gerald f. murray introductory overview of anthropology

GERALD F. MURRAY

Introductory overview of Anthropology

Anthropology within the social sciences

Human behavior and thought: can they be studied scientifically?

Other social sciences: psychology, sociology, political science, economics.

Anthropology’s original niche: the study of societies that the West considered “exotic” or “primitive.”

British vs. American anthropology

British anthropologists studied colonial populations.

American anthropologists focused on Native Americans.

American anthropology departments incorporated the study of biological evolution, archeology, and linguistics. These remained separate disciplines in Europe.

The “four field” approach

Biological anthropology

Archeology

Linguistic anthropology

Cultural anthropology

Basic focus of course: evolving systems

Diachronic focus: systems through time. Biological evolution Cultural evolution

Universal components found in all cultures

Synchronic structures: diversity of cultural systems.

Specific topics to be covered: evolutionary phases.

Human evolution: from tree-dwelling primate to Homo sapiens

Human survival strategies: from biological to cultural evolution.

Stone-age technologies: Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic

Major phases of cultural evolution: bands, tribes, chiefdoms, states.

Human impact on the environment.

Synchronic focus: Cultural diversity

Systems of production and exchange

Family systems and kinship terminologies.

Marriage systems

Healing systems.

Religious systems.

Applied anthropology and human problems

The survival of cultures and languages. Pressures on entire nations Pressures on minority groups within nations.

The protection and restoration of tree cover.

The anthropology of individual survival

Background of the instructor

Cultural anthropologist. Countries where he has worked. Topics that he has researched.

Linguist

Applied anthropologist

The Caribbean

Hispaniola: Haiti and Dominican Republic

South America: Peru

Africa

Israel / Palestine

The instructor’s U. of Florida website

web.clas.ufl.edu/users/murray/

Links to the course.

Course requirements