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Introduction to Cultural Anthropology 1
Ch 1-5
72
Anthropology
Undergraduate 1
09/20/2015

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Term
4 Subfields of Anthropology
Definition
Biological, Linguistics, Archaeology, Cultural
Term
4 Subfields of Biological Anthropology
Definition
Forensic, Osteoarchaeology, Primatology, Physical
Term
Forensic Anthropolgy
Definition
Working at crime scenes; a recent development
Term
Osteoarchaeology
Definition
Study of bones in archaeological contexts
Term
Primatology
Definition
Study of non-human primates, our closest relatives
Term
Physical Anthroplogy
Definition
Study of human biological evolution --> human traits
Term
What is Linguistic Anthropology?
Definition
the study of languages, both past and present, and their physical evolution and cultural evolution
Term
What is Archaeology?
Definition
Study of past human cultures and societies from their material remains (garbage), which are recovered through excavation
Term
What is Archaeology?
Definition
Study of past human cultures and societies from their material remains (garbage), which are recovered through excavation
Term
Ethnoarchaeology
Definition
Live among non-western groups to understand the way they consume and their garbage --> patterns of material
Term
CRM
Definition
Cultural Resource Management
The archaeology ahead of the disturbance caused by municipal, state and federal development (ex: before the Big Dig)
Term
What is Cultural Anthropology?
Definition
AKA Social Anthropology
The study of human culture and society
Term
What is culture?
Definition
Traditions and customs that are transmitted through learning and that guide the behaviors and beliefs of the people who are exposed to them
Culture is not static-- it's constantly changing, adapting, evolving and being re-invented
Term
What 2 natural urges are most pronounced through culture?
Definition
Eating and eliminating waste
Term
2 Branches of Cultural Anthropology
Definition
Ethnography & Ethnology
Term
Ethnography
Definition
First hand study of an individual living culture
On location research utilizing participant observation
Results in a book
Term
Participant Observation
Definition
You go and live with some group of people you want to study
You participate in their culture, while constantly observing
Term
Ethnology
Definition
Compare cultures using ethnographic data (books, previous research) in order to derive general principles of human behavior-- cross cultural synthesis
Term
Bronislaw Malinowski
Definition
20th century Anthropologist
Main advocate of long-term field research --> immerse yourself in the culture you are studying
Term
Cultural Relativism
Definition
All cultures and ways of dealing with the natural world are equal
We cannot project our cultural biases onto others if we want to understand them
Term
Ethnocentrism
Definition
The idea that your culture and cultural perspective (your way of life) is the correct, legitimate way of living
Term
Ethnocentrism can lead to which 2 things
Definition
Extreme nationalism
Arrogance of the Present
Term
Arrogance of the Present
Definition
Thinking we are the best in this time in history
Term
Human Rights
Definition
Idea that there is a realm of justice and morality beyond and superior to a particular country, culture and religion. Human rights apply to the individual and include the right to speak freely, to hold religious beliefs without persecution, and not be murdered, injured or enslanved
Term
Human rights go beyond a nation's law and as a result they are ____
Definition
inalienable-- they exist unto themselves --> they cannot be terminated or exchanged
Term
Cultural Rights
Definition
Recent --> focus on the right of a cultural group (rather than the individual)
Developed out of the indigenous right
A cultural group's ability to continue its language, raise its children as it sees fit to, in the traditional methods and not be deprived of its economic base by the ruling nation
Ex: whaling
Term
Human rights vs cultural rights: Are they incompatible
Definition
Ex: genitalia modification
Term
Cultural Adaptation
Definition
The effect of one's environment on their culture
Ex: water irrigation-- the control over water and water access has been central to every civilization
Term
Enculturation
Definition
Learning of culture. Teaching ways of behavior to our children, new immigrants, freshmen
Term
Culture is learned.
This process is called:
Definition
enculturation
Term
How does culture change?
Definition
It evolves
1- familiarity of differences
ex: LGBTQ awareness
2- technology (outside culture)
Term
Ideal Culture
Definition
What people say they should do and what they say they do
Ex: Tuscon garbage project- William Rathje
The interviews told them the ideal culture
Term
Real Culture
Definition
The actual behavior as observed by the Anthropologist
Ex: Tuscon garbage project William Ratje
What they found in the trash-- number of beer bottles-- was the real culture
Term
Cultural Diffusion
Definition
temporary exposure to a different culture and bringing bits and pieces back with it
Term
Acculturation
Definition
Long term exposure to a different culture, where both cultures involved change a little bit but maintain their original identity
Ex: temporary Latino workers in US
Term
Independent Invention
Definition
Independently solving similar problems
Term
Ethnicity
Definition
Ethnic group
Self-identified subgroup within the larger society that share common cultural characteristics
Term
2 Examples of Pluralistic Societies
Definition
United States and Canada
Term
United States as a pluralistic society
Definition
Melting Pot
All new immigrant cultures add to the mix of what it is to be American
It is a concept of assimilation, this one America of all flavors, but a single shared culture
Term
Canada as a pluralistic society
Definition
Cultural Mosaic
Actively encourages the maintenance of the original cultural identity , but weaving it into a larger Canadian society/mosaic
= multicultural
Term
Informal Interview
Definition
open-ended, no structure-- just conversation. A lot of info but not necessarily what you're looking for
Term
Formal Interview
Definition
Answering prepared questions, but the answers may lack of cultural richness
Term
What did they do to combat the lack of cultural richness in formal interviews?
Definition
Introduced film (video recording)
But being filmed affects the interviewee
Term
Emic View
Definition
A view from inside, the native view of the world/their culture
Based on a lot of symbols-- hard because emic perspective understands these symbols
Term
Etic View
Definition
A view from outside; the anthropologist's view of the native's world
Term
6 Types of Cultural Anthropology
Definition
Applied, academic, medical, urban, advocacy ðics, and visual
Term
Applied Anthropology
Definition
AKA Practical Anthro
Using anthropological perspective and knowledge to solve contemporary problems including human behavior etc
Ex: NGO's (non gov. organizations)
US Military
Multinational corporations (ex: bringing small gifts to business deals in Japan)
Term
Academic Anthropology
Definition
AKA theoretical anthro
Classic idea of the professor --> reliant on universities and grants for employment and funding
Term
Medical Anthropology
Definition
Part applied & part academic
Investigating health issues in any given population and trying to understand:
-health issues as related to their culture (academic)
-trying to fix any healthy issues in culturally specific ways (applied)
Term
Urban Anthropology
Definition
Studying the process of industrialization and urbanization and as a result, the social problems, new social connections, family structures etc. that come with that
Term
Advocacy Anthropology and Ethics
Definition
When the anthropologist becomes involved in the local community to the degree that they take a political or economic stand on their behalf
Term
Visual Anthropology
Definition
Typically this has been ethnographic film
-Now it's concerned with all visual representations of culture
Term
5 ways the truthfulness of video or photography can be affected
Definition
1- Presence of the camera makes the subject self conscious& alters their behavior
2- filmmakers can stage scenes or pose people-- alters reality
3- act of film itself is selective-- pointed in one direction, missing everything else
4- editing- include or cut shots in a way that isn't true to the chronology of events
5- editing- montage- creates implied unity of action that may not have existed
Term
Evolution in a nut shell
Definition
Natural selection favors adaptive genes and gets rid of maladaptive genes through survival of the fittest
Term
2 Strategies of reproductive survival
Definition
K-Species (mammals) --> few offspring, dependent on parent, physically large
R-Species (cats, dogs, rabbits, etc.) --> many offspring (litters), born independent, smaller animals
Term
2 categories of primates
Definition
anthropoids (apes, humans, monkeys)
prosimian (lemurs, tarsiers, lorises and other pre-monkeys)
Term
Homindoe
Hominoids
Hominids
Definition
homindoe-- apes and humans
hominoids-- past and present apes & humans
hominids -- past and present humans
Term
Environment of the earliest hominids
Definition
tropics and the Savannah in Africa
Term
5 Hominid changes through time
Definition
1- increased brain size & complexity
2- changes in teeth (canines & incisors get smaller and increase in gaps, decrease in molars)
3- sagital crest- gets smaller b/c jaw muscle attachments aren't as necessary b/c we're not grinding as much
4- changes in face- gets shorter
5-bipedalism-- walk on two legs
Term
Advantages to Bipedalism
Definition
leaves your hands free, reach up & down, carry a child etc.
distance travel less strenuous
raises visual level, increases visual distance
better for tool making
Term
Disadvantages to Bidepalism
Definition
Makes you slower
Takes more energy (calories)
Increased circulation problems
Increased back pain, joint pain etc
Term
How do we recognize Bipedalism in fossil records?
Definition
1- Big toe is in line with the rest of the foot
2- foramen magnum= moves to a position directly below the skull, rather than placed in the back
3-curved lower back- gives a spring to the body's movements
4-shorter, broader pelvis
Term
Hominid Evolution
Definition
Happened in many parts of Africa, at the same time, at different rates --> evolutionary mosaic
Term
Brain central capacity of modern humans
Definition
1000-1600 cc (cubic centimeters)
Term
Australopithecus Afarensis
(A. Afarensis)
Definition
4-3 mya
Appears to have been adapted to bipedalism from the waist down, but arboreal adaptation from the waist up (adapted to trees--> curved arms- seen in monkeys to help swing)
Term
Famous A. Afarensis skeleton
Definition
Lucy
Term
A. Afreanus
Definition
3-2.2 mya
S. African cave called the Taing cave
-Has only been found in S. Africa
Brain case 400-500 cc: brainsize 1/4-1/5 modern brain size
Term
Homo Habilus
Definition
2.2-1.8 mya
The tool user
Brain capacity to 600-700 cc
flat face, no sagital crest
Physically similar to A. Afreanus but head was higher and rounder, face less protruding and higher jaw
Term
Ealiest Tools
Definition
Oldowan chopping tools
first used by homo habilus
Term
Homo Erectus
Definition
First to leave Africa
Out of Africa I
Time Period: lower Paleolithic
2 mya --> 150,000 years ago
Term
Homo Erectus Key Sites
Definition
Zhoukoudian --> China
Terra Amata --> Spain
Trinil --> Java (Javaman)
Term
Homo erectus stone tool technology
Definition
Achulean stone tradition
Achulean hand axe (flint knapping)-- multi purpose tool that lasted nearly 2mya
Flakes that resulted from making a hand axe were also used
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