To see syllabus, click here.

Study Guide for Cultural Anthropology, Exam #1

 

I.  Multiple Choice  Some of these are similar to those that have appeared on your quizzes, but questions will also cover readings assigned that I did not quiz you over, as well as material from class presentations.  Most, if not all, of your exam will be multiple choice and perhaps some True/False.

 

II.  Matching and Identifications.  There may be some terms that you will match to their definitions, perhaps a few you will identify, while others will appear in multiple choice, True/False questions.  The terms will come from this list:

 

anthropological linguistics          fossils                                                  subculture                                 explanation

anthropology                                     historical archaeology                   sociolinguistics                       ethnographic present

applied anthropology                     adaptive/maladaptive                    E.B. Tyler                                 hypotheses

ethnocentrism                                   cultural relativism                           Franz Boas                                laws

participant observation                 holistic                                                 early evolutionism                 political economy

archaeology                                       etic/emic                                             Bronislaw Malinowski         binary oppositions

biological anthropology            Homo sapiens                                cultural ecology                      cultural anthropology sociobiology                                     human paleontology                      ethnocentric                              statistical association

culture                                                 fieldwork                                            Edward B. Tylor                     theories

descriptive linguistics                    prehistory                                           types of magic                         sororate

ethnographer                                     Primates                                             norms                                          the Masai

ethnohistorian                                   parallel cousins                                honey-beer                                levirate

ethnology                                           cross cousins                                     behavioral ecology                polygyny

bridewealth                                        ritual murder                                     cattle complex                         pastoralism

types of reciprocity                        patrilineage                                        transhumance                          clan

moot                                                     bride capture                                     scarification                              hyena

heifer                                                    kraal                                                     clitoridectomy                         circumcision

 

III.  There may be a few questions which can be answered by a phrase or perhaps even by a word.  These will come from the text, for which you should examine the questions on the relevant chapters and the summary at the end of each chapter; the ethnography on the Barabaig, for which you should also examine relevant quizzes and consider the points about the ethnography raised in class; classroom presentations; and the video about the Masai.  The following outline might help you organize your notes, but you might also check out the book’s website and links to chapter exercises:

 

I.  The Scope of Anthropology

                  A.  How anthropology differs from related/similar academic disciplines

                  B.  Branches of anthropology

                                    1.  Physical anthropology and its subfields

                                    2.  Cultural anthropology and its subfiekds

 

II.  The Concept of Culture

                  A.  General definition and importance

                  B.  Attitudes that hinder the study of cultures

                  C.  Characteristics of culture

                                    1.  Learned                                                  4.  Integrated

                                    2.  Shared                                                    5.  Dynamic/changing

                                    3.  Adaptive                                                6.  Patterned

                                                                                                           

III.  Anthropological Theories

A.         Theoretical Orientations

1.  Early evolutionism and its proponents (Tyler)

                         2.  Historical Particularism and its proponents (Boas)

                         3. Cultural ecology  

       4.  Political Economy

       5. Sociobiology and behavioral ecology

                         6. Interpretive Approaches

                  B.   Explanations and Theories

 

IV. Types of research in cultural anthropology

                  A.  General Steps

                                    1.  Collecting data (ethnography)

                                    2.  Comparing data (ethnology)

                  B.  Ethnography

                                    1.  Participant observation - advantages and disadvantages

                                    2.  Sample ethnography - The Barabaig

 

* Remember the attendance and make-up policy.  No make-up will be given without a verified, justifiable excuse.  The make-up will inevitably be more difficult than the first version of the exam (which uses up all the easy questions).  You must make up the exam within one week of returning to class, and you must initiate the make-up process by talking to me.