Anthropology short notes · Paper 1

The Nature of Society

2.2 The Nature of Society: Concept of Society; Society and Culture; Social Institution; Social groups; and Social stratification.

Short notes

The Nature of Society

The Nature Of Society

Definition

Society is the hardware, culture is the software.

Concept Of Society

Definition

Society is the hardware, culture is the software.

Thinkers

  • Bronislaw Malinowski — participant observation; culture exists to satisfy biological and psychological needs.

Society And Culture

Definition

Society is the hardware, culture is the software.

Thinkers

  • Hoebel | Anthropology and Sociology are closely related

Social Institution

Definition

Society is a collection of individuals united by relations or modes of behaviour that distinguish them from others.

Example / case study

  • Herbert Risley: Racial theory of caste; The People of India.
  • Thurston: Castes & Tribes of Southern India.
  • Beginning: Institutionalisation of anthropology (Dept. of Anthropology, Calcutta University – 1920).
  • Nature: Empirical fieldwork, study of social institutions.

Social Groups

Definition

Empiricism – observation-based, scientific & systematic.

Example / case study

  • Volunteering, clubs, social groups, exercise groups.

And Social Stratification

Definition

Society is the hardware, culture is the software.