsigis of Kenya)

answer

House, Property, Cattle (Women are in charge of the house, Men are in charge of the property) Monogynist is to have one home/property/cattle, Polygynist is to have 1+

question

Bridewealth (Kipsigis of Kenya)

answer

Payment by groom/family to bride's family for rights of marriage, sexual access, labor, children etc. (Cattle etc split equally between brothers)

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Pater (Kipsigis of Kenya)

answer

Father in social responsibility & obligation

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Genitor (Kipsigis of Kenya)

answer

Father in impregnation Contractual nature of paternity: Rights of fatherhood is rights of affiliation and whatever his daughters get as bridewealth is his. (Legal paternity)

question

Rights of filiation (Kipsigis of Kenya)

answer

Rights of Genitor is rights of affiliation and whatever his daughters get as bridewealth is his. (Legal paternity)

question

Kipkondit (Kipsigis of Kenya)

answer

A new father for a widow (past childbearing age) when she's connected to a new wife to birth them both children

question

Woman Marriage (Kipsigis of Kenya)

answer

Women Marriage: The widow (past childbearing age) plays the role of the groom on behalf of her dead husband's descent line. - Bride assigned a kipkondit (someone to be a father whilst she's connected to a new wife to birth them both children) - Children live with mother/grandmother - Sons will eventually inherit 2 generations worth of cattle

question

Daughter Adoption (Kipsigis of Kenya)

answer

If a family has no sons, few daughters and almost no cattle, the father keeps his girl home, and adopts her as his son. The daughter never marries and is then treated like a son with a patrilineal descent with a daughter.

question

Agricultural Transition

answer

Transition from hunter-gatherer to agriculturalist (farmer, domestication of animals) There became a need to protect investment. E.g. Throw taro root in soil and leave for a couple months on their nomadic journey to come back and realise it was eaten by someone else. This led to some portion of the community to stay while others hunted, leading to a settlement.

question

Agriculture

answer

Practice of farming, including cultivation of the soil for the growing of crops and the rearing of animals to provide food, wool, and other products.

question

Paleopathology

answer

Lets us look at remains, skeletons and their scars to find diseases and health to compare with those of the agricultural revolution. Used the same population of a different time. Archeologists made sure genetics didn't change.

question

READING: "Disease and Death at Dr. Dickson's Mounds"

answer

Hunter-Gatherers that lived along the Illinois River around 950 AD. - Around 1050, maize agriculture began, increasing population, settlement and trade - Heavy reliance on a single crop leads to nutritional problems etc. More vulnerable to famines. Spread infectious disease.

question

READING: "The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race"

answer

Adoption of agriculture caused social & sexual inequality, disease & despotism Agricultural Revolution began 10,000 years ago for efficiency. Progressivist View: Lives of primitive people improved when they switched from gathering to farming. - Tested by studying disease in remains (teeth, bones, scars on bones, garbage dump remains) > Health lowered (Life expectancy) - Traded quality for quantity to feed growing population Agriculture is bad: - HG enjoy varied diet, not food from few starchy crops - Dependence on limited crops = starvation if crop fails - Encouraged pop. clumping which increased trade = led to spread of parasites and infectious diseases - Brought class divisions (elites gained control to better food, HG shared food) - Sex inequality (Need more hands to farm so more pregnancies)

question

FILM: Isle of Flowers (Ilha das Flores)

answer

Social Critique film. We live in a world where we focus on what we gain from others so since pigs give us meat, we feed them the edible garbage over giving it to humans.

question

Economy

answer

Classical Economics = Profit Motive (rational choice) Economic Anthropology = Numerous motives (profit, wealth, prestige, comfort, social harmony)

question

Redistribution

answer

Operates when goods, services, or equivalent move from the local level to the center - In our society its like taxes. We elect someone and that group theoretically chooses how to spend the money

question

Market Principle

answer

Means of Production (land, labor, natural resources, technology, capital): - Bought and sold using money - Maximize profit - Value is determined by the law of supply and demand

question

Reciprocity (Generalised, Balanced, Negative)

answer

Exchange between social equals, who normally are related by kinship, marriage, or another close personal tie. - Generalised: Someone gives to another person and expects nothing concrete or immediate in return - Balanced: Exchanges between people who are more distantly related; the giver expects something in return - Negative: Exchanges in which someone attempts to get something for as little as possible, even using dishonesty

question

Potlatch (Native American group)

answer

Potlatch sponsors traditionally give away food, blankets, pieces of copper, or other items in return of prestige. - Classical economic theory VS. Cultural ecology (no profit at all) - Cultural adaptations to alternating periods of local abundance and shortage - People who are able to give had lots of status, whilst those who took had diminished status. It could be vice versa the year after so in the long run it balanced reciprocity.

question

READING: "Too Many Bananas, Not Enough Pineapples, and No Watermelon at All"

answer

1. In a society where food is shared/gifted as part of social life, you may not buy things with money. Money corrupts social relationships and distances people. 2. If you cannot use it, give it to someone else. There are never too many bananas. 3. Where reciprocity is the rule and gifts are the idiom, you cannot demand a gift, just as you cannot refuse a request.

People’s & Cultures: Section 1: Understanding & Studying Culture – Flashcards

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