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| Herero mother and child |
(Anthro 103)
As part of your Day 1 check-in procedures, you will need to get started setting up your own course blog on Blogger. This blog will be your tool for projects and assignments and discussions throughout the course.
Use this blog as just a sample of what you might want to do with your own blog. You aren't required to personalize it... If all you do is use the posting function, that's up to you, but have some fun with it! I do ask that you limit posts to strictly course projects for the duration of this class. After that, it is up to you what you want to do with it.
To get started, click the link to the right for the page "Setting up your own blog on Blogger". Please let me know if you have any questions. You will need to send me the url link to your new blog by midnight of Day 1, though formatting and personalization of your blog can be done at your leisure.
In addition to setting up your blog, please also complete the following by 11:59 pm on Day 1:
To get started, click the link to the right for the page "Setting up your own blog on Blogger". Please let me know if you have any questions. You will need to send me the url link to your new blog by midnight of Day 1, though formatting and personalization of your blog can be done at your leisure.
In addition to setting up your blog, please also complete the following by 11:59 pm on Day 1:
- Submit comments to this post with regard to the discussion questions listed below. Please submit as comments below in the comments section, NOT on your personal blogs. Click the "Comments" link below to get started.
- Make two substantive responses within the comment thread below to posts made by other students. Please make sure to follow the course Netiquette rules (available on Blackboard under "Course Info") and specify the name of the person you are addressing in your comment. Again, these comments should go on the comment thread below, NOT on your personal blogs.
You will be submitting three separate comments, one in response to the questions below and two as responses to other students. For grading purposes, please do NOT combine them into one massive comment.
(Having problems posting comments? Head over to "Blogger Help" page on the right side of the screen. The most common problem is an issue with "third party cookies" used by Blogger. If your computer is set to block those cookies, your comments will NOT post. There are instructions on the "Blogger Help" page to address this.)
Discussion: We will be studying cultures very different from ours, including practices and behaviors you might find disturbing or even wrong, by your moral standards. Many people are disturbed by anthropologists studying practices like these because it seems to them as if by studying morally abhorrent behaviors, anthropologists are seeking to justify those behaviors, to explain why it's "okay" to behave that way.
Do you think this conception of anthropologists is true? By studying cultural practices, are anthropologists trying to justify them, to demonstrate that these behaviors are acceptable from a moral perspective? As a cultural anthropologist, what would you say to help these people understand why it is helpful to understand cultures different from ours?
Ready? Go!
I disagree with that assumption. I believe that the purpose is not to justify but to understand. It is to understand both why they were like that in te first place and how they evolved out of it into more socially acceptable practices. Understanding other cultures is incredibly important as different cultures influence eachother all of the time. Anthropology helps connect these cultures dating very far back and showing how we got to the practices we have today.
ReplyDeleteHi Booked and Busy, I completely agree with you that learning about other cultures can explain how we got to where we are today. Learning about the past can lead to many revelations about the present. I am also very interested to learn about the many interactions between other cultures and how they have impacted one another over time.
DeleteHi Booked and Busy. I definitely agree that different cultures are always impacting each other. Whether it be cultures that always lived alongside one another, or cultures who have never met interacting for the first time, the impact that they can leave upon one another can create great change, especially if the two cultures in question are vastly different.
DeleteHello Booked and Busy, I fully agree with you that cultures influence each other all the time. One example that I can give is food and how some of the foods that we have in America originate from different cultures. Understanding cultures can have a major impact on people from different backgrounds and sometimes it can influence change.
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ReplyDeleteI disagree with the assumption that learning about something is done with the purpose of justifying it. The whole discipline of history should prove that just because we learn about something, that does not mean that we agree or justify those actions. Cultural anthropology should be viewed the same way as history, we are learning to understand and explain, not justify.
ReplyDeleteHi Cole Krebs. I agree with your analogy comparing the way we approach the study of different cultures to the way we approach studying history. Just as it's important to learn history so that we understand the past, it is important to learn about different cultures so that we can understand different types of lifestyles from different parts of the world, and opinions that people may have developed because of these lifestyles.
DeleteHi Cole Krebs. I completely agree with your comparison of history and anthropology. Understanding culture is the same as understanding history. If we choose not to understand a culture because we reject it, it's no different from rewriting or deleting history.
DeleteHi Cole Krebs, I like how you compared cultural anthropology to history. I agree that learning about something does not mean justifying it, and your example makes that distinction very clear. Viewing anthropology as a way to understand and explain rather than approve helps show why the discipline is important.
DeleteHi Cole Krebs, I like how you compared cultural anthropology to history. I agree that learning about something does not mean justifying it, and your example makes that distinction very clear. Viewing anthropology as a way to understand and explain rather than approve helps show why the discipline is important.
DeleteI forgot to put my name
Hello Cole Krebs, I agree with the comparison that you made with anthropology and history. It is very similar in regard to understanding why this is "that way". It is not meant to justify cultures but explain under the right context why that culture practices that. Same way with history on "why did this event happen?".
DeleteI agree with what you’re saying. Just like in history, learning about something doesn’t mean we support or justify it. We study history to understand what happened and why, not to excuse people’s actions. Cultural anthropology works the same way. Anthropologists are trying to understand and explain cultural practices, not say that everything people do is right. Learning about different cultures helps us think more clearly and avoid making unfair judgments without understanding the full context.
DeleteNo, I do not believe that anthropologists studying a given topic is them trying to "justify" it. Whether or not a topic can be considered ethical is up to personal opinion, and just because someone is looking into a potentially controversial topic does not mean they support it or condone it. Just because someone researches a particular religion, that does not mean that they're automatically a believer. It is to understand. There are different kinds of people all over the world, and you can't simply accept that your worldview is the right and only proper one, because that isn't how the world works. Learning about different cultures and understanding them, and accepting that you have to live alongside people who think differently than you is part of life.
ReplyDeleteHi Anthrostar, I really like your example comparing anthropology to researching a religion without necessarily believing in it. That comparison clearly shows the difference between understanding and supporting a belief or practice.
DeleteHi anthrostar. I completely agree with your statement that studying a given topic does not mean "justify." Morality and ethics are personal to individuals and their environments. Every different community has its own ethical values. This precisely demonstrates that moral values are not universal; they change over time. Understanding other cultures can help us better understand ourselves.
DeleteHI Anthrostar. I completely agree with your response to the question. I love how you cnnected it to learning about religion. I know a decent amount about at least 4 different religions and that does not mean I am a follower of all 4. I also love that you said that just because we might see thngs one way doesnt mean it is the right way to see it. I think that is very insightful and a lot of people could use to learn that lesson.
DeleteI agree with your point. Studying something doesn’t mean you support it, it just means you want to understand it better. I like your example about religion because learning about a religion doesn’t mean you believe in it, it just helps you understand the people who do. Anthropologists learn about different cultures so they can explain why people think and act the way they do. I also agree that no one’s worldview is the only correct one, and learning to live alongside people who think differently is an important part of life.
DeleteI disagree with this statement. The purpose of anthropological research is not to justify a custom on a moral level. We need to distinguish between "explanation" and "defense." On the other hand, our moral standards are influenced by the times, culture, and prevailing trends. Anthropology can help us avoid assuming that our own standards are universal; it can help us understand our own blind spots and biases.
ReplyDeleteHi Cyan Dimension. I like how you emphasized the difference between explaining and defending. I feel like that is the most important part of antrhopology. It doesn't need to be justified to be understood. I also agree that it puts our own standards into perspectives. What is normal for us might not be normal in the future just as the past isn't normal for us.
DeleteHello Cyan, Anthropologists bring awareness to the way other parts of the world functions. There practices are be very helpful in our everyday lives. We come in contact with many different cultures almost daily. The more knowledge we have the less likely we are do to something offensive. There are many traditions that may be standard to one culture and completely offensive to another.
DeleteI wish you the best in all your endeavors!
Hi Cyan,
DeleteYou are correct when you say that we need to differentiate between explanation and defense anthropologist. Through their work, anthropologists give us an explanation of how cultures are; they shouldn't have to defend how they do their job. Anthropologists must do fieldwork and interact with the people to understand their customs. It is also very assertive for you to say that, as a culture, we have our own biases and ways of doing things in which other cultures might not agree.
I do not think anthropologists study different cultural practices in order to justify or excuse them morally. Anthropologists try to understand why certain behaviors and beliefs exist within specific cultural and historical contexts. Studying a practice does not mean agreeing with it or saying it is morally acceptable. As a cultural anthropologist, I would explain that understanding cultures different from our own helps reduce misunderstanding, fear, and ethnocentrism. By learning how other cultures function, we can better communicate across differences and reflect more critically on our own values, rather than assuming our way of life is the only correct one.
ReplyDeleteI agree that studying cultural practices doesn't mean justifying them morally. Anthropology focuses more on understanding behaviors within their cultural and historical contexts, which helps reduce enthocentrism and oversimplified judgments. The approach allows anthropologists to better distinguish between explanation and endorsement while also encouraging more informed and critical reflection on our own values.
DeleteAnthropologists don't justify or defend harmful practices morally, I think they explain why those practices would be understood as good in the context they're carried out. By learning about other cultures, we can reduce assumptions or misunderstandings about other views and learn that our culture isn't the norm, which supports developing empathy and informing decisions.
ReplyDeletethis is my comment
DeleteI agree with you, anonymous, the anthropologists are doing their jobs, and the ones that benefit the most are other cultures, which learn from their findings. As a society, we do not have to agree or justify; we just need to respect and learn from other cultures
DeleteNo, I don't think that the conception that is made up for anthropologists is true. It is more or so that anthropologists seek to understand the practices that cultures do within the right context of that said culture. It is not to justify their practices, but to gain knowledge of the fact as to why they do so. It is arguably similar to sociology, it is good for us to understand that our culture is not the same one that everyone does, which can get rid of stereotypes and assumptions of others. It can help understand the diversity of many things if that makes sense.
ReplyDeleteHello Discple Breeze, I definitely believe Anthropologists are trying to get a better understanding of different cultures. This can only be done be doing the research and taking the time to find out the way other cultures live. The more we learn about the cultures the more informed we become as a society. There are some very interesting practices in other cultures.
DeleteI wish you the best in all your endeavors!
Hello Disciple Breeze, I agree with your point on how anthropologists seek to understand the practices of a culture that the culture deems as morally acceptable. It can help to understand the diversity of this small but big world
DeleteMy name showed up as anonymous, but this is Matthew Beeve
DeleteI believe Anthropologists study other cultures to educate the world about the way other cultures live. The more knowledge we have about other cultures the better informed we are to blend cultures. Knowing how different cultures traditions work and differ from ours is great information. Understanding what is acceptable and unacceptable is a great way to form healthy relationships. There are a plethora of cultures around the world and in our communities. If we were more informed and possessed a better understanding the world would be a better place for everyone. I do not believe Anthropologists are trying to justify other cultures. On the contrary, they are most often trying to bring awareness. Some awareness can lead to refuge in situations that are unhealthy and dangerous. In other instances, awareness can shed light on some amazing practices. We can all learn from other cultures.
ReplyDeleteHello Grace, I definitely agree with your point of view. Many practices and cultures around the world are different from our own. Therefore it is important to learn and understand them to broaden our perspective. That is the intention of anthropologists. I appreciate your statement about bringing awareness, because by doing this we are becoming more aware of our diverse society. Sometimes being informed of these practices can lead to positive or negative outcomes, depending. But I also believe that judgment isn't always suspended.
DeleteHello Grace I agree with your views I love that you point out that anthropologists jobs aren't to justify the actions of certain cultures rather instead to inform people of the cultures of other communities
DeleteI don't completely disagree with this conception regarding anthropologists. I do believe that the overall goal or intention is to study human societies and development. Through studying different cultures, anthropologists aim to explain why people act in the way they do by suspending their own judgment to hear from other people's perspectives and practices. Therefore, their goal isn't to justify their practices based on their own moral standards but rather take that perspective from other people to learn and understand. But at the same time, we are all human and not all anthropologists are the same. No matter the intention, there is always room for moral judgment, justifying why a certain practice, for example, is wrong based on moral standards.
ReplyDeleteI see your point Erene, and I agree that anthropologists are still human and bring their own moral standards into their work. While understanding context is important, there is always room for moral judgement, especially when evaluating whether certain practices cause harm. Recognizing both understanding and moral evaluation makes the study of culture more honest and balanced.
DeleteHi Irene, I appreciate that I am seeing someone with a somewhat different perspective on this discussion. I agree that there will always be room for moral judgment when it comes to humans and that everyone is different in their own ways. I think this opens up another discussion of the fine line between morality and professionalism in this and many other career paths.
DeleteI don’t think this conception of anthropologists is completely true. Anthropologists study different cultures, but that doesn’t mean they are trying to say that every cultural practice is morally right or acceptable. Their main goal is to understand why people do what they do based on their history, environment, and beliefs. Studying a culture is not the same as agreeing with everything in it. By studying cultural practices, anthropologists are not trying to justify behaviors. Instead, they are trying to explain them. Understanding a practice helps people avoid judging others too quickly based only on their own culture. Anthropologists can still recognize that some practices may cause harm, but they want to understand the reasons behind them before making conclusions.
ReplyDeleteHello Valerie, I am very happy to see someone on the same page as me regarding the idea of transparency. Anthropologists want to understand what people do/practice and why they do it. But by doing that, it doesn't mean that they are simply agreeing or "going with the flow" with everything they learn. Therefore, they want to understand the reasoning to answer the ultimate question of "why". But I also added that there can still be room for judgment, and that can also alter these perspectives of anthropologists themselves.
DeleteHello Valerie, we share the same opinion on the misconception of cultural anthropologists. Anthropologists want to study to understand why people act a certain way, not worrying about if its morally right or unacceptable. I agree with your last statement on how anthropologists just want to study the how/why a person acts a certain way
DeleteI don't know why but my name showed up anonymous, but this is Matthew Beeve
DeleteI disagree with the assumption that anthropologists are trying to justify cultural practices. Anthropologists are studying cultures and how their people live. By doing so, they may encounter some practices with which they agree or disagree. The anthropologist will research and document so we can learn how other cultures live. The anthropologist is there to conduct research, not to be a judge trying to determine and or justify if a cultural practice is right or wrong ( for example if we were to ask an attorney why are they defending a murder they would most likely answer that their job is not to determine weather the defendant is innocent or guilty their job is to get them a fair trial.)
ReplyDeleteHello SanJuana, I agree with your perspective that for anthropologists it is their job and they are aware that they cannot pass judgment on others practices. The example you gave with the attorney helped me better understand the similarities as well as helped me get a better visual for the question the prompt is asking.
DeleteHello SanJauna I completely agree with your views that their duties are to view these cultures with open arms embracing all ideas without judgment.
DeleteI disagree with the conception that anthropologists are around to justify or excuse the actions of other cultures. The study of anthropology focuses on different cultures and how the people a part of those cultures live their every day lives, even if their beliefs or practices are not morally agreed upon, it is not the anthropologist's job to agree with these practices, but study and understand why and how these practices came about.I understand the perspective of the people making these conclusions but similar to any high morality job it is a requirement to not let personal beliefs have affect on judgment.
ReplyDeleteHi Jada, I agree with what you have to say in your post. I also disagree that anthropologists have to justify what they learn about other cultures. Instead they explain and understand why these cultures participate in these practices. Thank you for sharing your opinion on this topic!
DeleteI would disagree with the idea that anthropologists are attempting to justify certain cultural practices whereas they are trying to further understand them. Being able to understand why and how certain cultural practices are happening are different from the idea of saying that these concepts are morally acceptable. Anthropology as a whole is used as a tool to better understand certain cultures instead of promoting the certain things that aren't morally correct.
ReplyDeleteHi Noahsblog, I agree with your claim that anthropologists shouldn’t justify certain practices. Instead explain and understand them. I really like what you said at the end where anthropology isn’t supposed to be promoting things that are morally incorrect. Thank you for sharing your ideas on this concept!
DeleteJust realized my above post commented as anonymous for some reason but this was Madi Cruz!
DeleteI disagree with this claim that anthropologists have to justify. I think as anthropologists, they study and mainly try to understand what other cultures livelihoods are like. Understanding and studying cultures practices and ideas is different than accepting them. In this class if I am to put myself in the shoes of an anthropologist I want to be able to learn more and even explain what I learn about different cultural traditions and practices. However, I don’t think it’s their job to justify it.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe the in the conception that anthropologist's study solely on the purpose of trying to justify certain behaviors, but to understand why/how they act. I believe anthropologists study on how environments/scenarios can make humans have to adapt, leading to wanting to understand why we are the way we are. In this class if I were to be a cultural anthropologist, it is always helpful to understand cultures different from our own. I say this due to the fact that you gain more respect for others and becoming more open-eyed to all the differences in the world.
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