What is Cultural Anthropology? - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

What is Cultural Anthropology?

What is culture? How do cultural anthropologists study culture?

Tuesday February 26

th

, 2013

We will understand what

culture and cultural anthropology is

We will understand how culture varies over time and between places and societies We will understand how culture represents an important social force that contributes to an individuals personal and social development

Learning Goals

We will understand how cultural anthropologists

investigate culture and we will discuss any limitations or disadvantages inherent in their methods

We will how cultural anthropologists aim to challenge ethnocentric views of “the other” Learning Goals Cont.

What is Culture?

Culture is a system of shared beliefs, values, customs, and behaviors.

Culture can be seen in physical objects and human activities, but much of culture is unseen. Study of the seen aspects of culture can lead to understanding of the unseen aspects of culture.For example; the food people eat reveals much about a culture.http

://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1626519_1373664,00.html

Characteristics of Culture

Material aspects: physical objects humans create and give meaning to – clothes, food, cars, wheels, schools, books, and everything else we physically have and use Non-material aspects

: thoughts, behaviors, values, ideas about the world, language, rules, customs, skills, myths, family patterns and political systemsAttitudes- “knowledge about your ancestors makes you a better person” Behaviors- not eating with your fingers, or only eating with your fingers, depending on culture

What is Canadian Culture?

What is YOUR Culture?

What are some of the challenges cultural anthropologists may encounter?

What are some possible limitations to cultural anthropologists method of study?

How do Cultural Anthropologists

Study Culture?

Indonesian Baby Smokes 40 Cigarettes a Day

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

x4c_wI6kQyEOn a piece of paper, write your initial reactions to the videoWhat assumptions have you made?What key factors make this a social science issue? (Why would a social scientist (anthropologist in particular) be interested in this issue?

Concepts

:

Ethnocentrism

:

a) An underlying belief and assumption that one’s ethnic group or culture is

morally superior

and is the standard on which other cultures should be measured

b) The tendency to view and judge other cultures through your own culture’s perspective

Cultural relativism

: cultural norms and values derive their meaning from particular social contexts

a) Ethical and moral standards are relative to what a specific society/culture believes to be good/bad or right/wrong

b) Because there is no single, universal standard of morality, no one ethnic group can claim to be superior

Applying the Concepts of Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism to the Issue:

Key Factors and

Tensions:Journalistic ethics – how did this become a story and seen by over 18 million via You Tube, and whose point of view is defining the issue? –why are we so fascinated by itLittle information is given about who the reporter i

s, and from where he comes from- what social context is framing the “LENS” in which the reporter interprets this story Lack of understanding of the ideology, expectations/norms, and techniques of socialization that frame

the

cultural

context [ of the boy]

but strong sense of moral judgment underlying the story

Key

Factors

and

Tensions Continued

:

Health and investment in the future are held extremely highly in Northern/ Western cultures such as in the U. K. (from where the video came) and Canada

To what extent are we imposing that value onto a specific cultural context?

Why would a parent not value long term health?

To what extent is this story more an example of ethnocentrism than of a strong and critical analysis of a social problem?

Anthropology: Identifying Factors and Tensions in the Issue

The

tension inherent to applying universal values to specific local contexts (especially to cultures considered 'Other’)Human Rights, Child Rights? Universally accepted? The danger of making a situation worse when trying to 'solve' a problem without acknowledging and reflecting on key assumptions

Cultural Relativism: a moral predicament

While relativism suggests we respect and not judge others by our own standards, often there is a moral dilemma involved Relativistic Fallacy : The mistake that is impossible to make moral judgments about the beliefs and behaviours of members of other cultures

Major Goal of Cultural Anthropology

To combat ethnocentrismTo challenge relativistic fallacy

Do Cultures H

ave Common Characteristics? Culture is learned

Culture is sharedCulture defines natureCulture shapes how we perceive and understand the worldCulture has patterns

Learning Goals

We will understand what culture and

cultural anthropology is We will understand how culture varies over time and between places and societies We will understand how culture represents an important social force that contributes to an individuals personal and social development

We will understand how cultural anthropologists investigate culture and we will discuss any limitations or disadvantages inherent in their methods We will how cultural anthropologists aim to challenge ethnocentric views of “the other”