mid-term Flashcards
(153 cards)
anthropology
study of mankind; study of the full scope of human diversity and the application of that knowledge to help people of different backgrounds better understand one another; all people in all times in all places
anthropology’s scope
topical, geographic, temporal; holistic approach
topical scope
topics studied: sociology, political science, economics, psychology, religious studies
geographic scope
areas studies: every part of the world; global perspective
temporal scope
time studied: understand modern people and development of our species
holistic approach
fundamental principle
holism
commitment to consider the full scope of human life, including culture, biology, history, and language across space and time
ethnocentrism
belief that one’s own culture or way of life is normal, natural and superior to the beliefs and practices of others; moving beyond it
avoiding ethnocentrism
constantly maintain cultural awareness; identifying and eliminating idea that their own culture is the only right one
four fields of anthropology
physical, archaeology, cultural, linguistic
physical anthropology
study of humans from a biological perspective, particularly focused on human evolution
paleoanthropology
study of the history of human evolution through the fossil record
primatology
study of both nonhuman primate and primate fossils; perspective on the behavior our closest living relatives and ancestors
archaeology
investigation of the human past by means of excavating and analyzing artifacts; excavation of tools, weapons, pottery, and preserved plant, shell and human/animal remains
linguistic anthropology
study of human language in the past and present
types of linguistic anthropology
descriptive, historical, sociolinguistics
cultural anthropology
study of modern people’s communities, behavior, beliefs and institutions,including how people make meaning as they live work and play together
ethnographic fieldwork
on location research; a primary research strategy involving living with a community of people over an extended period to better understand their lives
participant observation
research strategy of participation in and observation of the daily life of those studied
applied anthropology
knowledge and methods to solve specific real world problems often working directly with communities and institutions throughout the world
globalization
worldwide intensification of interactions and increased movement of money, people and ideas within and across national borders
globalization and anthropology
time space compression, flexible accumulation; increasing migration; uneven development, rapid change, adapting to the natural world, shaping the natural world, humans and climate change
biological culture
a medium of nutrients that maximize the growth of a micro-organism
culture in the humanities
cultivation of the mind and aesthetic sensibilities; art music theater dance literature