Enter the colorful “new fields”
——Opportunities and Challenges of Anthropology
August 16, 2024 14:16 Source: "China Social Sciences Journal" Issue 2957, August 16, 2024 Author: Our reporter Liu Yuwei

In the field of humanities and social sciences,Anthropology has a broad research horizon and unique academic focus,Show distinctive interdisciplinary characteristics and global perspective。This modern discipline originated in the West,Since entering China,In the process of innovation and localization of independent knowledge systems,Continuously showing unique academic charm。In the context of an era when mankind is facing major changes in the world unseen in a century,What ideals and pursuits do anthropologists have?How should we update our academic ideas,Especially in the innovation of field investigation methods?In addition,How to cultivate professional talents,Give this discipline a new sense of mission and vitality?Anthropologists from the “Global South” and “Global North” countries、Community Member、Social workers and students communicate and cooperate,What moral principles should be followed?In response to these questions,Our reporter interviewed a professor from the School of Ethnology and Sociology of Yunnan University、Yin Shaoting, librarian of Yunnan Provincial Research Institute of Literature and History, and famous African archaeologist、Gao Chang (Augustin F, Distinguished Professor of School of Society and Anthropology, Xiamen University. C. Holl)。

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"China Social Sciences Journal": What social factors and internal factors in academia promote the development of anthropology?What other theories are there、Schools and knowledge systems have a profound influence on field investigation methods?

Gao Chang:Within the broad field of anthropology,Project Research、The choice of theoretical framework and research methods is affected by a series of factors,Including society、Political and substantive scientific issues, etc.。Academia often has its own research “trends”,Certain “hot topics” often cause young scholars to “follow the trend”。In order to clarify the scope of discussion,Let us first define the four major branches of anthropology。First, physical anthropology is also called biological anthropology,Aiming to reveal genetics、The interaction between physiological and other biological factors and social and cultural systems,And the impact on human diversity;The second is archaeological anthropology,By studying material remains including artifacts、Architecture and landforms, etc.,To explore human culture and behavior;The third is linguistic anthropology,Exploring the role of language in social interaction;The fourth is cultural anthropology and social anthropology,Focus on analyzing modern society and its cultural phenomena。

The rise of postmodernism and the development of cultural studies,Has a profound impact on global anthropology。On the one hand,Cultural anthropology is asked to get rid of its "original sin",As a product of colonialism,It leads to the division of disciplines,Also makes the academic community a standard theory in the field of anthropology、Criticism of core principles or authoritative paradigms is more pointed。On the other hand,Research in the field of historical linguistics has made significant progress。The history of the origins and development of language has become a vibrant sub-discipline with a solid empirical basis。

The emerging field of genomics was born from the Human Genome Project,Fundamentally changed society’s understanding of human evolution and human history。Facing the huge impact of modern DNA research,Many archaeologists and cultural anthropologists feel the need to defend themselves。Evolutionary Anthropology integrates four major branches,Obviously a new research direction。It relies on the exquisite application of artificial intelligence,It is expected to help scholars formulate new hypotheses on complex issues such as global population dynamics。Of course,There are many other questions and unknown Bet365 app download areas waiting for anthropologists to explore。

  Yin Shaoting:The knowledge production of social sciences can be roughly divided into two worlds - one is the world of words,The other world is the field。Different disciplines,The footing is also different。For example,History is based on the world of words,Anthropology is based on the field world。The world of words is the past、Predecessors (or others)、The accumulation space of known experience and knowledge,The field world is realistic、living、Unknown deposits of experience and knowledge。

 For anthropologists,The world of words is certainly vast and profound,With learning、Discover、Inheritance、Use、Broad space for promotion,However, due to the huge difference in time and space,The limitations are also obvious,It cannot be used as the only source of knowledge to understand the world, especially the real world。Facing natural degradation、Environmental pollution、Shortage of resources、Social Transformation、Information explosion、Frequent wars、Problems such as the raging plague,The world urgently needs new knowledge、Xinzhi、New policy,In order to eliminate the accumulated disadvantages、Easing the crisis、Sustainable Development。For this,Explore into the fields、Research、Discovered、Reform、Innovation、Creation,Still an important way。

No matter what subject,If you value the fields,Then its purpose is nothing more than two points: one is to find problems,Looking for solutions to problems;The second is to obtain new knowledge,Verify or construct a new theory。However,Due to different disciplines,The field research methods created and applied by scholars are also very different,There is even an idea、Fundamental differences in ethics and other aspects。

Anthropology is often called "field science",Field work is the foundation of anthropology,What distinguishes anthropology from history、Sociology、Political Science、The main characteristics of religious studies and other disciplines。Anthropologists often refer to fieldwork as a “rite of passage”,A kind of rite of passage into a mature professional status。Fieldwork is far more than just a method,It has become a basic component of anthropologists and the anthropological knowledge system。

In the field of cultural anthropology,Normal fieldwork methods were practiced by the British anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski、Create、Summary、Advocated。Ma family from August 1914 to March 1915、May 1915 to May 1916、October 1917 to October 1918,Three field research trips to New Guinea and the Trobriand Islands for a total of two years and eight months,And wrote "Navigators in the Western Pacific"。The fieldwork method he summarized in the "Introduction" of the book has become a consensus principle followed by cultural anthropology。The above method has the following points: there must be sufficient theoretical preparation before entering the field;Really use the field as a "laboratory" for empirical innovation;Field investigators should strive to master the indigenous languages,Live with local people for a long time,Conduct participant observation,Overcoming cultural centrism,Using the "theme" investigation method。

Over a hundred years,With the changes of the times and the development of society,Cultural anthropology has made great progress in theory,Diverse theoretical schools,There are more than ten representative theories。In terms of research methods,Of course there is no shortage of doubts、Reflection、Discussion、Debate、Breakthrough、New Comments,Many methodologies are worthy of recognition,However, everything changes and remains true to its roots,Field investigation methods and principles founded by Ma,Still the basic method principles,Still largely adhered to by cultural anthropology,And influence other disciplines。

  "Chinese Social Sciences Journal": Anthropological fieldwork in theory、What are the problems in teaching and practice?What reform measures are the international anthropology community trying??

Yin Shaoting:I said it before,After more than a hundred years,The field-based nature of anthropology remains the same,Basic field ethics founded in the early days、The principles and methods remain unchanged。Nevertheless,Due to the rapid changes of the times,Society is becoming increasingly complex,Various problems and contradictions are intertwined,To adapt to social changes,Continue to play a constructive role,All fields of social sciences and various branches of anthropology must keep pace with the times,Expand your horizons、Innovation Theory、Innovation Theory,To maintain and enhance the vitality of the discipline。Of course,Due to different national conditions,The development trends of anthropology in various countries are also different,Already have something in common,There are also differences。

In China,Anthropology is a discipline introduced from the West。Over a long period of time,It is an indisputable fact that anthropology follows the Western tradition in theory and teaching。Academic Exchange,Reference,Indispensable for discipline construction,But if everything is copied、Blindly obey,Staying in imitation and plagiarism,Even obsessed with concepts and word games,That would not only be useless,And it’s harmful。

For decades,Chinese anthropology circles make unremitting efforts to localize the discipline,Remarkable achievements。In recent years,Chinese anthropology and ethnology have entered a new stage of development,Adapting to Chinese-style modernization、Serving the national development strategy、Starting from the needs of building a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation,Discipline adjustments have been made、Enrich teaching、Strengthening scientific research and a series of reforms,This is important for promoting the localization process of Chinese anthropology and ethnology、Creating a new situation in the development of Chinese anthropology and ethnology will have a significant impact。

  Gao Chang:The world is changing rapidly,New challenges emerge in endlessly,Research in any field must keep up with the development trend of the times。However, different fields or sub-fields have different external influences。Participant observation method is an iconic survey research method in anthropology。For archaeological anthropologists,This means conducting a field survey、Mining and Data Processing;For physical anthropologists,It involves sample collection and laboratory work;To culture、For social and linguistic anthropologists,It involves immersive field research、Collecting and processing data, etc.。Archaeological anthropologists are committed to using archaeological remains and material culture to reconstruct the evolution of ancient societies。Theories guide decision-making at archaeological sites、Determining the mining area and selecting the data analysis method is crucial。Ecology、Models such as spatial analysis and demography provide illuminating tools for addressing archaeological questions in anthropology。

I have been using action teaching methods for more than 40 years,Let undergraduates and graduate students fully participate in all aspects of anthropological research。The action teaching method consists of three parts: the first part is classroom teaching,Open regular courses;The second part is fieldwork,Opening field survey courses;The third part is the laboratory analysis of archaeological data,Open experimental courses。I also offer the course "Anthropology Research Design" for graduate students,And held a series of writing lectures。The contents of these lectures were eventually compiled and published into three collections。

On the international anthropological agenda,The worst thing that could happen is to have students trained by “armchair anthropologists” with no fieldwork experience。Field work is a beneficial impact of the real world on abstract theory,Contributes to improving and refining anthropological theory。We should do our best to protect researchers、Free movement of academics and students around the world,Actively promote exchanges between teachers from various countries。We must systematically promote interdisciplinary education and training,bet365 live casino games Prevent the rigidity of subject boundaries。Maybe,Higher education and academic institutions should respond to climate change、Public Health、Sustainable development、Renewable energy and clean technology、“Big issues” such as smart cities are the core,Carry out structural reform,To make full use of the comprehensive advantages of multi-disciplinary knowledge and experience。

 Promote social progress and comprehensive human development

"China Social Sciences Journal": As global problems become increasingly severe,The public increasingly expects academic research to have a positive impact on the real world。How anthropological fieldwork methods can help solve problems in China and around the world?

Gao Chang:This is a profound and challenging question。As revealed by the two concepts of “basic research” and “applied research”,Producing and disseminating new knowledge is one aspect,Translate knowledge into solutions to new problems,On the other hand。Although academic institutions are often labeled as “ivory towers”,But most of the universities I have contacted,For example, University of California, San Diego、University of Michigan, USA、University Paris 10, France,Even the French National Center for Scientific Research,Both have established the “University Social Responsibility” project。At my initiative,Xiamen University Alumni Association agrees to provide assistance to some institutions in Africa,This case illustrates the multiple positive roles universities play in promoting social progress。

 1990s to early 21st century,The debate on anthropology and ethics is fierce。Facing extreme poverty、Police violence、Issues such as genocide or ethno-cultural genocide,What should anthropologists do?Cruel and complex real-life problems often put anthropologists in a dilemma。Therefore,Education and training in anthropology need continuous improvement,Let students face the multi-faceted nature of human nature,Shaping self-awareness through fieldwork experience、World view and moral outlook。On the one hand,Anthropology students should learn and understand the inner logic of various cultural practices,Engage with local communities at various scales。On the other hand,Students should work with community members to explore ways to eliminate social and cultural ills,To adapt to the background of globalization。Each step is critical for anthropologists to take proactive steps in the face of social injustice。

  Yin Shaoting:Cultural Anthropology is a very theoretical subject,It is also a subject with rich application。Of course,Times are different,Different service subjects,The applied research value they exert is also different。For example,Anthropology and ethnology fieldwork during the period of imperialist expansion has colonialist overtones,The anthropological and ethnological fieldwork in the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China had the significance of safeguarding national equality and unity。

Nearly half a century,Applied research in the international anthropology community can be found all over the world,Involving various fields,Too many projects to list。Chinese anthropology academic community is no exception,In various periods of social development,Both have outstanding performance in applied research in anthropology。To give a few examples: ethnologist Ma Yao in the 1950s、Mr. Wang Lianfang’s team proposed the “direct transition” theory through investigation and research on the Jingpo people in Dehong, Yunnan,Adopted by the national ethnic policy,Has a profound impact;1980s,The team of ethnologist Mr. Du Yuting is engaged in "Research on Various Forms of Pre-capitalist Society in Yunnan",In-depth exploration of the status and causes of differences in social forms,And through the study of typical cases,Proposed several constructive policy suggestions for the social development of ethnic minorities,Outstanding contribution;1990s to present,Professor Jing Jun, an anthropologist at Tsinghua University in Anthropology、Remarkable achievements in the field of sociology,Its effect bet365 Play online games on elderly problems、Urban vulnerable groups、Research on youth training, etc.,Both are major issues of great concern in contemporary times,Fully reflects the contemporary value of applied research in anthropology。

Chinese anthropology pays attention to the fine tradition of "managing the world for practical purposes",It was pioneered and laid down by the older generation of anthropologists represented by Mr. Fei Xiaotong。Mr. Fei Xiaotong devoted his life to the study of Chinese society,His works such as "Jiangcun Economy" and "Rural China",Creation of existing theories,Another example of applied research,Enjoys a high reputation in the international anthropology community。In 1987, Mr. Fei Xiaotong founded the "Chinese Society and Development Research Center",Nearly eighty years old and still active in the fields,OK, OK, OK,Continuing urban development、Urban-rural relations、Border area development、Research on regional development and other issues,Making important contributions to China’s social reform and development。

The current global problems are becoming increasingly serious,China also faces various problems and challenges in the process of modernization。Faced with such a situation,Anthropology will inevitably respond positively,Further enhance applied research,This should be the general consensus in the international anthropological community。

  Deepen international cooperation in anthropology through equal dialogue

《Chinese Social Sciences Journal》: During fieldwork,Anthropologists face doubts、Distrust、How to respond to situations such as disagreement?Anthropologists from the “Global South” and “Global North” countries engage in cross-cultural dialogue、When conducting cooperation,What ethical principles should be followed?

Yin Shaoting:For the first question,I have a deep understanding。1990s,Feeling that the rural ecological environment is in urgent need of protection,Traditional culture urgently needs to be inherited and carried forward,We organized, planned and implemented an interdisciplinary applied research project called "Yunnan Ethnic Cultural Ecological Village Construction" which lasted for more than ten years。To the so-called "ethnic cultural ecological village",Our definition is: “In the context of globalization,In the scene of China’s modernization construction,Strive to comprehensively protect and inherit excellent regional and national culture,And strive to achieve cultural and ecological environment、Society、Rural construction model of economic coordination and sustainable development。”

In the early stages of implementation of the ethnic cultural ecological village construction project,We did encounter many difficulties,Including doubts from all aspects、Distrust、Disagree、Not supported etc.。After a period of exploration、Running-in、Summary,We found the "key" to solve the problem,That means we must put aside the shackles of "bookism",Integrate into the fields,Seek truth from facts,In addition to fully respecting and relying on the villagers,The position of scholars must also be corrected,Facing all aspects of existence、Influence and role,Transpose yourself to understand the demands of all aspects、Benefits,Actively coordinate the relationship between all aspects,To resolve conflicts,Strive to build a community with a shared future for rural construction,Thus achieving the goal of joint construction, win-win and common prosperity。As a specific implementation policy,We proposed "Government Leadership,Village-led,Scholar guidance,The organizational operating principle of “social participation”,And implement it throughout the entire construction process。Due to correctly handling the positioning and relationships of all aspects involved in the construction,Close interaction in practice、Mutual understanding、Mutual inspiration、Learn from each other、Mutual promotion,Not only eliminates the misunderstanding and indifference encountered in the early stage of project implementation,And we gained recognition and respect,Achieved new results in applied research and exploration。

During the implementation bet365 Play online games of the "Yunnan Ethnic Cultural Ecological Village Construction" project,There are a large number of anthropology scholars from countries in the Global South and countries in the Global North、Social workers and students come to visit, inspect and exchange。Important exchange inspections such as the two presidents of the United Nations University visiting the pilot village Nanjing,And held a seminar in Nanji Village attended by dozens of experts and scholars from around the world。As the project leader,I have been invited to participate in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Asia、Europe、Many countries in Oceania and conferences hosted by UNESCO and gave special reports,Resonates every time。A foreign scholar once said: "I was very moved,I listened to your story with tears in my heart!”This shows,International exchange、Dialogue should be based on equality of discourse、On the basis of mutual respect,To win the other party’s recognition and appreciation,Cannot rely on imitation、Catering、Curiosity、Mysterious,Instead, we must contribute pioneering features with distinctive localization and internationalization、Innovative research results。

 Gao Chang:Academic research without ethical construction should not be accepted in any field of knowledge。In research history in all disciplines,Especially the humanities and social sciences,It is not uncommon for academics to abuse their dominant position。Academic institutions and local authorities are funding fieldwork、Granting permission for specific research also establishes guidelines and regulations。Researchers have a responsibility to articulate the objectives of fieldwork as clearly as possible to local communities。Unfortunately,Based on personal experience,Sometimes local communities are skeptical of anthropologists,Think we have an ulterior motive。In a country I am not comfortable disclosing,Community members are convinced I’m looking for hidden treasures,Especially gold。They can’t understand why I spend so much money and time collecting those seemingly “useless” broken pottery pieces。However,After the first fieldwork season,Change in community opinion。In other contexts,Anthropologists have to face the hostility of those who have deep feelings for their ancestral lands。However,Just keep the communication channels open,Anthropologists can often reach a tacit understanding with local communities,Form a "gentleman's agreement"。

Scholars from “Global North” countries and “Global South” countries are steadily strengthening cooperation and exchanges,But there are still many problems that have not been resolved。The wealth gap causes those who control funds to often influence the direction of research。Based on my understanding of African academia,Research in the humanities and social sciences receives extremely limited public funding。African scholars with professional training should have become the backbone of national scientific research。However, the reality is,African scholars are sometimes exploited by researchers from countries in the Global North,Become their “mercenaries” to carry out original research projects in African countries。In addition,Incomplete scientific research infrastructure puts African scholars at a disadvantage in global scientific research。This situation not only restricts the improvement of scientific research capabilities of African scholars,And it has affected the status and development of African countries in the field of international scientific research。All surveys conducted in Europe and the United States clearly indicate minority scientists,Especially Arabs、African and Latino,Facing difficulties in obtaining research funding。Their research results are often ignored by the academic community,Fewer citations。Nevertheless,There are still people who are working tirelessly,Committed to eliminating inequality。

  Digital technology promotes the formation of "new fields"

"China Social Sciences News": What do you think of the multiple impacts of new generation digital technologies such as artificial intelligence on fieldwork?In the process of knowledge production in various branches of anthropology,How should scholars define the role of digital technology?

Gao Chang:Whether the academic community accepts it or not,New technologies such as artificial intelligence will profoundly change the future direction of anthropology。Currently,Academia is in the stage of exploring emerging technologies,Scholars hold different views on this。Academic journal editors often worry about authors forging identity information,University management is concerned about students’ academic misconduct。This phenomenon is just like the double-faced god Janus in Roman mythology,Symbolizes the dual nature of things。In the field of archaeological anthropology,Artificial intelligence will significantly enhance scholars’ ability to use social models to verify hypotheses about changes in ancient social forms。Artificial intelligence can also assist scholars in processing various types and structures of data in data cluster analysis、Further simplify and optimize the data analysis process、Effectively deal with specific problems。For example,Some scholars want to study the population of East Africa in 10,000 BC、Life expectancy in 5000 BC and 2000 BC。If the relevant burial information has been properly processed and released to the public,Scholars can work faster with the help of artificial intelligence search engines、Get the information you need more accurately。Such a research project might have taken years to complete。

Yin Shaoting: Scholars of Our Generation,Experienced from using a pen、The process from chalk to computer writing and Internet application,At present, a new generation of digital technologies such as artificial intelligence will usher in,It’s hard to imagine how research methods and means will change。Same,The fields will also be unpredictable,The fields we are familiar with may change drastically in the short term or even disappear。I recently heard an agricultural science expert categorically assert that artificial intelligence and new technology agriculture will completely replace traditional agriculture within 5 years!This shocked me,As a researcher of traditional countryside and farming culture,I suddenly felt that I was facing a serious crisis and severe challenge。Of course,The old fields were eliminated and disappeared,New fields will be generated;The old fields are colorful,The new fields will surely be brilliant。However,As far as rural agriculture is concerned,While shocked, doubts also arise: once new digital technologies such as smart agriculture cover the whole country,There will definitely be a small number of people、Uninhabited fields,No more rice transplanting、Niu Peng and other poetic and picturesque things,Where will the large agricultural population go?How to make a living?Not only that,Artificial Intelligence、Big data、The agricultural homogeneous fields created by new technologies such as cloud computing,Whether it will affect biological and crop diversity and traditional farming is full of emotions、Faith、The spiritual world of etiquette, etc.,Forming a natural and cultural desert?Facing the problems and challenges brought about by the development of science and technology,How will anthropology and other humanities and social science disciplines adapt to the situation?Answer the above questions and related challenges,We have a long way to go。

Editor: Zhang Jing
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