ANTH 205 Lecture 4

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Reading Material

Cultural Relativism

ethnography

collection of cultural data (fieldwork)

often long duration (several months/years)

participant observation: observe and (temporarily) join culture to better understand it

usually in culture other than your own

surprisingly some are studying online gaming (MMORPG)

involves planning ahead, learning a language, funding, logistics (how to get there), initial and return culture shock, write-up of data, analysis of data

ethnology

comparison, interpretation, and analysis of said cultural data

generates hypotheses and theories about humanity (goal of anthropology)

…which then requires more fieldwork and data; thus the cycle continues

emic (insider)

what people believe about themselves

researcher's perspective during/after cultural immersion

etic (outsider)

what can be learned about a culture regardless of what the people believe about themselves

researcher's perspective before cultural immersion

ethnocentrism

tendency to view one's own culture as superior and apply one's own values in judging behavior and beliefs of people raised in other cultures

early anthropologists had a hierarchy of development (with western culture at the top)

original theory of evolution or progression of culture

ecological theory: environmental surroundings determine culture

racial theory: race determines culture

divine theory: culture was God-given

cultural relativism

antithesis of ethnocentrism

argument that behavior in a particular culture should not be judged by standards of another

understanding a culture on its own terms

cultural bias makes this hard

advocates emic perspective

"The Earth is round" is a testable statement/hypothesis

"Polygamy is good/bad" is not testable; depends on culture

stereotyping

ascription of a group's collective traits to all of its members

failure to recognize diversity within groups.

can lead to closed-mindedness of other cultures

"Le French survival kit", Texas boots

Note: Cool stuff: Native American cuisine movement

The standards of rightness and wrongness (values) and of usage and effectiveness (customs) are relative to the given culture of which they are a part. In its most extreme form, it holds that every cutom is valid in terms of its own cultural setting. In practical terms, it means that anthropologists learn to suspend judgement, to strive to understand what goes on from the point of view of the people being studied, that is, to achieve empathy, for the sake of humanistic perception and scientific accuracyHoebel and Frost

For this class

• Be aware of bias and try to look past it
• Suspend judgement
• Appreciate diversity
• Learn from each other and other cultures
• If you encounter something that makes you uncomfortable, stop for a minute and think about why you feel uncomfortable; what that says about your own culture

Americans feel emotionally charged about whales... why?

Final Paper

Already uploaded to eLearning

due April 30^th

Guidelines:

• 6-8 pages, typed, double-spaced, 1-in margins
• Not accepted over email
• bring hard-copy to class on due date

Instructions/Requirements:

1. Select food or dish that's important to me, my family, a friend, etc. (as quickly as possible)
2. Spend rest of semester gathering as much information as possbile about that dish: myself, family, and scholarly sources
3. Write a paper about personal, historical, and cultural significance of that dish
   • actual recipe (use template); submitted by email
   • description of food's place in your life and family's life
   • account of family's history with the dish
   • historical research on origins of dish, major ingredients, preparation, etc.
   • assess cultural significance of the dish: eaten by other peoples? reflect cultural values?
   • cite at least 3 scholarly sources.

Suggestions:

• Evans library, TX section (3^rd floor)
• Stephen bales is a subject (anthropology) librarian to help find material/resources
• Get professor's feedback before April 17^th