Theoretical Framework and Genesis of Cultural Materialism in Political Studies

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Date
2016
Authors
Bidochko, Lesia
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The article deals with the main methodological and theoretical background of cultural materialism as an anthropological approach and a research strategy. Synthesizing Marxists’ historical materialism, cultural ecology, and neo-evolutionism, first cultural materialist Marvin Harris elaborates a tripartite scheme of the cultural system (infrastructure, structure, and superstructure), extending and extolling the infrastructure as something that includes demography and ecosystems, in addition to the productive forces and mode of production. Cultural materialism rejects dialectical materialism and class struggle, giving priority to infrastructural variables in the causal arrow of determination.
Description
Keywords
cultural anthropology, cultural materialism, determinism, emic and etic, historic materialism, культурна антропологія, культурний матеріалізм, детермінізм, емічне і етичне, історичний матеріалізм, марксизм, неоеволюціонізм, редукціонізм, базис і надбудова
Citation
Bidochko Lesia. Theoretical Framework and Genesis of Cultural Materialism in Political Studies / L. Bidochko // Наукові записки НаУКМА : Політичні науки. - 2016. - Т. 186. - С. 18-22.