Becoming an Anthropologist

3 Goals of Anthropological fieldwork

O *Goal 1: understand interconnectedness

O *Goal 2: expand empathy for people radically different from you

O *Goal 3: dismantle worldviewsO This will require us to learn about

OURSELVES firsthttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9pIxejtZ1Q

3 JourneysO What type of worldview do you

have?O Egocentric - - > Ethnocentric - - >

Worldcentric

self society all of us

Notecard of the DayO Honest self-reflection of where you

are in the chart

3 JourneysO What type of learner are you?

O Receptive - -> Subjective - -> Procedural - -> Committed

O Ethnocentrism - -> Cultural Relativism

Fieldworkers Toolkit

Natural Bias

India and the CowO 250 million people in India live in poverty,

hunger

O 200 million cows in IndiaO Why don’t they eat the cows???

O Approach 1: They are crazy, stupid, less “evolved”O 19th c. European view

O Approach 2: Use the model to gain the native POV

How do Indians feel about cows?Love their cows, worship them, adorn them for festivals. Killing a cow worse than killing a human.

How do these beliefs exist within a social and political context?*Muslims began entering region in 8th Century*Pluralistic Society: Muslims and other non-Hindus (19% of population) eat beef*Caste system: Lowest castes "untouchables" eat beef*Since the arrival of Muslims 1200 years ago, higher caste Hindus distinguish themselves from Muslims and Untouchables by not killing and eating cows

How might these beliefs be beneficial to the culture’s survival?Dung (fertilizer, cooking fuel, building material), milk, plant based diet more sustainable

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiTD9VHA-wY

FieldworkO How do anthropologists learn about

cultures?O Participant observation

O We learn by doing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhCruPBvSjQhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVSXH1aDP8A