What is MATERIAL CULTURE?! Anthropology Student Explains Archaeological Theory, New Archaeology, Etc

In this weeks video, I am defining and explaining material culture. What is material culture? How is it related to anthropology and archaeology? As an anthropology student myself, I hope this video helps to explain how material culture fits into archaeological theory and has grown and transformed as a field today.
Who am I? My name is Alivia Brown and I am currently an undergraduate Anthropology student at UCLA on a mission to find a career that I love. My major does not have a straight forward "path" as many would say and I am not only determined to prove that I can be successful in my major but also demonstrate my ability to find a career that brings me joy. This is my journey to expanding my global and anthropological knowledge. This is my journey to finding the best career I can. This is my journey to finding happiness. This is my journey to success.
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[@AliviaBrown]

Did you know I wrote a course on human evolution? 🧬🦍🦧🐒🌱🌳 Check it out HERE: www.socratica.com/courses/human-evolution

[@lenko7199]

Objects agency ❤ love it , right on point

[@emperordrone1159]

thankyou for passing down your wonderful clarity over the topic. It is sad that knowledgeable videos like these are not mainstream but junk videos are. regardless of that, your contribution through this video towards progress of human learning and humanity as whole will anyway be more than those junks. Please never forget that.

[@AliviaBrown]

This is so so kind, thank you!! I wont forget :)

[@champs6727]

I appreciate your time to make this kind of informative videos about Anthropology. Also, you should add these videos on other social media like Instagram. I guess nowadays people are more active on IG.

[@AliviaBrown]

Good to hear from you! Thank you so much for your kind words. I think anthropology students really do need more resources and there just are not enough out there right now. I love making these videos (even though it does take a lot of time haha). And yes I've thought about that! I think when I have more time, I will look to expanding the reach of this channel and these videos more.

[@dr.kerrisdillon1632]

Hello, from Iowa. I teach a high school archaeology class so we're going to be watching your videos.

[@sreeharisnath1944]

Can u pls make a separate video on 19th and 20th century studies on material culture...

[@nahuelmainard-sardon6446]

This has been super helpful from a cultural geographical perspective

[@carbonc6065]

Nice ... This is becoming popular in the Literature world.

[@aerithxx]

Very interesting! I already like things like art history and analyzing things from an art perspective, and this sounds very similar!

[@AliviaBrown]

Hi again! And right?! I love discussing things like art and history as well. Definitely some similarities there.

[@universalcomputation6779]

I was not sure if I understood you correctly as I became confused when you stated that material culture is in opposition to symbolic culture. I was thinking that they would often be linked together. Like, in the case of the American flag? It's a physical object, but its meaning is largely dependent on the stories we tell ourselves about our nation, including our founding, etc. Those stories can be passed on without a flag existing, so I would take it that is symbolic culture. But, what I was thinking is that we could not understand our flag without referencing that symbolic culture. I understand that you may have meant they were in opposition as one involves physical objects and the other does not, but I was thinking that they were also linked together, since we find meaning in the stories we tell about the objects that make up the material culture.

[@AliviaBrown]

Yes! You hit the nail on the head with this explanation. By "in opposition" I meant symbolic culture and material culture are not synonymous. For example, a flag is material culture but not technically symbolic culture. However, these two terms do compliment one another nicely. It sounds like you have a great grasp on what I was trying to say!

[@lizbethnava6318]

super cool! I didn't know this topic was important to archaeology and anthropology as well

[@AliviaBrown]

Right?! Who would have guessed!

Great explanation! Umm.. I still do not get how can material culture be the opposite of symbolic culture? Like the material culture of a specific era must signify or symbolise something? Like not necessarily but still🤔

[@driggs7906]

So material culture and symbolic culture are semantically disjoint?

[@Lucaschell-o3g]

very cool!

[@AliviaBrown]

Thank you!

[@advanced4945]

super cool

[@AliviaBrown]

Thank you!

[@BradBrassman]

I forget whose quote it was when I studied it at university, but "Material Culture is those selected lumps of the physical world, to which cultural value has been ascribed."

[@AliviaBrown]

LOVE THIS! I've never heard that before but I am such a fan

[@BradBrassman]

@@AliviaBrown I'll look it up for you. I have some good volumes you should read. Some you may already have. Material Culture Studies in America by Thomas J. Schlereth? I loved the material culture part of my degree course of Heritage Conservation and Heritage & History and being a collector since childhood, it put my reasons for collecting and motivations in perspective.

[@AliviaBrown]

This is awesome, thank you! I have not rad that volume!

[@BradBrassman]

I found that quote, it is ascribed to Professor Susan Pearce of the University of Leicester who is the head of faculty in their Museum Studies. If you can get one over there, her book Interpreting Objects and Collections is an excellent read, and covers just about all aspects of material culture studies.

[@jeffreywickens3379]

She is cute, fun and interesting. :)

[@alekhsharma7611]

Not good

[@allanaslzr5031]

currently debating over what course to take, so far i want to take forensics and did some research about sub-fields and i came upon your vid.thanks for the new infos, this would definitely help me in the near future.

[@AliviaBrown]

I'm so happy to hear that! Forensics is so fascinating so you really can't go wrong. Glad my videos were able to help!!

[@neoxyte]

For the love of god unless you want an underpaid future in academia, don't get into these types of fields. Don't make the mistake I and many others made.

[@mariangolibroda8408]

I'm a japanology student and this semester I'm starting a course called "History of Japanese Material Culture". Your video helped me to understand what things we will be talking about, thank you! Also, your content is interesting and I gave you a sub, I probably will be watching random videos from your channel from time to time haha

[@sheyuh9297]

Does material culture a theory?

[@AliviaBrown]

I would say material culture is less of a theory and more of a concept in anthropology :)

[@sheyuh9297]

@@AliviaBrown can I use this as a conceptual framework?

[@AliviaBrown]

@@sheyuh9297 Depends on the class I think but I definitely would!

[@manivictorgodwill]

what are cultural material