Essay on Cultural Anthropology and Ethnographic Fieldwork

Cultural Anthropology and Ethnographic Fieldwork James P. Spradley (1979) described the insider approach to understanding culture as a quiet revolution among the social sciences (p. iii). Cultural anthropologists, however, have long emphasized the importance of the ethnographic method, an approach to understanding a different culture through participation, observation, the use of key informants, and interviews. Cultural anthropologists have employed the ethnographic method in an attempt to surmount several formidable cultural questions: How can one understand anothers culture? How can culture be qualitatively and quantitatively assessed? What aspects of a culture make it unique and which connect it to other cultures? If†¦show more content†¦This interpretation must make meaning from the culture in the same way that natives draw meaning. According to Spradley (1979), the structural components of cultural meaning come from what people say, what they do, and what artifacts they use (p. 9). In anthropological field work, he or she attempts to observe and document these cultural aspects. In addition, and more importantly, the anthropologist must then, as accurately as possible, make inferences which parallel those of the natives. The grandiose task of wearing anothers cultural skin understandably comes with a host of opinions on how such a job can be accomplished. Anthropologists have long argued about the accuracy of ethnographies (Levinson Ember, 1996, pp. 419-21). Much of the discussion stems from the assumption that some cultural aspects are ineffable and subconscious. Can an anthropologist approach his subject, as Spradley argues, with a conscious attitude of almost complete ignorance? Is it possible to consciously withhold ones own cultural interpretations while attempting to study that very thing in another culture? (Spradley, 1979, p. 4 Levinson Ember, 1996, pp. 419-21). Anthropologist Robert M. Keesing, in his essay Not a Real Fish: The Ethnographer as Insider-Outsider, (1992) deals candidly with the problems of fully becoming anShow MoreRelatedFieldwork in Various Anthropological Schools of Thought Essay1167 Words   |  5 PagesCultural anthropology is a social science that studies the origins and development of human societies (History World International, 2001). Many theories to explain cultural variations among humans have emerged. As a result, numerous anthropological schools of thought have been established based on these theories since the nineteenth century. These schools of thought encompass the dominant beliefs about culture during a time period and are constantly changing as new knowledge is acquired. As schoolsRead MoreAssignment 3 Anthropology Essay1271 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Chapter 3: Fieldwork on Prostitution in the Era of AIDS 1. Based on reading this selection, how is ethnographic research different from other social science approaches to research? Answer: Ethnographic research is different from other social science approaches to research because it goes more in depth. With an ethnographic research you are required to eat, sleep, and breath what is being studied. In order to get a better understanding you will need to incorporate such living (as that of the cultureRead MoreCritical Analysis Of The Mead-Freeman Debate1283 Words   |  6 PagesDebate Research Topic Outline In 1983, Derek Freeman challenged Margaret Mead’s 1928 ethnographic work Coming of Age in Samoa, Freeman asserted that Mead’s conclusion of adolescent behavior conflicted with important facts within the social sciences. Freeman’s critique sparked an intense controversy in anthropology regarding the concept of nature versus nurture. Freeman claimed that Boasians’ insisted on separating cultural determinism (nurture) from biological determinism (nature). Thus, various academicRead MoreCritical Annotation of Watson Reading and Commentary Reading1765 Words   |  7 Pagesdiminishment: A death in the field (Kerinci, Indonesia). In Being there: Fieldwork in anthropology (pp. 141-163). London: Pluto Press. In his reading, A Diminishment: A Death in the Field (1999), Watson analysed two critical issues that have preoccupied anthropologists for nearly four decades. These issues include the extent to which personality of the anthropologist should be clearly inserted into any published ethnographic account and how a competent anthropologist should become during identificationRead MoreA Grounded Theory Research Study1222 Words   |  5 Pagesenough. The next research type is ethnographic research. An ethnographic research study looks at an entire group, typically a culture-sharing group. In this type of study, the researcher will look for similarities in values, behaviors, beliefs, and language. In ethnographic research, the data collection is retrieved from participant observation. This way, the researcher is immersed into the daily lives of their participants. The defining features of an ethnographic study are as follows: culture, ideasRead MoreEssay Malinowskis Participant-Observation in Modern Anthropology2209 Words   |  9 PagesWhere does Malinowski’s conceptualization of participant-observation sit in the landscape of modern anthropological fieldwork? A primary objective of the modern ethnographer is to glean insights into the ways people relate to and interact with one another and the world around them. Through participant-observation, Malinowski (1922) offered a valuable tool with which to uncover these insights and understandings, the ethnographer. The ethnographer as research tool has become the basis of much modernRead MoreThe s Impact On Canadian Constructions Of Heritage And Islam1355 Words   |  6 Pagesextremely effective in disseminating their spectacles outside of the Middle East. Scholars in art history, archaeology, and law consider these acts the destruction of cultural heritage (HarmansÃŒ §ah 2015; Bauer 2015; Brodie 2015; Drasewska 2015; He 2015; Kila 2015). In particular, ISIL’s videos seek to defy Western European ideas about cultural heritage which are often cast as universal (Meskell 2002, 568) and engage a worldwide audience through carefully articulated performances. However, the many CanadianRead MoreAnalysis Of Stephen A. Brighton s Article913 Words   |  4 Pagesshould be carried out using applied anthropology to solve modern social problems from collected data, theories and perspectives (Gezon and Kottak 2013). One of the many concepts explored in this article is ethnography. The author makes a clear, explicit distinction of the way archeology is being used and how it is applied in an ethnographic setting. In other words, ethnography which is anthropological strategy based on the study of a community by conducting fieldwork (Gezon and Kottak 2013) is appreciatedRead MoreA comparison of Behar’s The Vulnerable Observer and Tsing’s In the Realm of the Diamond Queen 1152 Words   |  5 PagesWhen presented with ethnographic works, the first thing one would normally do would be to compare. The Vulnerable Observer by Ruth Behar and In the Realm of the Diamond Queen by Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing, both demonstrate key factors that prove to be prevalent throughout the anthropological world today. Through the examination of each piece, it is clear that they both share similar restrictions, trials and tribulations. As both books begin to unravel, the themes of marginality and borders (in a multitudeRead MoreObjectivity and Fieldwork Essay1118 Words   |  5 Pagesand Fieldwork Researchers throughout the world most often conduct practical work in a all natural environment outside their laboratory or office in order to experience in firsthand what it is to live outside the society they have been exposed to all their lives, and integrate into another civilization that imposes cultural traditions and policies that the researcher may have never been imposed to in the past. These types of works or studies that ethnographers conduct are called fieldworks; and

Analysis Of Trifles By Susan Glaspell - 804 Words

In the play Trifles, Susan Glaspell creates a situation that at first glance appears to place a woman at fault, but as the readers continue, he/she realizes that the truth is the opposite to what it appears to be. It is interesting to see how the author uses the image of a perfect husband to portray irony with the hidden theme of isolation and patriarchy within their domestic relationship. This irony leads into Minnie Foster, also called Mrs. Wright, to use the idea of justice vs. law within this tragi-comedy. Minnie Foster used to be a happy, young girl who use to sing in a choir. She met a farmer, with a reputation for being a good, responsible, hardworking man, named John Wrights, who later became her husband. After their marriage, her†¦show more content†¦His wife does nothing about his actions to protect his reputation, which gives him more pride and power in his wrong acts. Female identity was obviously not respected within Mr. and Mrs. Wright’s marriage. In this case, Mr. Wright just completely forbade her from doing anything. Mr. Wright takes away his wife’s dignity, leading her to feel fed up and seek for her justice. Different forms of solidarity were portrayed by both genders in this tragic comedy. While Mrs. Wright was imprisoned for being found as the main suspect in the criminal investigation, all men in her case just followed the law, not willing on understanding why she committed this murder. Mrs. Wright had a pet canary. This was the only spirit and hope; they both loved to sing and that was the only thing that gave her happiness. She was trapped unhappily in her marriage just as the bird was when it was caged. Mr. Wright killed his wife’s canary, like always not caring about her interests. Now, that he destroyed the only two things that loved: singing, and her bird, Mrs. Wright revolted by destroying his life just how he did to herself. Mrs. Peter and Mrs. Hale were the only ones who understood why she committed this murder against her husband and forgave her for it because they believed she was justified. Therefore, they did right by going against the law. Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peter saved her fromShow MoreRelatedScript Analysis of Trifles by Susan Glaspell910 Words   |  4 PagesScript Analysis of â€Å"Trifles† by Susan Glaspell Summary   In the play Trifles by Susan Glaspell, there are five characters, three men and two women.   They are in a house where the murder of Mr. Wright took place the day before.   The men are trying to find evidence to name a killer or motivation to name Mrs. Wright as the murderer.   While the men are downstairs, the women occupy themselves with looking around the kitchen and living room.   They take note of Mrs. Wrights canned fruit and the factRead MoreAnalysis Of Trifles By Susan Glaspell846 Words   |  4 PagesSociety has put abnormal standards between women and men. Our gender equality has been an issue throughout history and legislative rights. In the short play â€Å"Trifles† by author Susan Glaspell, shows the feminist content and the failures of marriages. Mr. and Mrs. Wright had been married for a long time. They don’t have a family and live in a place that’s very solitary aside from any other houses. An investigation occurred to find the strang e death of Mr. Wright and to discovered evidence if Mrs.Read MoreAnalysis Of Trifles By Susan Glaspell907 Words   |  4 PagesThe play â€Å"Trifles† written by Susan Glaspell is about John Wright who was murdered. When the play begins the county attorney, sheriff, and Mr. Hale are all at Mr. Wright’s home to search for evidence for who murdered him. The two women that are in the poem are Mrs. Peters who is the sheriffs wife, and Mr. Hale’s wife, Mrs. Hale. Minnie Wright is the suspect in Mr. Wright’s case, but they are searching for answers to know exactly what happened. While the men are trying to solve the crime their wivesRead MoreAnalysis Of Trifles By Susan Glaspell1255 Words   |  6 PagesMurder, torture, and mayhem are merely three of the unique problems that can be found throughout the one act play Trifles by Susan Glaspell. The writer opens up the story by explaining the situation of Mrs. Wright, a middle aged woman who is being accused of murdering her husband. The crime scene is a mess. A sheriff, the prosecuting attorney and their wives are looking in to the gruesome death that occurred upstairs in the Wright household. It is immediately found that the men focus their attentionRead MoreAnalysis Of Trifles By Susan Glaspell1829 Words   |  8 PagesMurder, torture, and mayhem are merely three of the unique problems that can be found throughout the one act play Trifles by Susan Glaspell. The writer opens up the story by explaining the situation of Mrs. Wright, a middle aged woman who is being accused of murdering her husband. The crime scene is a mess. A sheriff, the prosecuting attorney and their wives are looking in to the gruesome death that occurred upstairs in the Wright household. It is immediately found that the men focus their attentionRead MoreAnalysis Of Trifles By Susan Glaspell1042 Words   |  5 Pagesits underlying meaning can represent to each character individually and together. In the short play â €Å"Trifles† by Susan Glaspell, readers and viewers are taken back to a period that is a lot different than the current. From the surroundings, viewpoints of each sex and their assigned roles in the society all gave a greater understanding of what was portrayed and how it was essentially handled. Trifles started with the Sheriff and his wife Mrs. Peters, Mr. Hale and Mrs. Hale and the County Attorney enteringRead MoreTrifles By Susan Glaspell Analysis1738 Words   |  7 Pageswomen dont realize the struggle women before them had to undergo. In the late 19th century women werent important, respected, or anywhere near equal to men. It was common for women to be misunderstood and or assumed by men to be uncivil. Trifles by Susan Glaspell shows the depiction of women towards the end of the 1800s. Men werent as kind or laid back when it came to running the household and handling every day matters as a family. Men were dominant. It was the patriarchal ignorance of the lateRead Mor eTrifles By Susan Glaspell Analysis1257 Words   |  6 PagesTrifles by Susan Glaspell is a tragic mysterious drama that has to deal with a murderous wife, and a couple of friends who cover up her tracks. Throughout the story Glaspell gives clues to the reader to help him or her figure out what will happen in the end. Glaspell Wrote Trifles in 1916, according to the year it is safe to assume that this mysterious short story was placed in a time around the 1910’s setting. The clues she leaves, such as the quilting square, the bird, the reflections in the settingRead MoreAnalysis Of Trifles By Susan Glaspell1425 Words   |  6 PagesIn the play Trifles, by Susan Glaspell, the plot develops through action. As soon as the play begins readers and viewers are introduced to the county attorney, the sheriff, and Mr. Hale. Due to the fact that these three men discuss the case and death of Mr. Wright quite a bit, the audience is made to believe that they are the main characters of th e play. However; the true protagonists of the play are revealed as soon as the men departure from the kitchen and leave the characters Mrs. Peters and MrsRead MoreAn Analysis Of Susan Glaspell s Trifles 983 Words   |  4 Pagespreconception someone makes based on gender, race, or religion that in this case is by gender, and affects women based on their expected gender roles. Women endlessly have expectations that go along with being a wife, mother, or simply a female. In Trifles by Susan Glaspell, 1955 by Alice Walker, and Girl by Jamaica Kincaid women are stereotyped by men and told to follow unwritten but expected roles such as being seen and not heard. As well as how they present themselves, their behavior, and tasks they need

The Six Selves Adolescent Girls Face Free Essays

Sonya Fulgham HD 300- Early Childhood Themes and Life Cycles 09/13/11 Reflection #1 There are a total of six â€Å"selves†, they are the physical, which deals with the changes in size, shape, and hormonal structure that young girls bodies go through. An emotional selves is the way that young girls deal with their feelings, a young girl’s emotions are extreme and ever changeable. Academic selves is how a young girl views her academic success, they are put in positions to feel inadequate about their intelligence in comparison to young boys. We will write a custom essay sample on The Six Selves Adolescent Girls Face or any similar topic only for you Order Now Thinking selves are when the young female tend to overanalyze and over generalize situations. Spiritual selves are the times were the young adolescent girls try to actively search for meaning and order in the universe in which they dwell. Social selves are the points were a young girl would disconnect from their parents emotionally and strive for the validation of their peers. All of these factors can have a great impact on a young adolescent female. Physical selves happens to be a â€Å"selves† that I can totally relate to, because I can remember being in my young adolescent stage trying to understand and make sense of what exactly my body was going through. I started puberty by the age nine and I was not prepared for it. My mother had not taken the time to express to me that my body would endure changes. So I had a hard time excepting me for whom I was developing into physically. I felt like I was an alien, because I was starting to look different than the other young girls my age. According, to the author Mary Pipher, (1994) the physical selves refer to when young adolescent females’ bodies are going through changes in the shape and sizes, along with the hormonal structure (Mary Pipher, 1994, p. 54). Which leads me to talk about, the emotional selves, this is a â€Å"selves† that hit home for me. Being a young girl that was developing at a rapid rate I can remember feeling moments of despair. Due to the fact that I no longer looked like the young girls my age, boys would pick at me to the point that I would become full of anger. I would be so outraged that I would engage in fights. I was so confused, because these were the same boys that I was friends with playing football, racing, and be active with. My body changed and the young boys were starting to tease me. As stated in the book, Mary Pipher (1994) speaks about how despair and anger are the hardest to deal with as a young adolescent’s female (Pipher, 1994, p. 57). Eventually, this contributed to me losing my true self and replacing it with a false self. I found myself in a relationship with an older guy who acted as if he appreciated my body, which has led to other emotional problems. Through that world wind I became pregnant at the age of fifteen. Me being pregnant at a young age interfered with my academic selves, because now I had to be responsible for another human being, while trying to stay focused on my education, and losing my childhood all at the same time. As I continued to read the book, Pipher (1994), expresses how boys tend to be portrayed as clever, brave, creative, and resourceful, however I feel as though I was experiencing boys and the girls attributes all at the same time (Mary Pipher, 1994, p. 62). However, I could not help but to feel as though I may not have been as smart as the other students that I attended high school with, because of the decision that I had made to have a child at such a young age. Therefore, I felt as though I needed to prove to other and myself that I was not a failure, so I did what I needed to so that I could complete high school with a baby and living on my own. Thinking selves, I definitely understand the process of the thinking selves. I had to think for two people and understand that the decisions that I make could not only affect me, but could affect my child. Having to be so responsible at a young age caused me to seek out companions whom were also on the run, which was expressed in the book (Mary Piper, 1994, p. 61). I now realize that we were not doing anything but playing house. Like discussed by Pipher, girls who stays connect to their true selves are also confused and sometimes overwhelmed. I can see how I overwhelmed myself by taking on to many responsibilities at such an early age, battling with trying to stay true to myself all the while losing myself all at the same time. Social selves is an aspect in my life that I struggle with even to this day, because I did not get the opportunity to see what healthy relationship consist of. My mother made poor choices when it came down to the company she kept. Some of the people she surrounded herself around were negative influences in her life, which led her down a road of abuse. She became addicted to drugs and we were exposed to her being in an abusive relationship. Which has contributed to me not making the best decisions about the people whom I chose to allow in my life. As stated by Mary Pipher (1994), adults who are struggling with their own problems such as depression, drugs or alcohol addiction or crippling poverty often have no energy to parent (Mary Pipher, 1994, p. 65). I now understand the importance about talking to your children, and giving them advice about how important it is to be cautious about what types of people they allow to enter into their lives. Because when children do not have guidance and direction from their parents they can fall prey to negative influences. Spiritual selves is an important self to possess, because it can give you the comfort in understanding that there is a greater power than yourself, which equips you with a belief and value system. I was not fortunate enough to gain that in my adolescent years, my mother did not take us to church or help us develop a sense of our spiritual selves. It wasn’t until I was face with prison time did I learn about how important it was to have a set of beliefs and values to help me with guidance and direction. I now understand why I must allow myself the right to develop my spiritual selves. According to Mary Pipher (1994), only when we reconnect with the parts of ourselves that are alive and true will we again have the energy to take on the culture and understand our spirituality (Mary Pipher, 1994, p. 72). In conclusion the experiences that I have shared have shown how the development stages of the six â€Å"selves†, physical, emotional, academic, thinking, social, and spiritual could affect a young adolescent females life. Without the proper guidance and understanding adolescent females find themselves trapped in this vicious cycles of false selves well into their adulthood, until they take out the time and face these issues. They will need to take the time to search within and find their true selves so that they can become truly happy. I am now on a journey to finding my true selves, and I am starting to feel good about being me. References Pipher, M. (1994). Reviving Ophelia: Saving the selves of adolescent girls. New York, NY: Ballantine Books How to cite The Six Selves Adolescent Girls Face, Papers

Qualities of a Hero free essay sample

Its simple qualities of a hero are what make a hero to become a special person for someone out there in the world. Stockton’s â€Å"The Griffin amp; The Minor Canon† amp; Stone’s â€Å"Where I Find My Heroes† provide what are the qualities of a hero. Also does Mariah Carey’s â€Å"Hero† and Bulfinch’s â€Å"The Quest of the golden fleece†. The qualities of a great hero are bravery, courage, amp; strongness. An excellent hero needs bravery to accomplish things they want to succeed in. For example, â€Å"A Hero comes along with the strength to carry on and you cast your fears aside and you know you can survive†(Mariah Carey â€Å"Hero†1). This quote proves if you put your fears behind everything and do what you want to do you can succeed to become a better person. Another example, â€Å"People who take risks despite fears† (Oliver Stone †Where I Find My Heroes†1). We will write a custom essay sample on Qualities of a Hero or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Therefore, a hero always takes risks for others and always put others before them. Also â€Å"Jason was pleased with the thought and forthwith made preparation for the expedition† (Bulfinch 105). When a hero takes risks he/she is being brave to do something they know is risky. Although, bravery is important trait courage is also. What a hero needs mostly is courage with out it they wouldn’t become heroes. If a hero doesn’t have courage they wouldn’t want to face difficult stuff. â€Å"So when you feel like hope is gone look inside you and be strong. You’ll finally see the truth that a hero lies in you†(Hero 1). This explains how when you feel down and feel like nothing is getting accomplished that you need to get some courage to see that you can do it. After, â€Å"Jason said to Medea â€Å"My Spouse†¦ could do me one further serve take some years from my life and add them to my fathers†(Bulfinch 108). Here it proves how Jason is being courageous to spear away some years of his life for his father. Basically this means your willing to do something for someone you love and care about. â€Å"The celebrity who remains modest and treats others with respect, or who uses there position to help society. The student who defers the immediate pleasure of making money and finishes college or high schoolâ€Å"(Stone 1). This quote explains how even though life is durable you need courage to do things to be someone in life. In the end, courage is something heroes need but also is strongness. Strongness is what a hero needs so he/she can face fears and be able to know he/she is able to do without worrying. For example, â€Å"Dreams are hard to follow but don’t let anyone tear them away†(Hero 1). Even though, here it says how you have to be strong don’t let anyone tell you that you cant make it happen you keep on doing what you need to do to follow your dreams. Next, â€Å"It’s difficult to be a father, to be a mother, and I think that to be a kind and loving parent is an act of heroism†(Stone 1). This shows that it takes strongness to be a single parent and being able to do both parenting. After, â€Å"Jason advanced badly to meet them {the chosen heroes of the Greece}†(Bulfinch 106). In the example, its shows how strong Jason is to meet these important people so it takes a lot for someone to face someone who is very powerful. Lastly, Delma Ramos is a hero because she shows bravery, courage, amp; strongness. Delma shows bravery because she stands out for her family amp; she is a single parent it takes a lot of bravery to do that. Like in this quote where Delma exhibits the trait bravery â€Å"I’m glad to see that there is someone who has the courage to come to me the Minor canon did not feel very courageous, but he bowed his head†(Stockton 3). Another example of a trait Delma shows is courage, how she knows that everything is going to be okay amp; keeps pushing forward knowing things will overcome. â€Å"The minor Canon kept on bravely, and never faltered. The way was longer than he had expected, and his provisions soon grew so scanty that he was obliged to eat but a little every day, but he kept up his courage, and pressed on, and after many days of toilsome travel, he reached the dreadful wilds†(Stockton 6). As â€Å"She engraged at his ingratitude called on the god for vengeance, sent a poisoned robe as a gift to the bride amp; then killing her own children amp; setting fire to the palace†(Bulfinch 110). As to Delma she is not selfish amp; wouldn’t do something crazy like that. She lets karma handle those things for her when gone wrong. Lastly, Delma shows strongness by being able to provide amp; face her fears against the world and is willing to the self-sacrifice things. For example here is shows how they relate by showing strongness. â€Å"Dreams are hard to follow but don’t let anyone tear them away†(Hero 1). In Conclusion, qualities of hero are very important. Qualities of a hero are what make up a hero to be someone else. It takes a lot for a hero to show bravery, courage, amp; strongess. This shows how these traits make up a hero. Without having these traits it wouldn’t really be considered a hero.