Relativism can be hard to understand. It’s in our nature as human beings to base thing off of the knowledge we already know. Relativism is the idea that, when faced with another culture, we must try to comprehend it instead of judging it based on our own culture’s values and morals. Human rights advocates opposing the tradition of female genital modification (FGM) is an example of relativism (page 30). Female genital modification can include the removal of the clitoris or a process in which the female anatomy is modified in such a way that constricts the vaginal opening. Both procedures reduce female sexual pleasure and, it is believed to prevent the likelihood of adultery. Although a tradition in societies in Africa and the Middle East, human …show more content…
It compares. Comparativism compares two different cultures to seek similarities and differences. To do so, anthropologists use something called a cross-cultural study. The study is used to gather data and use it to compare the different societies. A cross-cultural study of eighty-seven societies (Meigs and Barlow 2002) (page 134), shed light on the rates of incest in various cultures around the world. The results were eye-opening. Many societies par-take in incestuous activities. In some cultures, it’s a grey area on what is actually incest. The Yanomami society is considered an incestuous culture by the rest of the world. Cross-cousin marriages are quiet common in Yanomami villages (page 135). To them these unions are not incestuous, but the rest of the world it’s a bad social taboo. In another society, the Ojibwa, twenty-four individuals we surveyed about incest, Hallowell found eight cases of parent-child incest and ten cases of brother-sister incest. The Ojibwa use the same word for mother and aunt, father and uncle, and siblings and cousins. Could there be a mix up in communication when the information was gathered? Comparing the cultures of the Yanomami and Ojibwa to the western culture, one can see a stark difference between societies. Comparativism is an eye-opening tool to show how cultural norms differ from each …show more content…
Field work is the hands on component to anthropology. The person will immerse themselves in the culture that they will study. These people must pay attention to every little thing that happens while there. It is important for the ethnographer to stay a little over a year in order to experience things they missed while they were in culture shock (page 42). They must adapt to the natives way of life and stop see the thing they do as something alien and see it as a part of their culture. Although the studier will be an alien in the culture they are in, they must try to live and immerse themselves in the way the locals live. Anthropologist Marjorie Shostak formed personal relationships with their cultural consultants. Shostak worked with the !Kung San in the Dobe region of southwest Africa, on the border between Botswana and South Africa (page 41). Field work must be done in order to really study the culture that is of
I argue that female genital mutilation (FGM) should not be covered under the universal code of ethics when dealing with cultural tolerance, parents should not be able to make harmful decisions for their children, and doctors are under no obligation to perform such rituals to conform to the beliefs and traditions of their patients such as in cases of
These cultural relativists follow something called descriptive relativism, which states that different cultures have different moral codes, which they follow. In the “Amputees by choice” article, cultural relativists would only agree with a person to amputate his/her limbs if and only if the moral code of their culture agreed with amputation. If amputation were frowned upon in this person’s culture, the cultural relativist would not be in favor of amputation because the moral code of the culture does not support
An analysis of Mycerinus and Kha-merer-nebty II and Augustus of Primaporta, reveals that there are many similarities, but also many differences between these two pieces of sculpture. These similarities and differences are found in the subject, style, and function of both works of art.
Some people think that if they could only change one aspect of their lives, it would be perfect. They do not realize that anything that is changed could come with unintended consequences. “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs and “The Third Wish” by Joan Aiken both illustrate this theme. They demonstrate this by granting the main character three wishes, but with each wish that is granted, brings undesirable consequences. The main idea of this essay is to compare and contrast “The Monkey’s Paw” and “The Third Wish.” Although the “The Monkey’s Paw” and “The Third Wish” are both fantasies and have similar themes, they have different main characters, wishes, and resolutions.
While some differences between Ventura College and the colleges that Andrew Hacker and Claudia Dreifus wrote about in their essay are evident, the similarities are salient. Ventura College meets the characteristics that Hacker and Dreifus described in their essay, Ventura College has a low tuition rates, small class sizes, and all students have access to counselors and instructors. The only difference between Ventura College and the colleges that Hacker and Dreifus talked about is funding. Ventura College doesn’t cost a lot of money to attend, but is experience it provides actually worth the price?
After analyzing cultural relativism over the semester, I have come to the conclusion that cultural relativism under anthropological analysis defines every single culture with some aspect of worth as viewed by an individual within that society. Franz Boas, termed the “Father of American Anthropology”, first introduced the concept of cultural relativism. He wanted people to understand the way certain cultures conditioned people to interact with the world around them, which created a necessity to understand the culture being studied. In my words, cultural relativism is the concept that cultures should be viewed from the people among that culture. When studied by anthropologists, cultural relativism is employed to give all cultures an equal
Despite its popularity in Africa, FGM is under scrutiny by members of the international human rights community. In 1993, female circumcision was deemed harmful by the international Human Rights Conference in Vienna . The World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the UN Population Fund have planned programs designed to “completely eliminate [female genital mutilation] within three generations” , on the basis that FGM is a human rights violation. This gives rise to the obvious question as to whether human rights activists and organizations should be sensitive to the cultural practices of the people of Africa. Some human rights activists have even professed FGM as a “knock-down counterargument to cultural relativism”, and use the practice as an example of how hum...
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is an ancient traditional non-therapeutic surgical procedure that involves total or partial removal of the external parts of female genitalia. This paper aimed to define and classify FGM, identifies the prevalence, describes reasons for performing the practice, and concentrates on the problems associated to this practice with regard to women’s health, religious beliefs, and socio-cultural, behavioral and moral consequences. Researches and survey reports that the global actions have been taken to reduce or abolish the prevalence of the practice will be assessed.
Ethnographic fieldwork involves several steps. The first step is to select a site. After site selection, the ethnographer must formulate a question. The third step in this process is to perform preparatory research. Next, ethnographers take part in participant observation and gathering data. Finally, the ethnographer takes all of their findings and brings them together to answer their question.
Viewed from this perspective, the argument for cultural relativism is not valid. For example, the premise could be female circumcision is allowed and moral in Nigeria. Female circumcision is prohibited and immoral in the U.S. Therefore, the conclusion, would be that female circumcision is neither moral nor immoral, objectively. Simply stating, there are some beliefs that are viewed as moral by one culture and immoral by another culture does not prove whether it is objectively right or wrong.
In explaining Cultural Relativism, it is useful to compare and contrast it with Ethical Relativism. Cultural Relativism is a theory about morality focused on the concept that matters of custom and ethics are not universal in nature but rather are culture specific. Each culture evolves its own unique moral code, separate and apart from any other. Ethical Relativism is also a theory of morality with a view of ethics similarly engaged in understanding how morality comes to be culturally defined. However, the formulation is quite different in that from a wide range of human habits, individual opinions drive the culture toward distinguishing normal “good” habits from abnormal “bad” habits. The takeaway is that both theories share the guiding principle that morality is bounded by culture or society.
As adolescents, our values and sense of right and wrong are influenced and developed by the culture we are exposed to. Because we are in constant contact with a particular culture, we develop our values and sense of right and wrong as seen fit for that time and place. In addition, we are also often taught to condemn ethnocentrism, thinking that one’s views, values, or standards are superior to others. Rather than being ethnocentric, we are taught to be open minded to the values and practices of cultures different from ours. We are not to judge by our morals or views because they vary from culture to culture. In other words, our values and sense of right and wrong are subjective. Relativism is just a matter of subjective opinion. It asserts
Hence, we should reject cultural relativism’s existence. First, I show that cultural relativism does not promote tolerance, but on the contrary, they promote intolerance. Then, I explain the biggest problem cultural relativism face: moral infallibility. Moral infallibility makes us unable to criticize another culture. In addition, every change a culture has had was a merely coincidence. They didn’t change because they were wrong because is impossible for a culture to be wrong according Cultural relativism. Finally, it makes ludicrous point of view as slavery equally moral as genital
The American Anthropological Association 's (AAA) aim is to offer guidelines and promote education and discussion. American anthropologists do this often by speaking and interacting with individuals living and experiencing the culture. Truly understanding, learning, and becoming accustomed to a new cultural environment takes a significantly long period of time, perhaps even years of exposure to the culture in order to truly understand traditions, morals, and customs. For instance in the Shostak`s study on the !Kung people, it was important for the researchers to say words correctly, at appropriate times, and in a culturally accepted manner, in addition, in order to interview individuals, specifically women, the anthropologist would ask one to “enter work” with her and they would talk for an hour or a day, or over a long period of time, perhaps two weeks. When studying another culture, American anthropologists include host country colleagues in their research planning and when requesting funding, establish true collaborative relationships, include host country colleagues in dissemination, including publication, and they also ensure that something is given back to the host. When studying other countries, the process is done carefully and thoughtfully, in order to end the study with new information on a culture and to establish new connections
A successful anthropologist, while on fieldwork at an artisan cheesemaker in Vermont, says “We participate, we watch, we use our own subjective and firsthand experience. So when I’m helping make cheese, that’s participant observation which is an important part of fieldwork.” Fieldwork is defined as “the anthropological method of traveling to the society one wants to study and living there for a prolonged period of time to collect data first-hand.” As I continue participating at the fieldsite during rituals and other religious traditions, I would become curious and naturally become inquisitive instead of strictly doing a structured