ANTHRO 2 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: European Colonialism, Ethnology, Hortense Powdermaker
4 Feb 2017
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Document Summary
Cultural anthro has 2 components: ethnography and ethnology. Research questions drives by environment, politics, econ, ideological concerns, etc. Anthro emerged as formal discipline during heyday of colonialism (1870s-1930s) They often compared traditional people to primitive/prehistoric people. Many people become extinct and some were forced to surrender their lifestyles and territories. Anthros try to make record of these groups. Urgent anthro: ethnographic research that documents endangered cultures (aka salvage ethnography) Most na anthro"s did fieldwork on natives (natives were falling apart because of disease, poverty, and despair caused by cultural change) Try to reconstruct old lifestyles remembered by the elders. Study how traditional cultures change when meeting with capitalist societies. Native peoples were surrounded by dominant settler society. Native culture was said to be inferior. Forced to adopt the ways of the more powerful society oppressing them. Acculturation: disruptive process of cultural change in traditional societies when they come into contact with more powerful societies (industrialized or capitalist)
