Final answer:
Anthropologists may take an emic perspective to study cultures from the inside or an etic perspective to compare cultures from an outsider's view. Ethnography and cultural relativism are key in adopting these perspectives, ensuring a comprehensive representation of the studied culture.
Step-by-step explanation:
Anthropologists may take an emic perspective, which studies cultures from the inside, or an etic perspective, in which they compare the practices of the culture to their own culture. The emic perspective aims to understand cultural practices and beliefs from the viewpoint of insiders of the culture, whereas the etic perspective adopts an external viewpoint, assessing a culture based on the anthropologist's own culture and values.
The process of ethnography is a common methodological tool in cultural anthropology, and it has evolved to include a multiplicity of perspectives, rather than a single guiding viewpoint. Contemporary anthropologists strive for a holistic understanding of cultures, eschewing earlier biases and adopting techniques like cultural relativism, which entails setting aside personal biases to appreciate and represent a culture on its own terms. Such an approach also includes cooperative methods that meaningfully involve cultural insiders, providing a more complete and ethical representation of the group studied.