AnthLecture2

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School

University of California, Riverside *

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020S

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Anthropology

Date

Oct 30, 2023

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pdf

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Lecture 2 - 10/04 What is anthropology? The holistic study of human diversity The study of similarities and differences Francis boez, father of american anthropology 4 field approach ■ Sociocultural ■ Biological/ Physical ● Forensic, human ■ Archeological ■ Linguistic Foundational concepts Holism Comparative methods Cultural relativism Ethnocentrism Participant observation How do anthropologists accomplish the work they do? Integrate the perspectives of different humans and cultures Cultural anthropologists The scientific study of all human societies and their respective cultures in order to gain a fuller understanding of the complexities and interrelations between their similarities and differences–diversity Have we always valued diversity? No. Cultural erasure was the goal, we wanted to homogenize Anthropology has always been the discipline of diversity “10 weeks of intensive training of diversity” lol Participant observations Research method where anthropologists attempt to gain an understanding of the question they are asking from the perspective of a member of the intended culture Involves living or consistently engaging with members of the culture for a 1-2 year period, learning the language and participating in daily activities ■ Advantages: rapport (trust), access to insider knowledge ■ Disadvantages: possibility of bias when you lose objective analysis Bronislow Malinowski with the trobriand island natives, he “went native” Observing through participation Holism

Wide angle of interconnections What is it? ■ A cumulative approach to research, accounting for all contextual effects such as identities, norms, values, and relationships, then identifying the societal politics, economics, environment, religions, geography, technologies, status, histories, genders, and biologies How can you understand something if you haven’t experienced it? Listen to those who have as much as possible Culture doesnt exist in a vacuum Human heart structure and function!!! So holistic ■ You can examine the heart and dissect it infinitely but it cannot be completely understood without looking at the surrounding context, the body it is in Systems and interconnections are key circulatory system and human organ system Comparative method Cross cultural analysis allows us to understand what is universal throughout human groups and what is unique 1 thing that is universal among all human societies have a medical system maintain life and community Imagine life if there was no idea why sickness occurs and no solution American pharmaceuticals vs native medicine bag ■ Chemically engineered vs natural remedy ● No relationship with pharmacist vs deep relationship with shaman Ethnocentrism Judging cultural groups/systems of meanings based on your own beliefs and practices No culture, society, or individual is immune from ethnocentrism ■ Not right, not wrong, but different The holocaust, internment camps (her mom was born in a japanese internment camp????), segregation, slavery, colonialism Cultural relativism Perspective that each culture has value and internal logic Their beliefs, values, and practices have been socially constructed, therefore they should be understood relative to the logics and perspective of that cultural group What are the limits of it? Absolute relativism? (ethical? Dangerous? violent?)

Practice open mindedness to attempt understanding other cultures, opinions, perspectives, etc. Can never be understood 100%, other cultures can never be accepted the way your own are Humanity will always supercede cultural relativism

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