ANTH V02 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology

Culture

A Single Definition of Culture? NO

Tylor’s Concept of Culture:

“that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society”

1903

The Concept of Culture

•Adaptation

–Non human primates

–Proto culture

•Adaptation

–Mental not physical

–Niche is culture

The Concept of Culture: Remember the American Flag?

The Totem Pole: another example

-Material Object

-Behavioral

Feast of Potlatch

Gift-Giving

Ceremonial Dances

-Ideational: values, beliefs, ideas

Status of Chief

Clan Identities

Origin Myths

Sacred Beings

The Concept of Culture (from Kottak)

•Shared

•Can communicate & interact without explaining behavior

•Share a common cultural identity

•Learned: Culture Is Socially Learned…

•Acquire it from others in the process of growing up in a group

•Not transmitted genetically

•Symbolic: Verbal or Non-Verbal

•Culture & Nature: Food examples

•All-Encompassing: Every aspect of human life is Cultural

•Integrated: core values

(and always changing!)

Enculturation: Learning your culture/ Becoming an Adult

•Non-industrial societies:

–Skills learned in childhood may carry over to adult life.

Industrial societies:

–Cultural learning takes place “on the job”

How may this happen? Consider Ward Goodenough’s Propriospect Model

P= (a+b+c+d+e+f…)

Social facts acquired through culture may include:

•Religion

•Medicinal practices

•Food customs

•Laws

•Greetings

•Language

Etc…

BUT, Don’t forget your own unique experience

P=(a+b+c+d+e+f)+X

P= (a+b+c+d+e+f)+(a+b+c+d+e+f)+X

Folklore

Expressive forms, processes, and behaviors that we customarily learn, teach and utilize or display during face-to-face interactions and that we judge to be traditional because they are based on known models and because they serve as evidence of continuities through time and space in human knowledge, thought, belief and feeling.

Folklore and Culture: What are examples of folklore and how do they transmit culture?

•The Nacirema article

Ethnocentrism ↔ Cultural Relativism

Culture Change & Contact

•No culture is free of outside influence

• Subject to change

Culture Change & Contact

•Invasions, Revolutions, Epidemic diseases

Diffusion:

PRACTICES: FOOD, MUSIC, LANGUAGE