Reading Journal 2

Title: An Anthropological Perspective

Author: John H. Bodley

What do you Know about the topic, author or article?

This piece is an excerpt from John Bodley's text book. He is Chair of the Department of Anthropology at Washington State University.

What do you Want to know (in context of the writing Assignment)?

I would like to know what his definition of culture is, and factors he does and does not take into account when discussing culture. Why?

What did you Learn?

I learned that there are a few categorical definitions of culture, and although there are common aspects and a variety of definitions within these different categories.

Summarize the Article:

This textbook section discusses various aspects of culture and a variety of definitions based off of a certain category of thinking. Some definitions regard culture as a force all its own, a "superorganic entity" while others believe the definition may be as simple as pertaining to a single category of thinking.

Respond to and Analyze the article (consider the purpose for reading/writing):

I think the author chose to write his textbook section on the definition of culture in this way in order to examine the different interpretations of culture in order to examine how each aspect plays into the foundational understanding of culture. I think we read this in order to glean a better understanding culture and how it influences our behaviors, as well as to expand our perceptions of what the conceptual meaning of culture may or may not entail.