GEC101 - Anthro Perspective PDF

An Anthropological Conceptualization of the Self: The Self Embedded in Culture Lecture 3 GEC 101  It is the systematic study of humanity/ the science of humanity. The discipline concerned with how cultural ANTHROPOLOGY and biolog...

An Anthropological Conceptualization of the Self: The Self Embedded in Culture Lecture 3 GEC 101  It is the systematic study of humanity/ the science of humanity. The discipline concerned with how cultural ANTHROPOLOGY and biological processes interact to shape human experience. Possesses a holistic and integrated approach in examining human nature. Biological Anthropology Sociocultural Anthropology Study a variety of human biological Interpret the content of particular cultures, evolutionary biology. explain variation among cultures, and study processes of cultural change and Some examine fossils or adaptations social transformation. Observing behavior to understand the Sample research topics: gender relations, roots of human behavior race, class, and gender inequality, among a few. James Peacock - anthropology overlaps with both the sciences and the humanities. Thus, anthropology is an academic field for understanding the interconnection and interdependence of biological and cultural aspects of the human experience at all times and in all places. Approaches the definition of self holistically - considering both nature and nurture. Therefore, both biological and sociocultural factors influence the development of the self. The Cultural Construction of Self and Identity Culture - …”that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, arts, morals, law, customs, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.” - Edward Taylor Culture is a shared understanding that guide behavior and is expressed in behavior - How people make sense of their experiences and behave according to socially shared ideas, values, and perception - Culture provides patterns of “ways of lives.” Only a few anthropologists tackle the concept of the self. Martin Sokefeld - believes that the concept of self is necessary to supplement the concept of culture Social anthropology - identity was discussed mostly in the context of “ethnic identity” thus emphasizing the the sameness of the self with others (e.g. sharing of certain characteristics such as language, culture, etc.) Peacock - believes that people are not robots or little Gods; people are cultural individuals - we have freedom but at the same time embody the cultural mold where he or she is cast. Concept of self in different societies: Egocentric - the self is seen as autonomous and distinct individual; capable of acting independently. E.g., Americans and Europeans - place importance on being assertive and independent Sociocentric - the self is contingent on a situation or social setting; the self is context-dependent; no intrinsic self that can possess enduring qualities. E.g., Asian cultures, where interdependence is more valued than independence (or self-reliance); places importance on compliance and subordination to authority figures The social identity - constructed from the similarities and differences in characteristics among individuals (e.g., age, gender, SES, etc.) Identity toolbox - features in a person’s identity the person emphasize in constructing the social self Family membership - could be the most significant feature to determine a person’s social identity An important identity determinant is language. In other places, religious affiliation is an important marker of group identity. Personal naming - establishes a child’s birthright and social identity; individualizes a person and legitimizes him or her as a member of a social group A name may symbolically represent his or her cultural self. Identity is continuously developed throughout life. Arnold van Gennep believes that status and identity is marked by a three-phased rite of passage: - Separation phase - people detach from their former identity to another - E.g., wedding Liminality phase - person transitions from one identity to another E.g., wedding ceremony Incorporation phase - change in one’s status is officially incorporated E.g., wedding reception and party Identity struggles - there is a discrepancy between the identity a person claims to possess and the identity attributed to that person by others; clash between self-identification and collective identification (conflicting norms and values). Identity struggles can lead to an identity crisis. The Self as Imbedded in Culture Clifford Geertz - Redefined the definition of culture - Defines culture as a system of inherited conceptions expressed in symbolic forms by means of which people communicate, perpetuate, and develop their knowledge about and attitudes toward life. - It is necessary for people to give meaning to their experiences Two main ideas of Geertz: (1) Culture viewed as a set of control mechanisms (e.g., rules, instructions, etc.) for governing behavior (2) man is dependent on external control mechanisms such as cultural programs to order his behavior Hence, human nature is interdependent with culture. Cultural differences - when groups of people assign different meanings to different life events and things. E.g., Way of dressing; work culture; assertiveness Overall, the self is embedded in culture.