将人类派上用场(对译).docVIP

Using Anthropology David W. McCurdy Some disciplines, such as economics, have an obvious relationship to the nonacademic world. Economic theory, although generated as part of basic research, may often prove useful for understanding the real economy. Anthropology, on the other hand, does not seem so applicable. In this article, David McCurdy discusses some of the professional applications of anthropology and argues that there is a basic anthropological perspective that can help anyone cope with the everyday world. He uses the case of a company manager to illustrate this point, asserting that ethnographic qualitative research is an important tool for use in the nonacademic world. Recently, a student, whom I had not seen for fifteen years, stopped by my office. He had returned for his college reunion and thought it would be interesting to catch up on news about his (and my) major department, anthropology. The conversation, however, soon shifted from college events to his own life. Following graduation and a stint in the Peace Corps, he noted, he had begun to study for his license as a ships engineer. He had attended the Maritime Academy, and worked for years on freighters. He was finally granted his license, he continued, and currently held the engineers position on a container ship that 将人类学派上用场 戴维·W·麦克柯蒂 有些学科跟学术界以外的世界的联系是显而易见的，经济学就是这样的学科之一。虽说经济学学科理论的产生离不开基础研究，但是，一经产生，它就有助于对现实的经济生活的理解，这是屡经证明了的事实。与此形成鲜明对照的是人类学。人类学似乎没有经济学这样明显的应用性。然而，本文的作者麦克柯蒂在文中讨论了人类学的职业化应用问题，他指出了这样一个基本的人类学观点，即人类学可以帮助任何人应付日常生活中的种种问题。他以一位公司管理人员的事例来说明他的这个看法，认为民族志的定性研究方法是应对世俗社会各种事务和问题的有用工具。 不久前，一位有十五年不曾谋面的学生，因为返回母校参加同学聚会，来到我的办公室。他原本想，如果能够了解他受业的人类学系（我自己也是这个系毕业的）这些年来的变化，一定会很有意思，所以就找到了我。不过，我们的话题很快就从学校转到他个人经历上。他说，大学一毕业，曾在维和部队（the Peace Corps）干过不长一段时间，随后就为考船舶工程师执照作准备。在此之前，他已经加入了海事学会，并且在货运船上干了几年。后来拿到了执照，最近又在一艘定期往返于西雅图和阿拉斯加的集装箱船舶上得到了一个工程师的职位。不久他将成为总工程师，迎来他职业生涯的颠峰时刻。 他在聊天当中提到了自己对人类学的看法，听起来有些出人意表。他说，人类学这一专业背景给他助益良多，包括处理日常工作，维护船上的发动机和各种机械，协调与船上员工的关系，以及处理与基地管理部门的关系，等等。 made regular trips between Seattle