ANT 102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Native American Graves Protection And Repatriation Act, Ethnocentrism, Human Relations Area Files

• School: University of Maine
• Department: Anthropology
• Course: ANT 102
• Professor: Christine Beitl

Document Summary

Goal: to understand/explain human diversity over time and space. Eth(cid:374)og(cid:396)aphi(cid:272) (cid:862)sto(cid:396)ies(cid:863) a(cid:374)d i(cid:374)te(cid:396)p(cid:396)etatio(cid:374: (cid:862)fou(cid:396)-field(cid:863) t(cid:396)aditio(cid:374) Interpreted to make inferences about cultures of the past. Nagpra: native american graves protection and repatriation act (1990: bio-facts (eco-facts): plant and animal remains that were used by humans, but not modified. Can determine which foods were available: fossils: remains of ancient life (bones, traces, impressions) that can be dated through radiometric methods skulls, feathers, bones, teeth. Ethnography: holisti(cid:272) des(cid:272)(cid:396)iptio(cid:374) of so(cid:272)iety"s (cid:272)usto(cid:373)a(cid:396)y (cid:271)eha(cid:448)io(cid:396)s a(cid:374)d ideas: bronislaw malinowski (1884-1942, emphasis is on depth rather than breadth. Ethnology: cross-cultural comparisons, i. e. , human relations area files (hraf) American culture: melting pot, instant gratification, pride, convenience, alcohol, political correctness. Cultural relativism: cultural traits are best understood when viewed within the cultural context of which they are a part of. Ethnocentrism: usi(cid:374)g o(cid:374)e"s o(cid:449)(cid:374) sta(cid:374)da(cid:396)ds a(cid:374)d (cid:448)alues to judge outside(cid:396)s. Early explanations of diversity emphasize progress: cultu(cid:396)al e(cid:448)olutio(cid:374): (cid:862)sa(cid:448)age(cid:863) (cid:448)s. (cid:862)(cid:272)i(cid:448)ilized(cid:863)