Anthropological Questions. Social Change & Anthropology Anthropologists regard cultures -the focus of their studies- as constantly changing organisms

AnthropologicalAnthropologicalQuestionsQuestions

Social Change & AnthropologySocial Change & Anthropology

Anthropologists Anthropologists regard cultures -the regard cultures -the focus of their studies- focus of their studies- as constantly as constantly changing organisms.changing organisms.

Social Change & AnthropologySocial Change & Anthropology

The change The change process is normally process is normally gradual, and gradual, and cultures normally cultures normally do not change do not change suddenly and suddenly and completely unless completely unless they are destroyed they are destroyed or swallowed by or swallowed by another culture.another culture.

The Anthropological QuestionsThe Anthropological Questions

What are the What are the known basic known basic mechanisms of mechanisms of social change?social change?


In their study about In their study about social change, social change, anthropologists anthropologists identify which identify which factors are most factors are most significant at any significant at any particular time.particular time.


Was a cultural change Was a cultural change caused by a change in caused by a change in the societythe society’’s s leadership?leadership?


Was it caused by a Was it caused by a shift in the values shift in the values and norms of the and norms of the cultureculture’’s members?s members?


Have changes to Have changes to the environment the environment resulted in changes resulted in changes to the culture?to the culture?


In the past, In the past, anthropologists anthropologists focused on the focused on the isolated cultures isolated cultures with little or no with little or no influence from the influence from the outside world.outside world.


In present time In present time anthropologists anthropologists have broadened have broadened their scope to their scope to study cultural study cultural groups in groups in mainstream mainstream societies in both societies in both rich and poor rich and poor nations.nations.


Anthropologists Anthropologists consider the roughly 30 consider the roughly 30 industrialized nations of industrialized nations of the world to be the world to be developed countriesdeveloped countries

Japan, United States, Japan, United States, Canada, England, ect.Canada, England, ect.


Anthropologists Anthropologists consider 180 consider 180 nations nations developing developing countriescountries

Sudan, India, Sudan, India, Afghanistan, Afghanistan, Ghana,Ghana,

Rwanda, Peru, ect.Rwanda, Peru, ect.


In the most of In the most of developing developing countries, there is countries, there is no industry and the no industry and the population survives population survives by farming the by farming the land.land.


The gap in The gap in incomes, incomes, educational levels educational levels infrastructureinfrastructure such as hospitals such as hospitals and transportation and transportation prompted prompted anthropologists to anthropologists to ask the question:ask the question:


How is How is international aid international aid from developed to from developed to developing developing countries is countries is affecting the affecting the situation ?situation ?


What factors make What factors make international aid international aid programs programs effective?effective?


What can What can developed and developed and developing developing countries learn countries learn from each other?from each other?


Anthropologists have concluded Anthropologists have concluded that there are three major that there are three major sources of cultural change.sources of cultural change.


InventionsInventions – new – new products, ideas, products, ideas, and social patterns and social patterns that affect the way that affect the way people live.people live.

DiscoveryDiscovery--finding finding something that something that was previously was previously unknown to the unknown to the cultureculture


DiscoveryDiscovery--finding finding something that something that was previously was previously unknown to the unknown to the culture.culture.


Diffusion-Diffusion- the spreading the spreading of ideas, methods, and of ideas, methods, and tools from one culture to tools from one culture to another.another.


Anthropologists Anthropologists focus on the focus on the process of process of enculturationenculturation,, by by which members of which members of a culture learn and a culture learn and internalize shared internalize shared ideas, values, and ideas, values, and beliefs.beliefs.

The Anthropological QuestionsThe Anthropological Questions To understand the nature of cultural change, they To understand the nature of cultural change, they

classify the various aspects of culture:classify the various aspects of culture:

Physical environmentPhysical environment Level of technologyLevel of technology Social organizationSocial organization System of symbolsSystem of symbols

By examining the four parts of culture, By examining the four parts of culture, anthropologists seek answers to the fundamental anthropologists seek answers to the fundamental questions of social change.questions of social change.


Physical environmentPhysical environment


Level of technologyLevel of technology (e.g. multi-line (e.g. multi-line highways can highways can improve light-rail improve light-rail transit systems in transit systems in the cities).the cities).

The Anthropological QuestionsThe Anthropological Questions Social organizationSocial organization:: What is the kinship What is the kinship

system? system? How is labour divided How is labour divided

and allocated?and allocated? Are social rules Are social rules

flexible or tightly flexible or tightly regulated?regulated?


Systems of symbolsSystems of symbols To an To an

anthropologist anthropologist symbols include symbols include not only physical not only physical objects but also objects but also gestures (e.g. V-gestures (e.g. V-symbol for peace), symbol for peace), dance trends, dance trends, hairstyles, etc. hairstyles, etc.

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Anthropological Questions. Social Change & Anthropology Anthropologists regard cultures -the focus of their studies- as constantly changing organisms