and approach the studies of cultures using Cultural Relativism and Ethnocentrism. The definition of these terms is very different in many ways when describing cultures. Cultural Relativism is defined as the perspective that any aspect of a culture must be viewed and evaluated within the context of that culture. While‚ ethnocentrism‚ is defined as making value judgments based on one’s own culture when describing aspects of another culture. Cultural relativism is much more commonly used by anthropologist
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The theory of functionalism and conflict theory differ in several ways. They focus on different values‚ assume different things about society and differ in their explanations of power. Functionalism is defined as ?the analysis of social and cultural phenomena in terms of the functions they perform in a sociocultural system. In functionalism society is conceived as a system of interrelated parts in which no part can be understood in isolation from the whole (Wallace‚ Wolf‚ 18).? On the other hand
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Structural Functionalism & Conflict Theory Karl Marx and Max Weber were the first conflict theorists in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Following Marx and Weber were three mid-20th century conflict theorists: Lewis Coser‚ Ralf Dahrendorf‚ and Randall Collins. Coser draws his theoretical ideas from Simmel. Like Simmel‚ Coser maintains that conflict is healthy for society. In contrast‚ Dahrendorf combines theoretical ideas from Marx and Weber. Dahrendorf sees power as the main feature in all
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Functionalism and conflict theory are two theories that influence the purposes of schooling. These two theories are both different and similar in their view and relation to schooling. Basically‚ the differences lie in the way these two theories explain transmission‚ as well as way functionalists are more accepting and conflict theorists want to change things. The two theories are similar in their views of structure and culture. "Functionalism...argues that society operates as does the human body:
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Week 1 Anthropology Forum – Cultural Relativism Question: Using your textbook‚ please define cultural relativism and moral relativism‚ using APA formatting for your citations as needed. How is cultural relativism different from moral relativism? For example‚ consider anthropologists who study genocide or another oppressive‚ harmful phenomenon of your choice. Objectives examined: * Describe what is meant by ethnocentrism and cultural relativism * Interpret the ethical issues faced by anthropologists
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Functionalism is the original and still dominant discipline of thought in the social sciences. As a construct of two forms of scientific investigation: the scientific approach and viewing the individual as a part of a social organism or social whole‚ the scientific method considers society as an objectively observable and "real" entity that is suitable for methods and philosophies that guide examination and study of the physical world. The 17th century philosopher‚ Thomas Hobbes‚ believed that humans
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Theories in sociology provide us with different perspectives with which to view our social world. A perspective is simply a way of looking at the world. A theory is a set of interrelated propositions or principles designed to answer a question or explain a particular phenomenon; it provides us with a perspective. Sociological theories help us to explain and predict the social world in which we live. Sociology includes three major theoretical perspectives: the structural-functionalist perspective
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Structural Functionalism looks at society as a whole and tries to explain why society functions the way it does. Functionalism also wants to look at how different institutions impact our everyday lives. Emile Durkheim‚ the central figure in functionalist theory‚ turned to concrete science of sociology rather than abstract moral philosophy to bring about social change (Ferris‚ Stein 22). Durkheim believed that people should play their part in society and society cannot thrive if people are not working
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Structural Functionalism‚ Neo-Functionalism Conflict Theory & System Theory The origin of sociology developed and took place in Europe during the early eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The factors that led to the development of sociology are industrial economy‚ the growth of cities‚ and political change. Europe was changing from agriculture to factory production. Masses of people moved to the cities in search of work. In cities people met anonymity‚ crowding‚ filth‚ and poverty. The Industrial
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Nathan Whittingham Professor Mariana Philosophy 120 12 October 2014 The Fallacy of Cultural Relativism The diversity of beliefs and ways of life is a conspicuous phenomenon that occurs within the human race. For example‚ what Satanists find right and reasonable is damnable to Christians‚ and vice-versa. Additionally‚ the ancient Aztecs practiced human sacrifice for reasons that today‚ we find totally illogical. And just as we‚ in America‚ now look back upon our history regarding slavery with
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