Reviewer: Sociocultural Anthropology and Multicultural Studies

Module 1:Understanding the scope, concepts, theories and fields of socio-cultural

anthropology.
A. Concepts and terminologies

Anthropology
 Anthropology is the study or science of mankind or humanity
 Anthropology as academic discipline was born out of the intellectual atmosphere of that is
called the Enlightenment, which is the eighteenth century social philosophical movement
that emphasized human progress and the poser of reason,

Social anthropology


Cultural anthropology


Sociocultural-Anthropology
 Social-cultural anthropology studies the diversity of human societies in time and space,
while looking for commonalities across them. It uses a holistic strategy—linking local and
global, past and present—to offer various approaches to understanding contemporary
challenges. (Kottak 2015)
 The main methods, tools and techniques for data collection in socio-cultural anthropology.
are: observation (participant observation or non-participant observation), case study,
genealogy, questionnaire, interview.

Culture
 Culture is defined as “that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law,
morals, customs, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of
society.” E,B, Taylor

Society
 Generally refers to the social world with all its structures, institutions, organizations, etc
around us, and specifically to a group of people who live within some type of bounded
territory and who share a common way of life

Multicultural studies
 Refer to the examination of the ways in which different cultures interact and influence each
other. It involves the study of cultural diversity, including the social, economic, political,
and historical aspects of different cultures. Involve the analysis of cross-cultural
communication and the challenges of intercultural interaction. This includes exploring the
ways in which language, nonverbal communication, and other cultural practices can affect
communication and understanding between individuals from different cultural backgrounds.
Ethnology
 Anthropological attempt to discover universal human patterns and the common
biopsychological traits that bind all human beings.

Ethnography
 Description of the culture of a certain group of people.

KEY TERMS:

Cultural relativism
 It suspends judgment and views the behavior of people from the perspective of their won
culture.
Assimilation
 Refers to the process by which individuals or groups adopt the culture, language, and
customs of another society or group, often at the expense of their own cultural identity.
Enculturation
 Refers to the process by which individuals learn and internalize the cultural norms, values,
and practices of their own society or culture
Cultural dualism
 Concept in anthropology that refers to the coexistence of two distinct and often conflicting
cultural systems within a society or social group. In cultural dualism, two distinct cultural
systems are present within a single society, and may be characterized by different norms,
values, beliefs, and practices.
Acculturation
 Refers to the process by which individuals or groups adopt the cultural norms, values, and
practices of a different culture as a result of prolonged contact and interaction with that
culture. Acculturation can occur voluntarily or involuntarily, and may involve the adoption
of some cultural elements while retaining others from one's own culture.
Cultural lag
 A concept in sociology that refers to the time delay between changes in material culture
(such as technology) and changes in non-material culture (such as values and beliefs). It is
the idea that cultural change does not occur at the same rate across all aspects of culture.

Ethnocentrism
 An attitude of taking one's own culture and ways of life as the best and the center of all and
on the other hand, regarding other ethnic groups and cultures
Culture Shock
 The psychological and social maladjustment at micro or macro level that is experienced for
the first time when people encounter new cultural elements such as new things, new ideas,
new concepts, seemingly strange beliefs and practices.
Xenocentrism
 Xenocentrism is a concept in sociology and anthropology that refers to the preference for or
admiration of foreign or exotic cultural practices, beliefs, or values over one's own.
Cultural Universals
 Examples of cultural universals include language, social organization (such as families and
kinship systems), art and aesthetics, music and dance, belief systems (such as religion and
spirituality), tools and technology, and basic social norms and values (such as the prohibition
of murder and theft).
 Cultural universals are often seen as evidence of the shared human experience and the
commonalities that exist between different cultural groups. They can also provide a useful
framework for understanding the ways in which culture is transmitted, adapted, and
transformed over time and across different societies.

B. Anthropology and the study of Culture

 What is culture? The Concept of Culture
A. Marvin Harris- "the total socially acquired knowledge and behavior patterns
characteristic of a particular group or society." Harris emphasized that culture is
not something that is innate or biologically determined, but rather something that
is learned and transmitted through social interaction and communication.

B. Edward Tylor- Culture . . . is that complex whole which includes knowledge,

belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by
man as a member of society.

C. Conrad Kottak- Culture are traditions and customs transmitted through

learning, that govern the beliefs and behavior of the people exposed to them.”

D. Clifford Geertz- “a system of inherited conceptions expressed in symbolic forms

by means of which men communicate, perpetuate, and develop their knowledge
about and attitudes toward life.
 Characteristics of culture

1. Culture is all encompassing 6. Culture is patterned

2. Culture is general and specific 7. People creatively used culture
3. Culture is socially learned 8. Culture is adaptive and maladaptive
4. Culture is symbolic 9. Culture is superios to nature
5. Culture is shared 10. Culture is stable and yet changing
 Kinds of Culture

•Culture Traits (elements): are the smallest (simplest) units of a certain culture. They are the
building blocks of culture. It can be material or nonmaterial culture. For example, pen, car,
computer, plow, pot etc. (material); greeting, the custom of eating injera, respect for the elderly,
treating patients, the practice of smoking using fork, knife, playing foot ball, etc. (non material)

• Culture Complex: when a number of culture traits or elements are fitted or combined together,
they give a meaningful whole called culture complex. Culture complex is any integrated and
patterned system of culture traits that function as a unit in a society. It is sometimes referred to as
culture trait complex.

• Culture pattern: is the organization of culture complexes constituting the entire cultural
configuration of a society. E.g. the culture of sport in Ethiopia, the culture of medicine, the
traditional medical beliefs, practices and institutions of Ethiopia.

Module 2: Anthropological Theories

A. Major Theorists

1. Ruth Benedict-
2. Franz Boas
3. Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard
4. Meyer Fortes
5. Margaret Mead
6. Clifford Geertz
7. Alfred Cort Haddon
8. Marvin Harris
9. Claude Lévi-Strauss
10. Bronislaw Malinowski
Anthropological Theories/Perspectives
Emic vs. Etic
 Emic approach: Understanding and describing the world from the insider’s (people’s) view
 Etic approach: The researcher’s views and interpretation of the subject being studied

Cultural perspective
 Cultural perspective refers to the way in which individuals and groups interpret and
understand the world around them based on their cultural backgrounds and experiences. It is
the lens through which people view and make sense of their environment, social
relationships, and the broader society.

Sociocultural Theory
 Emphasizes the role of culture and social interaction in human development, cognition, and
learning. It is based on the idea that individuals are not only shaped by their biology but also
by their social and cultural environment.

Holism
 Based on the idea that human societies are complex systems that are made up of many
interrelated parts, including social, cultural, economic, political, and environmental factors.
Rather than studying these factors in isolation, holism calls for an integrated and
comprehensive approach that considers how they all work together to shape human culture
and behavior.
 Is the perspective on the human condition that assumes that mind, body, individuals, society,
and the environment interpenetrate, and even define one another. In anthropology holism
tries to integrate all that is known about human beings and their activities

Relativism
 Anthropologists who use a relativistic approach recognize that different cultures have
different values, beliefs, and practices, and that these may not necessarily be compatible
with their own cultural norms and values. They also recognize that cultural practices and
beliefs are shaped by historical, social, and environmental factors, and that they cannot be
understood in isolation.

Comparison
 Comparative analysis is used in anthropology to understand the diversity of human
experience and behavior across different cultures and to identify commonalities and
differences in the ways that humans adapt to and interact with their environment.
Anthropologists use comparison to identify patterns and trends across cultures and to
explore the ways in which cultural practices and beliefs are shaped by social, historical, and
environmental factors.
Fieldwork
 Fieldwork is a method of research in anthropology that involves collecting data through
direct observation and interaction with people in their natural setting. It is a fundamental
aspect of anthropological research that allows anthropologists to gain an in-depth
understanding of the culture and society they are studying.