Exam 8: Why Is the Concept of Culture Important

Discuss how the Kiowa "kiowanized" Christianity using three examples discussed in the text.

Complex, variable, and enduring forms of cultural practice that organize social life are called

The anthropological perspective can give you a broader understanding of human nature and the wider world, of society, culture, and history, and thus help you construct more realistic and authentic ways of coping with those complications.

Thinking critically about the way one thinks, on one's own experience is called

The concept of habitus is heavily influenced by our interactions with material culture and gives shape and form to the idea that objects make people.

Ethnographic research that is not contained by social, ethnic, religious, or national boundaries is called

What did Daniel Miller mean when he said that the concept of habitus "gives shape and form to the idea that objects make people?" Illustrate your answer with examples.

Describe three kinds of preparations anthropologists undertake before going into the field. Why are these preparations important?

Participant observation is the classic method of anthropological research. Many anthropologists would argue that no proper understanding of another culture can be attained without it. Explain why participant-observation is a valuable research methodology. What would be missed if anthropologists did not engage in it during fieldwork?

Something that stands for something else is a