Schools of Thought

Using pages 28-31 of your textbook complete the chart below and the questions that follow.

School of What is it? Famous Anthropologist(s) in the Field

Thought

Cultural States that an anthropologist cannot compare two culture bc Franz Boas
Relativism each culture has its own internal rules that must be Urged anthropologists to understand cultures on their own
accepted. terms and avoid snap judgements about other practices
- Everyone sees other cultures through the lens of
their own culture

A response to cultural evolutionism - the idea that all

cultures evolve from savage-barbarian-civilized, assuming
European culture was superior

Functional Theory The idea that every belief, action, or relationship in a culture Bronislaw Malinowski
functions to meet the needs of its individuals. Rejected cultural evolutionism
- Stresses the importance of interdependence among Felt that societies could be objectively measured and
all things within a social system to ensure its compared
long-term survival
- Meeting the needs of individuals is what makes a Saw a representation of functional theory in the Trobriand
culture successful Islands:
- Every year there was a ceremonial exchange of a
necklace and arm band b/w two men on each
island
- Highly anticipated event - the jewelry traveled
throughout the whole strain of islands in two
different directions, linking distant individuals
- Allowed different islands to trade food and stuff,
and maintain peaceful relationships
- Conclusion: A seemingly ceremonial exchange
had economic, social, and political functions,
serving the needs of the individuals and the
society

Cultural States that materials/conditions within the environment (ex. Marvin Harris:
Materialism Climate, food supply, geography, etc.) influence how a Believed that culture develops in three stages:
 culture develops, creating the ideas and ideology of a Infrastructure - society’s material resources
culture. Structure - society’s familial, social, economic, social
- Believes that society develops on a trial and error systems
basis - if something is not of value to a society’s Superstructure - society’s ideas, values, symbols, religion
ability to produce/reproduce, then it will disappear
from society altogether Applied the theory of cultural materialism to the Hindu
- Based on this, institutions like the law, government, belief in the sacred cow: cows cannot be eaten, cows are
and religion must be beneficial to society or else used for agricultural work instead, this function of the cow
they will no longer exist - ignores spiritual influences decisions about the best ways to use the cow,
considerations, and human thinking and contributes to the belief that cows should not be
eaten.

Maxine Margolis:
Studied women’s roles in postwar America and found that,
though the ideal at the time was for women to stay home,
material changes (like inflation) sent women into the
workforce, which drove the ideological changes of the
feminist movement.

Feminist Examining how cultures determine gender roles Ernestine Friedl:

Anthropology - Debunking gender myths Concluded that in forager societies, the amount of freedom
- Showing that gender ideologies are created by the women had was strongly tied to their contributions to the
culture and not biology food supply. Men and women are sorta equal in societies
- Examining how gender, race, class, ethnicity, sexual where women gather more of the food, but men are more
orientation are considered in various societies dominant when they have more control over food
resources (hunting).

Postmodernism The belief that it is impossible to have any “true” knowledge Sam Dunn:
about the world. Studies the subculture of heavy metal music and fans
- What we know about the world is created by society
- Postmodernists believe that anthropologists can not
study their subjects objectively bc of personal
relationships that develop during participant
observation

1. Which two schools of thought do you feel are very similar? Why?
I feel as though Cultural Relativism and Postmodernism are very similar because they both believe that anthropologists can not
objectively study cultures, either based on how their own culture influenced them, or relationships with participants.
Functional Theory and Cultural Materialism are also very similar as they both believe that every part of society plays a role in
benefitting its members, and that meeting the needs of its members is what makes it successful. The elements of a society will
change based on what it seeks, and what it no longer seeks.

2. Which two schools of thought do you feel are very different? Why?

3. Assume that an anthropologist wants to investigate the effect that the pandemic has had on the culture of Canadians. What
would an anthropologist for each of the schools of thought be interested in investigating? (Suggest a research focus for each)
a. Cultural Relativism
How do Canadian provinces perceive the restrictions other provinces had to undergo?
b. Functional Theory
How did families change their daily routines during the pandemic? How did they make life more efficient?
c. Cultural Materialism
Did society in provinces with greater access to technology change in different ways than in provinces with less access?
d. Feminist Anthropology
Why did talk of gender identity and sexual orientation increase throughout and after the pandemic?
e. Postmodernism
What new digital subcultures emerged during the pandemic, and why? Which are still popular after?

4. For each, what are some possibilities and some limitations to the school of thought?
a. Cultural Relativism
Provides basis to understand cultural practices in their own independent framework - avoids ethnocentrism, and ensures
cross-cultural respect
Could ignore moral and ethical issues within that culture
b. Functional Theory
Examining how cultural elements serve functions within society
Ignores spiritual dimensions of society
c. Cultural Materialism
Examining how socioeconomic factors shape society
May overlook the symbolic, spiritual, ideological, or political dimensions of culture
d. Feminist Anthropology
Highlights experiences of marginalized groups
May prioritize gender analysis at the expense of other dimensions of culture
e. Postmodernism
Emphasizes that double meanings/fluidity may exist in the ideas we think we know about society
May be too skeptical about certain world functions