Suicide statistics

http://www.afsp.org/index.cfm?page_id=04ea1254-bd31-1fa3-c549d77e6ca6aa37

http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide_rates/en






ANTHROPOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGICAL THEORYTHEORY

BRONISLAW MALINOWSKIBRONISLAW MALINOWSKI


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f22VsAlOwbc

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Born: Born: Krakow, Poland on April 7, Krakow, Poland on April 7, 1884 1884

ParentsParents: Lucyan & Jozefa : Lucyan & Jozefa

MalinowskiMalinowski

FamilyFamily: Upper-class : Upper-class

Very cultured Very cultured

ScholarlyScholarly4

Ph.D. in Philosophy, Physics, Ph.D. in Philosophy, Physics, and Mathematics and Mathematics University of Krakow in University of Krakow in 19081908

1913: Lectured at 1913: Lectured at London London School of Economics School of Economics Ph.D. in Science Ph.D. in Science in 1916in 1916

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MALINOWSKIMALINOWSKI

Founded:Founded: Functionalism Functionalism Social Anthropology Social Anthropology

All components of society All components of society interlock to form a interlock to form a well-well-balanced systembalanced system

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FUNCTIONALISMFUNCTIONALISM BritainBritain: Reaction to 19: Reaction to 19thth c. c. evolutionevolution

Shift from Shift from SocialSocial change change EvolutionEvolution

ToTo Social stabilitySocial stability

How societies stayed the sameHow societies stayed the same7

SOCIAL CONTEXT FOR SOCIAL CONTEXT FOR FUNCTIONALISMFUNCTIONALISM

World->World->ColoniesColonies

Problem: Problem: RuRuling native ling native people? people?

Required:Required: Practical knowledge of Practical knowledge of social & political social & political structuresstructures

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Research focusResearch focus: Functioning : Functioning of social systems of social systems

Information served Information served colonial colonial administrationadministration

Focus:Focus: Maintaining order & Maintaining order & stabilitystability

BRITAIN – SOCIAL BRITAIN – SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGYANTHROPOLOGY

Social Structure Social Structure = Enduring = Enduring patterns of social relationshipspatterns of social relationships

Function: Function: Society= OrganismSociety= Organism Parts work together to Parts work together to maintain systemmaintain system

Emphasis Emphasis on equilibriumon equilibrium Change->Change->UpsUpsets the ets the equilibriumequilibrium

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MALINOWSKI INTRODUCTIONMALINOWSKI INTRODUCTION Emphasized characteristics of:Emphasized characteristics of:

BeliefsBeliefs CeremoniesCeremonies CustomsCustoms InstitutionsInstitutions ReligionReligion RitualRitual Sexual taboosSexual taboos

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MALINOWSKI INTRODUCTIONMALINOWSKI INTRODUCTION

First field study came First field study came in 1915-18in 1915-18

Studied the Studied the Trobriand Islanders Trobriand Islanders of New Guinea of New Guinea in the southwest in the southwest PacificPacific

Used Used holistic approach to holistic approach to study study natives’ social interactions natives’ social interactions including:including: Annual Annual Kula Ring Exchange Kula Ring Exchange

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1915 WW I started1915 WW I started Remained in New Guinea Remained in New Guinea for for

duration of the warduration of the war Lived with Lived with Trobriand IslandersTrobriand Islanders Became a Became a well-knownwell-known anthropologistanthropologist

1922 Argonauts of the Western Pacific

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SocietySociety: Functions to : Functions to meet meet needs of individualsneeds of individuals

All people have these All people have these needsneeds

3 Levels of Needs:3 Levels of Needs:1. Biological1. Biological2. Instrumental2. Instrumental3. Integrative3. Integrative 14

These fundamental needs must be supplied by culture

Anthropologists could study the ways in which a culture meets these needs for its people.

1. Biological needs: Nutrition Reproduction Bodily comforts Safety Relaxation Movement

2. Instrumental 2. Instrumental needs:needs: LawLaw EducationEducation

3. Integrative needs:3. Integrative needs: ReligionReligion ArtArt

Culture provides: Stability, cohesion, and physical survival through: Myths Symbols Rituals

TROBRIANDS STUDYTROBRIANDS STUDYCharacteristics Characteristics of Malinowski’s of Malinowski’s method method

Lived as a native among nativesLived as a native among natives

Watched them daily at work and at Watched them daily at work and at play play

Conversations with them their Conversations with them their language language

Information from personal observation Information from personal observation

Statements directly by the nativesStatements directly by the natives20

MW MW WHAT IS AN WHAT IS AN ETHNOGRAPHY?ETHNOGRAPHY?

DocumentsDocuments people’s routine people’s routine daily livesdaily lives

ExploresExplores a cultural group a cultural group

Live with group being Live with group being studiedstudied, or spends a lot of , or spends a lot of time with themtime with them

““Guiding question” Guiding question” that that evolves during the studyevolves during the study 21

UnobtrusiveUnobtrusive

Identify Identify geographical & geographical & temporal locationtemporal location

To reveal To reveal little known little known societiessocieties

To obtain To obtain insider’s viewinsider’s view

Understand Understand point of view point of view from inside the groupfrom inside the group

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Identify behavior patterns Identify behavior patterns Make reader Make reader understand understand

perspective perspective of nativeof native

Understand:Understand: ContextContext ComplexityComplexity Politics of social processesPolitics of social processes

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Accuracy ofAccuracy of informationinformation

Complexity ofComplexity of information information

Careful ObservationCareful Observation

Speak native language Speak native language

No contact with white peopleNo contact with white people

Seek information naturallySeek information naturallyInstead of through informantsInstead of through informants

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TROBRIAND KULA RINGTROBRIAND KULA RING

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HOLISM: HOLISM: Kula is an exchange Kula is an exchange system in Trobriand Islands:system in Trobriand Islands:

PoliticsPolitics Alliance formationAlliance formation PrestigePrestige FeastingFeasting Economic tradeEconomic trade Magic Magic Contributes to the integration Contributes to the integration

of societyof society26

KULAKULA

Ethnographic work Ethnographic work (Holism): (Holism): Deal with the Deal with the totalitytotality—an anatomy of —an anatomy of cultureculture

To study only religion (or To study only religion (or technology) creates an technology) creates an artificial field of inquiryartificial field of inquiry

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MAKING THE STRANGE MAKING THE STRANGE FAMILIARFAMILIAR

EthnologyEthnology introduced introduced law & orderlaw & order into what seemed chaotic & into what seemed chaotic & freakish freakish

Transformed sensational, wild & Transformed sensational, wild & unaccountable unaccountable world of “savages” world of “savages” into a number of into a number of well-ordered well-ordered communitiescommunities

Key: Key: Society exists to Society exists to fulfill fulfill the needs of the individualthe needs of the individual 28

• Subsistence--fishing and yam agriculture

• Matrilineal society: Descent traced from mother’s line

• Inheritance passes from mother’s brother to sister’s son

• Brother required to gift (yams) his sister’s family

EXCHANGE AND TRADEEXCHANGE AND TRADE

• Most spectacular and prestigious exchanges occurred between islands

• Known as kula

• Involved long sailing expeditions across open sea

BASIC FEATURES OF THE KULABASIC FEATURES OF THE KULA• Separation between Separation between utilitarian utilitarian

exchange exchange (gimwali) and (gimwali) and ceremonial exchanges ceremonial exchanges (kula)(kula)

• Kula: Kula: ExExchange of change of ceremonial ceremonial items: items: soulava (necklaces) and soulava (necklaces) and mwali (armbands)mwali (armbands)

• Items Items not kept permanentlynot kept permanently• At most 1 or 2 yearsAt most 1 or 2 years

• Possession of famous kula items Possession of famous kula items brings person renown & prestigebrings person renown & prestige

FEATURES OF THE KULAFEATURES OF THE KULAPartners Partners in the kula were in the kula were lifelong lifelong

trading partners trading partners obliged to each obliged to each other for:other for:

HospitalityHospitalityHelpHelpAssistanceAssistance

Minor kula exchanges Minor kula exchanges within a group within a group of islands of islands preceded preceded major major expeditions.expeditions.

Usually one Usually one overseas trading overseas trading expedition per year.expedition per year.

Prow of a Kula Canoe, c. 1993

Two types Two types of Kula gifts of Kula gifts Symbolic value Symbolic value

1. 1. Shell-disc Shell-disc necklacesnecklaces ( (SoulavaSoulava) ) that are traded to the north that are traded to the north (circling the ring in clockwise (circling the ring in clockwise direction)direction)

2. 2. Shell Shell armbandsarmbands ( (MwaliMwali) ) that are that are traded in the southern direction traded in the southern direction (circling counter-clockwise). (circling counter-clockwise).

2 TYPES OF GIFTS2 TYPES OF GIFTSSoulavaSoulava MwalMwal

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A founding father of British A founding father of British social anthropologysocial anthropology

British anthropology British anthropology paradigm shift: paradigm shift: FroFrom m speculativespeculative and and historical (evolutionary)historical (evolutionary) to to

The The ahistorical study of social ahistorical study of social institutionsinstitutions

Greatest contribution Greatest contribution as an as an ethnographerethnographer

Importance of studying social Importance of studying social behavior inbehavior in cultural contextscultural contexts

Participant-observationParticipant-observation Consider observable Consider observable

differences between differences between normsnorms and and actionaction:: Between what people Between what people say they do say they do

and and what they actually do what they actually do

Detailed descriptions Detailed descriptions of Trobriand of Trobriand social life and thoughtsocial life and thought

Kinship & Marriage Kinship & Marriage (e.g., (e.g., "sociological paternity“ vs "sociological paternity“ vs “biological”)“biological”)

In In economic anthropology economic anthropology (e.g., “Reciprocity")(e.g., “Reciprocity")

Explain Explain human economic behavior human economic behavior using both using both economicseconomics and and anthropologyanthropology