ANTHROP 1AB3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Anthropology Today, Cultural Relativism, Ethnocentrism
Document Summary
Early development of anthropology as a discipline: many looked at cultures + races through philosophical/theoretical ideals. Colonialism part of ethnocentric thinking: where one culture/group of people was superior to others. An intense fieldwork experience distinguishes anthropology from other disciplines dealing with humans. Anthropology remains more comparative and global in its scope and interests than the other social sciences and humanities. Holistic: no one single aspect of a human culture can be understood unless its relationships to other aspects of the culture are explored. Involves general theories or ideas scholars might have about humans. Human nature, sexuality, warfare, family relationships: must take into account information from a wide range of societies, a lot of theoretical work has gone into the concept of what constitutes the other . Cultural relativism: no culture is inherently superior or inferior to any other, these ideas require judgements about the relative worthiness of behaviours, beliefs, and other characteristics of a culture.