Different Approaches to the

study of Culture
Written Report

Lance Jewel D. Javier

11- SJPII

2018
There are different approaches in the study of culture and these
are:
Evolutionary Concept of Culture
This study is about evolution whereas according to the book it is the earliest
theory about culture. Evolutionism is the notion that there exists one dominant line of
evolution or stages for the development of culture which in simpler terms it means
that it implies that humans are progressing along in a one line of development and
postulates that societies develop from simpler to more complex organizational form.
Though it is only a theory many disproved and approved in this study. This theory is
popularized by Frazer, Tylor, Morgan and Bochofen.
Sir Edward Burnett Tylor defines culture “that complex whole which includes
knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits
acquired by man as a member of society, which I think what sir Edward is saying is
that a person who have the capabilities of having such knowledge and etcetera is
acquired because that person is a member of society.
Functionalist Analysis of Culture
In Functionalism, society is a system of interconnected parts that work
together in harmony to maintain a state of balance and social equilibrium for the
whole. According to the book in UCSP, society is like a living organ, the parts of
which contribute to the overall maintenance of the organism. In this view, society like
a living cell with many parts, and each part plays specific functions for the entire cell.
So for me functionalism with the help of the studies of Emile Durkheim and Bronislaw
Malinowski I have understand that Functionalism works because people have
physiological needs (according to Malinowski) that makes them work together to
form a balanced and stabilized state in society.
Structuralist Analysis of Culture
In the study of culture, structiralist Levi-Strauss defines culture in a way that
uses and transforms itself to realise a synthesis of a higher order. This “higher order”
refers to cultural universals or those cultural traits and patterns common across
cultures.
According to the book, in the study of structionalism they define culture as a
set of narrative or linguistic system that has underlying structures or codes, which
means it is a methodological principle that human culture is made up of systems in
which a change in element produces changes in the others.
Feminist View of Culture
This study is a recent development in the study of culture. This has to do with
the the rise of professional women in anthropology. Cultural Feminism is the view
that there is a “female nature” or “female essence” or related attempts to revalidate
attributed ascribed to femaleness. It is also used to describe theories that commend
innate differences between women and men.
 This study of culture explains the gender roles and the unbalanced equality of
man and women. From the book Culture is always a flux and, therefore it can be
changed. Due to the inequality, changing the attitude of both man and women
towards culture if difficult to sustain due to Social condition and for example is the
unrecognized gender biases.
Margaret Mead is one of the famous anthropologists where she defines
culture as “the whole complex of traditional behaviour which has been developed by
the human race and is successively learned each generation.
Marxist Analysis of Culture
Cultural Marxism is about the role of economic classes and economic life of
society where in society culture are defined in different classes, for example is
middle class that can afford private schooling because they have relatively high
income.
Postmodern and Postcolonial Theories of Culture
First of all both Postmodern and Postcolonial are similar in a way but different
in other ways. From what I have researched Postmodernism literally means 'after
modernism' and Postmodernism is largely a reaction to the assumed certainty of
scientific, or objective, efforts to explain reality. “Postmodernism is "post" because it
is denies the existence of any ultimate principles, and it lacks the optimism of there
being a scientific, philosophical, or religious truth which will explain everything
for everybody - a characteristic of the so-called "modern" mind. The paradox of the
postmodern position is that, in placing all principles under the scrutiny of its
scepticism, it must realize that even its own principles are not beyond questioning.”
(Hinda Hindou: 2013). From post modern there is no absolute truth, Postmodernists
believe that the notion of truth is a contrived illusion, misused by people and special
interest groups to gain power over others. Postmodern also challenges the idea of
Culture relativism where the belief that all cultures are as equally complex.
Post-colonialism is a specifically post-modern intellectual discourse that
consists of reactions to, and analysis of, the cultural legacy of colonialism. Post
colonialism is the study of the cultural legacy of colonialism and imperialism,
focusing on the human consequences of the control and exploitation of colonized
people and their lands. Post-colonialism is a study of the effects of colonialism on
cultures and societies. It is concerned with both how European nations conquered
and controlled "Third World" cultures and how these groups have since responded to
and resisted those encroachments. From my conclusion Post colonial is due to
colonization, the culture of the colonized country may drastically change.
The Biological and Cultural Evolution of Human Beings
This study is about the evolution of human beings throughout history. From
the earlier history humans and other living things had already been noticed about
their interconnection or what is our origin. In early history the early Greek
philosophers, Aristotle and Plato already believed that human beings form a
connection with the cosmos or the universe then the Roman philosopher Lucretius
believed that the early human beings were cave-dwellers, but after the collapse of
Roman Empire, the explanation of the origin of Human beings were replaced by the
biblical account. The religious-theological view about the origin of human beings
began to be challenged in the beginning of the modern period with the rise of
science.
In the field of science, geology was accounted for the human origin, because
from geology many geologists have found the formation of earth’s surface that is a
bit nearly connected to the human origin. Many Archaeologists began finding fossils
like animals, plants, etc. from the underground where because of we became closer
in finding the real truth however from the Palaeontology, they study the evolution of
human beings.
From Cultural evolution If human species evolve then so it the culture. Human
and culture development are already part of us as a society, may that be an
individual or group it is already part of us.
THE MUSEUM AS THE DOOR TO THE PAST
The International Council of Museums (ICOM) defines a museum as a non-
profit-making, permanent institution in the service of society and its development,
and open to the public.
From what I have read in the book museums will help learn about the past
and historical artefacts that let us value our past and learn something. According to
Mary Bouquet the “Museums are open, outward-looking intuitions.”
 NURTURE AND NATURE DIVIDE: the
interaction between biology and
Culture
Written report

Lance Jewel D. Javier

2018
NURTURE AND NATURE DIVIDE: the interaction between
biology and Culture
This topic is basically about Nurture vs. Nature where scientists
have long debated whether heredity or environment has the biggest
impact on a baby or a person which means Nature refers to biological or
hereditary information that affects child development and learning while
Nurture refers to the day to day interactions children encounter in their
environment. Personal Experience vs. Genes (Inheritance). John B.
Watson was an American psychologist who once claimed, “Give me a
dozen healthy infants, well formed, and my own specified word to bring
them up in and I’ll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to
become any type of specialist I might select-doctor, lawyer , artist-
regardless of his talents…….” James B Watson wants to emphasize that
given with a good environment and nurtured well, infants maybe born
into something big (not literally big but as in successful in life). Though
there those who argue that culture (Nurture) are only secondary to
biology (Nature). They believe that the biological nature of human beings
predispose them to behave in certain ways and develop specific
characteristics. This is called essentialism.
There are a lot of debates about Nurture and Nature. Eugenics
movement advocates changing the biological traits of human beings to
change society, while Euthenics movement advocates changing social
and cultural structures to shape people’s social character. The nature-
nurture debate is concerned with the relative contribution that both
influences make to human behaviour.