Topic Explorer · Paper I
Anthropological Theories Questions in UPSC Anthropology Optional Mains
The theoretical backbone of Paper I — from classical evolutionism and diffusionism to structuralism, cultural materialism and interpretive anthropology, with the thinkers and critiques that examiners expect you to name.
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34 questions · 31 answered
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Paper I 8 — Anthropological Theories
All year-wise Anthropological Theories questions
2026
How is the theory of structuralism helpful in understanding the concepts of caste and gender?
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2026
Critically discuss how culture determines human behaviour in the light of Leslie White's theory.
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2026
Compare Edmund Leach's structuralism with interpretive anthropology of Clifford Geertz.
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2026
Discuss, with appropriate examples, how basic personality types may lead towards building up of national character.
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2025
Compare and contrast the symbolic approaches of Clifford Geertz and Victor Turner to understand culture.
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2025
How the theories of postmodernism are relevant in promoting social justice and empowerment of marginalised communities?
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2024
Critically discuss the characteristics of the psychological types in the cultures of the American South-West as observed by Ruth Benedict.
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2024
How does Levi-Strauss look at the Tsimshian myth of Asdiwal? Critically discuss Levi-Strauss' theory of structuralism in the light of his study of mythologies.
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2024
Critically explain the notion of 'deconstruction' in the light of the postmodern works of Jacques Derrida.
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2024
Discuss historical particularism as a critical development to the classical evolutionism.
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2023
William Ogburn and Cultural lag
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2023
Discuss political and methodological aspects of national character studies. Elucidate the contemporary relevance of such studies.
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2023
Critically examine Arjun Appadurai's conceptualization of global cultural economy.
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2022
Discuss the approaches of Leslie White, Julian Steward and Marshall Sahlins in the light of cultural evolution.
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2021
Elucidate the concept of “thick description” of Clifford Geertz with a suitable example.
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2021
Historical Particularism and Franz Boas
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2020
Victor Turner and Liminality
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2020
Discuss various anthropological approaches to the study of personality and culture.
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2019
Cultural Materialism
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2019
Examine critically the contributions of Victor Turner and Clifford Geertz in anthropology.
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2018
What do you understand by the National Character Study ? Illustrate the concept.
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2018
Gordon Childe's Theory of Cultural Evolution
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2017
Basic tenets of structural-functionalism
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2017
Explain Ruth Benedict's patterns of culture.
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2017
Critically examine the Stewardian view of neo-evolutionism.
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2016
How do the concepts of binary opposites and exchange figure in Levi-Strauss' structural analysis of kinship ?
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2016
Functionalism
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2016
According to Geertz, how does the cock-fight reveal aspects of Balinese culture ?
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2015
Historical Particularism.
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2015
How did Morgan explain the evolution of marriage, family and Socio-Political organization, and how did other evolutionists disagree with his explanation?
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2015
How do diffusionism and evolutionism differ as explanations of Culture Change ?
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2015
Explain the basic features of 'Postmodernism' in Anthropology.
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2015
What made Geertz's Interpretive Anthropology distinct from Turner's Symbolic Anthropology ? What does each of them mean by the terms 'Symbol' and 'Symbolic' ?
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2014
What is functionalism ? Discuss the functional approach to the understanding of Religion.
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