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ANTHROPOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT (Continued):Operational

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Introduction to Cultural Anthropology ­ SOC401
VU
Lesson 41
ANTHROPOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT (Continued)
Expectations from an Anthropologist
Commonly it is expected that an anthropologist can assist development programmes by bringing in the
anthropological perspective. Anthropologists are expected to address social rather that technical aspects of
development programs.
It is anticipated that an anthropologist should take care of the `soft' elements of the project. This is a diffuse
expectation which can imply many tasks. The anthropologist can be expected to report on, for example, the
division of labour in an area or why cultivators prefer a special crop. In the latter case, the anthropologist
collaborates with an agronomist on the given project.
An anthropologist is expected to give answers to certain questions which should lead to action: for e.g. to
drill a well, it is necessary to form a water group which will contribute labor and/or take the responsibility
of maintaining the well after it has become operational.
Anthropologists entered the field of development when development organizations acknowledged that
things often did not work out, according to expectations, because of cultural factors. Anthropologists can
help in this regard given their understanding of cultural similarities and differences.
Anthropology's Contribution to Development
Anthropologists have highlighted an appreciation of local knowledge and practices. Anthropologists argue
that indigenous knowledge, practices and social institutions must be considered if local resource
management and development plans are to work.
Interaction between so-called experts in the modern sector and people representing local, specific
knowledge can result in the creation of new knowledge and be a starting point for development activities.
In an anthropological sense, culture is integrated in society and social development and is thus
heterogeneous, dynamic and holistic. Anthropologists have shown that people are not an undifferentiated
mass.
A first step of development workers is to get the whole picture of norms and values, and maybe their ideals,
in a specific area. The second step is to look for the variations in the heterogeneity of what first looks like a
homogeneous mass of people.
Hierarchies are found everywhere. It is of utmost importance to recognize hierarchies in the process of
planned change. The manner in which certain groups are left outside the decision-making process also
deserves attention.
Requirements & Rewards of Anthropological Input
Research into culture and development requires time. It involves considering the interaction and
interchange of different kind of knowledge and learning between development agents, the so-called experts,
and people representing local knowledge - all this also requires much effort and resources.
Much work done by the anthropologist is anticipatory in nature. Anthropological experience helps
anticipate potential, both negative and positive changes. A well done cultural analysis of development
initiatives also helps to anticipate conflicts, which can be addressed before they become serious problems.
Useful Terms
Hierarchies ­ segmented responsibilities accompanied by differences in rewards and prestige
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Introduction to Cultural Anthropology ­ SOC401
VU
Undifferentiated ­ lacking differentiation, similar
Integrated ­ tied or connected to each other
Operational ­ functional or workable
Internet Resources
In addition to reading from the textbook, please visit the following web-site for this lecture, which provide
useful and interesting information:
Addressing livelihoods in Afghanistan
http://www.areu.org.pk/publications/livelihoods/Addressing%20Livelihoods.pdf
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Table of Contents:
  1. WHAT IS ANTHROPOLOGY?:Cultural Anthropology, Internet Resources
  2. THE CONCEPT OF CULTURE AND THE APPLICATION OF CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
  3. MAJOR THEORIES IN CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY:Diffusionism
  4. GROWTH OF ANTHROPOLOGICAL THEORY (continued):Post Modernism
  5. METHODS IN CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY:Comments on Fieldwork
  6. METHODS IN CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY (continued):Census Taking
  7. COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION AND CONSUMPTION IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD
  8. ECONOMIC ANTHROPOLOGY (continued):THE DISTRIBUTION OF GOODS AND SERVICES
  9. FOCUSING ON LANGUAGE:Languages of the World, Structure of Language
  10. FOCUS ON LANGUAGE (continued):Levels of Complexity, Cultural Emphasis
  11. OBTAINING FOOD IN DIFFERENT CULTURES:Optimal Foraging, Suggested Readings
  12. FOOD AND CULTURE (continued):Food Collectors, Food Production
  13. OBTAINING FOOD IN DIFFERENT CULTURE (continued):Pastoralism, Agriculture
  14. RELEVANCE OF KINSHIP AND DESCENT:Kinship Criteria, Rules of Descent
  15. KINSHIP AND DESCENT (continued):Tracing Descent, Primary Kinship Systems
  16. THE ROLE OF FAMILY AND MARRIAGE IN CULTURE:Economic Aspect of Marriage
  17. ROLE OF FAMILY AND MARRIAGE IN CULTURE (continued):Family Structures
  18. GENDER AND CULTURE:Gender Stratification, Suggested Readings
  19. GENDER ROLES IN CULTURE (continued):Women Employment, Feminization of Poverty
  20. STRATIFICATION AND CULTURE:Social Ranking, Dimensions of Inequality
  21. THEORIES OF STRATIFICATION (continued):The Functionalists, Conflict Theorists
  22. CULTURE AND CHANGE:Inventions, Diffusion, Donor, Conventional
  23. CULTURE AND CHANGE (continued):Cultural Interrelations, Reaction to Change
  24. CULTURE AND CHANGE (continued):Planned Change, Globalization
  25. POLITICAL ORGANIZATION:Bands, Tribal Organizations, Chiefdoms
  26. POLITICAL ORGANIZATION (continued):State Systems, Nation-States
  27. POLITICAL ORGANIZATION (continued):Social Norms, Informal Mechanisms
  28. PSYCHOLOGY AND CULTURE:Emotional Development, Psychological Universals
  29. PSYCHOLOGY AND CULTURE (continued):Origin of Customs, Personality Types
  30. IDEOLOGY AND CULTURE:Ideology in Everyday Life, Hegemony
  31. IDEOLOGY AND CULTURE (Continued):Political ideologies, Economic Ideology
  32. ASSOCIATIONS, CULTURES AND SOCIETIES:Variation in Associations, Age Sets
  33. ASSOCIATIONS, CULTURES AND SOCIETIES (continued):Formation of Associations
  34. RACE, ETHNICITY AND CULTURE:Similarity in Human Adaptations
  35. RACE, ETHNICITY AND CULTURE (continued):Inter-group Relations
  36. CULTURE AND BELIEFS:Social Function of Religion, Politics and Beliefs
  37. LOCAL OR INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE:Changing Definitions of Local Knowledge
  38. LOCAL OR INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE (continued):The Need for Caution
  39. ANTHROPOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT:Influence of Development Notions
  40. ANTHROPOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT (Continued):Contentions in Development
  41. ANTHROPOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT (Continued):Operational
  42. CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY AND ART:Relevance of Art, Art and Politics
  43. CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY AND ART (continued):Art as a Status Symbol
  44. ETHICS IN ANTHROPOLOGY:Ethical Condemnation, Orientalism
  45. RELEVANCE OF CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY:Ensuring Cultural Survival