Theoretical exploration of Chinese anthropology and ethnology: the road to construct the Chinese School

Abstract

AbstractThis paper starts with the four factors that affect Chinese anthropology and ethnology: the Soviet school of ethnology, Marxist ethnology, Western anthropological and ethnological theories, and Chinese experience and theory (government policies and scholar explorations). Based on the influence of foreign theories and the theoretical exploration of local efforts, this paper points out the transformations in Chinese anthropology and ethnology and its research characteristics in different periods. Since the reform and opening up in 1978, Chinese anthropological and ethnological studies have seen the constant expansion of study fields, increasing diversity of study contents, and the introduction of foreign theories and the exploration in Chinese theories in each stage. This shows that China has gradually explored the theoretical research course suitable for its own. The development course and transformations of Chinese anthropological and ethnological theories can be divided into the following three stages: the introduction of foreign theories and reconstruction of Chinese anthropology and ethnology (1978 to 1990), the orientation of Chinese issues and the verification of foreign theories (1990 to 2000), and the establishment of the Chinese School and its increasing international influence (since 2000).