Intro to
Anthropology
HSP 3M
‘The purpose of Anthropology is to make the world
safe for human differences’
Ruth Benedict (1887 – 1948)
What is Anthropology?
• Anthropologists study humanity through their
cultures – past and present.
• A common misconception is that anthropologists
only deal with digging into the past (this is actually
archaeology)
Anthropology is comprised of four
main areas:
1.
2.
3.
4.
linguistic anthropology,
cultural anthropology,
archaeology, and
biological or physical anthropology.
•
Each type studies different aspects of people and
their respective cultures.
Linguistic
• Deals with language and communication
similarities and variation, including ‘doomed’
or extinct languages.
Cultural
• Examines cultural variations, with a focus on
proving that culture is a part of our human
nature.
Archaeology
• Explores ancient cultures by discovering,
recovering, and examining architecture,
documents, remains, and other pertinent
findings.
Biological/Physical
• Studies evolution, genetic variation, and
inheritance, adaptability using both the
fossil record and modern day genetic
research.
In addition,
• Anthropology explores social phenomena,
but from a cultural perspective (as opposed
to an individual one, like psychology and
sometimes sociology).
• Anthropologists often research how cultures
begin, develop, survive, and thrive.
Also ….
• Anthropologists pose important
questions concerning the
continuation of poverty, racism,
violence, and social inequality around
the world
Questions...
• Anthropologists also ask questions such
as:
• why do humans have such different ways
of living, thinking, and acting? why do
gender differences exist?, how does
technology influence cultures?, and
what is the impact of our ever-expanding
global village?
Culture
• The Latin translation of culture (cultura) is “to
cultivate”, whereas the dictionary.com definition
for culture is “the sum total of ways of living built
up by a group of human beings and transmitted
from one generation to another.” (Dictionary.com)
• From this second definition, you can see that
culture necessarily needs certain aspects.
Let’s see if you can determine for
yourself what aspects are needed.
• Jot down a list of the necessary elements culture
must have in order to meet the definition’s needs.
• What did you come up with? what matters most is
that you recognize that even seemingly simple terms
contain a great deal of complexity, especially when
examining them through the social sciences.
Answer
• More than one individual, multiple
aspects, multiple generations, change,
shared information, commonalities,
intentional, amoral, cohesive , successful
Transmitters
We learn a lot about cultures through transmitters
Transmitters paint a picture and help inform us about
aspects of various world cultures
Examples of transmitters:
• Music
• Food
• Language
• Religion
• Fashion
• Holidays
Discussion
What are some transmitters of your
culture?
Take a few minutes and write down some
down
Culture Shock
• Culture shock is an actual social sciences term.
• Anthropologist Kalevro Oberg coined the term to
describe those feelings that often occur when
people go to different cultural or social
environments (like travelling to a foreign
country).
Kalevro Oberg – Culture Shock
• Oberg argued culture shock stemmed from the
difficulties in adapting to an environment different
from the one you grew up in, as well as the
unlikelihood that you would ever become fully
assimilated into said culture.
• Culture shock also stems from kinship (descendents
who live together, coming from common ancestors).
Culture shock’s duration and severity varies from
individual to individual.
Writing Task
Describe a time in your life when you experienced
Culture Shock. Try to remember the feelings you
had when you first came to Canada, or visited a
new place for the first time.
Write a 1-page composition that describes your
experience with Culture Shock. Make sure you cite
specific examples of experiences that made you
feel strange in your new surroundings
Myth Making 101
• Myths are stories that explain how and why the
world (including humans) was created, how and
why things exist as they are and how and what
things might become.
• Long before writing existed, myths were told orally
as a means of ensuring cultural continuance; myths
transmitted the culture’s values, morals, beliefs,
and lessons.
Required Reading
• Take a moment to read some myths from different cultures.
http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/mff/myths.htm