Nidhi Pai: ANT1 answer copy

a) Alliance theory of Levi Strauss

Claude Levi Strauss is associated with the Structuralism school of Anthropology. He also gave the Theory of Alliance.

Kin relations formed through marriage is called Alliance. Claude Levi Strauss explained the structure of the Theory of Alliance.

• He believed that initially, there was no institution of marriage or kinship. There was promiscuity in the society.

• This often led to clashes among people and groups and there was no sense of solidarity.

• In order to ensure, Order in the society, the concept of alliance or kinship emerged.

• Since all the groups had common means of production, men, the only thing they could exchange was women.

• This led to the concept of marriage and alliance ties.

• Alliance < Restricted Alliance Non Restricted Alliance.

• Restricted Alliance - Alliance in these societies is restricted to only certain groups. (Ex) - Endogamy, Exogamy etc.

• Non Restrictive Alliance - No restriction on alliance.

i) Continuous Alliance - Between two groups. Ex - Moeity; cross cousin marriage.

A <---> B

A gives wife to B and vice versa. Therefore, there is a chain.

ii) Non continuous alliance - Between many groups. No continuity.

Thus, Levi Strauss' theory helped understand the various factors that effect alliance, kinship and marriage systems.

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a) Franz boas and cultural relativism

Franz Boas is associated with the School of Historical Particularism and also gave the concept of Cultural Relativism. He is also associated with the American School of Diffusionism.

→ Works - 'Central Eskimo' (1888) 'Mind of Primitive Man'

→ Concept of Cultural Relativism - ◦ Cultural Relativism believes that every culture must be studied with reference to its own history, environment etc. ◦ The standard of ones culture must not be used to judge other cultures. ◦ Cultural Relativism is an antithesis of Ethnocentrism. ◦ Ethnocentrism is a concept wherein ones social group is the centre of everything and other groups are judged with reference to ones social group. ◦ Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism are opposite ends of a spectrum.

• For example - • Consumption of Dog meat considered barbaric in USA (ethnocentric) • Franz Boas believed that every culture must be studied in reference to its own history because every culture is the result of the discrete events of the past. (Historical Particularism). • He recommended a) learning the local language b) living with the residents. c) Talking to the locals to study a culture.