Cultural Materialism: A Critical Approach

Cultural materialism is a theoretical approach in anthropology and cultural studies that emphasizes the relationship between culture and material conditions. This approach argues that culture is shaped by the material conditions of society, such as technology, economy, and social relations.

The cultural materialist approach was first developed by anthropologist Marvin Harris in the 1960s as a response to the dominant cultural relativist approach in anthropology. Harris argued that cultural practices and beliefs are not just arbitrary or symbolic, but are shaped by the material conditions of society.

The term “cultural materialism” was coined by Marvin Harris in his 1968 book, “The Rise of Anthropological Theory”. However, in the context of literary theory and cultural studies, the term was also coined by Raymond Williams, who used it to describe a blend of Marxist analysis and leftist culturalism.

Key Principles of Cultural Materialism:

1. Material conditions shape culture: Cultural materialists argue that culture is shaped by the material conditions of society, such as technology, economy, and social relations.
2. Culture is adaptive: Cultural practices and beliefs are adaptations to the material conditions of society.
3. Culture is not just symbolic: Cultural materialists argue that culture is not just symbolic or arbitrary, but is shaped by the material conditions of society.

Examples of Cultural Materialism:

1. The Sacred Cow: In Hindu India, the cow is considered sacred. Cultural materialists argue that this belief is shaped by the material conditions of Indian society, where cows are an important source of milk, labor, and fertilizer.
2. The Potlatch: Among the Native American tribes of the Pacific Northwest, the potlatch ceremony involves the exchange of gifts. Cultural materialists argue that this ceremony is shaped by the material conditions of these societies, where resources are scarce and the exchange of gifts is a way of maintaining social relations.

The proponents of cultural materialism and their notable works are:

• Marvin Harris:
  “The Rise of Anthropological Theory” (1968)
  “Cannibals and Kings: The Origins of Culture” (1977)
• Julian Steward:
  “Evolution and Ecology: Essays on Social Transformation” (1977)
  “Chapter 20: The Concept and Method of Cultural Ecology” from “Theory of Culture Change” (1955)
• Leslie White:
  “Energy and Tools” from “Readings for a History of Anthropological Theory” (1959)
  “The Concept of Culture” (1973)
• R. Brian Ferguson:
  “Warfare, Culture, and Environment” (1984)
  “Yanomami Warfare: A Political History” (1995)
• Martin F. Murphy:
  “Dominican Sugar Plantations: Production and Foreign Labor Integration” (1991)
• Maxine L. Margolis:
  “Mothers and Such: Views of American Women and Why They Changed” (1984)
  “The Moving Frontier: Social and Economic Change in a Southern Brazilian Community” (1973)
• Allen Johnson:
  “The Evolution of Human Societies: From Foraging Group to Agrarian State” (1987)

Alan Sinfield:

Alan Sinfield is one of the founding figures of the theory, a critical movement in literary theory and cultural studies. Some of his works include:

• “Political Shakespeare: Essays in Cultural Materialism” (1985) co-authored with Jonathan Dollimore
• “Shakespeare, Authority, Sexuality: Unfinished Business in Cultural Materialism” (2006)
• “Literature in Protestant England, 1560–1660” (1980s)
• “Literature, Politics and Culture in Postwar Britain” (1989)
• “Faultlines: Cultural Materialism and the Politics of Dissident Reading” (1992)
• “Gay and After” (1998)
• “On Sexuality and Power” (2004)

Jonathan Doliimore:

Jonathan Dollimore is a prominent literary critic and theorist, known for his work in cultural materialism and queer theory. Some of his notable works include:

• “Political Shakespeare: Essays in Cultural Materialism” (1985), co-authored with Alan Sinfield
• “Sexual Dissidence: Augustine to Wilde, Freud to Foucault” (1991)
• “Death, Desire and Loss in Western Culture” (1998)
• “Sex, Literature and Censorship” (2001)

Dollimore’s work in the field focuses on the intersections of literature, culture, and politics, particularly in the Early Modern period. He is known for his critiques of liberal humanism and his advocacy for a more radical, materialist approach to literary analysis.

Some key concepts in Dollimore’s work include:

• Cultural materialism: a critical approach that emphasizes the material conditions of cultural production and reception.
• Sexual dissidence: a term used to describe non-normative sexualities and desires that challenge dominant cultural and political norms.
• Death, desire, and loss: themes that Dollimore explores in his work on Western culture, particularly in relation to the construction of sexuality and the self.

Overall, Dollimore’s work has been influential in shaping the fields of cultural materialism, queer theory, and literary criticism.

Criticisms of Cultural Materialism:

1. Reductionism: Critics argue that cultural materialism reduces culture to material conditions, ignoring the complexity and richness of cultural practices.
2. Determinism: Critics argue that cultural materialism implies that culture is determined by material conditions, ignoring the agency and creativity of individuals.

Conclusion:

It is a critical approach to understanding culture that emphasizes the relationship between culture and material conditions. While it has been influential in shaping the field of anthropology and cultural studies, it has also been subject to criticisms of reductionism and determinism. Nevertheless, cultural materialism remains an important theoretical approach for understanding the complex relationships between culture and society.

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