Intro to Anthropology 2023

  Zora Neale Hurston was ahead of her time as an anthropologist. While others were studying foreign cultures at the time, she was studying her own (Black) culture here in the United States. Her methods were also "modern" much like the women of her time (Margaret Mead, Ruth Benedict, et.al). Because of these trailblazing women and their mentor Franz Boas (American Anthropology) Women saw opportunities in academics, when there were so very few. By 1960, women dominated the academic field of anthropology, and to this day it is the only discipline in which WOMEN outnumber MEN.  Watch the film below at your liesure. You do not have to attend class. We will discuss this film and ethnographic fieldmethods when I return next week.  Zora Neale Hurston Claiming a SPace (PBS American Experience) http://fod.infobase.com.ezproxy.stockton.edu/p_ViewVideo.aspx?xtid=286634&tScript=0

  Aspects for Comparison: In order to understand the development of anthropology as a discipline and the notion of CULTURE in particular you should have know a  brief definition of each of the major theoretical schools  that we covered in class as well as the ability to compare and contrast the theories on the basis of the following criteria: definition of culture  (singular, plural, ideological, adaptive) methodology  (how are hypotheses created and data collected) synchronic vs diachronic  (temporal focus for analysis) empirical vs speculative  (scientific method) emic  (insider)  vs etic (outsider) (perspective) It is also important to understand that theories are  culture bound  and as such are inherently  biased  because they are  a product of the culture at the time in which they are created . They ask questions that are relevant to the cultures which create them according to their understanding of the nature of...

  ETHICS IN ANTHROPOLOGY Although all disciplines that work with human subjects have now adopted ethical guidelines for best practice, anthropology has had ethical guidelines since the 1920s. These guidelines are constantly being revisited and challenged, but what remains are the following concerns. Anthropologists are responsible to the following three entities in order of IMPORTANCE: The people and the cultures that they study (do no harm and assist if you can). The academic community (data is to be shared for the increased knowledge and understanding of all). Granting institutions (those who fund your work technically own it) These concerns raise a number of other issues which individual anthropologists may have to deal with. Each researcher will make ethical decisions base on their own critically examined beliefs and their interpretation of their three responsibilities. For example: I believe that part of fulfilling number 1, is to write in an accessible jargon-free (as is poss...

  Waiting in line works in different ways across the world : Different societies, of course, exhibit different queuing cultures, according to sociologist David R. Gibson of Princeton University. Here are some of Gibson’s observations, anecdotal and otherwise: * “The Brits are famous for their lines Southern Europeans much less so.” * “A friend from Israel tells me that Israelis fall into the queuing-challenged category.” * “Sometimes there are other procedures for determining who gets served first. I once had a student from Pakistan who told me that in mixed-sex lines,  women  get served first … and old men second, out of respect for their seniority.” * “In high school lunch lines social status, especially tied to athleticism, sometimes trumps order of arrival.” This may seem like a more inconsequential social norm but people spend a lot of time waiting in line. I remember being struck by the waiting in line procedure for the BART in San Francisco. Unlike Chicago where th...

(understanding cultural perspectives and worldview) Do Black Lives Matter? Do Blue Lives Matter? Do Both Lives Matter? That depends on your social memory. What are the "stories" into which these same events are woven? What can the anthropological perspective tell us about why they are different? Charlottesville: Are They all "good people"? Hurricanes: Act of God or result of climate change? Richard Stockton: Hero or Villain? Dakota Pipeline: Economic Development of Violation of Sacred Rights? January 6th...Patriotic Rally or Terrorist Attack? Protection or Detection (could just talk COVID Hoax)?  microchip monitering big-pharma scheme? violation of freedom? public health strategy? virus eradication/halt to mutation? social responsibility?

  Why is the concept of culture important? How is the anthropological method and perspective unique? WTF???? WTF??? WTF??? WTF??? WHAT'S FOR LUNCH? Hamburgers Petrified shark fin Dog EXPLAIN THIS? ADHD PMS Highest rate of C-sections