Introduction Cross-Cultural Comparison

What is Culture? Is it what you. . . Get at the Dorothy Chandler? Absorb when you go to the Getty Center or the De Young Museum? Or is there more to it than that?

Get at the Dorothy Chandler?

Absorb when you go to the Getty Center or the De Young Museum?

Or is there more to it than that?

Two Meanings of Culture To some, culture is about the visual and performing arts To anthropologists, it carries the same meaning as customs That is, the study of how people behave different In different parts of the world

To some, culture is about the visual and performing arts

To anthropologists, it carries the same meaning as customs

That is, the study of how people behave different

In different parts of the world

Examples of Culture: Making a Living Some peoples forage: They hunt game and gather edible plant foods These African !Kung foragers are an example Others grow their food Like this South American Yanomamö woman

Some peoples forage:

They hunt game and gather edible plant foods

These African !Kung foragers are an example

Others grow their food

Like this South American Yanomamö woman

Examples of Culture: Economics Some peoples buy and sell on the market Like these Guatemalan Maya vendors Others make direct trades’ Like these Trobriand islanders about to trade Valuable kula white armshells for red necklaces

Some peoples buy and sell on the market

Like these Guatemalan Maya vendors

Others make direct trades’

Like these Trobriand islanders about to trade

Valuable kula white armshells for red necklaces

Examples of Culture: Law and War Many tribes negotiate their differences As in this bride price haggling in India Tribal warfare is widespread As in this expedition setting out in Kenya

Many tribes negotiate their differences

As in this bride price haggling in India

Tribal warfare is widespread

As in this expedition setting out in Kenya

So What is Culture? Culture is the different ways That people deal with common life issues How to people make a living? Answers are diverse How do people marry—or do they? There are numerous answers How do people get along—Or do they? Again, there is no one answer

Culture is the different ways

That people deal with common life issues

How to people make a living? Answers are diverse

How do people marry—or do they? There are numerous answers

How do people get along—Or do they? Again, there is no one answer

Defining Culture: Edward Burnett Tylor Edward Burnett Tylor founded anthropology at Oxford University in Britain His definition: “That complex whole which includes Knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, law, custom And any other capabilities and habits Acquired by man (meaning both women and men) As a member of society”

Edward Burnett Tylor founded anthropology at Oxford University in Britain

His definition: “That complex whole which includes

Knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, law, custom

And any other capabilities and habits

Acquired by man (meaning both women and men)

As a member of society”

Concept of Culture All cultures have at least five characteristics in common: Learned Shared Patterned (Integrated) Adaptive Symbolic

All cultures have at least five characteristics in common:

Learned

Shared

Patterned (Integrated)

Adaptive

Symbolic

Culture is Learned All we do, say, or believe is learned, as these photos show. Yanomamö mother is about to teach her daughter gardening Yanomamö boys learning to hunt by shooting a lizard Enculturation: learning the ways of a culture

All we do, say, or believe is learned, as these photos show.

Yanomamö mother is about to teach her daughter gardening

Yanomamö boys learning to hunt by shooting a lizard

Enculturation: learning the ways of a culture

So What’s the Big Deal About Learning? Our behavior is not genetically transmitted, unlike ants/bees Learning is not just conditioning like trained dogs We learn the skills and values of our society And apply them to new situations

Our behavior is not genetically transmitted, unlike ants/bees

Learning is not just conditioning like trained dogs

We learn the skills and values of our society

And apply them to new situations

Culture is Shared A group with common language and custom shares a culture Groups may be as small as 50 (African !Kung band, above) They may comprise a nation of millions (e.g. Japan, shown by these schoolgirls, below) There may be subcultures in a culture (e.g. Amish in Pennsylvania)

A group with common language and custom shares a culture

Groups may be as small as 50 (African !Kung band, above)

They may comprise a nation of millions (e.g. Japan, shown by these schoolgirls, below)

There may be subcultures in a culture (e.g. Amish in Pennsylvania)

Culture is Patterned/Integrated One aspect of culture reflects other aspects They all fit into a pattern as a whole Examples of integration Extreme example: Mexico’s Teotihuacan pyramid (above) Probably weren’t built by tribesmen (below) But pig feasts did fit in with New Guinea tribal culture. How? See PNG Module.

One aspect of culture reflects other aspects

They all fit into a pattern as a whole

Examples of integration

Extreme example: Mexico’s Teotihuacan pyramid (above)

Probably weren’t built by tribesmen (below)

But pig feasts did fit in with New Guinea tribal culture. How? See PNG Module.

Culture is Generally Adaptive Technology generally reflects features of environment Settled communities: usually indicate stable food supply, such as the Aztec chinampas Grasslands are best for pastoralism, such as this Mongolian camp Cultures can become poorly adapted during rapid change

Technology generally reflects features of environment

Settled communities: usually indicate stable food supply, such as the Aztec chinampas

Grasslands are best for pastoralism, such as this Mongolian camp

Cultures can become poorly adapted during rapid change

Culture is Based on Symbolism Definition : Bestowing meaning to a thing or event Inherently unrelated to the thing or event itself Examples: Stop, yield traffic signs (above) Language, such as these Maya Sign or Signal: Sounds or gestures with self-evident meaning (Arrow-shaped traffic sign)

Definition : Bestowing meaning to a thing or event

Inherently unrelated to the thing or event itself

Examples: Stop, yield traffic signs (above)

Language, such as these Maya

Sign or Signal: Sounds or gestures with self-evident meaning

(Arrow-shaped traffic sign)

Cross-Cultural Comparison: Basic Course Requirement In this course, you will be comparing selected cultures You will be read case studies in The Evolution of Human Societies You will watch a series of films on other case studies You will write reports on these case studies You will also take exams based on your readings and films.

In this course, you will be comparing selected cultures

You will be read case studies in The Evolution of Human Societies

You will watch a series of films on other case studies

You will write reports on these case studies

You will also take exams based on your readings and films.

Course Requirements: Nuts and Bolts To be transferable to a CSU or UC The course entails all the standard requirements For additional details, refer to your syllabus available online The entire course will be conducted through ETUDES-NG For full instructions, go to the college website

To be transferable to a CSU or UC

The course entails all the standard requirements

For additional details, refer to your syllabus available online

The entire course will be conducted through ETUDES-NG

For full instructions, go to the college website

Course: Levels of Sociocultural Integration Some cultures are more complex than others. Level of Sociocultural Integration gives a structure for comparison We will compare cultures that are similar in complexity There are four basic levels: Band, tribes, chiefdom, and state

Some cultures are more complex than others.

Level of Sociocultural Integration gives a structure for comparison

We will compare cultures that are similar in complexity

There are four basic levels:

Band, tribes, chiefdom, and state

Levels of Sociocultural Integration: Bands Bands comprise groups of related families They are usually simple foragers: They hunt game and gather plant foods Because their resources are uncertain, they are nomadic They have little or no formal leadership Their population is small: 25-100 Examples: Inuit (Eskimo), Australian Aborigines, !Kung San of Southern Africa

Bands comprise groups of related families

They are usually simple foragers:

They hunt game and gather plant foods

Because their resources are uncertain, they are nomadic

They have little or no formal leadership

Their population is small: 25-100

Examples: Inuit (Eskimo), Australian Aborigines, !Kung San of Southern Africa

Levels of Sociocultural Integration: Tribes Tribes comprise several extended families These are connected by some other organization Examples: marriage ties, age grades, secret or warrior societies They are pastoralists (herdsmen) or horticulturalists (hand cultivators) They lack political offices and central government They are often warlike Examples: Yanomamö and Kayapo of Central Asia; Masai and Turkana of East Africa

Tribes comprise several extended families

These are connected by some other organization

Examples: marriage ties, age grades, secret or warrior societies

They are pastoralists (herdsmen) or horticulturalists (hand cultivators)

They lack political offices and central government

They are often warlike

Examples: Yanomamö and Kayapo of Central Asia;

Masai and Turkana of East Africa

Levels of Sociocultural Integration: Chiefdoms Chiefdoms have—a chief They comprise permanent offices with rules of succession There is a centralized government But there is no police or army that exercises absolute rule People are ranked: there are fewer positions of power than people able to fill them Usually associated with horticulture, pastoralism, and complex foraging Examples: Kirghiz of Central Asia, Kwakiutl of Northwest Coast,

Chiefdoms have—a chief

They comprise permanent offices with rules of succession

There is a centralized government

But there is no police or army that exercises absolute rule

People are ranked: there are fewer positions of power than people able to fill them

Usually associated with horticulture, pastoralism, and complex foraging

Examples: Kirghiz of Central Asia, Kwakiutl of Northwest Coast,

Level of Sociocultural Integration: States States have a monopoly over legitimate power Agencies are army and police They are stratified: a minority controls life-sustaining resources (land, water, capital) They are complex, with bureaucracies (public and private) They incorporate both redistribution (taxation) and markets They rely on a system of codified law

States have a monopoly over legitimate power

Agencies are army and police

They are stratified: a minority controls life-sustaining resources (land, water, capital)

They are complex, with bureaucracies (public and private)

They incorporate both redistribution (taxation) and markets

They rely on a system of codified law

Examples of States Theocratic States: Tibet is Classic Example Aztecs, Maya, and Inca also focused on their gods Feudal States; Japan, China

Theocratic States: Tibet is Classic Example

Aztecs, Maya, and Inca also focused on their gods

Feudal States; Japan, China

Peasant Society Peasants are part of a stratified system within a state Both peasants and horticulturalists produce food by cultivation and provide other necessities. They both have to provide for next year’s crops They both observe special occasions, such as a wedding, funeral, or celebrations

Peasants are part of a stratified system within a state

Both peasants and horticulturalists produce food by cultivation and provide other necessities.

They both have to provide for next year’s crops

They both observe special occasions, such as a wedding, funeral, or celebrations

Defining the Peasant: Rent Fund The peasant, not the independent horticulturalist has to provide for a fund of rent In other words: pay taxes with crops or money or labor Examples: Mexico, Guatemala, China, and all others where states exist

The peasant, not the independent horticulturalist has to provide for a fund of rent

In other words: pay taxes with crops or money or labor

Examples: Mexico, Guatemala, China, and all others where states exist

Comparing Cultures In this course, you will compare two case studies each week They will involve videos from Netflix or Blockbuster; Where possible, we will use downloadable sources You may find others from YouTube They will involve readings from case studies in The Evolution of Human Societies We will not cover the authors’ theories

In this course, you will compare two case studies each week

They will involve videos from Netflix or Blockbuster; Where possible, we will use downloadable sources

You may find others from YouTube

They will involve readings from case studies in The Evolution of Human Societies

We will not cover the authors’ theories

Source of Cultural Studies: Fieldwork The source of all cultural studies is fieldwork The ethnographer must gather original data firsthand You can get some idea about a culture from reading a book But in the end, you cannot talk authoritatively about a culture without having been there The description of a culture is known as an ethnography There are several techniques involved in fieldwork: Observation, participant observation and interviews

The source of all cultural studies is fieldwork

The ethnographer must gather original data firsthand

You can get some idea about a culture from reading a book

But in the end, you cannot talk authoritatively about a culture without having been there

The description of a culture is known as an ethnography

There are several techniques involved in fieldwork: Observation, participant observation and interviews

Ethnographic Techniques Observation: Watching and listening for important clues to understanding a culture Participant Observation: Taking part in a ritual at a Obo court in Ghana Interviews: Here, an economic anthropologist interviews a market woman in Ghana Other techniques vary according to : The topic of research Audiovisual technology The willingness of informants to participate—or not

Observation: Watching and listening for important clues to understanding a culture

Participant Observation: Taking part in a ritual at a Obo court in Ghana

Interviews: Here, an economic anthropologist interviews a market woman in Ghana

Other techniques vary according to :

The topic of research

Audiovisual technology

The willingness of informants to participate—or not

The Question of Ethics There is one last question: How do different peoples react to us? The YouTube presentations raise that very issue The first video is of an ethnographic tourist operation: is that ethical The other two videos reflect the invasion of Western cultures on three different cultures This is a longstanding question, and corporate enterprises, as you can see, do what they bloody well please Like it or not, we are part of this system and the problems they cause

There is one last question: How do different peoples react to us?

The YouTube presentations raise that very issue

The first video is of an ethnographic tourist operation: is that ethical

The other two videos reflect the invasion of Western cultures on three different cultures

This is a longstanding question, and corporate enterprises, as you can see, do what they bloody well please

Like it or not, we are part of this system and the problems they cause

Putting it All Together The primary aim is to acquaint you with the cultures around the world The level of integration framework will give you some perspective For example, cultures survived for centuries without government or markets or even high tech I hope these you may see the implications of the culture you study. . . On your own. Enjoy the course!

The primary aim is to acquaint you with the cultures around the world

The level of integration framework will give you some perspective

For example, cultures survived for centuries without government or markets or even high tech

I hope these you may see the implications of the culture you study. . .

On your own. Enjoy the course!