
Andrew F. answered 01/28/20
B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Rochester
This is a great question! Cultural relativism is both a valuable and misunderstood tool. I recommend reading “Cultural Relativism 2.0” by Michael Brown for clarity. Essentially, cultural relativism is not moral relativism: we can seek to understand a culture from its own perspective, but that does not render us unable to make judgements. Brown talks about the line from cultural to moral relativism in his piece, and it’s vital to make sure that we find space in-between judgement without understanding and inaction toward injustice.
If you want to talk more about anthropology, feel free to book a lesson!