MIDTERM Flashcards
In what conditions (history and ideology) did anthropology emerge ?
- The height of colonialism - much of the world under Western control
- Social Darwinism
- Racial and Culture supremacy of Europeans accepted, Non-Europeans may not have believed it buy did not have power to say so
What are the main insight gained from the discourse perspective ?
- Development is flawed because the problems it seeks to resolve aren’t always real
- Development discourse is a cynical and empowering theory
What is the anthropology OF development ? What does it look at ?
-Pure branch - try to understand the social and cultural impacts of development projects of people
‘Anthropology of Development’ considered a distinct sub-field, like Legal anthropology, medical
anthropology, or others.
- examining how individual’s lives were changed when development actors arrived in communities
When did many large NGOs emerge, in what context ? What are they often called though, why ?
- In post-war period, when there was enthusiasm for international cooperation/Strong global leadership ethic
- Often called “neocolonial”. Set rules for international law and commerce, sometimes against the interests of the Global South
The range of technologies (factories, rail roads) developed during the ________ period were _______ but were also ________
industrialization
revolutionary
tools for colonization
What is the other most important tool in antrhopology? From who did it emerge? In what era?
Feild Work
Bronislaw Malinowsky
Colonialism
What does studying buzzwords allow ?
Studying buzzword helps its track change in development policy and discourse
What does the cutlure of development expert mean in terms of local economy ?
When a country has a very big development sector- attractive to NGOs and projects, this can be very good for the economy of cities because they people coming bring spending power and jobs and everything- BUT they raise the price of living for the rest of the population. Especially in the UN involved cities.
Why is “3rd wolrd” a problematic term ?
Groups diverse places and peoples into on powerless category that needs help
What emerged during thee Enlightenment ?
The idea of “development” emerged.
Which ideology prevaled Western thought by the 1870?
Social Darwinism
belief that Hunan societies as they progress, they became more modern more specialized and evolved and western societies believed to be further down this path
What is the perspective of modernization theory towards development ?
-Optimistic: assumes that all societies eventually experience development, if they try
-It suggested that this process of development (industrial, urban.. ) is the one and only way
-Development as intrinsically good; benefits self-evident ,assumed that working more “Modernly” was desirable
Depict a case of project failure. In which book and by who was it depicted?
James Ferguson, the Anti-Politics machine
- In the 80s, the World Bank wanted farmers in Lesotho sell their cattle to access cash
- Cattle act like banks in some culture - a way to store value for the future (no decreasing value, milk, safe)
- World Way wanted to modernize the economy
- World Bank offered farmers other ways to keep their money. Banks would allow farmers to grow savings, invest
- World Bank offered cash for their cows- in the hope of stimulating the economy
- But the farmers did not want money to buy consumers goods. In Lesotho, cows were status symbols. People wanted cows
- Bovine Mystique - over a long period of time, cows became status symbols (in contrary to a large house in the north), cattle were not only a source a money, they were a source of prestige/wealth.
- Participants blamed for laziness , ignorance. But sometimes, there are good reasons why people resist projects
- The WB could not figure out why this failed. Ferguson told them.
- People wanted to be rich so that they could have cows.
- The plan of the World Bank, could not work because they were not able to accommodate culture beliefs since the whole premise of the project was to take something from the community into something else.
The West has been _________ for centuries
the global political and economic hegemony
Anthropologists often sceptical of projects, why ? What do they observe?
- Today, development is synonym our with failure, wasted money, exploitations, damaged environment, social disruption
- *-Reason:** development projects sometimes rely on social engineering: attempt to change behaviour and idea on a large scale
Why is “how to employ people trained in anthropology” is a growing issue ?
Skill sets too special so anthropologist employees in places where they maybe should not because no other choice. Which can be dangerous because anthropology knowledge can be very powerful
What was the mostn significant impact of liberalism in development? What is it?
Audit Culture : idea that money has to be spent extremely carefully, no waste of spill of money for the money spend in development.
What happened to former colonies after WW2, what did this lead to?
- education and measures had empowered colonized people to organized themselves for independence
- Dozens of independent countries emerged (emerging as free with new leaders who desired the same standards of living that European enjoyed
Depict the Enlightenment in terms of values. Which disciplines flourished ?
“Reason”, “common sense”, “empirical inquiry”, “exploration”, “discovery”
Free debate, invention , creativity - Astronomy, anatomy and philosophy flourished
What was anthropology an ally of in the 60s? Who was a major player?
- In the 60s, anthropology recognized as ally of sexual revolution, civil rights and feminist movements
- Margaret Meade among first scientist to describe sed a “natural”, “universal”. That other cultures are not a repressed than America. Radical idea in 60s America
By what was the division of labor in development shaped?
Euro ideas
What is Orientalism ? What was its effect ?
Orientalism is a trend Said observed in Western art and literature since 1700s
It portrayed the orient as dangerous, mysterious implying that -If the orient remained an uncivilized place, European supremacy was unthreatened.
What remains anthropology driving question?
- to what extend are all humans different ? And to extend are humans the same ?
- The tension between the universal and the particular had been immensely productive in anthropology.
Who is Cecils Rhodes ? What did his project imply ? What did the poster imply ?
- Cecil Rhodes sought to build railroad across Africa
- “look what we can do” “look at the power that I have” , “spectacular”
- no information of the actual reasons for the infrastructure its about demonstrating imperial magnificence, cultural and political propaganda.
How did some see the end of the cold war ? What actually happened ?
- “the end of history”- some believed the world would be simpler then on (-Now that the power were not competing- everybody could get on more easily )
- Some thought capitalism and democracy could prevail everywhere
On the contrary, the 90s was a difficult decade in the Global South
Why is WEF criticized ?
Often large carbon footprints. Frequent travel for conferences.
A lot of time and energy is spent by these “humanitarians”.
Should we trust the world’s richest and most powerful to help the poor?
In Modernization theory, development involves overcoming _______ and solving _____
barriers
problems
What are the roots of “women in development”
Esther Boserup’s “ Feminization of subsistence” in the early 70s was a landmark
Nordic countries were early adopters of gender initiatives in international development
Feminist movements in global north played a role
UN Decade for women (1975-85)- Changes in how gender was approached
What is a huge issue in the development sector ? How does it manifest?
Not all jobs are created equal. Very common for UN to have 2 types of salary (residence vs expat) - if a Kenyan person works for them, they will get a lot less money (even if more experience) than an expatriate , 100 000$/year VS 10 000$/year.
In order for development to succeed, the work place where it is planned needs to be an open space with little barriers - the inequality in pay is a huge problem
What did Charles Darwin’s “origin of species” (1859) propose ?
-Proposed that species improve over time, in terms of bodies but also minds and social organizations.
In Dependency ideology, develompent is ___________. A new form of __________. They argue it is a ______ for __________.
Neocolonial
Extraction
Disguise for global capitalism
What are leading buzzwords today ?
Today “entrepreneurialism” , “innovations” and “trust” are leading buzzword
Depict the premise of enlightenment thinking.
Enlightenment thinking : there is such as right and wrong and humans can easily tell the difference (safe in the assumption that European style of thinking was the right way, and any other were uncivilized)
What controversial questions come into play within antrhopology ?
- Does anthropologist truly know things about people that others don’t ?
- Do they want a mediator or get it directly ? Why hire a privilege outsider ?
- Should anthropologist be applied at all? By whom? When, where and how?
How were societies without reason considered ? What oppostion did it create ?
-Societies “without reason” were considered “barbaric”, “uncivilized”, “primitive” or “savage”
Civilized and uncivilized opposition became important, still plays an important role today
What was women’s role before colonialism?
Before colonialism, women were leaders in trade and agricultural production- especially in Africa
What did Cecils Rhodes claim ?
“I contend that we are the finest race in the world, and that the more of the world we inhabit the better it is for the human race. I contend that every acre added to our territory means the birth of more of the English race who otherwise would not be brought into existence. Added to this, the absorption of the greater portion of the world under our rule simply means the end of all wars.”
As a result of post-modernism thinking, scholars today are hesitant to__________
diagnose and propose solutions to development “problems”
How does discourse apply to the “3rd world”? Who created the discourse ? What is its effect?
By referring people of the formally colonized world as “poor”, citizen of the western world gained a new idea of who these people were and that they needed help.
Truman created the idea of the 3rd world.
Symbolic actions have a reinforcing effect to the way we understand that the poor people of the world are in need of our assistance and that we have a responsibility to do so.
Modernization Theory says development can occur __________________. Development is therefore ___________________ .
anywhere and irrespective of social conditions ideologically neutral and non-political- no ultra motives; something all can agree on
Why did dependency theory emerge ? What does it claim ?
- Emerged directly in response to modernization
- Rather than making nations “free”, development makes them dependent on others. As wealthy nations began to invest in poor countries, they were setting up these formally colonized countries to become the clients of western countries, creating a set of industries and a set of social expectation that will guarantee that these countries would be dependent on and the therefore sub-servant to Western countries.
What are the product of neoliberalism ?
-“Networking”, “gig economies”, “self help”, “outsourcing”, “hustle” are all products of neoliberalism (also anxiety amongst our generation)
Why does most anthropologist do not fully support either modernization or dependency theory ?
Both dependency and modernization treat people as passive recipients of development. They ignore the human factor, lumping people of the 3rd world in one mass. Therefore most anthropologist do not fully support either theory.
What implication did communism have during the cold war era in terms of development ? What did this lead to ?
-The Truman doctrine stated that countries needed to be protected from communism- which often ended up have an undermining effect for these countries.
Where the strong enthusiasms for anthropologists that engages with public coming from ?
Linked to neoliberalism and the the need to justify spending. But ,most anthropologists agree ,making work accessible is important. Governments who fund research should demand something back, some say
What was Darwin’s theory applied to during the 19th century ? What did this idea imply ? What idea took Root?
- to human societies - applying the theory to highlight the difference between different groups of people on earth
- Societies that had reached the level of success did so because they had out-smarted/out-evolved different groups of people Europeans had encountered through colonization.
- Idea that Europeans are more evolved
What is the box-ticking phenomenon ?
To achieve funding, development projects must fulfill a list of requirements
Sustainable, inclusive, collaborative, gender-sensitive, transparent, environment friendly, etc
If a projects is not ALL of these things, it cannot receive funding
Following WW2, European colonialism _________
declined
What does “Feminization of Subsistence” argues ? When was it published?
-Ester Boserup “Feminization of Subsistence” theory population in 1970. Argues modernist development took women out of work, confines them to home. Feminist critique of development
How is neoliberalism different from classical capitalism?
Different from classical capitalism in its treatment of “the individual”
Neoliberalism made economic success the business of all persons
How does celebrity culture attach itself to the 3rd world discourse ?
Celebrity culture has attached itself to development in significant ways - what qualifies them to be ambassador of development? Time, money, visibility ? Regardless it reinforces that “we” have the power to save the poor
How do most anthropologist see development
as a discourse
Who is Paulo Freire? What was his contribution ? What did he claim ?
Wrote Pedagogy of the oppressed
People lacked the skills and knowledge to escape poverty. Human consciousness needed expanding
Education as critical thinking rather than transfer of knowledge. Can’t be about training or skill development.
Gave birth to the critical pedagogy movement
Today, education is valued (almost) every where for development.
controversial ideas at the time but had lasting impact
What did modernization theory ignore for a long time?
Gendered aspects of development. Men and Women experience development differently. This went ignored for a long time. Ignored the different ways different people in a community would experience development differently
Depict the implications of the “malcontent” in modernization? What does it lead to ?
-Malcontent = disappointment in the failure of development promises.
Leads to Arab spring for example. The new growing young people wanting jobs, educations. While this lack of opporuntitu is a problem, the real problem is that a lot of people are living in disappointment which runs the risk of radical change but also conflict, disunity
What did the world wars reveal about colonial ambitions ?
The world wars revealed that colonial ambitions were risky (serve, protect small territory is costly and demands too much resources, not worth it anymore, the extractive economics revealing downside)
What is questioned in terms of development and effectiveness ?
Is development as impactful as it claims ?
The money is there, simply not in the place it needs to be
What was the golden age of anthropology in development? Why?
What did it lead to ?
- The 70s-80s- considered a Golden Age (because enthusiasm of intra state development and the potential impact of knowledge on projects) for development anthropology; worked closely with communities; enjoyed respect from (some) policy makers
- Anthros climbed the ladders of development. By the 1990s, they were insider
Who was the “real founder” of antrhopology ?
Franz Boas
Which big development body was the first to recruit anthropologists? What was their role of anthropologist within it? What was the mentality behind it ?
- USAID- first development body to recruit anthros in 70s. UK department for international Development used a social development adviser also.
- Detailed, quantitative, people -centred data could help make development efforts more effective. Anthros did surveys, impact assessments made recommendations
- Not dealing with countries, but people- How can we understand our partners better ?
Why is there tension between anthropologist and development thinker?
Tension between anthropologist and development thinker because the dev process implies “bettering off” and a staring point of “better” society belong another “inferior”
From who originated cutlural relativism ? What is it ? What did he argue ?
-Franz Boas
- The doctrine that cultures are different, but equal. Each has its own inner logic
- Says that it is scientifically absurd to rank cultures on a scales. Anti-evolutionist
- Equal in their difference
- Boas recognized that Western culture would seem absurd to non-Western persons. Cultures must be studied without judgement, he argued
Depict the premise of modernism
Modernism: There is such thing as right and wrong, but humans will struggle to tell the difference
What issue comes at play because of box-ticking ?
Issue of Add-On. “You forgot the gender! No worries. We’ll just add it
Once the whole thing is planned- you’ll had something on, great idea but if you genuinely want to add an issue on- you need to do it a level that is fundamental, core value.
In having to fulfill all the requirements, it takes away the ability of actors to be able to do any of these single things effectively
In the new age of independence, African, Asian, and Latin American nations were ________________ , but, most countries had ____________ and were ________
free to pursue their own goals
weak infrastructures
socially divided
What did the end of the cold war result in the global south ? (give two examples)
- Vacuum of NATO and Soviet support gave rise to many conflicts
War to oust Mobutu (who took over after Lumumba was killed) from Congo often called “Africa’s World War”. Deadliest conflict since WW2 (over 5M killed)
Liberia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Somalia, East Timor, Sri Lanka, Nepal , Chiapas, Afghanistan - All rooted in the poverty and alienation of citizens
What is the root of the truman doctrine? What was the intent ?
- In 1949, the USA declared support for new sovereign nations of the world
- Countries would be aided or sped up on the path to national development
- The USA and allies will “make the benefits of out scientific advances and industrial progress available for the improvement and growth of underdeveloped areas”- Truman
What is “culture”?
- Culture originated from the Latin “colere” meaning to cultivate
- “Culture is the sorties we tell ourselves about ourselves”-Clifford Geertz
- What we understand our purpose to be, where do we look for guidance
- “Gives life meaning”, “provides identity”, “shapes how we see and interact with others”
- Every society and person in the world has culture. Never more, never less
- Culture cannot be strictly defined
In Natural Selection ideology could Non-Euros develop too ?
Yes but they were behind on the evolutionary scale - which made Euros superior
Today we recognize that poverty is not only a ______. what does that mean? what do we now look at ?
“third world problem”
- opposing the view of the Truman doctrine that “the global north got it all”. Poverty is not simple a 3rd world problem.
- Black lives Matters; Idle no More; Occupy Wall Street; #MeToo- all development concerns
- Migrant crises in USA, Mediterranean
- Migration, housing, unemployment; opioid crisis, global demographic change, mental health
Why are a lot of locals frustrated with development expert culture?
A lot of locals/citizens are frustrated when they see their job opportunity go to someone from outside the country
What is neoliberalism? What did it promote concretly ? What did it promote in terms of ideas?
Economic trend, social trend and Ideology that concerned society, it concerned the way people lived their lives and engaged with the economy, making decision form an economic logic, thinking of what they can do to for the economy.
-Low taxes, free trade, small governments, etc.
- Neoliberalism made economic success the business of all persons
- People would take capitalism home with them- make it a part of their social life
- Zero-sum- the logic that in order to such others must be beaten. Flourishing hyper-competition.Trump is the master of this.
Who was the Elite in post-colonial states ? What did they believe?
- All former colonies had elites- many educated in Europe or served in colonial armies (people that had been advantaged and empowered by colonizers elite)
- Many elites believed in enlightenment logos; Defining progress was not the problem, rather the lack of freedom to pursue it.
- The elite were for “development” but they did not have the ability to take on the leadership of these systems- they wanted to build a more prosperous future
- All wanted better lives for their people, but each faced unique challenges
What are concerns in terms of the new aid (2)?
- Investment is needed, but corruption, human rights, climate change are concerns.
- Are the poor being helped or made into consumers?
As the Enlightenment unfolded, the human experience was now valued as ___________.
a source of new knowledge.
In the mid 1800s, scientist begun analyzing __________. Why ? How would that process be called ?
data of primitive peoples
Cultures were disappearing (sign of the colonial process working well) and scientist did not want it to stop but were still interested, as scientist, they therefore agreed their should documented before this happened (because of the aim of assimilation of colonialism).
Salvage anthropology
How did many see antrhopology in relation to colonialism? What is one consequence of that ?
Anthropology was sometimes called the “handmaiden of colonialism” - made each other possible, supported each other, where one went, the other followed
-Some African scholars claim this is why anthropology is unpopular in African university, especially
What terminologies were born out of the cold war ? What are their implication and relevance ?
- *-First World**- democratic nations (USA, Canada, Australia…)
- *-Second World**- Soviet and communist states
- Third World- formally colonized countries where both sides sought influence
Continue to shape social understanding of the world- though the division of the globe into socio-economic categories has problems, we must recognize the structural advantages/disadvantages shaping our world
Who is Patrice Lumumba? What was his situation ? What did it demonstrate ?
The leaders who assumed control and responsibility face some huge predicaments, balance tradition with the elite’s values. Lumumba for example, he was fought over, both powers offering him many things in the hope of securing their power. A lot of post colonial leaders were “sold” but Lumumba expressed general concerns and made difficult demands for both powers, he wanted a good deal for his people. But the USA got frustrated with Lumumba, afraid he would side with the communists, they killed him.
What is post-development? Where did study move ?
Assumption that progress should or must be led by the Global North has been rejected
Issues of Development are visible everywhere- studies have moved beyond the confines of projects and NGOs
According to discourse theory, what are moral perceptions shaped by ?
Our moral perceptions are shared by the messages we hear in everyday life.
What are the critiques of WID ?
WID spoke of women in isolation. Little concern for gender relations. Women as actors that existed in isolation
Attached women’s value to economic production - if that potential not met , it is a problem
WID’s fiercest critics: women from Global south; WID reflected preoccupations of Western feminists (not representative of the actual concerns of the Sout
What are buzzwords ? What do they evoke ? How do they emerge ?
terms in which different people can see their own interest reflected
Buzzwords evoke power, strength, progress, change. Positivity without specificity
Emerge organically; absorbed by institutions, individuals. Shared by development orgs, institutions large and small
During the golden ago of anthro in development, what was anthro seen as ?
Belief that detailed, quantitative, people -centred data could help make development efforts more effective
What is a controversy in the politics of anthropology ?
-Controversy as to who and why we should apply anthropology ? Should knowlege be used or shared ?
What happened to the extracted ressources in colonialism? Why was extration justifiable in colonial logic ?
- Natural resources and agricultural products were transferred from colonies to EU, Wealth generated was returned to the metropole
- colonized people had no use for resources; laborers worked for a greater cause
Who often looked to anther for info useful in governing? What did that imply?
Colonial regimes
-Anthropologists worked in land management, tribal governance, langue research, and in the training colonial staff
Most anthropologists say it is their duty to mediate knowledge, not _______
to hand it over
What is the book Expectations of Modernity: Myths and meanings of urban life on the Zambian Copperbelt a study of? What did J.F. look at?
-Study of globalization , growth but also failed expectations
-He spent several years working closely among a community of Cooper miners in Zambia which in the neoliberal move was experiencing significant investment in their Cooper industries so for a time there was of job opportunities and optimism (feeling that development had arrived, they were going upward) BUT they found that their rise to development soon hit a very firm ceiling, they were getting paid far less, the conditions and services were not so good - the Cooper industry was not gonna change their lives in the way they thought. Which led to a lot of people living in unsanitary areas where substance abuse and diseases were growing. Effectively works in a specific area but talk about how the global forces impact this community.
The workers are shaped by traditions but at the asme time, these lives are affected by policies made in new-york, London , markets.
What did neoliberalism imply in the global south? for its habitants ?
- Poor become “entrepreneurs”; must invest in their own future
- Empowering for some. Constraining for others
- Modern development is not “helping people” but rather “helping people to help themselves”
- “Empowerment” and “entrepreneurship” are very two words present in development
What did the end of the cold war conincide with? As a result of what and why?
The rise of neoliberalism
A response to the rising strength of labor unions in USA and Europe in the 1970s
Forces of capitalism began to feel treathen and uneasy - so measures had to be taken to protect capitalism
Anthropology has became more focused and sensitive to _______. How?
ethical issues
- New generation of anthropologists is more diverse. More women, but also many anthros from the Global South
- Imperative to break the barriers between researcher and subject - rejected the idea that anthropologist can be a totally objective figure.
