Born: Krakow, Poland on April 7, 1884

http://www.afsp.org/index.cfm?page_id=04ea1254-bd31-1fa3-c549d77e6ca6aa37

• http://www.afsp.org/index.cfm?page_id=04ea1254-bd31-1fa3-c549d77e6ca6aa37

• http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide_rates/en

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f22VsAlOwbc

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f22VsAlOwbc

Born: Krakow, Poland on April 7, 1884

• Born: Krakow, Poland on April 7, 1884

• Parents: Lucyan & Jozefa Malinowski

• Family: Upper-class

• Very cultured
• Scholarly

Ph.D. in Philosophy, Physics, and Mathematics

• Ph.D. in Philosophy, Physics, and Mathematics

• University of Krakow in 1908

• 1913: Lectured at London School of Economics

• Ph.D. in Science in 1916

• Founded: Functionalism

• Social Anthropology

• All components of society interlock to form a well-balanced system

Britain: Reaction to 19th c. evolution

• Britain: Reaction to 19th c. evolution

• Shift from Social change

• Evolution

• To

• Social stability

• How societies stayed the same

World->Colonies

• World->Colonies

• Problem: Ruling native people?

• Required:

• Practical knowledge of social & political structures

Research focus: Functioning of social systems

• Research focus: Functioning of social systems

• Information served colonial administration

• Focus: Maintaining order & stability

Social Structure = Enduring patterns of social relationships

• Social Structure = Enduring patterns of social relationships

• Function: Society= Organism

• Parts work together to maintain system

• Emphasis on equilibrium

• Change->Upsets the equilibrium

Emphasized characteristics of:

• Emphasized characteristics of:

• Beliefs

• Ceremonies

• Customs

• Institutions

• Religion

• Ritual

• Sexual taboos

First field study came in 1915-18

• First field study came in 1915-18

• Studied the Trobriand Islanders of New Guinea in the southwest Pacific

• Used holistic approach to study natives’ social interactions including:

• Annual Kula Ring Exchange

1915 WW I started

• 1915 WW I started

• Remained in New Guinea for duration of the war

• Lived with Trobriand Islanders
• Became a well-known anthropologist

• 1922 Argonauts of the

• Western Pacific

Society: Functions to meet needs of individuals

• Society: Functions to meet needs of individuals

• All people have these needs

• 3 Levels of Needs:

• 1. Biological
• 2. Instrumental
• 3. Integrative

These fundamental needs must be supplied by culture

• These fundamental needs must be supplied by culture

• Anthropologists could study the ways in which a culture meets these needs for its people.

1. Biological needs:

• 1. Biological needs:

• Nutrition
• Reproduction
• Bodily comforts
• Safety
• Relaxation
• Movement

• 2. Instrumental needs:

• Law
• Education

• 3. Integrative needs:

• Religion
• Art

Culture provides:

• Culture provides:

• Stability, cohesion, and physical survival through:

• Myths
• Symbols
• Rituals

Characteristics of Malinowski’s method

• Characteristics of Malinowski’s method

• Lived as a native among natives

• Watched them daily at work and at play

• Conversations with them their language

• Information from personal observation

• Statements directly by the natives

Documents people’s routine daily lives

• Documents people’s routine daily lives

• Explores a cultural group

• Live with group being studied, or spends a lot of time with them

• “Guiding question” that evolves during the study

Unobtrusive

• Unobtrusive

• Identify geographical & temporal location

• To reveal little known societies

• To obtain insider’s view

• Understand point of view from inside the group

Identify behavior patterns

• Identify behavior patterns

• Make reader understand perspective of native

• Understand:

• Context

• Complexity

• Politics of social processes

• Accuracy of information

• Complexity of information

• Careful Observation

• Speak native language

• No contact with white people

• Seek information naturally

• Instead of through informants

HOLISM: Kula is an exchange system in Trobriand Islands:

• HOLISM: Kula is an exchange system in Trobriand Islands:

• Politics

• Alliance formation

• Prestige

• Feasting

• Economic trade

• Magic

• Contributes to the integration of society

Ethnographic work (Holism): Deal with the totality—an anatomy of culture

• Ethnographic work (Holism): Deal with the totality—an anatomy of culture

• To study only religion (or technology) creates an artificial field of inquiry

Ethnology introduced law & order into what seemed chaotic & freakish

• Ethnology introduced law & order into what seemed chaotic & freakish

• Transformed sensational, wild & unaccountable world of “savages” into a number of well-ordered communities

• Key: Society exists to fulfill the needs of the individual

Subsistence--fishing and yam agriculture

• Subsistence--fishing and yam agriculture

• Matrilineal society: Descent traced from mother’s line

• Inheritance passes from mother’s brother to sister’s son

• Brother required to gift (yams) his sister’s family

• Most spectacular and prestigious exchanges occurred between islands

• Known as kula

• Involved long sailing expeditions across open sea

Separation between utilitarian exchange (gimwali) and ceremonial exchanges (kula)

• Separation between utilitarian exchange (gimwali) and ceremonial exchanges (kula)

• Kula: Exchange of ceremonial items: soulava (necklaces) and mwali (armbands)

• Items not kept permanently

• At most 1 or 2 years

• Possession of famous kula items brings person renown & prestige

Partners in the kula were lifelong trading partners obliged to each other for:

• Partners in the kula were lifelong trading partners obliged to each other for:

• Hospitality

• Help

• Assistance

• Minor kula exchanges within a group of islands preceded major expeditions.

• Usually one overseas trading expedition per year.

Two types of Kula gifts

• Two types of Kula gifts

• Symbolic value

• 1. Shell-disc necklaces (Soulava) that are traded to the north (circling the ring in clockwise direction)

• 2. Shell armbands (Mwali) that are traded in the southern direction (circling counter-clockwise).

A founding father of British social anthropology

• A founding father of British social anthropology

• British anthropology paradigm shift:

• From speculative and historical (evolutionary) to
• The ahistorical study of social institutions

Greatest contribution as an ethnographer

• Greatest contribution as an ethnographer

• Importance of studying social behavior in cultural contexts

• Participant-observation

• Consider observable differences between norms and action:

• Between what people say they do and what they actually do

Detailed descriptions of Trobriand social life and thought

• Detailed descriptions of Trobriand social life and thought

• Kinship & Marriage (e.g., "sociological paternity“ vs “biological”)

• In economic anthropology

• (e.g., “Reciprocity")

• Explain human economic behavior using both economics and anthropology