Since the early twentieth century, anthropologists have insisted that to understand alien cultures we must suspend judgment about social practices that to us may seem absurd, repellent, or immoral. Increasingly, however, cultural relativism has come under attack by political conservatives, who associate relativism with moral decline, and by political progressives pushing universalistic ideas of human rights. This tutorial explores the past, present, and possible future of cultural relativism as a research methodology and a point of view. After a review of the doctrine's history, we will assess its various facets and logical puzzles, drawing on a mix of theoretical and ethnographic sources. Case studies will include infanticide, male and female circumcision, and a range of less conspicuous practices that inhabit a gray area in Western morality. Additional topics include the possible implications of evolutionary psychology's claim that elements of human behavior are hard-wired into our genes, the challenges of negotiating moral consensus in multicultural societies, and the arguments for and against the increasingly broad human-rights protocols promoted by the United Nations and other international bodies. Format: tutorial. No prerequisites, although prior exposure to anthropology, sociology, political science, or philosophy welcomed. Enrollment limit: 10 (expected: 10). Preference given to sophomores.