Is there a relationship between anthropology and colonialism?

Question

e.g how would an anthropologist look at colonialism?

(not imperialism.... unless this is related too?!)

Answer 1

well there are two branches of anthropology - social and physical. Social anthropology does have a shameful history of aiding and abetting colonialism in that they would collect information on local peoples' behaviour, traditions and customers and provide this to colonialists making control over them easier.

I don't know how antropology would look at colonialism wouldn't a historian look at colonialism?

Answer 2

There's definitely a historical relationship - early anthropologists didn't really have the same thoughts about cultural imperialism as contemporary ones - and colonialism allowed anthropologists access to remote groups of people, sometimes with strings attached.

If you're asking about how an anthropologist would study colonialism, it depends on the anthropologist, but much the same way as they'd study any other cultural phenomenon.

Would they view it as a positive thing? I'd hope most anthropologists would strive to avoid those kind of value judgements. Especially looking at historical colonialism, you just have to accept it happened, for better or worse.

Answer 3

Anthropology (from the Greek word ἄνθρωπος, "human" or "person") consists of the study of humanity (see genus Homo). It is holistic in two senses: it is concerned with all humans at all times and with all dimensions of humanity. In principle, it is concerned with all institutions of all societies, but in practice anthropologists have tended to concentrate on the seemingly more "traditional" institutions, usages, and customs of non-Western, often tribal, societies. Anthropology is distinguished from other social-science disciplines by its emphasis on cultural relativity, in-depth examination of context, and cross-cultural comparisons. Some anthropologists have utilized anthropological knowledge to frame cultural critiques. This has been particularly prominent in America, from the popular attacks on Victorianism of Margaret Mead and Ruth Benedict through contemporary attacks on post-colonialism under the heading of postmodernism. Anthropology is methodologically diverse using both qualitative methods and quantitative methods. Ethnographies--intensive case studies based on field research-- have historically had a central place in the literature of the discipline.

Colonialism is the extension of a nation's sovereignty over territory beyond its borders by the establishment of either settler colonies or administrative dependencies in which indigenous populations are directly ruled or displaced. Colonizers generally dominate the resources, labor, and markets of the colonial territory and may also impose socio-cultural, religious and linguistic structures on the conquered population (see also cultural imperialism). However, though colonialism is often used interchangeably with imperialism, the latter is sometimes used more broadly as it covers control exercised informally (via influence) as well as formally. The term colonialism may also be used to refer to a set of beliefs used to legitimize or promote this system.

i hope you got yr answer

Answer 4

that's how western world discovered Asian religions and civilisation to improve their way of life.