ANTHRO NOTES

"The study of the human condition; the holistic exploration of what it means to be a human being by understanding humanity's past, present, and future through an understanding of human biology, language, culture, and society" Anthropology is 1. The study of the human condition; 2. the holistic exploration of what it means to be a human being 3. by understanding humanity's past, present, and future 4. through an understanding of biology, language, culture, and society. ethnography: a) fieldwork and collecting information; description b) published results of fieldwork; writings ethnology: generalization from ethnography; theory based on ethnography; application of theory to data human condition: ...the nature of humanity, a species that lives, and can only live, in terms of meanings it must construct in a world devoid of intrinsic meaning but subject to physical law. Participant observation observing the community by living and interacting within it Descriptive ethnographies - Today, we usually begin with a research problem -- That problem sets up the kinds of information to focus on and the methods for getting to it 1. An anthropological attitude -- Suspension of judgment in order to understand -- generosity of spirit 2. A sense that we must "live with" not separate; we must enter into these lives (contrast this with other kinds of social research)

MIDTERM REVIEW
Comparative method o looking at different cultures and taking aspects and making comparisons o this helps check generalizations we tend to make schools and their methods - subjectivity vs objectivity genetic drift o primary evolution process o recombination in sexual reproduction random process o progressive, not necessarily direct though o loss of unnecessary/wanted genes vs. gene flow maintenance of necessary genes cultural ethos see model for o each culture has fundamentals value systems, moral fight, etc o sae heart-mind for the gurung o individualism for americans reductionism (basis in reality abstractism; ex. race) vs. reification (look for abstraction) o how people try to account for differences in way people see/judge the same thing kinship (two main types) o affines affinity (related by marriage) o consanguines -- consanguity (blood-related) apical apex original ancestor o creation/origin myths start from this etic o to gain an outsiders pov (wikipedia) emic o to gain an insiders pov (mchugh) lamarckianism theory of evolution against darwinism o giraffe example the giraffe reaching for the tree vs genetic mutations causes neck extension ego kinship chart from someones perspective plural society different groups living amongst each other see assimilation assimilation society multiculturalism copy dominant groups imitation/enforcement melting pot misfits people with social deficiencies outcasts (?) religion is a good example of o models of we have men and we have women general observations of culture o models for boys like blue and girls like pink how we should live analysis of culture Montagnais affluence in society we see modern society as better o The way different people orient themselves (as groups) for the future Flynn effect race and intelligence stuff gladwell o IQ scores increase as a whole through generations o Is it because of genetics? No. intelligence cant change that quickly. Must be environmental. Witches see misfits o Opposite of ethos/generosity works like a mirror o Greed, exclusion, marginality Multiregional hypothesis homo erectus will replaced/evolved into sapiens EVOLUTION/gene flow o Gene flow flow of particular gene over a very large population way genetic traits are widespread keeps species somewhat together o Gene pool connected to reproduction Eve hypothesis mitochondrial DNA GENETIC DRIFT/mutation Genotype actual DNA Phenotype expression of DNA

Holism/holistic approach how we value the world its all about perspective, baby ;) Stratographic dating relative Radio carbon dating absolute can give actual age in years Know general trends o Associate stone tools with habilus, etc o MEMORIZE THIS!! Assimilation approach cultural diversity is generally not a good thing >> lack of social cohesion o Countered with multiculturalism Essentializing taking one aspect about a person/group/country and take that as their essence stereotyping Patrilineal relations through fathers side Matrilineal relations through mothers side Rapport making friends in the field o Social trust/comfort o Building status in the society Go beyond the instrumental uses of the informant and form deeper relationships with people Plant domesticaion occurred in different locations simultaneously

FINAL EXAM REVIEW

World system o Three categories Core Periphery Semi-periphery o Countries can move around in the global system o Countries can have this system within themselves as well o Relations created due to conventional exchange/transfer of resources o Pursuit of wealth African slave trade simply an example of underlying principles similar to transfer of goods Kali yuga decrease in moral values o Similar to Christian apocalypse o Ex. Increased divorce rates o Hindu translation current time Not a good time. o How people are changing as a whole o societal, cultural, economic decline Tamang conversion to christianity o Mixing of religious beliefs. o Old religion stuck, but new traditions were added in Hypothesis when one group converts, there is a clean break in cultures -> WRONG. o Generally speaking, there are a lot of continuities. Warlpiri have both types of religious basis o Animism belief in spirits (outside of human body) to explain dreams o Totemism family groupings Descendants from common animals, parts of natures Emic insider POV Etic outsider POV Herbert McCabe o putting it all together point of anthropology o Lecture 31, slide 6 Ethical philosopher/dominican priest Just read the quote & get the gist of it How does this relate to the enterprise of anthropology? Syncretism mixing of traditions of different religions Habitus = habit. o Different habitual ways of reacting to the world o Similar to models of/models for Dreaming how theyre tied to their ancestors and the places theyve been to and the events in their lives born there/died here, etc o different people can be attached to the same dreaming o how the warlpiri explain the happenings of the world o individual -> ancestors -> society aka place in the world o events are still alive spiniflex plain - prominent feature in the environment of austrailia o just an example o significance Jackson is just drawn back to reading about this and wanting to go back dream vs. dreaming o Dream typical normal everyday peoples dreams o Dreaming eff this. Its not a dream. We just dont know what to call it. AHH! Priest vs. shaman = OBGYN vs midwife

Priest religion that is institutionalized (lamas would fit here) Ritual practice that is uniform o Shaman practioners offtime job part shrink, part doctor, part public figure Pong exchange marital gifts exchange between the two families RELATE THIS TO KALI YUGA o To see marriage in context of cultural ethos o Making of kinship and community Jacksons story of the whitefella and Ringer Ethos key notion of what is good o Mutual aid and hardwork is a part of cultural ethos o Allows people to evaluate actions System of symbols that explains the world/creates moods Personhood o general model of what counts as personhood in each culture/society Here, trees dont count, but they do in Brazil o Different notions, models of service what makes a good person? Ethical conduct 1785 ordinance o We have grids of roads o Compare this to living in a desert with no roads or a suburb with crazyass roads o People design their communities according to their ways of life Al Sharpton use of the term refugee in terms of disaster o Denial that theyre actually citizens of the USA and they have rights and the government bailed on them. Sadface. o Invested infrastructure was basically a waste because they didnt put it to use Anthropological wholism in economics o Kill a beaver in scarcity o Norm: save for oneself/maximize self-utility o What actually happens: help others and share logic = Im lucky today, but my luck might run out generosity, reciprocity, etc race vs ethnicity o race is a common idea that differences between people are biological, cultural and socioeconomical (ethnic differences) and they can be differentiated between due to skin color o race = not valid, but social reality Tamang sin o Greatest sin is grreeeeed o This didnt change with the general conversion to Christianity Avalokiteshvara - walls of the mind o General enterprise of anthropology o What we should get out of it notion of cultural relativity o