Ecological Anthropology:
Theoretical Approaches
Dr. Annuska Derks
What does Anthropology
contribute to the study of the
environment?
Cross-cultural study of society and environment
Influence Environment on Society
vs
Influence Society on Environment
Ecological Anthropology: An Overview
Early 20th century: Environmental Possibilism
1950s-1960s: Cultural Ecology
1960s-1980s: Ecological Anthropology:
Neofunctionalism
1990s-now: Ecological Anthropology: New
Ecologies / Processual Approaches
3 theoretical approaches
Cultural Ecology – Julian Steward
Ecosystem Approach – Roy Rappaport
Cultural Materialism – Marvin Harris
Cultural Ecology
Julian Steward (1902-1972)
Effect of environment upon culture
Ecology = „adaptation to environment“
Cultural ecology = study of adaptation to environment
by means of culture; in the larger sense, the problem is
to determine whether similar adjustments occur in
similar environments