white Afrikaan speaking
South Africans - right wing
activist/applied
anthropology
formed by leading German missionary
anthropology in 1920s VS. British social
anthropology in S. Africa
Racism grew because of 'poor
white' numbers due to the
Boer War & Depression
legitamised and reproduced Apartheid
social order - instrument of control and
rationalisation
Achille Mbembe POSTCOLONY
Postcolony warps identities through political lense institutionalising it as
"Objective Truth". Essentialism as hegemonic "fact" and menaing.
Integration of this seen in cohabitation.
violent relationship
Diane Lewis -
'Anthropology and
Colonialism' 1973
"Reluctant Imperialists"
Evans-Pritchard
THE NUER 1940: Used by colonial government to
learn about natives in order to rule. Found that
the natives were unwilling to inform. British
colonial officials utilized knowledge about
native governments to put structures of power
in place that would imitate native political
systems. Findings skewed in favour of
protecting Nuer? Positionality.
WITCHCRAFT, ORACLES & MAGIC IAMONG THE AZANDE 1937:
in part was both criticism and answer to prejudice about
mindset of natives - Emic and Etic!
1946: Never asked for advice by colonial admin
on ow to deal with people, work just used to gain
understanding to conquer. Colonial anth opened
way for critical work on philosophy of Empire and
purpose/methodology - progress of anth
Wendy James
Colonial anthropologists as white
liberals, protected natives from worst
of Empire exploitation, but employed
by Empire to help rule (applied anth.)
Radical criticism because of ways anth. findings
were used (eg, Firth) and the involvement with nationalist
movement in Africa (eg, Malinowski)
Firth - Anthropology generalises/essentialises in order for
colonial admin to gain governance (applied anth.),
Subjective view on research consciously noted but
Objective truth should be strived for - Lila Abu Lughod
'Writing Against Culture'!
Malinowski -
progression from earlier racist Evolutionists/Social
Darwinists, colonial anthropologists employed
Cultural Relativism and Participant Observation -
moral understanding and respect of natives.
Problematic/ambivalent relation with Colonial Admin
Anth. rebukes 'sacred civilizing mission'
by legitamising native practices
Anth. defend itself/validate - accusations
of abstract science, the 'feeling man' - by
emphasizing 'objective science' (because
it is epitome of Western civilization).
Ethics not addressed because of this.