anthropology test
What are the three ethical obligations of anthropologists to the people they study?
Get informed consent from people whose lives you want to learn about Protect participants' wellbeing Protect the privacy and dignity of participants and their communities in writings/films
Give four reasons why anthropologists argue that races are not biologically real categories, but rather are culturally constructed.
1) racial categories reflect a society's cultural ideas not real biological divisions between groups of humans 2)biological are based on genetic traits, similar traits, degree of genetic relatedness, non-concordance 3)The visible traits used to categorize 'races' are biologically insignificant. 4) Groups haven't been isolated long enough to become genetically distinct
Which elements of a horticultural adaptation were visible? How did their practices change between 1980 and 1998, and why?
1980=Gardens for starchy bananas (protein), would abandon gardens after too overworked and allow it to lay fallow for as many necessary years...swidden aided 1998-gradens grew a wider variety of crops, including proteins (a better protein source)
How do Gebusi understandings of illness and death in the 1980s reflect other aspects of their society, such as kinship, marriage, economic livelihoods, and religion? Make a case that the changes in their belief about illness by 1998 reflect changes in two of these areas of social organization
1980s- mediums were all attributed to sorcery and the people accused would be age connected and if there had been some sort of mishap within the sister exchange (unconscious level.)
Holistic analysis... How did Gebusi society change between Knauft's first visit in 1980-2 and his return visits? Discuss economic activities, social organization such as households and marriage, religion, gender relations, and rituals.
2000-back to traditional ways with even mediums in play, st paul catholic church, father aloi accepts the traditional ways of Gebusi and even the marijuana problem that has emerged 2013-rivers connect them, everyone has a canoe, now large gardens along banks and rivers...increased nutrition diet and health. Increased fertility..land is still plentiful
What methods do cultural anthropologists use in their research? Give an example of two methods you could use in studying a group in the Amazonian rain forest, and then two methods for studying US teachers.
Anthropologists use a distinctive approach to learning about societies: fieldwork (observation of a group's way of life and direct interaction with them). Gathering data, participant observation, in-depth interviews, conversations with key consultants, etc...
Define ethnocentrism. Give an example of how it can cause problems between groups in a society or nations. How does it differ from racism?
Belief in the superiority of your own culture, linked to cultural blind spots Ethnocentrism holds skin color and other physical features to be irrelevant as long as one is a member of the same culture, or becomes so.
Knauft sees the possibility of a natural gas pipeline crossing Gebusi territory as presenting both opportunities and dangers to Gebusi people. Why and how?
Benefits for resource development Costly against expected profits No compensation for land or resources The company is in the driver's seat and the Gebusi have relatively no control If they want nomad airstrip open they must make agreement with Exxon mobil
How is the concept of cultural relativism important for anthropology?
Cultural relativism is the ability to understand a culture on its own terms and not to make judgments using the standards of one's own culture.
How do Sterk and the authors in Small's article use the concept of cultural relativism for their research? How is Sterk NOT a moral relativist?
Cultural relativism-start from assumption that we start from the concept that their beliefs make sense to them...bracket towards ethnocentrism (instead of jumping to ethnocentrism must understand initially) Moral relativism-no bias and no form of judgment Sterk tries to understand what is occurring and how does it make sense -culutral relativism. Moral relativism-she does ultimately say that she feels as though pimps were exploiting against women
Haines suggests that we think of culture as a buffer between human biology and the environments in which people live. Give two examples of this idea, one from Lee's article about !Kung culture and one from The Gebusi.
Culture and genetics are traditionally thought of as two separate processes, but researchers are increasingly realizing that they are intimately connected, each influencing the natural progression of the other... Lee sees that their culture influences how they interact and keep one another modest... Gebusi over the times being researched cultural ideals changed as well as their environments showing how they are intimately connected. Reproduce...and not have a lot of protein, with a high infant mortality rate, in order to cope they would delay naming children's until 7 months.
Why might anthropologists usually conduct field research for at least a year?
Culture changes every year, one must stay for many years to track changes among a people and how they adapt to the changing world, seen with Gebusi in just 16 years no more hunting and gathering style, no more seances now a push towards Christianity
what is the definition of culture
Culture is practices and beliefs learned, shared, and enacted with a group
Why is direct interaction important to anthropological research (give two reasons)?
Direct interaction is important so one can truly participate in the society they are studying which allows for a larger understanding then just observing
Define a rite of passage and do a holistic analysis of the Gebusi initiation in the 1980s. How did that event reflect their economic livelihood, gender roles, and kinship system?
Discuss simply the yellow painted women and how the eldest women teaches the proper way of becoming a mature male, two girls present during initiation process, young initiants...liminal stage of the process (transition to the integration stage) How the older members of the kin are involved and provide gifts
How does The Gebusi show the uses of emic and etic analyses? "Our Babies..."?
Emic-shows how locals perceive and experience an event, would make sense to them...the direct statements the Gebusi makes to Knauft Etic- applies concepts and frameworks from scholars which enables us to compare/contrast a local practice/ belied with those in other societies. The resulting analysis might not make sense to locals...shown when knauft compare present Gebusi to 1980s Gebusi at end of each chapter
In Sterk's research, she describes several phases in the research process (entry, developing rapport, etc). How do those phases show up in Knauft's Gebusi research?
Entry-no one was at the first site so knauft traveled to the home of the people who were carrying their bags, interested in how groups make decisions through religious rituals and shamans Developing-had to learn the language, health challenges, adapt to the culture, and learn what people are doing and why Rapport- people recognize that he is a simple bystander and people become very relaxed and comfortable among knauft, especially after learning the language
Give examples of ethnocentrism from "Growing up American" and "Our Babies..."
Growing up American utilized an underlying ethnocentrism when she poses the fact that she wants to keep her Filipino background, the fact she had to state at the end of the passage that it in no means is meant to offend Americans raising style...shows ethnocentrism Our babies... uses holism rather than aspects of cultural relativism... use some anthropology ideas to force people to think of baby care more flexibly
Name two challenges to learning about a society through doing field research rather than by using the experiment model of research. Now, name two advantages to learning about a society through fieldwork.
Impacts from researchers presence Local people respond to a researcher's particular traits based on culture Own upbringings influence topics they study
Define holism. Why is it important to anthropology (2 reasons and examples)?
In anthropology holism tries to integrate all that is known about human beings and their activities Used to determine race (characteristics, eye color, skin color, hair color) Allows for a fuller analysis of a people, whole is greater than the sum of its parts
What is an ethnography?
In depth description and analysis of an aspect of a group of people, either written or in film
What information could we learn from Sterk's research which we could use to understand and solve a social issue? Name 2 issues to which it could be applied.
In-depth interviews, participant observation, felt comfortable with her, and finally utilized key consultants...talked to the pimps and made sure the safety was protected, somewhere in Atlanta (not specific in locations). Could be used to ensure the safety of the prostitutes How aids and prostitution were directly connected
Write a 4-sentence holistic description of a dorm at Berry College, incorporating the factors of economics, gender, age, and environment.
Individuals with more money, schooling, and have the ability to have a vehicle accessible to them, will likely have a very high end suite...
Haines' adaptation framework emphasizes the material aspects of culture. How do industrialism and agriculture differ in how people get their necessities? How are those differences reflected in the adaptations' social organization and 2 questions from Haines' "9 Questions"?
Industrialist-have a larger yield in which better fertilizers, new crops, increase the productivity human production. The increase in production is with tools available Society is more extensive, greater integration and greater needs for stability in its resources. People are less rooted and more willing to migrate state to states Agricultrialists-little incentive to move and much to stay, potential for conflict is high, size of kin groups is likely to be greater and their formal structure more rigid Gebusi-regarding tools in 1998 there is a strong move toward industrialist tools, kinships are very similar to agricultrialists
Name four research techniques which Knauft used to obtain data. research prior material to going to Papa New Guniea despite it being in the wrong location
Learned the language through participant observation Engaged in seances and rituals...more participant observation Stayed longer than a year (a haines necessity) dedicated most of his life to the research Also had in depth interviews and relied on key consultants (Gebusi members who he felt the most comfortable with them)
How do a researcher's traits (gender, age, marital status, parental status, class, ethnicity, ...) influence the data obtained? Give examples from two readings.
Lee-whitey (race), class; Sterk woman (gender) dutch (nationality), nickname (race); Bestor visibly different (race), japan and US have history (nationality)
Compare one of Haines' industrialism examples with the Gebusi lifeway. How do their social arrangements (organization by age, gender, kinship, location, skill) differ?
Mass migration in china-hard manual labor and huge machines to aid in bigger buildings; population grew another 240 million in 15 years; no proper permits results in no access to all kinds of social services; industrialism is hard on people and hard on the environment during initial stages and result in additional costs Seen in gebusi with switch to more modernity results in a push for women to have something of their own (income) but bc of the costs there is a net loss despite the gain of money... with the switch to more modern income, some men choose to resort to hunting and gathering techniques
Haines divides culture into three aspects: material, social arrangements, and ideational. Name Gebusi practices which fit into each category.
Material (technology, objects, making a livelihood)- Gebusi utilize some form of steel; crops they farm (plantains/peanuts); Social (organizing groups into subgroups, activities, etc)-Gebusi once lived in villages in which kins were organized, sister-exchanges; father to son descent trait. Ideational (meanings attached to activities or objects, making sense of the world, worldview,...)-seances when someone is murdered to explain why they perished when older even if due to a natural cause; sorcery accusations
Haines divides culture into three aspects (material, social, and ideational). Give an example for each aspect, each example drawn from a different reading.
Material (technology, objects, physical necessities) Social/structural (how people organize groups, relations between individuals and sub-groups) Ideational (beliefs, meanings, concepts)
In the 1990s, the Gebusi were increasingly involved in the wider nation of Papua New Guinea. Name three activities which demonstrate that they increasingly identified as members of a nation. [Hint: think about things such as school, government, leisure activities, and the Independence Day celebrations]
Nation identity -independence day celebrations Community prepared for weeks for it, organized by Papa New Guinea government (occur for 4 days) Participants are neo-traditionally dressed (outfit is not strictly traditional, new elements) holding the flag of the nation Behind the participants there are school kids whom are dressed more modern Government officials or head masters of the schools may attend the independence day
How did Gebusi marriage practices change between 1980 and 1998, and how did those changes reflect changes in other parts of their society, such as religion, economic livelihood, and aspirations to be modern?
No more sister exchanges, marriage was based more primarily on romance
Knauft describes the Gebusi as more isolated and yet still connected to the outside world in 2013. Why is that? What impacts does he see due to the changes between 1998 and 2013?
Nomad airstrip is now closed- for 45 years the airstrip had been a lifeline for Gebusi and the neighbors to the outside world...all things that were new were now 15 years later all deteriorating...2013 rivers were now of connections rather than barriers of separation
How do Gebusi combine local beliefs/practices with foreign ones in the 1990s and on? Give examples from economic activities, religion, gender relations, and music.
Push towards Christianity...in 2013 instead of Gebusi seances, lovely string bands had persisted and expanded...they still seek out mediums ...lack of ability to validate socery accusations with community uncertainty and Christian beliefs to undercut violence
List specific research situations in which each obligation would apply, one example each from course readings and one from scenarios you can imagine in US society.
Sterk doesn't reveal the location of where her research is done Sterk had the females sign a paper in order to protect themselves and show there was consent Gebusi has permission to be doing research there
What new insights did Richard Lee gain into !Kung society from offering a cow for the Christmas feast? How did he obtain that new information?
Through interactions/dialogue among the Kung society it is revealed that if you are to provide anything beneficial to the society the members will berate you to keep you humble.
Applied anthropology, the fifth subfield... give two examples of current social or economic problems which anthropology can help to explain or solve.
Using anthro concepts, knowledge, and research techniques to solve human problems...how there are direct cliques between athletes and narps in college....why there are distinct kinships among a population
Which 5 questions of Haines' '9 Questions' in the adaptation framework do you feel provide the best insight into Gebusi society?
What specific kinds of family of family and kinship ties What is the degree of equality What kinds of religious beliefs do people have What is the basic division of labor What is the importance of territory to the society
Knauft describe the Gebusi as subsisting through several adaptations: foraging, horticulture, and a bit of industrialism. Which elements of foraging (as a way of 'producing' goods) were shown in 1980 and 1998?
a lot of scavenging Young girls leave with adult sisters for fresh bamboo shoots, rummage in the nest for eggs, scoop in freshwater for prawns...men would spear fish
What are the four sub-fields of anthropology?
biological, cultural, linguistic, archaeology
Reflecting on fieldwork... using Knauft as an example, how does the researcher's 'positioning' (individual characteristics and perspective) influence the research process? What makes anthropological findings still scientifically valid?
in the male centered activities 1980s he could participate...had to rely on Elienne to speak to the females More challenging on his body when he is getting a lot older The Gebusi had a stronger drawl towards Knauft when older for he had so much knowledge about the older costumes
In the last chapters of the book, how does Knauft help the Gebusi keep their cultural and social autonomy?
it is seen that the transmission of indigenous culture across generations had been rekindled and maintained
Why has money become more important to the Gebusi since the 1980s? How does this shift connect with other changes in their livelihoods and sources of prestige?
more mouths to feed..1998-2008 (122-168) 2013 trickling down effect allows for more infrastructure Local conditions are invariably part of a larger political economy No punitive taxation
Define a ritual and give an example from the Gebusi which helps you understand something about them at the point of time when that ritual occurred.
seances were predominant during 1980s...seances highlighted that desire for a gorgeous female that only the medium can see, men take out sexual frustrations through homosexual actions-typically a younger male and a married man.
By the 1990s, Gebusi were more involved in a cash economy and their aspirations had changed. How did gender influence their economic activities, and how did those activities link to elements of social organization beyond economics?
women were the predominant individuals who brought in money, would harvest crops and sell them at the market....in a net of time and energy the value was merely zero. But to women it meant that something was finally theirs
