ANT EXAM 2 QUESTIONS

What changes are linked to the shift from food collecting to food production in early food producing societies? Why did food production lead to a decline in overall health?

- Increased population, more sedentary populations, created a greater division of labor. - The diet of food producers was less balanced, they could starve if crops failed, and bigger populations=diseases spread easier.

What are common characteristics of foraging societies? Why do foragers live in such marginal environments?

- They usually have a low population density, they are nomadic/seminomadic, basic social unit=family or band. - They live in marginal environments such as deserts, the outback, and the arctic because the areas are seen as "useless" by the common man. Living here, they are not bothered and do not have to fear their land being taken away from them.

Where do disgust reactions to particular foods come from? Why are many advocating to eat insects more widely?

- We learn our disgust reaction from our parents culturally, and that trait is passed down through generations due to how it is taught to kids. Secondly, the western disgust reaction to eating bugs comes from Columbus's voyage, where a member of his ship described those that ate snakes and bugs as "beasts", which in turn led to English societies believing that eating such creatures should never be done.

"The Goddess and the Computer": What problems were created when the Green Revolution was introduced into Bali? Why did this occur? How does this reflect the ethnocentrism of the development project?

- When it was introduced, many bugs began attacking the new rice crops, which led to insecticides having to be used. This made the soil infertile, and brought new disease. They built new dams, new canals, changed the cropping patterns, and brought in new rice varieties. - This occurred because the developmental project refused to consider the social and ecological factors about Bali's irrigation system. Bali gets its water from temples, which makes irrigation religious in a way. They believe water is a gift. All the temples depend on each other to spread water. The rice terraces of Bali are very fertile and high in oxygen, they do not need to be tampered with. They also give the people frogs, fish, and eels to eat. - This reflects how western development companies believe that areas like Bali are "underdeveloped" simply because they do not use modern methods. However, Bali's system works well for their culture, but developers do not see it that way because it is not like their own system.

What are the 4 general modes of subsistence? What are the benefits and costs of each?

1: Foraging= collecting wild animals, plants, fish, default human mode until 13,000 years ago. (ex: Ju/'hoansi) benefits: low population densities, not prone to spreading diseases, healthy/balanced diet, >20hrs of work weekly. costs: 2: Horticulture= small-scale farms used to meet the needs of a singular household. benefits: costs: could starve if crops failed, could not buy/sell land (land was not property) 3: Pastoralism= breeding, caring, and use of domestic animals & their products (milk, blood, etc) benefits: costs: 4: Intensive Agriculture= Large-scale crop production, requires things such as complex technology, soil & water control, etc (Industrial Agriculture). benefits: costs:

What are the five stages of field research?

1: select a problem/research question 2: formulate a research design 3: collect data 4: analyze data 5: interpret data

What are the elements of anthropology's NATURAL HISTORY approach?

Firsthand fieldwork, general description of observed phenomenon, classification (variables), comparison, empirical (inductive) generalizations that result in a hypothesis.

How did Marvin Harris explain the Hindu taboo against killing cattle? How is this explanation an example of the theory of CULTURAL MATERIALISM?

Harris explains several reasons for why Hindus do not kill cattle. - Cows are seen as a symbol of health an abundance. - If people kill cows, they kill the agricultural industry within India. Cows provide oxen and bulls, which are crucial to being able to work a farm. If you do not have cows, you do not have a way to work your farm which leads to famine and poverty. - Cultural materialism is shown in how India's cultural taboo about killing cows directly affects the behavior of the people.

Describe Chagnon's research among the Yanomamo people. What was his research question? What kind of methods did he use to gather data? What kinds of data did he gather, and how is each relevant to his research question?

The Yanamamo (he studied mishimishmabowei-teri) were a group of people that populated Venezuela and Brazil. - He wanted to track the process of village growth and fissioning among the Yanamamo. - ...Participant Observation: Chagnon immersed himself within their culture, living amongst them, dressing in their clothing, speaking their language, and participating in traditional activities with them. He established rapport with the people by trading things like fishing hooks, machetes, and medicine with them. ...He works with Dedihawa to learn his religon, and used open-ended interviews with him to learn about the origins of fire. By keeping it open ended, this made the informant tell their true version of the tale, words entirely their own. ... He also utilizes structured interviews when showing the people pictures of other tribe members, and asks them to identify family members/relations. - Chagnon gathered many different types of data. Firstly, he gathered genealogies. This allowed him to study how members of different groups (due to fissioning) could possibly be related. He also learns about religious aspects of different groups, learning about how the same tales vary between fissioned groups.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of participant observation?

adv: The researcher immerses themselves within the culture they are studying, and many become a part of it to some degree. They are able to establish rapport and friendships with those they are working with, which can lead to good insights and benefits. dis: The people that are being studied may perhaps act differently due to how there is a different/foreign person in their area.