View
2.318
Download
0
Category
Tags:
Preview:
DESCRIPTION
Citation preview
Method & TheoryIn Anthropology
Method & TheoryIn Anthropology
Theoretical PerspectivesChapter 3
Prof. Fortier
Theoretical PerspectivesChapter 3
Prof. Fortier
Recap 3.1: Ethnography and Survey Research ContrastedRecap 3.1: Ethnography and Survey Research Contrasted
Theories of Cultural Anthropology
Theories of Cultural Anthropology
Evolutionism (Cultural Evolution)Historical Particularism (The Boasians)Functionalism
Structural FunctionalismConfigurationalism (Patterns of Culture)
Neoevolutionism (Multilinear Evolution)Cultural Materialism & Cultural EcologySymbolic & Interpretive AnthropologyStructuralismProcessual approachesPolitical economic approaches
Evolutionism (Cultural Evolution)Historical Particularism (The Boasians)Functionalism
Structural FunctionalismConfigurationalism (Patterns of Culture)
Neoevolutionism (Multilinear Evolution)Cultural Materialism & Cultural EcologySymbolic & Interpretive AnthropologyStructuralismProcessual approachesPolitical economic approaches
Cultural EvolutionCultural Evolution
Unilinear evolution Lewis Henry Morgan Ancient Society 1877 Savagery> Barbarism>
Civilization Fixity of the Species
Unilinear evolution Lewis Henry Morgan Ancient Society 1877 Savagery> Barbarism>
Civilization Fixity of the Species
Depiction of the “Great Chain of Being”
Edward Burnett TylorEdward Burnett Tylor Parent of British
Anthropology 1871 - Primitive
culture Unilinear
evolutionary idea about belief systems (religions)
Animism > Polytheism > Monotheism > Science
“Survivals” e.g., belief in ghosts a survival of animistic stage
Parent of British Anthropology
1871 - Primitive culture
Unilinear evolutionary idea about belief systems (religions)
Animism > Polytheism > Monotheism > Science
“Survivals” e.g., belief in ghosts a survival of animistic stage
history.prm.ox.ac.uk/collector_tylor.html
The BoasiansThe Boasians
Contributed to cultural, biological, and linguistic anthropology
Showed human biology was plasticAlfred Kroeber - One of 1st Ph.D.
students of Boas; Started anthro depts in California; studied Native Americans of Calif. region
Contributed to cultural, biological, and linguistic anthropology
Showed human biology was plasticAlfred Kroeber - One of 1st Ph.D.
students of Boas; Started anthro depts in California; studied Native Americans of Calif. region
• Franz Boas (1848-1942) is parent of four-field American anthropology
Historical ParticularismHistorical Particularism• Historical
particularism• Diverse cultural
histories can converge• Native histories
important to study
• Collect data first; theorize laterFranz Boas (1848-1942)
Independent Invention versus Diffusion
Independent Invention versus Diffusion
Boasians such as Alfred Kroeber stressed diffusionCulture traitTrait complexesCulture area Historical particularism and
diffusion were complementary
Boasians such as Alfred Kroeber stressed diffusionCulture traitTrait complexesCulture area Historical particularism and
diffusion were complementary
• Evolutionists stressed independent invention to explain cultural generalities
FunctionalismFunctionalism
Malinowski: customs and institutions in society are integrated humans have
universal biological needs
Culture functions to fulfill biol. needs
One of early modern ethnographers
Malinowski: customs and institutions in society are integrated humans have
universal biological needs
Culture functions to fulfill biol. needs
One of early modern ethnographers
Trobriand Islanders at www.art-vs.de/portal/pics/a_trobs.jpg
Structural FunctionalismStructural Functionalism A.R. Radcliffe-Brown The Andaman
Islanders 1922 Object of
anthropology is to discover social laws
Customs (social practices) function to preserve the social structure
Ahistorical; concerned w/ structure & function, not history
A.R. Radcliffe-Brown The Andaman
Islanders 1922 Object of
anthropology is to discover social laws
Customs (social practices) function to preserve the social structure
Ahistorical; concerned w/ structure & function, not history
Early & Recent Depictions of Andaman Is.
ConfigurationalismConfigurationalism
Culture is integrated and patterned Ruth Benedict -
Patterns of Culture; The Chrysanthemum & the Sword
Margaret Mead - Coming of Age in Samoa
Psychological Anth
Culture is integrated and patterned Ruth Benedict -
Patterns of Culture; The Chrysanthemum & the Sword
Margaret Mead - Coming of Age in Samoa
Psychological Anth
Ruth Benedict
NeoevolutionismNeoevolutionism
White: General evolution: energy capture main measure and cause of cultural advance
Steward: Multilinear evolution: culture evolved along different linesAlso pioneer in cultural ecology (known
as ecological anthropology)Technology and environment main
causes of cultural advance
White: General evolution: energy capture main measure and cause of cultural advance
Steward: Multilinear evolution: culture evolved along different linesAlso pioneer in cultural ecology (known
as ecological anthropology)Technology and environment main
causes of cultural advance
• White and Steward reintroduced evolution with study of culture (1950)
Multilinear Evolution Multilinear Evolution
Julian StewardTheory of Culture
Change (1955)Cultural EcologyEcological
AnthropologyCore culture
Julian StewardTheory of Culture
Change (1955)Cultural EcologyEcological
AnthropologyCore culture
Carrier Indian (British Columbia, Canada) consultant with J. Steward; courtesy of National Anthropology Archives
Materialist principlesMaterialist principles
Cultures adapt humans to environment.Environment shapes culturesCulture change is a process of adaptation Cultures change towards equilibriumTechnology & economy are core elementsSecondary cultural elements - religion, ritual,
world view, mythMarvin Harris, Julian Steward, Elman Service
Cultures adapt humans to environment.Environment shapes culturesCulture change is a process of adaptation Cultures change towards equilibriumTechnology & economy are core elementsSecondary cultural elements - religion, ritual,
world view, mythMarvin Harris, Julian Steward, Elman Service
Cultural MaterialismCultural Materialism
Marvin Harris (1927-2001) Studied cultural-ecological
relationships Infrastructure> Structure >
superstructure Superstructure: religion,
ideology, play determined by structure and infrastructure
Sacred Cow-evolution of the cow as a taboo food
Cannibals & Kings 1977 Cows, Pigs, Wars, &
Witches 1989
Marvin Harris (1927-2001) Studied cultural-ecological
relationships Infrastructure> Structure >
superstructure Superstructure: religion,
ideology, play determined by structure and infrastructure
Sacred Cow-evolution of the cow as a taboo food
Cannibals & Kings 1977 Cows, Pigs, Wars, &
Witches 1989Courtesy: farm1.static.flickr.com/
• Victor Turner (1920-1983) - The Forest of Symbols (1967)
• Symbolic anthropology (study of symbols in cultural context)
• Rituals in rites of passage
• Performance studies
Symbolic AnthropologySymbolic Anthropology
Rice feeding ceremony, Nepal
Symbolic principles of The Culture Concept
Symbolic principles of The Culture Concept
Culture is a system of knowledgeetic/emic knowledgerules of appropriate behaviorCompetence & performanceIdeologies & practicesUniversals of human cognitionBinary oppositionsClaude Levi-Strauss: “Universal
structures of the human mind”
Culture is a system of knowledgeetic/emic knowledgerules of appropriate behaviorCompetence & performanceIdeologies & practicesUniversals of human cognitionBinary oppositionsClaude Levi-Strauss: “Universal
structures of the human mind”
Interpretive AnthropologyInterpretive Anthropology
Culture is like a text with meanings to be deciphered
Emic approach highlighted
Culture is like a text with meanings to be deciphered
Emic approach highlighted
Clifford GeertzInterpretive
anthropology explores culture as a set of ideas
Clifford GeertzInterpretive
anthropology explores culture as a set of ideas
Balinese Cockfighting
• Lévi-Strauss (1908-) - claimed there are “Univ. structures of the human mind” common to Homo sapiens
• Goal: Outline the structure of myths and understand the underlying ideology of the society
• Binary oppositions (human/animal, life/death, good/bad, new/old, etc.)
StructuralismStructuralism
Greek Myth: Hercules & Minotaur
Processual Approaches: Practice Theory
Processual Approaches: Practice Theory
Practice theory: individuals within society have diverse motives and intentions and different degrees of power and influence
Agency: Individual actions
Pierre Bourdieu, Sherry Ortner
Practice theory: individuals within society have diverse motives and intentions and different degrees of power and influence
Agency: Individual actions
Pierre Bourdieu, Sherry Ortner
Habitus: A field of choices;From P. Bourdieu, A Theory of Practice
• Capitalist world economy – single world system committed to production for sale or exchange, with the object of maximizing profits rather than supplying domestic needs
World System(s) Theory (WST)World System(s) Theory (WST)
Capital – wealth or resources invested in business, with the intent of producing a profit
Capital is a social relationship, not an object
Capital – wealth or resources invested in business, with the intent of producing a profit
Capital is a social relationship, not an object
• Core nations - those with value-added products, highly mechanized
• Semi-peripheral nations - those with some mechanization & export to peripheral nations
• Periphery nations – nations with few mechanized economic activities
Wallerstein’s World System Theory
Wallerstein’s World System Theory
Primarily concerned with exporting raw materials and agricultural goods to core and semiperiphery nations
Primarily concerned with exporting raw materials and agricultural goods to core and semiperiphery nations
World Systems Theory (WST)World Systems Theory (WST)
Immanuel Wallerstein (1930-)
Publishing since 1961; a recent book is World-Systems Analysis: An Introduction
Redistributes resourcces from periphery to core nations
1st world, 2nd world, 3rd world...
Immanuel Wallerstein (1930-)
Publishing since 1961; a recent book is World-Systems Analysis: An Introduction
Redistributes resourcces from periphery to core nations
1st world, 2nd world, 3rd world...
Political EconomyPolitical Economy
Emphasis on tracing history of power relations
Eric Wolf -Europe & the People without History (1982)
Sydney Mintz- Sweetness & Power (1985)
Emphasis on tracing history of power relations
Eric Wolf -Europe & the People without History (1982)
Sydney Mintz- Sweetness & Power (1985)
Aurelio Tarrillo, in Peru discussing farming issues Photo: J. Fortier
Political Economies & Culture
Political Economies & Culture
Sydney Mintz’s Sweetness & Powerthe development of modern sugar
production and consumption
Sydney Mintz’s Sweetness & Powerthe development of modern sugar
production and consumption
Sugar cane harvesting in the West Indies, c. 1830s
• Anthropological studies have focused recently on -
• Identity formation• Systems of power • Diasporas & migration issues• Globalization & tourism• Cultural resistence, resilience, revitalization• Medical issues in immigration camps
Recent StudiesRecent Studies
Recap 3.2: Timeline and Key Works in Anthropological Theory
Recap 3.2: Timeline and Key Works in Anthropological Theory
Recommended