He was a American`s anthropology. He was born at 18 of august in 1927 in Brooklyn and die at 25 of October of 2001 in Gainesville. He was studied in Columbia and he was teacher in the Columbia University and Florida University. He was applied the cultural materialism at the anthropology.
He is important because applied the materialist theory of Marx at the anthropological theory. He meets in his theory to greats authors as: Malthus, Kroeber, Steward and White, creating so a theory of the human development that implies a material dimension and symbolic dimension.
He defines the socio-cultural reality in three levels:
· Infrastructure (the elements in the society that not visible, but was very important for this society)
· Structure (institution and material elements)
· Superstructure (ideological levels, it`s explains with natural the social and cultural reality)
He defines two concepts very important in anthropology, overcoat in ethnography: emic and etic. The emic dimension is the explanation that the community considered valid on their actions. The etic dimension is the scientific explanation that an outside overlooks such acts.
Is very interesting, but i really don't like the materialist.
ReplyDeleteThis autor is very bored, but he cread a theory very important for anthopology. thefore is necessary to read yours books.
Bye.
Hy Natalie, I also like Harris, I think we can't explain the superestructure without looking the place where we live, the material conditions where the humans live. I'm reading a book of him called "Cows, pigs, wars and witches".
ReplyDeleteHave a nice week!
bye bye!
Harris is one of my favorites too! He takes the material and symbolic dimension, then his theory has a wide explanation about cultures. I like it!
ReplyDeleteI'm reading him for Aedo's class.
See you in class Natalie :)