Anthropology 100 F'05
Dr. Jane Granskog
Review For Quiz I
Introduction - The Nature Of Anthropology
Basic divisions in anthro: physical - human evolution, human variation and biology; cultural
- linguistics (historical & scientific perspectives); archeology (historical perspective);
ethnology (scientific perspective, historical perspective = ethnography, study of a particular
culture). Five elements common to anthropology (source of unity) - relativistic attitude,
comparative method, concern w/ context, fieldwork & the unifying concept of culture viewed
from a holistic perspective. Current focus - geographical and theoretical specializations w/ an
emphasis on non-Western societies (microscopic studies) are still central though interest in
segments of complex society and applied anthropology (anthro. info used to solve practical
cross-cultural problems) has emerged w/in recent years.
Major Concepts in Anthropology-Explaining Culture
Be able to define: culture (major attributes - learned, shared, adaptive & symbolic/arbitrary,
is NOT the same as behavior, importance of enculturation); difference between macroculture
and microcultures (based on class, ethnicity, race, gender, age, & institutions and their
impact upon status and choice); impact of globalization & localization processes;
ethnocentrism; cognicentrism (privileging one's own cognitive processes/way of looking at
and thinking about the nature of the world); cultural relativism (significance and
limitations—absolute vs relative approach); significance of dialectical holism. Be familiar w/
3 major theoretical debates noted by Miller – biological determinism vs cultural
constructionism; interpretivism vs cultural materialism; individual agency vs structurism.
Major issues centering around fieldwork/participant observation: limitations of
positivist thinking & focus on objective knowledge; focus on intersubjectivity inherent in
dialogue of fieldwork, significance of reflexivity. Note four aspects of fieldwork: preparation
(problem orientation, type of training needed); data collection (various methods employed
and emphasized - P.O., cultural rapport w/ informants and associated problems); adaptation
to the field & impact of fieldwork - problem of cultural shock - "social limbo" - significance of
tacit vs explicit culture; analysis & interpretation of data (problem of observer bias,
emphasis on intersubjective/reflexive, dialectical approach; significance of ethical issues protection of informant privacy, recognition of their contributions, info. for whom and for what
purposes. Be able to illustrate issues via info in text by Miller & articles in Spradley &
McCurdy (#1-5).
Be familiar with the historical development of anthropology and the emergence of
major theoretical approaches - significance of effects of Western expansion upon early
theories. Evolutionary typologies - emphasis on material aspects of culture, technology,
origin and evolution of societal types - early versions (unilineal cultural evolutionism) were
ethnocentric w/ emphasis on idea that "progress is always good". Emergence of Social
Structural typologies with work in colonial settings (British) - classification of political
structures, emphasis on continuity principle of culture & on stability & integration of society,
static approach, emphasis on cultural persistence (structural functionalism). Diverse
approaches after WWII framed by 3 theoretical debates with attention to current approaches
that focus on practical applications of anthropology (applied anthro) to issues of globalization
& impact on indigenous cultures around the world as well as w/in the Western world.
Language & Cognition - Symbolic Communication
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Two primary means of communication: (1) through behavior, i.e., non-verbal, use of symbols
in many ways - proxemics & kinesics, a primary emphasis in study of semantics (study of
meaning); (2) verbal communication - language. Note features of human language
distinguishing it from animal communication – productivity & displacement; different
approaches – historical linguistics, impact of colonialization, globalization on changing
languages (pidgin; language decay & extinction). Relation between language and cognition linguistic competence and communicative competence; significance of Sapir Whorf
hypothesis. Component systems of language: phonology - study of sounds, phonemes;
morphology - combining significant sounds, morphemes; syntax/grammar - rules for putting
words together; semantics - meaning of verbal symbols used, (denotation vs connotation),
doublespeak; and pragmatics - language in the contexts of use (e.g., significance of linguistic
ethnocentrism/linguistic inequality & impact on bilingualism, dialects; men vs women's
speech, linguistic pluralism, language codes).
Dialectic between Language & Culture: Significance of sociolinguistics focus on power
dynamics manifest in discourse. Note key points about media anthropology—cross-cultural
study of communication via electronic media. Be familiar with articles in Spradley & McCurdy
(#6, 7 & 9) and on Hall & Hall on reserve in addition to Miller Ch. 12.
Possible Short Answer Questions
1. Define and describe ethnocentrism, cultural relativism, and the intersubjective, dialectical
approach of anthropology. What is the significance of these terms to anthropology? Are
these terms at all related to one another? If they are, how so? Illustrate your answer with
examples where appropriate.
2. List and define the five unifying characteristics of anthropology. Also be able to discuss
how the characteristics might be related to one another.
3. How have the contacts between the West and the rest of the world affected the
development of anthropology?
4. Discuss the observational approach (and participant observation) in terms of its
significance within the discipline of anthropology. Also be able to discuss some of the
advantages of the observational approach, why the technique of participant observation
is an important research "tool" for anthropologists, and how our perspective on fieldwork
& the role of informants has changed.
5. What sorts of human and/or scientific problems might an anthropologist encounter while
conducting anthropological research "in the field" (e.g., culture shock)? Illustrate your
answer with examples where appropriate.
6. How did the Bushmen respond to the gift of an ox from the anthropologist? Why did the
anthropologist misinterpret their response?
7. What is culture? Given the diversity of economic, social, and cultural patterns across the
world, what do these patterns tell us about the nature of culture?
8. How do you think fieldwork achieves the personal transformations described by Gmelch
in the students he has sent to Barbados?
9. Language has been a central focus of anthropological interest for at least three reasons.
List these reasons and discuss why they are important.
10. What are some of the ways in which language affects or perception in America today?
How are they related to Thomson's discussion of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis
11. Discuss the misunderstandings that occur because of differing interpretations of
communication between males and females as discussed by Tannen. Have you
experienced similar problems in your conversations with the opposite sex? Based on the
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various readings and your own experience, how may issues of gender and culture
(differing patterns of cognition) affect the communication process?