Rachel Lipson
Anthropology 311-50 1008
Dr. Afzal
06/03/18
Discussion Forum 1
Observing other cultures can be a fascinating yet challenging process. The definition of
culture has long been fought over by various scholars of many different fields due to its complex,
dynamic nature. As defined by Judith Martin and Thomas Nakayama (2009), culture is, “learned
patterns of behavior and attitude shared by a group of people.” This fundamental definition
provides a starting point where an observer can assess what in a society makes up its culture.
While it can be exciting for anyone to experience another community, there will almost always
be a time in which they begin comparing the new customs and beliefs to their own. At this point,
either one of two ideologies will often be held: cultural relativism or universalism. The idea that
all human rights shared and should be viewed as the same across the world is universalism, while
cultural relativism holds that customs and beliefs should be perceived in the context of the
culture (Fluehr-Lobban 2004). In other words, judgments on certain characteristics of a society
should be made only after the entire frame of reference is considered.
After studying anthropology for four years in college, the idea of cultural relativism has
been so far drilled into my head, that I cannot fathom the field without it. To social
anthropologists, this notion is crucial due to the fragile nature of humans and how their societies
could crumble if some of their practices were exposed by the ethnographers that have observed
them. Certain communities however, like some Muslim regions in Africa and the Middle East,
have been exposed, and have had to battle against many opposing voices. These regions have for
some time now been under significant scrutiny by western society for practices like the veiling of
women and female genital mutilation. In these situations, the role of the anthropologist is
Anthropology 311-50 1008
Dr. Afzal
06/03/18
Discussion Forum 1
Observing other cultures can be a fascinating yet challenging process. The definition of
culture has long been fought over by various scholars of many different fields due to its complex,
dynamic nature. As defined by Judith Martin and Thomas Nakayama (2009), culture is, “learned
patterns of behavior and attitude shared by a group of people.” This fundamental definition
provides a starting point where an observer can assess what in a society makes up its culture.
While it can be exciting for anyone to experience another community, there will almost always
be a time in which they begin comparing the new customs and beliefs to their own. At this point,
either one of two ideologies will often be held: cultural relativism or universalism. The idea that
all human rights shared and should be viewed as the same across the world is universalism, while
cultural relativism holds that customs and beliefs should be perceived in the context of the
culture (Fluehr-Lobban 2004). In other words, judgments on certain characteristics of a society
should be made only after the entire frame of reference is considered.
After studying anthropology for four years in college, the idea of cultural relativism has
been so far drilled into my head, that I cannot fathom the field without it. To social
anthropologists, this notion is crucial due to the fragile nature of humans and how their societies
could crumble if some of their practices were exposed by the ethnographers that have observed
them. Certain communities however, like some Muslim regions in Africa and the Middle East,
have been exposed, and have had to battle against many opposing voices. These regions have for
some time now been under significant scrutiny by western society for practices like the veiling of
women and female genital mutilation. In these situations, the role of the anthropologist is
