ANTH V02- Cultural Anthropology

Current Theories in Anthropology

4 Approaches

►Boas

§historical

►Malinowski

§functional

►Harris

§materialist (scientific)

►Geertz

§Symbolic (interpretive)

So, with anthropology’s holistic, bio-cultural approach… does it belong in the sciences or humanities?

Scientific Anthropology

►The Scientific Method

►Objective

Marvin Harris (1927-2001)

►interested in solving the “riddles of culture”

►emic and etic

TABOO

§A prohibition

§A ban attached to something according to a social custom

Harris’ Cultural Materialism:

►Ecological approach to account for socio-cultural systems

►a scientific/objective view

Marvin Harris’ research: The Sacred Cow of India

The Sacred Cow

An Etic Perspective

►Beef Ideology

►Ecological Issues

►Low Cost Energy

►Food Source

§Milk, yogurt, ghee

Importance of DUNG!

►Fertilizer

►Cooking Fuel

►Roof & Flooring Materials

The Sacred Cow

An EmicPerspective

§Hindu Philosophy

§Principle of Motherhood

Resources VS Beliefs

Clifford Geertz

►1926-

►Symbolic/Interpretive (pg.42)

►Emic approach

►Reflexive

(1^st person)

►Symbols communicate meaning

Culture as text: The Arts in Bali, Indonesia

Does Cultural Anthropology have a Unifying Theory? NO!