Continuity, Continuity, Transformation, Transformation,

ChangeChange►Exploring Ways of Marking TimeExploring Ways of Marking Time►Tradition, Modernity, Tradition, Modernity, PostmodernityPostmodernity►Hasn’t this Happened Before?Hasn’t this Happened Before?

Exploring Ways of Marking Exploring Ways of Marking TimeTime

► Cyclical TimeCyclical Time

The Life SpiralThe Life Spiral

The Seasons, A The Seasons, A Life, Astronomical Life, Astronomical Time (the Maya Time (the Maya Count, Count, Stonehenge, Stonehenge, Medicine Wheels)Medicine Wheels)

Exploring the Ways of Marking Exploring the Ways of Marking TimeTime

Dreamtime: Origins and Dreamtime: Origins and MeaningsMeaningsThe Dreaming has different The Dreaming has different meanings for different Aboriginal meanings for different Aboriginal Australian groups. The Dreaming Australian groups. The Dreaming can be seen as an embodiment of can be seen as an embodiment of Aboriginal creation which gives Aboriginal creation which gives meaning to everything. It meaning to everything. It establishes the rules governing establishes the rules governing relationships between the people, relationships between the people, the land and all things for Aboriginal the land and all things for Aboriginal people.people.

The Role of Oral TraditionThe Role of Oral TraditionAustralian Aborigines have the Australian Aborigines have the longest cultural history in the longest cultural history in the world, which some estimate at world, which some estimate at 65,000 years65,000 years

Exploring the Ways of Marking Exploring the Ways of Marking TimeTime

► Linear TimeLinear TimeChronicle, Heroic Chronicle, Heroic Exploits, and the Exploits, and the Right to RuleRight to Rule

The Role of The Role of WritingWritingCuneiform in Mesopotamia Cuneiform in Mesopotamia 3300 BC3300 BCHieroglyphs in Egypt Hieroglyphs in Egypt 3100 BC3100 BC

TraditionTradition► belief, values, way of life: “the belief, values, way of life: “the

passing down of elements of a passing down of elements of a culture from generation to culture from generation to generation, especially by oral generation, especially by oral communication.”communication.”

► harmony with the pastharmony with the past► tightly knit community and familytightly knit community and family► Merriam-Webster Dictionary:Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

1 : an inherited, established, or 1 : an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior (as a religious action, or behavior (as a religious practice or a social custom)practice or a social custom)2 : the handing down of information, 2 : the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one mouth or by example from one generation to another without generation to another without writtenwritteninstructioninstruction3 : cultural continuity in social 3 : cultural continuity in social attitudes, customs, and institutionsattitudes, customs, and institutions4 : characteristic manner, method, 4 : characteristic manner, method, or styleor style

ModernityModernity

► a 20th century idea, a 20th century idea, although its roots are in the although its roots are in the Industrial RevolutionIndustrial Revolution

► related to the idea of related to the idea of progressprogress (which can be (which can be traced back at least 2000 traced back at least 2000 years to Classical times)years to Classical times)

► goal oriented and goal oriented and developmental developmental (‘underdevelopment’)(‘underdevelopment’)

► based on transformations in based on transformations in mechanization and factory mechanization and factory production (hence production (hence FordismFordism) ) and changes in society (e.g., and changes in society (e.g., gender and family changes)gender and family changes)

ModernityModernity► changes in society (e.g., gender changes in society (e.g., gender

and family changes)and family changes)► shift from primarily production to shift from primarily production to

primarily consumption begins for primarily consumption begins for early industrial nationsearly industrial nations

► alienation from work (make only a alienation from work (make only a component not the total product)component not the total product)

► alienation from family and placealienation from family and place► increasing mobilityincreasing mobility► increasing diversity of personal increasing diversity of personal

experienceexperience► increasing social problemsincreasing social problems► decreasing healthdecreasing health► loss of traditional identities and the loss of traditional identities and the

search for new ones in a changed search for new ones in a changed worldworld

► increased independence but also increased independence but also responsibilityresponsibility

ModernityModernity► Merriam-Webster:Merriam-Webster: 1 a: of, relating to, or 1 a: of, relating to, or

characteristic of the present or characteristic of the present or the immediate past: the immediate past: CONTEMPORARY CONTEMPORARY 1 b: of, relating to, or 1 b: of, relating to, or characteristic of a period characteristic of a period extending from a relevant extending from a relevant remote past to the present timeremote past to the present time2: involving recent techniques, 2: involving recent techniques, methods, or ideas : UP-TO-DATEmethods, or ideas : UP-TO-DATE3: capitalized: of, relating to, or 3: capitalized: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of the having the characteristics of the present or most recent period of present or most recent period of development of a languagedevelopment of a language4: of or relating to modernism : 4: of or relating to modernism : MODERNISTMODERNIST

PostmodernityPostmodernity► critique of economic and social critique of economic and social

conditions brought on by conditions brought on by industrializationindustrialization

► attempt at a return to elements of attempt at a return to elements of traditiontradition

► rebellion against unchecked rebellion against unchecked capitalismcapitalism

► stress on the individual increases stress on the individual increases and greater need for escape and greater need for escape (addiction, religious fervor)(addiction, religious fervor)

► Merriam-Webster:Merriam-Webster: of, relating to, or being any of of, relating to, or being any of

several movements (as in art,several movements (as in art,architecture, or literature) that are architecture, or literature) that are reactions against the philosophy reactions against the philosophy and practices of modern and practices of modern movements and are typically movements and are typically marked by revival of traditional marked by revival of traditional elements and techniqueselements and techniques

But Hasn’t this Happened But Hasn’t this Happened Before?Before?► The Classical WorldThe Classical World

Hesiod (fl. 700 BC), in Operae et Hesiod (fl. 700 BC), in Operae et Dies (Works and Days), bemoans Dies (Works and Days), bemoans how things are falling apart, wishes how things are falling apart, wishes to return to a truer, simpler time to return to a truer, simpler time (this is called the Primitivist (this is called the Primitivist tradition in Classical scholarship)tradition in Classical scholarship)Ammianus and other writers admire Ammianus and other writers admire Progress and glorify Roman Progress and glorify Roman achievements against the achievements against the Barbarian tribes (Positivist Tradition Barbarian tribes (Positivist Tradition in Classical scholarship)in Classical scholarship)

► Our Current WorldOur Current WorldJihad vs. McWorldJihad vs. McWorldFundamentalists (both Christian Fundamentalists (both Christian and Muslim) decry the debasement and Muslim) decry the debasement of the ‘modern’ worldof the ‘modern’ worldJust as Modernization did, Just as Modernization did, Globalization sweeps away Globalization sweeps away traditions that knit societies traditions that knit societies together, standardizes what we eat, together, standardizes what we eat, drive, wear—and eventually–think.drive, wear—and eventually–think.

Continuity, Transformation, Continuity, Transformation, ChangeChange

► A Dialectical Approach: A Dialectical Approach:

Cancel old ways, Cancel old ways,

Preserve some things Preserve some things from that time, from that time,

Transcend to a new Transcend to a new statestate

► Studying Continuity, Studying Continuity, Transformation, and Transformation, and Change in human Change in human societies is a core societies is a core pursuit of Anthropologypursuit of Anthropology