Cultural anthropology Essay

Cultural anthropology is one of the nearly grand field of anthropology that explores cultural variation among people and promotes culture as a pregnant scientific concept. The aim of this paper is to explore the key concepts, such(prenominal)(prenominal) as subsistence practices, frugal systems, issues w/social stratification, wedding ceremony practices, menageship groupship and married foyer, semipolitical life, godliness and arts, and issues w/globalization or the environment, taking, as a pillow slip in point, Afri chiffonier culture.Subsistence Practices In 1930s the researchers developed a fail classification establish on peculiarities of the subsistence practices (the methods and sources used by society to con centrate the food and opposite necessary things in order to survive). This classification, being based on economic differences, was much more effective, as further as a culture is directly related to its economy (ONeil, 2006).In such a way, the knowledge base cultures were divided into four types according to the subsistence practices foraging (gathering preposterous plants and hunting), pastoralism (herding domesticated animals), horticulture (low intensity farming), and intensive floriculture (large scale farming). Intensive agriculture is the primary subsistence practice of such large-scale, populous society like Africa. Moreover, triad fifth Afri chiffonier citizens be subsistence farmers. Africa has a well-developed agricultural sector that provides for the most domestic needs. In addition, the country exports wool, corn, tobacco, peanuts, sugar, and other serious farm products.stinting System Different types of culture stomach antithetical economic systems, not notwithstanding in terms of the scale (e. g. isolated, small-scale economies vs. large-scale economies), plainly also in terms of their systems of production (the subsistence practices), distribution and exchange. Afri tin can economic system consists of indust ry, trade and resources of the nations of African countries. Africa is alloted to be the poorest inhabited continent in the world. Its poverty is partially rooted in its history due to dubious transition from colonialism.Being the country with poor economy, Africa has no complex market place exchange system. African agricultural sector employs approximately sixty per cent of the countrys inhabitants. The most important exports ar petroleum and minerals. investment funds and banking is very problematic due to the countrys un sealed economy. Issues w/social stratification People atomic number 18 social hu reality beings and, having a need in social contact they live in isolation quite seldom. Social institutions and social stems have their own specific functions, which whitethorn overlap and are interconnected in multiple complex ways. prove functions are obvious, while latent functions are more difficult to lay hold of (on and are less apparent. In all social groups people h ave a social stance and a certain role to fulfill. attitude is a relative social position within a group (ONeil, 2006), while a social role is the part our society expects us to play in a given status (ONeil, 2006). besides other countries, Africans achieve statuses in two basic ways the achieved social status is one the person acquires by doing something, whereas the ascribed status is the result of being natural into a particular family or being born male or female (ONeil, 2006) (e.g. some casts in African natal tribes). Social groups in Africa are organized on a basis of age, gender, common absorb (e. g. avocation (fraternal faces), vocation (trade unions), common residence (neighborhood organizations), religious belonging (membership in a certain church), past experience (veterans clubs), political beliefs (political parties), to appoint a few. Marriage practices Marriage is the socially recognized union of two or more people (ONeil, 2006), which functions as a glue in t he organization of society.It is generally referred to as an efficient way to regulate hetero internal dialogue by determining who is socially accepted as a sexual first mate and who is not (ONeil, 2006). After the marriage, all other people, except of the souse, are treated as off limits for sexual access. Different societies have varied views on sexual access restrictions, and, therefore, have different marriage practices. For example, in Africa marriage partner selection to a great extent depends on complex rules, which vary significantly from region to region.In addition, the concepts of beauty are also considerably different in different cultures (e. g. African countries consider large and pump bodies to be attractive, while European countries prefer sylphlike women). Ttraditionally, African marriage is a kind of alliance between the kin groups. As well as in other countries, marriage partner selection restrictions in Africa imply two basic categories exogamy and exogamy r ules. Exogamy rules insist that marriage should total outside of a certain social group (e. g.family) (in other words, exogamy explains who the person cannot marry), while exogamy rules require that the marriage should be within some larger group, such as the local community (ONeil, 2006) (in other words, endogamy explains who the person is recommended to marry). For example, in Zambia a woman is not allowed to seek for marriage (it is a taboo). Pre-colonial marriage in Africa was a kind of transaction between the two kin groups, where the bridewealth was paid to the brides family. During the period of colonialism polygyny (the marriage of more than one spouse at a time) was a common practice.Nowadays, the vast majority of African countries have serial monogamy (a marriage to multiple spouses but only one at a time) (ONeil, 2006) Kinship Kin groups are very important part of African culture. Kinship is a culturally determined relationship between the people who are commonly aspect of as having family ties (ONeil, 2006). African culture uses kinship to classify people and to mental strain social groups. Yet, as with other cultural practices, kinship patterns and rules are different for different types of countrys region.African kinship is the most important social organizing principle along with gender and age (ONeil, 2006), because it provides a means for transmitting skills and property from generation to generation (ONeil, 2006). No wonder that heritage rights are predominantly based on kinship ties. Marital antechamber Alike the vast majority of societies, African newly married twains rarely establish their own residence. Instead, they generally become a part of rise household occupied by relatives or a part of animate household. There are several types of residence in AfricaPatrilocal residence (when a twain establishes their home not far from or in the set ups fathers house). It is the most common type of marital residence followed by the vast m ajority of African population Matrilocal residence (when a newly married span establishes their home not far from or in the brides mothers house) Avunculocal residence (a couple establishes their home not far from or in the grooms maternal uncles house) Ambilocal residence (when a newly married couple establishes their home not far from or in the brides or grooms house)Neolocal residence (when a newly married couple establishes their home independent of both sets of relatives). Other types of marital residence (e. g. virilocal, uxorilocal, and natolocal) occur very rarely in African culture. Political life Alike all other countries, Africa has some sort of political system, because the politics is a competition for power over people and things (ONeil, 2006). The simplest type of political systems can be presented in bands and tribes (in Ancient Africa and some modern African indigenous tribes).These kinds of societies are acephalous (Greek without a head) (with no leader in the c omprehend we commonly expect) (ONeil, 2006). Tribes are a little bit more conglomerate system, compared to the band. Nowadays, modern Africa has plenty of political structures organized into bureaucracies of positions. Each of them has different levels of power, province and authority. African northern (AU) consists of all Africas states except Morocco. African Union has a parliamentary government (the AU Government) and consists of judicial, legislative and executive organs.It is headed by the Head of State and the AU President Gertrude Ibengwe Mongella. Religion Generally, religion is a system of beliefs that usually involves the idolisation of supernatural beings and/ or forces. Religion plays an important role in African culture, as far as it introduces a kind of order in what might otherwise be seen as a chaotic existence (ONeil, 2006) and provides the meaning and understanding for inexplicable things and events. African religious people define religious beliefs as the core of their world views. Sub-Saharan African traditional religion revolves around ancestor worship and animism.Indigenous African religion divides the ancestor spirits into two categories facilitatory and harmful and involves the performance of rituals (a stylized and repetitive act that occurs at a set time and location and involves the use of symbolic words, objects and actions). African religion has psychological and social functions. It helps people confronting and explaining death, fears, and anxiety about the unknown and supernatural. They can provide a basis for common purpose and values that can help maintain social solidarity (ONeil, 2006).In addition, there are many a(prenominal) other religions in Africa, such as Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, to mention a few. match to Encyclopedia Britannica, about 46. 5% of all Africans are Christians and another 40. 5% are Muslims with about 11. 8% of Africans following indigenous African religions. African Art African cultu re enjoys a rich tradition of crafts and arts, such as brass, leather art works, woodcarvings, paintings, sculpture, pottery, religious and ceremonial headgear and dress, to mention a few.As far as Africans devote much solicitude to personal appearance, jewellery is the most important personal accessory. Traditionally, Africans make jewelry from cowry shells. The art of making masks is one of the most important aspects of African culture. There are several themes widely used in African art and craft. Couple theme is one of the most interesting, because, unlike in European cultures, the couple theme rarely expresses the intimacy between man and woman. Instead, the couples are most likely to represent married couple, ancestors, twins, and community founders, and so onMothers or womans theme is the randomness most important theme in African art. It embodies the womans desire to have a child, and may symbolize mother earth. The picture show of the man with the weapon or depiction of animals traditionally symbolizes power and honor. Issues w/globalization or the environment Africa is the country solely dependent on rains, global warming may cause devastating effect on the country by worsening the food supply and, consequently, exacerbating the far-flung poverty in the entire African continent.Moreover, it is assumed that the reality of globalization for African continent is dramatically environmentally destructive and the human influenced environmental catastrophe in Africa is worsened by the impact of globalization that may result in further devastation of the continent. References ONeil, D. D. (2006, November 30). Cultural Anthropology. Retrieved whitethorn 24, 2007, from http//anthro. palomar. edu/tutorials/cultural. htm