Clifford Geertz

High school (ages 12+)
People & Society

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/clifford-geertz

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Clifford Geertz born?August 23, 1926
2. When did Clifford Geertz die?October 30, 2006 (age 80)
3. Where was Clifford Geertz born?Talent, Oregon, USA
4. What is Clifford Geertz known for?Pioneering symbolic anthropology and the concept of 'thick description'
5. Who was Clifford Geertz?Clifford Geertz was a famous anthropologist who studied how people give meaning to their lives and cultures.
6. What does "culture as a web of significance" mean?It means people create a network of shared meanings that shape how they see the world and act in society.

Symbolic Anthropology: An anthropological approach that views culture as a system of shared symbols and meanings.
Thick Description: A detailed ethnographic account that explains the context and multiple layers of meaning behind cultural actions.
Interpretive Science: The idea that social sciences, like anthropology, are primarily about interpreting meaning rather than discovering universal laws.
Ethnography: The systematic study of people and cultures, often involving immersive fieldwork.