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Lewis Henry Morgan is well known for his work The League of the Iroquois, considered anthropology's earliest ethnography. This and other of his works illustrate his view of unilinear evolutionism, which is that


A) cultural diversity was actually a sign of the slowing down of cultural evolution.
B) only the better and more civilized societies could survive.
C) all societies are on some path toward civilization, but the exact paths vary.
D) natural selection acts simultaneously on the biological and cultural aspects of human life.
E) there is one line or path through which all societies have to evolve, and this path involves specific stages that cannot be skipped, ending at the final stage of civilization.

F) All of the above
G) A) and B)

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What do you think is the relation between theory and methods in anthropology, if they relate at all?

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In anthropology, theory and methods are closely related and often depend on each other. Theory provides the framework and concepts that guide anthropologists in their research, while methods are the specific techniques and approaches used to gather data and test theoretical ideas. Anthropological theory helps researchers to understand and interpret the cultural, social, and biological phenomena they are studying. It provides a lens through which to view the world and offers explanations for why certain patterns and behaviors exist within societies. Without theory, anthropologists would have no basis for understanding the significance of their findings. On the other hand, methods are the practical tools that anthropologists use to collect data and test their theoretical ideas. These can include participant observation, interviews, surveys, and archival research, among others. The choice of methods is often influenced by the theoretical framework being used, as different theories may require different types of data or approaches to analysis. In this way, theory and methods in anthropology are deeply intertwined. Theory informs the choice of methods, while methods provide the evidence and data that can either support or challenge existing theoretical ideas. The relationship between theory and methods is essential for producing rigorous and meaningful anthropological research.

What is the term used by John Durham Peters (1997) to describe how contemporary people simultaneously experience the local and the global?


A) bifocality
B) dual ethnography
C) reflexivity
D) the ethnographic present
E) interpretive ethnography

F) B) and C)
G) A) and B)

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Recalling Chapter 2, on culture, and after reading this brief historical account of anthropological theory, what do you think is the relationship between individuals and culture?

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The relationship between individuals and...

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Among the classic works of processual approaches to culture is Edmund Leach's Political Systems of Highland Burma. This study made a tremendously important point by taking a regional rather than a local perspective.

A) True
B) False

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Really good key cultural consultants will actually end up recording most of the data needed to write an ethnography.

A) True
B) False

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What advantages do you see in ethnographic research techniques? What are the advantages for survey techniques? Which one would you choose, and what would that choice depend on?

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Ethnographic research techniques offer s...

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Longitudinal research is the long-term study of a community, region, society, culture, or other unit, usually based on repeated visits.

A) True
B) False

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Provide a brief account of the history of theory in the discipline. Does this account support the view that much of the history of anthropology has been about the roles and relative prominence of culture?

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The history of theory in the discipline ...

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What is the genealogical method, and why did it develop in anthropology?

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The genealogical method is a research te...

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In survey research, what is sampling?


A) the collection of a study group from a larger population
B) the interviewing of a small number of key cultural consultants
C) a form of participant observation
D) the collection of life histories of every member in a community
E) a collection reflecting the emic perspective

F) C) and D)
G) A) and C)

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As investigators who illustrated the functionalist approach in anthropology, both Malinowski's and Radcliffe-Brown's ethnographic research focused on


A) myth and ritual and the ways that these aspects of culture created social cohesion.
B) the evolutionary history of present-day cultural patterns.
C) the role of cultural traits and practices in contemporary society.
D) the symbolic value that cultural traits and practices held with members of contemporary society.
E) the role of cultural traits and practices aimed at conflict resolution.

F) B) and C)
G) A) and B)

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Despite the differences among theoretical paradigms of practitioners as varied as Harris (cultural materialism) , White (neoevolutionism) , Julian Steward (cultural ecology) , and Margaret Mead (configurationalism) , all of them have what in common?


A) a strong sense of determinism, leaving very little (if any) room for the exercise of individual human agency
B) a well-founded suspicion in the claims of science
C) an embrace of reflexive anthropology
D) a sense of moral duty to help the people they studied to accelerate their path to civilization
E) a strong concern for the future of anthropological education

F) B) and C)
G) C) and E)

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An anthropologist has just arrived at a new field site and feels overwhelmed with a creepy, profound feeling of alienation, of being without some of the most ordinary, trivial (and therefore basic) cues of his culture of origin. What term best describes what he is experiencing?


A) culture shock
B) diachrony
C) synchrony
D) configurationalism
E) agency paralysis

F) B) and E)
G) C) and D)

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Which is the key assumption in Claude Lévi-Strauss's structuralism?


A) All myths can be classified as either good or evil.
B) The human propensity to classify phenomena in certain ways is acquired through enculturation.
C) There is a very specific role for human agency in culture, and the structure of cultural patterns determines that role.
D) Cultural patterns determine the human propensity to classify things in certain ways.
E) Human minds have certain universal characteristics that originate in common features of the Homo sapiens brain and lead people everywhere to think similarly regardless of their society or cultural background.

F) B) and C)
G) A) and D)

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How have anthropologists tried to bring evolution into the study of human culture? Have these approaches succeeded, or failed? Why? Do you see any way in which evolution and culture could be united into a broad and effective explanatory paradigm?

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Anthropologists have tried to bring evolution into the study of human culture through various approaches, including evolutionary psychology, cultural evolution, and the study of human biological and cultural adaptations. These approaches have sought to understand how human culture has evolved over time, how it is influenced by biological and environmental factors, and how it shapes human behavior and society. In some ways, these approaches have succeeded. For example, evolutionary psychology has provided valuable insights into the ways in which human behavior and cognition have been shaped by natural selection. Cultural evolution has also shed light on how cultural traits and practices change and spread within human populations. Additionally, the study of human biological and cultural adaptations has deepened our understanding of how humans have adapted to different environments and lifestyles. However, these approaches have also faced challenges and limitations. Critics have argued that evolutionary approaches to human culture can be reductionist and overly deterministic, overlooking the complex and diverse ways in which culture is created and maintained. Additionally, there is ongoing debate about the extent to which human behavior and culture can be explained solely in terms of evolutionary processes. Despite these challenges, there is potential for evolution and culture to be united into a broad and effective explanatory paradigm. By integrating insights from evolutionary biology, anthropology, psychology, and other disciplines, researchers can develop a more comprehensive understanding of the ways in which human culture has evolved and continues to shape human societies. This interdisciplinary approach could help to bridge the gap between biological and cultural explanations of human behavior, offering a more nuanced and holistic perspective on the complex relationship between evolution and culture. Ultimately, a broad and effective explanatory paradigm that unites evolution and culture could provide valuable insights into the nature of human diversity, the dynamics of cultural change, and the ways in which humans have adapted to their environments.

Anthropologist Clyde Kluckhohn (1944) saw a key public service role for anthropology. In his words, it could provide a "scientific basis for dealing with the crucial dilemma of the world today: how can peoples of different appearance, mutually unintelligible languages, and dissimilar ways of life get along peaceably together." Anthropologists also have made and continue to make a dramatic impact on people's welfare as they cope with crises such as the January 2010 Haiti earthquake. What are some examples of this?

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Some examples of anthropologists making ...

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Briefly describe the nine characteristic field techniques of the ethnographer. How do they compare with the research techniques you have learned about in courses or readings in other academic disciplines?

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The nine characteristic field techniques of the ethnographer are participant observation, interviews, genealogical method, life histories, unobtrusive measures, key cultural consultants, focus groups, case studies, and cultural domain analysis. These techniques involve immersing oneself in the culture being studied, building relationships with community members, and gathering data through various methods such as observation, interviews, and analysis of cultural artifacts. These techniques differ from research techniques in other academic disciplines in that they prioritize understanding a culture from within, rather than from an outside perspective. Ethnographers aim to gain a deep understanding of the cultural context and the perspectives of the people within it, often through prolonged engagement and building rapport with the community. In contrast, research techniques in other disciplines may focus more on quantitative data collection, experimental methods, or theoretical analysis. While both approaches aim to generate knowledge and understanding, the ethnographic techniques emphasize the importance of cultural context and subjective experience in a way that may be less central in other academic disciplines.

The emic perspective focuses on local explanations of criteria and significance.

A) True
B) False

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What advantages might a project that combines both quantitative and qualitative techniques have over one that utilizes only one or the other? What research situation might be best suited to such a combined strategy?

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A project that combines both quantitativ...

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