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Socio-cultural Anthropology 3;

plus Engineering and Technology

Anth2430 - Winter 2013

Instructor: Dr. Derek Johnson

Wednesday, January 30

Final version

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Culture and Society relationship

Culture and society are: complementary ways oflooking at the same reality, each illuminating adifferent side. (Keesing and Strathern: 23)

Orchestra and score

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Culture and Society relationship

Culture and society are: complementary ways oflooking at the same reality, each illuminating adifferent side. (Keesing and Strathern: 23)

Separate but relational analytical value

o E.g. identity

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Culture and Society relationship

Culture and society are: complementary ways oflooking at the same reality, each illuminating adifferent side. (Keesing and Strathern: 23)

Separate but relational analytical value

o E.g. identity

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/canada-photos/#/outdoor-rink-hockey_9149_600x450.jpg

Culture and Society Relationship in classic definitions of culture

That complex whole which includesknowledge, belief, art, morals, law,

custom, and any other capabilities andhabits acquired by man as a member ofsociety. (Tylor 1871)

[the] historically created designs forliving, explicit and implicitwhich existaspotential guides for the behaviour ofman. (Kluckholm and Kelly 1945)

(Keesing and Strathern: 15)6

Culture, society, and adaptation

Culture and society are key to humanadaptive success (and failure)

o Capacity to mobilize resources and information

creatively and rapidlyo But alienation from ecological context

o Return to this in Human Ecology classes afterFeb. 6

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Conclusion: relationality andsocio-cultural anthropology

System society/culture

Diversity basis for relationality Complexity culture and society as

emergent properties

Dynamics agency-structure

Scale individual-society-globe

Interaction

Adaptation

Agency7

Engineering observations

Summary of in-class brainstorming

session

Full notes under files/documents on JUMP

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Engineering discussion summaryIdentity

Biosystems Difficult to define due to diversity

Link between humans and environment

Sometimes seen as easy sub-discipline

Computer An individual who designs and implementcomputer technologies

Problem solvers; need to stay current

Electrical Quality of work object = subject difficulty

Modeling

Hardest math gives status

Highest median income

Practical orientation leads to conservatism

Mechanical Problem solvers using technology

Diverse and broad spectrum

Overarching understanding of other Eng. discs. We are everywhere 9

*Communications skills notes as important for first three

Engineering discussion summaryHuman ecological considerations

Biosystems Greatest concern with environmental ethics

Computer Through progression in computer technology(ie. improved communications) computerengineers influence the human ecologicalenvironment

Electrical High power = high ecological impacts buthuman benefits

Electricity is low impact energy

Practical orientation = why pay more whenalready have working technology?

Energy efficiency secondary consideration afterfinding model that works

Mechanical Low focus; when demand is there will work on

it10

Engineering discussion summaryTechnology

Biosystems Just a tool

A complicated way of making things simpler

Computer Focused on making digital devices smaller andfaster

Electrical Innovation useful to humans or to solve humanproblems

Trade-offs between human wellbeing andtechnological impact

Developed to satisfy curiosity

Technology begets technology

Technology advancement = complexity;greater efficiency

Tech. combines skill, knowledge, application

Mechanical A tool to implement and synthesize solutionsmore efficiently

Improves over time11

To be discussed Feb. 4

Technology in anthropology

Definition:

The material expression of human socialand cultural ingenuity in adapting (to) the

environment

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Technology in anthropology

Definition:

The material expression of human socialand cultural ingenuity in adapting (to) theenvironment

Language?

Institutions?

Ideas?

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Technology in anthropology

Definition:

The material expression of human socialand cultural ingenuity in adapting (to) theenvironment

Technology created in social and culturalcontexts, thus:

o Technology is relational

o A technologys meaning may vary

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Technology in anthropology

Definition:

The material expression of human socialand cultural ingenuity in adapting (to) theenvironment

Technology changes the environment

o Naturalization

Nature of environment to which we adapt

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To be discussed Feb. 4

Technology in anthropology

Definition:

The material expression of human socialand cultural ingenuity in adapting (to) theenvironment

Technology changes the environment

o Naturalization

Nature of environment to which we adapt

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To be discussed Feb. 4

Technology in anthropology

Definition:

The material expression of human socialand cultural ingenuity in adapting (to) the

environment

Humans as cyborgs(Haraway 1992)

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http://media.blizzard.com/wow/media/artwork/trading-card-game/series3/tcg-series3-119-full.jpg

Haraway, Donna. (1994). Simians, Cyborgs a nd Women: TheReinvention of Nature. New York: Routledge.

WORLD OF WARCRAFT

To be discussed Feb. 4

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The social life of technology

http://dairyantiques.com/Colored_Milk_Bottles.html

To be discussed Feb. 4

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Technology in human adaptation

The contextual view

o Technological pessimism Unintended consequences

Path dependencies

The applied view

o Technological optimism

Our ingenuity holds promise of technological escaperoutes

Applications

Friday and Monday

See also Moore on impact of tube wells inYemen (2011); my work on Gujaratfisheries