The Importance Of Symbolism In Anthropology

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1. Anthropology utilizes inter-disciplinary perspectives to study language and symbolic meanings, political-economy, archives and oral traditions. What do you understand this to mean? Answer the question by using specific examples from the readings we have done.

To explain the human nature, the past, and the present it needs a combination of data from all four major subfields of anthropology; biological, cultural, linguistic, and archaeology. As humans use symbols when they communicate with one another, the usage of such symbols is fundamental for social communication and henceforward the fellowship of our society. Therefore, the study of symbols is considered to have a fundamental prominence for understanding and interpreting social norms. …show more content…

However, there is not a universal meaning to all of them, for the reason that a particular symbol may mean different things in different cultures. (Lavenda, Schultz, 22-23) By symbols analysis, social anthropologists can further understand how people perceive the world, making symbolism crucial in identifying dissimilar points of view. Symbolism is much used in Miner’s article, which draws American culture in a much different way, compared with how we look at it. The author, describes medicine and toiletries as magical potions and charms, bathroom as a shrine, whereas dentists as holy-mouth men. (Miner, 504-505) This article opens our eyes to see our reality from a completely …show more content…

Information that can be applied is oral traditions. These kinds of sources address the conviction systems, social histories, and lived experiences of the past which can help in the interpretation of the archeological record. Therefore, in case an anthropologist is not familiar with the society/culture, essential details may be let out and his/her examination can create confusion of the condition of the real society.

2. Sidney Mintz, in his chapter Power, in Sweetness and Power, shows how sugar came to have particular kinds of meanings. What were those meanings and how did they become attached to

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