Structuralism: A theory that seeks to understand the underlying structures of human thought and culture through language and myths.
Author: iamdefinitory
Historical Particularism
Historical Particularism: A school of thought that emphasizes the uniqueness of each culture’s history and rejects the idea of universal stages of development.
Evolutionism
Evolutionism: A theoretical framework in anthropology that suggests that human societies evolve from simpler to more complex forms over time.
Colonial Anthropology
- Colonial Anthropology: The study of indigenous societies during the colonial period, often focusing on their ‘primitive’ nature or behaviors as seen through Western eyes.
Pre-Scientific Anthropology
Pre-Scientific Anthropology: Early human understanding of society and culture, primarily through myths, legends, and observations.
2. History of Anthropology
Cultural Relativism
Cultural Relativism: The idea that cultures should be understood and evaluated based on their own values and context, rather than through the lens of another culture.
Ethnocentrism
Ethnocentrism: The belief that one’s own culture or group is superior to others, often leading to misinterpretation or bias.
Fieldwork: The process by which anthropologists gather data by living and working with the people they are studying.
Biocultural Approach
Biocultural Approach: The study of the interaction between biology and culture in shaping human behavior and development.