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Since the focus
of this class is on Anthropology in the Modern World, these discussions
are designed to get you thinking about how to apply the concepts you have
read about in the text and other readings to your everyday life.
Here are some things to start thinking about; then post your thoughts on
the discussion board for this week.
Discussion
Topics from Chapter 1 in Scupin
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In Chapter 1, Scupin starts off with a discussion about
an anthropologist going to visit extraterrestrials on another planet and
doing a study of their culture. A good example of how you might use this
approach in everyday life is to think about a sci-fi movie you have
seen, which features a future world that may include interplanetary
travel. Using such a movie as an example, discuss how you
might apply the principles about anthropology and culture introduced in
Chapter 1 and Chapter 3. For example, what do you notice about the
values, beliefs, and norms in this world depicted in the movie?
What do you notice about the dress codes and symbolism in this world? |
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A relatively new
approach used by archaeologists to study the very recent past is the
study of garbage or "garbology". Among other things, it is used to
provide information about consumption and lifestyles. (It is also
approach that has been used by investigative journalists and private
eyes to find out information about people and companies that has found
its way into the media and court cases, but that's another story).
For discussion purposes, think about how you might use this approach to
conduct your own study of a group. What group might you study, and
what might you be able to learn about this group through this method?
What would be different about what you might learn through this method
that you might not learn from an interview, focus group, or survey?
Or how could this information help you to design these other research
methods? |
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Participant
observation is a central method used in anthropology
to learn about a group by participating in their daily activities.
Imagine that you have the opportunity to be a participant in any group
of your choice. What group would you like to learn about using
this method and why? |
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The concept of
"ethnocentrism" is one that comes up frequently in anthropology classes.
It's the notion of judging another society based on the values and
standards of your own society. It's believing your own
cultural traditions are superior, better, or more natural than another
culture. With this in mind, think about what's going on in the
Middle East and in Iraq today. Think about the approach of the
U.S. government in bringing "democracy" to Iraq. Might this be an
example of ethnocentrism? Or even if it is, does the intervention
by the U.S., other Western nations, and the U.N. bring progress and a
better way of life? Or what about the U.S. ideal of
promoting human rights in other countries and cutting off trade or
relationships with other countries which don't meet certain human rights
standards? Is that an example of ethnocentrism, too?
Or are their times when other human principles should apply?
What are your thoughts on these issues? |
Discussion
Topics from Chapter 3 in Scupin
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Symbols can be extremely powerful, though different groups
of people and individuals can interpret symbols in different ways.
So symbols can have different meanings, and can trigger different
associations and reactions. A good recent example of this is the
wide range of reactions to Mel Gibson's film: The Passion.
While some have seen this as a reaffirmation of their faith, others have
seen this as an overly violent film that focuses on only a small part of
Christ's life. And there have been debates on whether this is
anti-Semitic or not. So what's your take on the way this film
reflects different symbol systems and cultural values?
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Schemas are different cultural models that shape the way
individuals in different cultures or with different backgrounds and
experiences have different ways of making decisions, responding, or
behaving. One example of the way schemas can influence responses is
in modern advertising -- and because of different schemas it can sometimes
be difficult to translate messages from one culture to another.
Think of some examples of current advertising in the U.S. which might be
difficult to transfer to another culture. Why do you think that
might be the case?
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Norms, beliefs, and values can vary widely from group to
group, and they can change in U.S. and other societies from generation to
generation, as well as from year to year, in response to political and
ideological swings. What kind of changes have you noticed, such as
between your generation and your parents generation, or in the more
conservative swing influencing cultural values today? What do
you think about these differences?
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Dress codes can
be a powerful source of symbolism, such as in the examples of the
Rastafarians described in Chapter 3. What other examples have you
noticed in your own life? What sort of dress do different groups you
know where and why? And what about the uproar over what Janet
Jackson was wearing -- or not wearing -- at the Super Bowl? This
reaction has since spilled over into other media in a renewed call for
"decency," which has led to the cancellation of some of the raunchier
radio programs, including Howard Stern's program in some markets.
What's your take on all this? How do such development reflect on our
understandings about codes about dress and behavior?
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