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RELEVANCE OF CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY:Ensuring Cultural Survival

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Introduction to Cultural Anthropology ­ SOC401
VU
Lesson 45
RELEVANCE OF CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
Change and the Future of Anthropology
Change is occurring at such an accelerated pace that it is difficult to keep up with all the changes in the
world today. The recent revolution in transportation and telecommunications and the resulting increase in
communications and travel are diffusing cultures at a much greater rate today than ever before.
Some argue that cultural anthropology will loose importance in the future since it is only a matter of time
when all cultures will be homogenized. Yet few cultural anthropologists are studying pristine cultures as the
discipline is adapting to the realities of this changing world.
Concern for survival of indigenous cultures and the study of complex societies is now the new focus area
for many cultural anthropologists. There is also greater emphasis on using anthropological perspectives to
deal with developmental problems.
There is little evidence to suggest that the world is becoming a cultural melting pot, so despite cultural
changes there is enough diversity in the world to keep cultural anthropologists occupied for a long time to
come.
Ensuring Cultural Survival
Cultural patterns ­ and in some cases people themselves ­ have been eradicated as a direct result of
progress and economic development. The indigenous population of Tasmania in 19th century by white
settlers for sheep herding is a tragic example of cultural extinction.
The 1884 Berlin Conference was a civilized way of dividing spoils of Africa but not safeguarding rights of
indigenous people and numerous conflicts on the African continent are based on this insensitive division
and lumping together of different ethnic groups.
The Brazilian Amazon shelters the largest population of the world's still indigenous people. But by building
roads through the Amazonian frontier, the Brazilian government has introduced diseases such as influenza
and measles amongst the indigenous communities.
Contemporary Anthropologists
Anthropological research has great relevance for the public at large. Consider for example the role
archaeology played in society during the nineteenth century. Books on the subject were widely read.
Darwin's work, for example, significantly changed beliefs on human history and development of the
modern world.
Throughout this era of advancements academic archaeology was on the rise. This movement finally phased
out the participation of amateurs in the field, creating a more elitist and inaccessible discipline.
While professionalization has certainly had numerous benefits - including developments in "method, theory
and culture historical knowledge", its negative aspects are causing a significant deterioration of popular
interest in archaeology.
A movement towards popularization through accessible writing must take place in order to involve the
public and rekindle active interest in archaeology and indeed in other branches of anthropology.
Accessibility glorifies the field of anthropology, rather than denigrates it. Nowadays, rather than writing
holistic ethnographies, cultural anthropologists bring to the study of cities and complex societies a more
nuanced sensitivity towards understanding and dealing with the issue of ethnic diversity.
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Introduction to Cultural Anthropology ­ SOC401
VU
Anthropologists practicing "action anthropology" collaborate with other disciplines concerning the
development of culture and how it relates to current pertinent issues.
Useful Terms
Holistic ethnographies ­ overarching description concerning all aspects of life of a given community
Ethnic diversity ­ different ethnic groups or the differences within or between them
Pertinent ­ relevant or important
Nuanced ­ having various aspects
Suggested Readings
Students are advised to read the following chapters to develop a better understanding of the various
principals highlighted in this hand-out:
Chapter 17 in `Cultural Anthropology: An Applied Perspective' by Ferrarro
Internet Resources
In addition to reading from the textbook, please visit the following web-site for this lecture, which provide
useful and interesting information:
Intellectuals and the Responsibilities of Public Life: An Interview with Chomsky
http://www.publicanthropology.org/Journals/Engaging-Ideas/chomsky.htm
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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