The document discusses the evolution of anthropology from its early social Darwinist roots to modern approaches. It traces how anthropology shifted from justifying social inequalities based on evolutionary ideas of survival of the fittest, to developing more scientific and culturally relative approaches exemplified by Franz Boas and his empirical cultural studies. More recent evolutionary approaches view culture as adapting to local ecologies, with cultural materialism analyzing how material conditions shape cultural practices and worldviews.

1. The Evolution of Anthropolgy

2. Explaining Human BehaviourPsychology: unconscious motivationsNeuropsychology: brain chemicalsAnthropology: culture is everything

3. Understanding OurselvesHow do we explain?ReligionScienceHuman BehaviourHistoryLiteratureAnthro

4. Evolution of AnthropologySocial DarwinismScientific Study FunctionalismE mile Durkheim Culture is the productOf people interacting with institutions Functions like parts of a machine or bodyFranz Boas Collect data study people scientific approach Develop hypothesis and Gather dataCharles DarwinEdward TylorHebert SpencerEvolutionary ideas about culture Misuse of Darwin’s ideaSurvival of the fittest=justificationFor inequalities

5. More EvolutionNeo-evolutionary Cultural Materialism Cognitive approachBiology is the common unifier Marvin HarrisCultural relativism Cultures develop in adaptation to a specific geography and ecologyExample: Jared Diamond

6. Evolutionary view:Social DarwinismBefore Darwin, religious ideas were the source of our understanding about ‘evolution’ and man’s behaviourHebert Spencer + Edward Tylor misused Darwin’s ideas to justifyLaissez-faire social policiesEugenics and ‘scientific racismcome from this time

7. Might = RightJustification for colonialismDays of the slave trade

8. Eugenics + Scientific RacismPeople who can dominateothers are inherently superiorDangerous armchair anthropologist

9. Scientific ApproachFranz Boas Geologist, scientist Collected data + scientific methodStudy of European immigrantsThey’re not inferior, just bad dietsPrimitive languages are not primitive,Just differentBeginnings of cultural relativism

10. Structural FunctionalismEmile DurkheimSociology influences anthropologyCulture is like a machine/body Interdependent parts5 institutions work together Culture = homeostasisBrings respect for cultural differencesDoesn’t explain war, chaos, revolutions

11. Rain DanceWhat’s the point if it doesn’t work?Manifest vs latent functionIt works in hidden ways

12. Neo-Evolutionary ApproachDifferent paths to evolutionFunction of how we extract energy from the planetCulture = adaptation to its ecologyJared DiamondLots of energy=larger social group

13. Beginnings of cultural relativismHunter/gatherers produce less than farmersOne is not necessarily better than the otherQuestion of adaptation to contextBeans in the Arctic?Strategy for survival = ecological context

14. Cultural MaterialismFrom Marxist thinkingCulture is understood by the material restraints on itPigs in Fertile CrescentSacred Cows in India

15. 12 units of vegetable protein = 1 unit of meat proteinMeat is a luxuryPigs destroy roots

16. Feminist AnthropologyWhat about the gatherers?Women interpret history differentlyTools or relationships?

17. Culture is ...you finish this sentence

18. Culture is...transmittedinheritedEvolution?biologicalecological