Culture complex is a concept used to illustrate a constellation of related cultural traits. These can be anything from material objects, ideas, practices, and shared understanding. Culture complexes cluster around crucial aspects of social life such as cooking, hunting, or family structures.
Liminality, a term first coined by anthropologist Arnold van Gennep in his work "The Rites of Passage", originates from the Latin word 'limen,' which means 'threshold.' This concept refers to the transitional period or phase of a rite of passage, during which the participant lacks a defined social status.
A community is a group of individuals sharing common values, interests, or geographic location who interact with one another on a more frequent basis than with others outside the community. The concept of community holds significant sociological and anthropological implications and has evolved dramatically with the advent of technology and the internet.
The Civilizational School of Thought in anthropology offers an expansive view of cultures and societies by studying them in the context of their broader civilization. Unlike conventional approaches that may focus on specific communities or tribes, this school of thought emphasizes
These various kinship behaviors—joking relations, avunculate, amitate, couvade, and teknonymy—demonstrate how societies worldwide employ different mechanisms to regulate social behavior, build familial ties, and maintain cultural continuity.
This term 'degrees of kinship' refers to the proximity of a genetic, adoptive, or marital relationship between individuals, creating a web of familial ties that shape our societies and identities. Degrees of kinship is a system anthropologists use to describe and classify the types of relationships that exist between family members in various cultures.
Rules of residence refer to the societal norms dictating where a newly married couple will establish their residence. Anthropologists have long been interested in the study of residence patterns because they illuminate the social organization, family structure, and value systems within a society
Animism, often regarded as the world's oldest religion, originates from Latin 'animus,' meaning 'spirit' or 'soul.' It is a foundational element in many indigenous cultures, predating classical religion and persisting even into the present day
Animatism is a complex anthropological concept that concerns the attribution of a generalized, impersonal supernatural power or influence to animals, objects, or phenomena. The concept was initially developed by anthropologist R.R. Marett in 1900, who proposed that animatism is essentially the belief in a widespread, non-personal supernatural power.
Manaism represents an intriguing and deeply nuanced belief system often associated with indigenous Polynesian and Melanesian cultures. This system personifies 'mana' as a supernatural force or power that may influence events, people, and objects in the physical world
Totemism, a complex and intriguing aspect of human behavior, refers to a system of belief where humans are thought to have a spiritual relationship or kinship with a particular animal, plant, or natural object, also known as a "totem."
Ancestor worship, also referred to as ancestor veneration, refers to the ritual practice of showing respect and dedication to one's departed family members. This custom, deeply rooted in many cultures globally, manifests in various forms ranging from ceremonies and rituals to monuments and daily offerings.
