Anth Elec 211

Anthropological Theory
 National Traditions and the
Dominance of Anglo-America
Dominance of Anglo-American Perspectives:
 Perspectives and theoretical orientations in social and cultural anthropology have
largely been influenced by national traditions, with a significant emphasis on Anglo-North
America, France, and to some extent, Germany.
 Other schools and orientations from countries like Russia, Japan, India, and Brazil exist but
have been slow to gain recognition, often relegated to footnotes and citations in academic
discourse.
Language and Globalization:
 The dominance of English as the international language in commerce, diplomacy,
media, and scholarship has played a pivotal role in elevating Anglo-American
anthropologies to more prominent positions.
 The use of a common language, particularly English, has facilitated collaboration among
English-speaking nations, reinforcing anglocentrism in anthropological discourse.
Expansion of North American Academia:
 The post-World War II economic boom in the United States, coupled with the G.I. Bill, led
to a significant expansion of the North American academic industry.
 The growth in the number of universities and anthropological programs contributed to
the increasing number of professional anthropologists.
Fragmentation and Postmodernism:
 The proliferation of anthropological training and practice in North America has
contributed to a distinctively North American understanding of the postmodern condition.
 The four-field approach in many anthropology departments has led to increased
fragmentation of professional interests and theoretical orientations.

French Anthropology and Theoretical Innovation:

 French anthropology, with influential figures like Durkheim, Mauss, Lévi-Strauss,
Foucault, and Bourdieu, has played a significant role in theoretical innovation.
 Structuralism, particularly Lévi-Strauss's, has had a profound impact on British and
American anthropological traditions.

Challenges of Translation:
 The influence of non-English traditions, including French anthropology, has been
constrained by a lack of translation of important works.
 Initiatives within professional bodies aim to address this issue, making non-English
monographs more accessible to the English-speaking world.
Collaboration with “Other” Voices
Background and Critiques:
 The "collaborative turn" is seen as a response to critiques of the colonial encounter and the
politics of textual representation in anthropology.
 Inspired by countercultural and postcolonial theory and activism in the 1960s and 1970s,
anthropologists seek to reinvent their authority by working with, rather than merely
among, Native and Indigenous peoples.
Historical Precedents:
 Early instances of deep collaboration include Marcel Griaule's conversations with
Ogotemmêli, a high priest of the Dogon people, resulting in the ethnographic work
"Conversations with Ogotemmêli."
 Critiques by Vine Deloria Jr. and works by Talal Asad, Edward Said, Michel Foucault, and
others influenced anthropologists to reflect on their practices and relationships with Indigenous
peoples.
Crisis of Conscience:
 The postmodern and postcolonial critiques exposed the colonial foundations of
anthropology and challenged the assumption of anthropologists as morally superior
champions of non-Western peoples.
 Revelations of ethnographic misrepresentation and allegations of careerism-over-ethics
led to a crisis of conscience within the discipline.
Indigenous Anthropology and Ethnographic Shifts:
 The idea of "indigenous anthropology" gained traction as a way to address issues of
colonialism by directing practitioners to work within their own social and cultural contexts.
 Donald Messerschmidt suggested that this shift marked the end of the era of colonial
anthropology and the beginning of a new maturity of purpose.

Reforming Anthropology:
 Vincent Crapanzano advocated for a practical approach to reforming anthropology,
emphasizing a move away from easy cultural relativism toward a more active
dismantling of power asymmetries in the research process.
 The suggestion to "read alongside natives" instead of "over their shoulders" highlights a
desire for more collaborative and dialogical approaches.
Anthropologies of the Digital Age
Definition of the Digital Age: The "digital age" is described as a period since the late 1970s
characterized by the widespread adoption and impact of digital technologies.

Anthropological Engagement: Anthropologists have increasingly turned their attention to the

cultural and technological transformations brought about by the digital age. The discussion spans
from the early years of cybernetics to the proliferation of personal computers, smartphones, and
the internet.

Digital Technologies and Cultural Worldview: The term "digital" has evolved from its
technical origins to encompass a cultural worldview associated with anticipating unprecedented
developments.
Internet and Social Media: The internet, described as a global system of digital networks, and
social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, are highlighted for their significant
role in shaping, sustaining, and transforming social and cultural worlds.

Anthropological Studies in the Digital Age: Anthropologists have approached the study of the
digital age from various perspectives, including the cultural implications of digital media and the
economic, political, and cultural movements in the online world.

Ethnographic Studies: Ethnographic studies have explored how digital technologies are
integrated into different cultural contexts. Examples include the rise of cellphones in Jamaica, the
cultural worlds of Silicon Valley professionals, and the immersive experiences of massive
multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) like World of Warcraft.
Challenges and Critiques: The tendency to romanticize the pre-digital era, concerns about the
digital divide, and the impact of digital technologies on cultural diversity.

Anthropological Principles: Anthropological principles such as holism and cultural relativism in

studying the digital age. .

Future Directions: Anthropologists will continue to study digital culture, with possibilities
including the investigation of online sectors like e-commerce, online dating, and online pedagogy.
Theorizing
Human and Environment Interaction
• Progression and Development
• Savagery to barbarism to civilization
• Development brought by • Functions and Structures/Systems
materialism/material culture • Example: Malinowski’s Kula Ring

• Diffusion and Acculturation • Contradiction and Change

• Understanding of the origin of how • Conflict may create culture
culture evolves • Example: Biomedicine and
Traditional Medicine
• Historicity and Enculturation
• Limitations due to history
• Mead- upbringing of children
 From sensory experience to organized reality

• Habitus
• Space signifies hidden persuasion
• Action of people is anchored on space
• It also creates language • Symbols/metaphors
• Rituals as functions
• Deconstruction: discourses • Examples: Ortner, Turner
• You tear apart where the message came
from
• Where did it come from?
• Example: Black is bad and white is good.
 Production as Base Structure

• Asymmetrical Relations
• Example: Feeling of the Islam minorities
to the state/government

• Materialism and Idealism

• Ideologies can counter the base structure
Presentation Guide:
A. Introduction:
What is your research about?
What is your topic?
What is/are your problem/s?

B. Describe
What is the theory about?
What important points were you able to draw from it?

C. Apply
How can it be used in your own research?