Question 1

Postmodernists often point to inconsistencies in different ethnographic studies of the same societies (for example, Tepotzlan, Mexico, and Samoa) as evidence that &#34;objective&#34; accounts of culture are impossible to attain.

Accepted Answer

Postmodernists believe that there can be no objective accounts of culture, and they often use inconsistencies in ethnographic studies as evidence to support this claim.

Question 2

In Coming of Age in Samoa, Margaret Mead admitted that she had little knowledge of the Polynesian language and that most of her information had been gathered through translators.

Accepted Answer

Margaret Mead did not admit to having little knowledge of the Polynesian language in "Coming of Age in Samoa." She actually learned Samoan as part of her fieldwork and conducted her research directly with the Samoan people, although the depth of her linguistic proficiency has been a topic of discussion among scholars.

Question 3

Bronislaw Malinowski specified that his Diary in the Strict Sense of the Term was not to be published until after his death so that it would not diminish the attention given to his academic publications.

Accepted Answer

False

Question 4

The interviewer effect refers to the fact that the identity (nationality, race, gender, age, sexual orientation, etc.) of the researcher will often skew how people answer the questions he or she poses during the study.

Accepted Answer

The statement accurately defines the interviewer effect.

Question 5

Traditional ethnographic accounts by past anthropologists such as Mead, Lewis, and Malinowski made extensive use of the first person pronoun &#34;I&#34;, emphasizing the anthropologist's personal experiences in the field.

Accepted Answer

Traditional ethnographic accounts by past anthropologists like Mead, Lewis, and Malinowski often aimed for an objective, third-person narrative, minimizing the use of the first person to maintain a sense of scientific detachment and authority.

Question 6

According to postmodern philosopher Michel Foucault, when government and corporate bureaucracies claim to have scientific expertise they often use that claim to extend control over other, less powerful members of society.

Accepted Answer

Michel Foucault's theory of power and knowledge argues that claims of scientific expertise are often used as a means of control and domination by those in positions of power. This is because scientific expertise is often seen as objective and authoritative, giving those who possess it a greater level of legitimacy and control over social institutions and practices. This can lead to the marginalization and exclusion of those who do not share the dominant scientific paradigm or who lack access to scientific knowledge and expertise.

Question 7

Nineteenth-century social theorist Auguste Comte argued that human behavior simply did not permit the kind of scientific generalization then developing in the fields of physics and chemistry.

Accepted Answer

Auguste Comte is known for advocating the application of scientific methods to the study of society, which he termed "positivism." He believed that human behavior could be studied scientifically.

Question 8

In advocating a &#34;reflexive&#34; anthropology, some postmodern ethnographers view themselves as story-tellers whose accounts foreground their own experiences, subjective and emotional state, and values

Accepted Answer

Postmodern ethnographers often strive to make their personal experiences and emotions more prominent in their storytelling, as they recognize the subjectivity inherent in all anthropological research. This approach is in contrast to more traditional approaches, which aim for a more detached and objective narrative.

Question 9

According to Roy D'Andrade, a politically engaged &#34;moral model&#34; of anthropology is not subject to refutation by contrary evidence.

Accepted Answer

According to Roy D'Andrade, a politically engaged "moral model" of anthropology is not subject to refutation by contrary evidence. This means that it cannot be proven wrong even if there is evidence that contradicts it.

Question 10

Opponents of epistemological relativism, such as Marvin Harris, contend that it empowers all claims to knowledge, even those with noxious or oppressive implications

Accepted Answer

Opponents of epistemological relativism argue that by denying the existence of objective truth, it creates a situation where any claim to knowledge is equally valid regardless of its implications. This could mean that claims that are oppressive or harmful also hold equal validity, which critics argue is a dangerous position to take.

Deck 2: Claims and Critiques of Anthropological Knowledge