Robert Edgerton and concept of Cultural Relativism?

Question

Robert Edgerton and concept of Cultural Relativism?

discuss Robert Edgerton disagreement with the concept of Cultural Relativism.what were his main objectives and alternatives to this concept and whats your opinion about his concept

Answer 1

I just read the google books excerpt and I have a hard time seeing what Edgerton dislikes specifically about Cultural Relativism.  He spent most of the excerpt talking about how some cultures have harmful practices and beliefs that some members of the tribe disagree with, but to me that just shows that no culture is perfect.  It doesn't really say anything about anthropology.  He talks about wanting "evaluative analysis" as an alternative.  Maybe that's a valid criticism; I'm not familiar enough with anthropology to judge.  

In History, we don't have Cultural Relativism but we do learn to consider context.  Sensitivity to the time period we're studying is important to understanding the motivations of the actors in choosing a certain course of action or holding a particular prejudice.  It is important to know what actors knew and believed and what information they had at the time.  This kind of sensitivity doesn't mean that we have to approve of slavery, dropping atomic bombs, or quarantining populations without access to food and water.  Setting aside those judgments to step into the past while we research makes us better scholars.  Maybe anthropologists don't step out of their research and that's where they get into trouble?  Again, I'm not familiar enough with anthropology to know - I can read a selection from a book though ;) and I bet you can too, hopefully with enough background knowledge to get more out of it than I did.

Answer 2

I DONT HAVE AN ANSWER BUT IT WOULD BE OF  HELP IF SOMEONE CAN HELP ME THROUGH THE ANSWER BECAUSE I NEED IT FOR A CLASS I HAVE

Answer 3

This link will take you to a site that will give you exactly what you want. You'll have to read it and summarize it but that's the best way to learn.

I pretty much agree with Edgerton though.