Dr Aileen Toohey Week 4, Lecture 1

Readings: Monday: Kottak, 2004: Chapter 3: Ethics and Methods in Cultural

Anthropology Studying cultures: ‘Acirema’ (around 3-4 pages)

eReserve.

Additional reading: NOT COMPLUSORY: Introduction: Global-Local Connections. Section: globalization.

Wednesday: Celebrating Culture. Film screening 12.30-1.30 pm - MMR, Rizal Library 2.30-4.30 pm - Ching Tan Room Kottak, 2004. Chapter: 14: The Arts; section Potlatch

pp.214-216.

Physical anthropologists study the interrelationship b/n biological adaptation of human popns & enviro’t

Boas sought to untangle ideological beliefs about different pops

‘by researching biological variation within & b/n popns. ◦ Studied impact of enviro’t on migrant popn after their arrival in the US.

Eugenics – ‘improvement’ of the genetic composition of a popn

usually thro’ manipulation of human pops. Popular movement in early 1920s, implemented by many gov’ts. Interventions incl. involuntary sterilization of the mentally ill,

persons with disabilities, poor women, poor families, infanticide re: children with disabilities, & under Nazi Germany, persons categorized as belonging to specific ‘races’ – Jewish popns, & Roma popns were exterminated in death/extermination camps.

‘Race’ – an awkward category.

Readings: Kottak, Conrad. 2004. Chapter 4: Culture.

Boas Biography – Level 3, Rizal Library, photocopy room (2 pages)

'The value of anthropology is its power to impress us with the relative value of all forms of culture, for we are only too liable to consider our civilization the ultimate goal of human evolution, thus depriving ourselves of the benefits to be gained from the teachings of others. My whole outlook upon life is determined by one question: How can we recognize the shackles that tradition has laid upon us? For when we recognize them, we are also able to break them.' (Boas)

Questions for film: Franz Boas, The Shackles Of Tradition

What did Boas mean when he used the expression: shackles of tradition?

What was the methodological approach he developed?

What did he mean by the term, cultural relativism?

Ethnography: Live in communities, form personal r/ships with local people as they study their lives. Research method entails fieldwork.

Ethnology: Comparative analysis of different cultures thro’ identification, comparison & explanation of cultural differences & similarities, and to build theory about how cultural & social systems work (Kottak, 2004:64)

How did early anthropologist’s accounts of relatively unknown cultures differ from early explorers, travelers & missionary accounts? (See: Week 3, Lecture 1: What is Anthropology?)

Similar to explorers & travelers, but what set them apart were the scientific aims of anthropology.

Research approach: ‘Grasp the native’s point of view’ (Malinowski,1884-1942)

Code of ethics – context appropriate & non-exploitative r/ships, with info gathered based on informed consent. Anthropologists do not systematically manipulate their subjects or conduct experiments.

Fieldwork: Direct, first-hand observation of daily behavior, incl. participation-observation. Build rapport & retain intimacy based on P-O. Talk incl. from everyday to more formal conversations b/n anthropologist & selected persons (unstructured or structured). Sense of ‘strangeness’ considered productive. Observations recorded in the form of field-notes.

Emic cf to etic: emic – how local peoples think about their world cf etic approach based on the scientific approach that aims to provide a value-free and objective explanation of cultural behavior & practices.

Key cultural consultants on particular areas of local life (For Boas, George Hunt was key consultant).

Types of research undertaken: genealogical info (kinship & relatedness) life histories to document experiences, memories & cultural

change of specific persons (narrators) longitudinal research small surveys (may be informally collected) visual & sound recordings – drawings, maps, sound recordings,

photographs, film etc. Traditionally undertaken by one person. Small team research

increasingly common for specific types of studies determined thro’ changing research paradigms, funding constraints & publication criteria.

May be problem-oriented, but anthropology usually provides flexibility for young anthropologists embarking on their studies (not a ‘blueprint’ that has to be strictly followed).

ETHNOGRAPHY AND SURVEY RESEARCH COMPARED

ETHNOGRAPHY SOCIOLOGICAL SURVEY RESEARCH

If small-scale society such as groupings of h/holds located in a No. of villages, then study these villages as integrated & connected

Studies a small sample of a larger population.

Fieldwork Impersonal; Often conducted with limited contact b/n researcher & survey subjects

Generally interested in all aspects of local life (holistic).

Usually focuses on a small no. of variables e.g. factors that influence voting rather than totality of people’s lives.

Traditionally conducted in non-industrial societies.

Normally carried out in industrialized societies.

A combination of survey research & ethnography would be used today.

Fieldtrip to visit the Kwakwaka'wakw (Kwagu’l) How would you prepare for your research trip? What would be your research method? What questions would you ask about the culture in

order to gain an understanding of what beliefs the local community considered important?

When Boas was working with Kwakwaka'wakw, he

saw his work as ‘salvage anthropology’. Do you think this is applicable today?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Baffin_Island,_Canada.svg