ANTH 1150 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Marius Barbeau, Linguistic Anthropology, Forensic Anthropology
1 Mar 2016
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This is partially related to the limits of human technology; until recently, people have been restricted to their geographical horizons. Without the means to travel to distant places, observation of distant cultures was a difficult venture if not an impossible one. Franz boas (1858-1942) was the most famous of all empiricists, who argued that every culture is unique, with a unique history, and is neither superior nor inferior to another. He rejected racism and promoted cultural relativism; the belief that all cultures are equally valid and must be studied on their own terms. Radcliffe-brown and bronislaw malinowski turned their attention to the functions of economic, social, religious and political institutions (things that are found in every culture) Malinowski argued that anthropologist should consider how the carious systems of a culture work to meet the needs of its members. Malinowski was one of the first to pay close attention to his key informants" point of view.
