Transcript IB Social Cultural Anthropology SL

IB Social Cultural
Anthropology SL
Day One
Housekeeping
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Syllabus
Honor Code
Texts
IB exams
– Internal assessment
– Paper one
– Paper two
Quick write
• Take 5-10 minutes to write an honest
response to the following question(s)…
– Why did you sign up for this class?
– What are your expectations of this class?
What is anthropology?
• Read the handout from the AAANET
website.
• Discuss the variety of branches of
anthropology
• Our focus is CULTURAL (SOCIAL)
ANTHROPOLOGY
Define Cultural Anthropology
• Scientific approach
– Cultural anthropology is the description and
explanation of the similarities and differences
in though and behavior among groups of
humans.
• Humanistic approach
– Cultural anthropology is the interpretation and
appreciation of other peoples’ way of life.
Sample of topics covered in
Cultural Anthropology
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Social organization
Language and communication
Inequality, stratification into castes, classes, races, etc.
Political organization, law, government, war, conflict
resolution
Marriage, family, kinship
Economic activities, subsistence strategies, poverty
Religion, myth, ritual
Globalization, migration, transnational organization
Ethnicity, diversity
Variety of motivations for thinking
like an anthropologist
• THE REFORMER seeks to improve the world by
understanding problems like poverty and war, often
desiring to alleviate them.
• THE CRITIC takes a closer look at his or her own culture
to become more aware and reflective about it.
• THE SCIENTIST wants to satisfy a curiosity, with an
urge to learn something about other peoples and explain
how his or her own culture functions and changes.
• THE HUMANIST wants to appreciate, respect, celebrate,
and interpret humanity in all its diversity.
• THE COSMOPOLITE wants to increase his or her
fluency and mobility in a multi-cultural world for practical
reasons, such as travel or work.
Cultural artifact
example: the penny
• ARTIFACT: object humans have made, altered,
or invested with a cultural purpose.
• Penny
– On one side is a famous president, and the building
on the reverse is in the nation’s capitol to honor him.
– One can exchange 5 of these for a piece of candy or
for a larger silver-colored coin.
– Shops often have a “penny cup” to make change with
because no one wants to carry pennies.
– We sometimes say, “A penny for your thoughts.”
– If I see one on the ground face up, I pick it up for good
luck.