Anthropological theories: Anthropology Optional PYQs

6. Anthropological theories:

Classical evolutionism (Tylor, Morgan and Frazer)

1. Discuss the basic assumptions of 19th century evolutionism. Are these valid today? (1981) 
2. Write a note on Contributions of Morgan and Tylor in the history of anthropological thought. (1985)
3. Write a note on 19th century evolutionism. (1988)
4. Write a note on Classical evolutionism (1996)
5. Point out the differences in the concepts of classical evolutionism and neo- evolutionism in socio-cultural anthropology. Which stage of prehistoric culture is known as cultural revolution and why ?(2010)
6. How did Morgan explain the evolution of marriage, family and Socio-Political organization and how did other evolutionists disagree with his explanation ? (2015)
7. Critically evaluate Lewis Morgan’s classification of family. (2021)

Anthropological theories: Historical particularism (Boas); Diffusionism (British, German and American)

1. Diffusionism is an extremist view.Exemplify (1983)
2. Distinguish between : British school of diffusion and Austro-German school of diffusion.(1984)
3. Write a note on Franz Boas (1988)
4. Write a note on Franz Boas (1991)
5. Write a note on Diffusion and Diffusionism (1992)
6. Bring out the merits and demerits in the British Diffusion Studies and the American Distribution Studies. (1993)
7. What was Boas approach of studying primitive cultures ? Delineate the role of field work and history in anthropological study.(1995)
8. What is meant by cultural diffusionism ? Give an account of Fritz Graebner’s contributions to the theory of cultural diffusionism.(1996)
9. Critically examine the Historical Particularistic approach of Franz Boas to the study of culture.(1997)
10. Define ‘culture area’. How did it help the American diffusionists to understand diffusion of culture ? (1998)
11. Write a note in 150 words on Historical Particularism.(2015)
12. How do diffusionism and evolutionism differ as explanations of Cultural Change ? (2015)
13. Write notes on Historical Particularism and Franz Boas, (in about 150 words).(2021)

Anthropological theories: Functionalism (Malinowski); Structural-functionlism (Radcliffe-Brown)

1. Specify limitations of Radcliffe-Brown’s method of comparison as actually used by him. (200 words) (1981)
2. “Structure-functional studies do not explain casual relationships.” Discuss the view. (1981)
3. Discuss contributions of Malinowski. Radcliffe Brown and Firth to the concept of Function.(1982)
4. Functionalism is not confined to Anthropology among social sciences. Elaborate.(1983)
5. Distinguish between : Note Malinowski’s contribution to functionalism in social anthropology.(1984)
6. Evaluate the contribution of Radcliffe Brown for the development of structural method.(1984)
7. Examine Malinowski’s theory of needs and state its merits.(1986)
8. Write an essay on ‘structure-function theory of Radcliffe-Brown.'(1986)
9. Evaluate Malinowski’s contribution to functionalism. (1987)
10. Re-examine the view of Radcliffe-Brown in connection with structure and function in Anthropology.(1989)
11. Discuss Malinowski’s contributions to functionalism in social anthropology. (1990)
12. Define social function. Critically evaluate the concepts as postulated by Malinowski.(1992)
13. Write a note on A.R. Radcliffe-Brown (1994)
14. Give the names of two prominent British functionalists in social anthropology. Describe the functional theory attributed to any one of them. (1995)
15. “To Radcliffe-Brown ‘function’ was the contribution an institution makes to the maintenance of social structure.” Elucidate in the light of RadcliffeBrown’s contributions to structural functionalism theory. (1998)
16. What is meant by functionalism? Discuss the basic tenets of Malinowski’s functionalism.(1999)
17. Discuss the approaches of RadcliffeBrown and Evans-Pritchard to Methods Comparative in Anthropological Research (2001)
18. Describe structural features of social life as suggested by Radcliffe-Brown in his theory of social structure. (2003)
19. Write a note on Structural functionalism. (2008)
20. In what ways is Functionalism different from Structural Functionalism? (350words) (2013)
21. What is functionalism? Discuss the functional approach to the understanding of Religion. (2014)
22. Write a note in 150 words on Functionalism (2016) 
23. Write a note in 150 words on Basic tenets of structural-functionalism. (2017)
24. How did Radcliffe-Brown and Levi-Strauss study kinship in terms of social structure? (2019)

Anthropological theories: Structuralism (Levi-Strauss and E. Leach)

1. Discuss how social structure is conceived as models, following Levi-Strauss and Leach. (1981)
2. Discuss the structural study of myth by Levi-Strauss. (1982)
3. Discuss how structuralism derived from modern linguistics ? (1984)
4. Discuss in brief model and myth in Levi- Strauss anthropology.(1985)
5. Critically examine the contribution of Levi-Strauss in providing a theoretical ‘ frame for the structural analysis in society.(1986)
6. Discuss how Edmund Leach viewed ‘Social Structure’ as a model. (1988)
7. Examine critically the concept of Model and myth in  Levi-Strauss Anthropology (1989) 
8. Discuss how Edmund Leach views social structure as a model. (1991)
9. Write a note on Edmund R Leach (1993)
10. Write a note on Structuralist approach to the study of myth (1994)
11. Analyze how Raymond Firth’s concepts of structure, function, organization and process accommodate the study of both static and dynamic aspects of the social structure.(1996)
12. What are the major criticisms of the theory of ‘Structuralism’ as propounded by Claude Levi-Strauss ? (2009)
13. How do the concepts of binary opposite and exchange figure in Levi-Strauss’ structural analysis of Kinship ? (2016)
14. Explain the structural analysis of kinship as proposed by Levi – Strauss.(2021)

Anthropological theories: Culture and personality (Benedict, Mead, Linton, Kardiner and Cora-du Bois).

1. Discuss the value and limitations of national character studies in Anthropology.(1981)
2. Discuss the limitations of basic personality constructs and model personality in the study of culture and personality. (1982)
3. Distinguish between : Basic personality and model personality (1984)
4. Write a note on Basic personality structure and model personality.(1986)
5. Define basic personality and discuss the different methods employed in the study of its structure.(1988)
6. Write a note on Model Personality (1992)
7. Define basic personality and discuss the different methods employed in the study of its structure.(1992)
8. Discuss critically anthropological approaches in national character studies.(1994) 
9. Examine the relationship between culture and personality. Give suitable examples to illustrate your answer. (1994)
10. Write a note on Culture and personality •(1996)
11. Discuss the contributions of Ralph Linton, Core-Du-Bois and Abraham Kardiner in the study of personality.  (1999)
12. Discuss the contributions of Margaret Mead and Ralph Linton to the analysis of the relationship between culture and personality.(2001)
13. Critically discuss the contribution of Ruth Benedict to the study of culture, (2004)
14. Discuss the relationship between culture and personality (2008)
15. Explain Ruth Benedict’s patterns of culture.(2017)
16. What do you understand by the National Character Study ? Illustrate the concept. (2018)
17. Discuss various anthropological approaches to the study of personality and culture. (2020

Anthropological theories: Neo-evolutionism (Childe, White, Steward, Sahlins and Service)

1. Write an essay on neo-evolutionism and cultural ecology. (1989)
2. How do the approach of the 19th Century Evolutionists differ from those of the Neo-Evolutionists ? Discuss.(1993)
3. Write a note on Neo-evolutionism(1997)
4. What do you mean by cultural ecology ? Evaluate how Julian Steward’s particularistic approach is helpful in understanding multilineal evolution. (1998)
5. What do you understand by neoevolutionism ? Evaluate how Leslie A. White’s approach is helpful in understanding cultural evolution. (2000)
6. Discuss the contribution of Julian Steward of Cultural Ecology. (2002)
7. Explain the theory of Neo-evolutionism’.(2009)
8. Critically examine the Stewardian view of neo-evolutionism.(2017) 
9. Write a note in 150 words on Gordon Childe’s Theory of Cultural Evolution.(2018)

Anthropological theories: Cultural materialism (Harris)

1. Write a note in 150 words on Cultural materialism (2011) 
2. Write a note in 150 words on Cultural Materialism (2019)

Anthropological theories: Symbolic and interpretive theories (Turner, Schneider and Geertz)

1. Write a note on Symbolism. (1999)
2. Write a note on Symbolic Anthropology (2001)
3. Write a note on Symbolism (2007)
4. Bring out the contribution of Turner and Geertz in symbolic and interpretive theories in Anthropology. (250 words) (2013)
5. What made Geertz’s Interpretive Anthropology distinct from Turner’s symbolic anthropology? What does each of them mean by the terms ‘Symbol’ and ‘Symbolic’ ?(2015)
6. According to Geertz, how does the cock-fight reveal aspects of Balinese culture? (2016)
7. Examine critically the contributions of Victor Turner and Clifford Geertz in anthropology. (2019)
8. Write notes on Victor Turner and Liminality in about 150 words. (2020)
9. Elucidate the concept of “thick description” of Clifford Geertz with a suitable example.(2021)

Anthropological theories: Cognitive theories (Tyler, Conklin)

1. Write a note on Cognitive Anthropology (2002)

Anthropological theories: Post modernism in anthropology

1. Write a note in 150 words on Post -modernism in Anthropology (2012)
2. Explain the basic features of ‘Postmodernism’ in Anthropology. (2015)