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Regional Mexico: An Overview. ANTH 221: Peoples and Cultures of Mexico Kimberly Martin, Ph.D. Culture and the Environment. Ecological anthropology = the study of the relationship between a groups culture and its environment
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Regional Mexico:An Overview ANTH 221: Peoples and Cultures of Mexico Kimberly Martin, Ph.D.
Culture and the Environment • Ecological anthropology = the study of the relationship between a groups culture and its environment • includes how culture affects the environment and how the environment affects culture. • Reciprocal and cyclical mutual adaptation (adjustment) of cultural systems to environment and environmental systems to culture.
Systems Theory • Cultures are systems • All parts of a system are interrelated • Kinship system, economic system, religious system, political system (etc.) are parts of the larger cultural system • Systems Change in Feedback loops (cycles) • Positive feedback = as one thing increases, others also increase • Negative feedback = as one thing increases, others decrease
Determinism • Kinds of determinism include • Biological determinism = our biology is our destiny; our psychology, social systems and culture are determined entirely by our genetics, anatomy and physiology • Vs. biology and environmental conditions interact with each other to produce psychological and social systems and culture. • Environmental determinism = the physical environment determines what the culture of a society will be. • Vs. Environmental “possibilism” = the environment limits the kinds of culture that a society can develop.
Geographic ZonesDesert = dry with no grass, little rainfall, desert adapted cactus and succulent plants
Geographic Zones • Steppe = a relatively flat grassland without trees, not quite dry enough to qualify as a desert.
Geographic Zones • Savannah = a relatively flat combination of grassland and open forest where a forest canopy does not form.
Geographic Zones Temperate forest = high density of trees that do not form a canopy, but allow light to filter in; light to moderate seasonal rain
Geographic Zones • Temperate Rainforest = Heavily forested with tree canopy and heavy seasonal rain.
Geographic Zones Tropical Rainforest = Heavily forested with multiple levels of canopy, heavy rain year round.
Geography Zones: Altitude Satellite Map Relief Map
The central plateau and the valley of Oaxaca = high altitude plateaus with savannah and temperate forest geography and seasonal rain. The Maya Area = Tropical rainforest (the Highland Maya and Savannah/Steppe (the Lowland Maya). The gulf coast = primarily savannah and tropical rainforest..