An Anthropological Perspective on Culture in the Globalisation Debate

Abstract

The aim of this short overview is to look at theoretic and methodical aspects in analysing culture as the result of aspirations for wellbeing. In that sense social groups base their identity on imagined common roots and descent. Within a historical dimension the phenomenon of global cultural networks is not confined to the European expansion to Africa, the Americas, Asia and Australia beginning in the late 15^th century but can be established for earlier periods with different shifting centres. One of these early global cultural networks developed through maritime migrations and trade, originating in the region of mainland and insular Southeast Asia, and materialised within the macro context of an emerging Oceanic culture. Cultural and social identities among local populations in that region are dominated by discourses controlled by dynastic elite's. Therefore, one cannot establish horizons of acculturation and social transformations and its associated culture, until the hardware of archaeological evidence is included. Along that line the gaps in a space, time and structure perspective on an Oceanic culture can be closed. Present diachronic studies in that direction also emphasise the importance of the devolution concept, because it can help to explain how and why polities and empires collapsed. In anthropological fieldwork research priority should be given to a holistic approach, which combines structural and systemic aspects.