This document contains notes from a lecture on the peoples and cultures of Sub-Saharan Africa. It discusses several topics including the history of anthropological studies of Africa, perceptions of Africa, colonialism, missionary work, medical anthropology, belief systems, and ethnic identity. Key anthropologists mentioned include Jean and John Comaroff, who take a non-radical particularist approach in their ethnographic work. The document also examines concepts such as modernity, contact between Africa and Europe, livingstone's medical mission work, syncretism of beliefs, and the fluidity of ethnic identities in Africa.

1. ANTH326 Peoples and Cultures of Sub-Saharan Africa Meeting 6: Flesh and Blood October 13, 2010

2. Both

3. History in Anthropological Frame Anthropologists using/doing history Historian on ethnicity Ethnohistory Particularism

4. Africa Perceived Infantilization Ignorance Contradictory tropes Circulation of tropes Pop culture Media coverage (Comaroffs on Time) Rescue narrative Ethnographic journalism

5. Comaroffs

6. Jean and John Comaroffs Current anthropology Non-radical particularism Ethnographic approach Writing style Both from ZA

7. Modernity Continuity Foucault Modernist self Individualism

8. Contact Africa and Europe Pre-Scramble Africa Variety of outcomes Exchange

9. Colonialism Empire Not all imposed Hegemony Civilizing mission

10. Mission Proselytism Wesleyan Pragmatism Objectified power

11. Livingstone London Missionary Society Obstetrics Gender Intimacy Modernized? Parallel Newton

12. Soft Relativism Learn from locals Contextual adaptation Parallel therapeutic traditions Therapeutic repertoire Exotic knowledge Remaining importance of imported medicine Pragmatic Social expediency

13. Negative Impact on Health West Africa as white man's grave “Diseases of civilization” (lifestyle diseases) Maggi cubes

14. Medicine Body and soul dualism Africa as Lab Pasteur revolution

15. Medical Anthropology Classics Subsistence strategies Hot/cold Tepidness What perceived as disease/illness Significance of barrenness

16. Hygiene Grease/grace Cleanliness/Godliness Douglas on cleansing Matter out of place Ablutions Parallel Islam?

17. “Moral Hygiene” Health and morals as connected Morality and mortality Moral side of health Strong connections Straw cabin, roof, and dress

18. Social “Ills” Social body Sociosomatic healing Back to causal

19. Belief Systems Beliefs and science Beliefs and healing Ritual healing (Roberts) Secrecy Secret Bible Conflicting ideas about resurrection

20. Contemporary Echoes Neo-Colonialism Development MSF and experimenting (Lab Africa) AIDS

21. Transition

22. Syncretism Belief systems African Christianity Voodoo Beliefs changing Across generations

23. Syncretization Mix-and-match/pick-and-choose? Not haphazard Fertile ground Compartmentalization Fluidity Counterpoint

24. Creole Creole identity Creole languages Central African Republic

25. Racialism Division of humanity as “races” Leading to racism But also anti-racist Telegraphing Afrocentrists Emergence of genetics Sociobiology Eugenics

26. Roberts

27. Africa Outside Continent Still African studies Africa created by colonialism Pan-Africanism Slave trade

28. Diversity Through diverse African origins Through diverse experiences

29. Ethnic Identity Segu Empire Bounded entity? Fluidity Bazin «À chacun son bambara» (“To Each Their Own Bambara”) Constructed identities Back to Southall Labels

30. Bambara Ethnonym From outside Bamanan Rejection of Islam Folk etymology Now identified as Muslim

31. Mande languages Glossonyms Maninka (Malinke) Not necessarily Mande identity Related families