Transcript Lecture 1-Five Questions

The Four Branches of Anthropology
► Physical
Anthropology
► Archaeology
► Linguistic
► Cultural
Anthropology
(Sociocultural) Anthropology
The Four Questions
► Why
Do Human Beings Differ in their Beliefs
and Behaviors?
► Is it Possible to See the World through the
Eyes of Others?
► How Can Meaning that others find in
Experience Be Interpreted and Described?
► What are Politics from an Anthropological
Perspective?
Why Do Human Beings Differ in their
Beliefs and Behaviors?
The Concept of Culture
► Shared,
socially-learned body of
beliefs, knowledge and patterns
of behavior.
Why Do Human Beings Differ in their
Beliefs and Behaviors?
The Concept of Culture
► Shared
► Socially
Learned
► Knowledge
► Beliefs
► Patterns
of Behavior
Is it Possible to See the World
Through the Eyes of Others?
Ethnographic Fieldwork
► The
systematic study of a people, using
participant-observation, interviews,
recording of life histories and other
narratives.
What is Participant-Observation?
► Learning
Language (if needed)
► Taking up Residence
► Ask Questions and Attempt Cultural
Activities
► Stay for Extended Periods
► Keep Notes
“Natural” Setting
► Ethnographers
do not make or manipulate
settings.
► Requires mutuality
 Friendships; create expectations of reciprocity, help,
assistance & participation in social life of community.
 Expected to participate in other development efforts.
 Commitment to accurate reflection of views &
perspectives of research participants.
 Ethnographic stories built around words, views,
explanations & interpretations of participants
How Can Meaning that Others Find
in Experience be Interpreted and
Described?
Ethnography
► Systematic
Report about a People
► Taking a Written Form
► In Major Part Based on Field Research
► After That, Other Sources Can be
Consulted
Radcliffe-Brown (1940)
► Political
structure
 Territorial community
 United by the rule of law.
►either
application of direct or indirect penal
sanctions, or
►settlement of disputes & provision of just satisfaction
for injuries.
Workshop
► Develop
a definition of political
anthropology.
Middleton and Tait (1953)
► Political
relations
 Persons and groups exercise power or authority
 Maintenance of social order
 Within a territory.
► Twofold
aspect:
► Relations between a given unit and others,
(external relations).
► Those relations internal to the given unit,
 cohesion of its constituent elements.
 orderly internal administration (hierarchy)
Lucy Mair 1961
► The
struggle for power.
► Fields of social relationships
► Persons with conflicting and competing
interests
► Seeking to have disputes settled in their
favour
► influence community decisions (‘policy’)
Swartz, Turner and Tuden (1967)
► Processes
involved in determining & implementing
public goals
► The differential achievement and use of power by
the members of the group
► Processes
 not just structure; government.
 flexible to include individuals, village or state.
► Public
processes; not just any power.
► Concept of goals; not just latent functions;
 Personal wealth acquisition.
 lower taxes.
 better roads.