Cultural Anthropology Study of modern human society and culture patterns in behavior thought and perceptions Through active participation using both Cultural relativism and cross cultural comparison Patterns of Subsistence Doing what is necessary to sustain human life food clothing shelter Adaptive Strategies A group s system of economic activity Economic activity the extraction production exchange of storage and consumption of material things in life Foraging Band societies 100 or less Kinship social organization Egalitarian social systems based on age gender not power wealth Horticulture subsistence farmers Simple tools fields not permanent moving around nomadic Slash and burn shifting cultivation Only rely on rain water Agriculture Pastoralism breeding and managing herd of domesticated grazing animals Use animals directly Industrialism Industry production Factory production Capitalism Socialist Production Economies Modes of Production systems of producing distrusting and consuming goods Balancing demands supply and needs o The demands and needs are culturally specific o Mode of production organizing production Industrial v Nonindustrial o Division of economic labor Age and gender Betsileo and Madagascar 2 stages of rice cultivation Means of Production Major productive resources Land labor technology Industrial Society not owned by the laborer mor specialized less connected Non Industrial Society more closely connected linked through social and kin organizations less specialized Production in Nonindustrial Populations Division of economic labor means of production owned by kinship groups Mode of production based on age and gender Betsileo of Madagascar 2 stages of rice cultivation Economic Principles 2 Economic Anthropology questions what motivates people in different cultures How are economies organized in different socieities o Using cross cultural perspectives Trying to gain the largest margin of individual profit possible Rational allocation of scarce resources to particular uses Maximizing Economizing Alternative Ends Subsistence funds Replacement funds Social Funds Ceremonial Funds Rent Funds Economic Behavior Distribution and exchange Organization of economies o How economic systems work Three Economic Systems Exchange of goods and services within a standardized value Dominant in North America Redistribution Centrally redistributed goods throughout a community Potlatching o Cultivation Plots lie fallow Slash and burn Reciprocity The exchange of goods and services of equal value o Three types Generalized unequal Balanced equal barter farmer s market Negative one sided one side has the upper hand Coexistence of exchange principles Nonindustrial Redistubition Potlatching Festive Event big community celebration display of conspicuous consumption o created alliances o economic safety net What motivated exchange Individual profit How was economy organized redistribution supplies and wealth adaptive mechanism Coexisting economic systems Adaptive strategies Modes of production Exchange principles Exchange reflects relationships Few direct social connections Market principle Negative reciprocity Direct Social Connections Redistribution Balanced Reciprocity Organizing Societies Kinship Families and Descent Kinship family descent and marriage are the basic building blocks of all societies Kinship Systems interdependence culturally defined structured and organized human relationships of Families All kinship systems begin with the cultural understanding of what a family is Universal function of family 1 Nurturing and enculturating children 2 Economic cooperation different kinds of families single parent families nuclear families extended families grandparents aunt uncle cousing o created through families of orientation nad procreation Nuclear Family Family is not a descent group impermanent kinship structure family of orientation born into family of procreation married into The nuclear family is not a universal human trait extended family as primary unit Family and Cultural Ideas US family ideal is nuclear Brazilian family ideal is extended only 20 are now nuclear US families Descent systems rules for assigning social identity based on how a specific culture defines ancestry Defiining Descent and Ancestry Descent Systems rules for assigning social identity based on how a specific culture defines ancestry a permanent social unit whose members claim common ancestry 3 ways to define Unilinieal relationships are recognized through one line of descent whether mother s or father s kin lines during divorce choose either mom or dad s lineal system Ambilineal people can choose to recognize relationships through either the mother or the father s line Ex some tribes when newlyweds live with mother When have children will live with father Bilateral relationships are recognized through both lines of descent Forms of descent groups Three different forms 1 Lineage a descent group with a common known ancestor Patrilineages The male line Daughters leave 2 Clan Members believe they have a common ancestor May not specify the genealogical links Made up of several lineages long historical background ancestor is a mythical figure Nonhuman ancestors are called totems 3 Bilateral Kindred side and father s side Kinship Systems Family Membership is based on recognizing close relatives on the mother s structured and organized human relationships of interdependence family of orientation where a child is born and raised family of procreation single parent family nuclear family extended family 3 principles for defining descent 3 forms of descent groups Kinship Calculation Classification systems based on how cultures perceive their social worlds Differences in linguistic terms Patterns in categories and word choices No two individuals will have the same kinship Parallel cousin The children of a person s parents same sex siblings Cross cousins The children of a person s parents opposite sex siblings Four kinship classification systems Each system o Gives social contexts to defines descent o Shapes cultural understanding of social interactions o Interconnected with other parts of culture Lineal terminology o Parental generation has four terms Mother father aunt MZ FZ uncle FB MB Distinguhes relatives in a direct line from all other relatives collateral affinal collateral relative off to one side affinal relative by marriage Bifurcate merging terminology splits mother s relatives from father s relatives merges the