Abstract This paper discusses how, out of many scientists during the 19th century, Charles Darwin greatly challenged the status quo with his revolutionary theories of evolution and natural selection. It looks at how,, after a humble start, Charles Robert Darwin rose to challenge the status quo with his revolutionary theories and how many of his most controversial theories ended up by replacing the commonly accepted ideas of the time and are now accepted as simple facts of life. It shows how without the hard work and research of Darwin, we would still be unaware of the reasons why different people and different generations have certain features, and,most importantly, where we, as a human race, come from.
From the Paper "Darwin was more comfortable at Cambridge than he was at Edinburgh. Author Janet Browne claims, ?Darwin came to feel at home, relaxed and confident among people mostly from the same kind of background as himself ? people with similar professional aspirations and familiar, if conventional, social graces?(91). Darwin spent his first year at Cambridge uneventfully, but over the summer, he began to regret missing out on the "college experience". During his second year at Cambridge, Charles had a rather hard time settling in and started heading for failure, but he managed to pull himself back up in the third year and save his degree. A reputable author describes Darwin's last few weeks at school: ?Darwin's final examinations were scheduled for January 1831. Study and anxiety made him miserable for weeks beforehand, but when the results were posted, he ranked 10th in a class of 178? (Stefoff 39)."
Tags: evolution, natural, selection, hms, beagle, origin, species
Abstract This paper puts forward the argument that female genital mutilation is no more a human rights violation than male circumcision, and therefore, both should be abolished. It discusses how, although genital mutilations are usually referred to as a cultural practice, there is increasing evidence that this innocent and benign label actually evades, dismisses, and covers up the horrific effects these mutilations have upon a child's psyche and soma and, moreover, present a very real danger to the child's health. It shows how people or cultures that engage in such practices view them as an essential right of passage and, often, an important requirement for a marriage partner, while those who do not practice genital circumcision view the practice with disbelief, horrified that any human would willingly permit such a thing to be performed on his or her child. It also looks at the origins of some these religious practices.
From the Paper "According to James DeMeo in his article ?The Geography of Genital Mutilations,? the time frame and location of origins of female genital mutilations are most likely identical to that of male genital mutilations, ?given their similar distributions, similar cross-cultural aspects, and similar psychological motifs,? the use of each of which being ?mandated and widely expanded by groups where dominance of the sexual live of children by adults, and females by males, was most extreme.? With the decline of the harem system during the last 100 years, the use of eunuchs has died out, however, female infibulations and other forms female genital mutilations remain part of the certain cultures ?in accordance with the arranged marriage system and other vestiges of a powerful and hysterical virginity taboo.? "
Abstract The difference in marital relationships between cultures is an important topic to explore. This paper explains that the exploration of this topic can lead to a greater understanding of these belief systems. This discussion provides a comparative analysis of the marital systems that are present in China and Africa. It discusses the traditional marital systems that are common to both cultures. It also explores woman-to-woman marriages and the concept of polygamy.
From the Paper "An article in the Journal of Comparative Family Studies explains that traditional Chinese Marriages were arranged by the parents. (Zang, 1993:35) The journal asserts that many marriages were blind and that parents had the most control over who their children would marry. (Zang, 1993:35) The article insists that in some cases minors were contracted into marriage when they very young but did not love with one another until they were older. In addition, the article explains that once couples are married many of them live with the groom parents. This is known as a patrilocal marital structure. (Zang, 1993:35)"
Abstract This paper explains that German culture is a "low context" culture where cultural messages are found primarily in the spoken or written word, with contextual information adding relatively little to the overall message, whereas Middle Eastern and East Indian cultures tend to be marked by meanings that are implicit and mediated by details of the situation, relationships, and non-verbal messages. The author points out that, compared to the French, Germans are famous for their direct and to-the-point speech and their insistence on following the letter of the social and legal code. The paper suggests that the Oktoberfest festival provides a temporary antidote to the strictness and formality of German culture in a specifically designed, celebratory space. .
From the Paper "However, Americans might be struck by the use of alcohol as a release from constraint, and the emphasis on sheer volume of beer consumed. Furthermore, the polka music and the emphasis on the cuteness of the lederhosen and attire worn by many of the Oktoberfest participants, another form of release from formality, might strike the eye as strange. The German release from social norms, therefore, is not simply alcoholically created. It is an entire experience that allows German individuals to be liberated from adult expectations and to enter an almost childlike, false historical world."
Abstract Historians have pieced together several scenarios as to the reasons why the Mayan civilization practically disappeared after the height of its glory in the jungles of Guatemala. This paper shows that it is generally accepted that, by about AD 900, a decline had set in with the Mayan people because of warring invaders and diseases. The paper examines theories and archaeological evidence to show the history of the Maya and the occurrences that brought them to general decline.
From the Paper "Archaeologists have determined that the Mayan civilization was destroyed by the ultimate breakdown of its society. Some evidence uncovered by archaeological studies show that the Mayan civilization reached a crisis point in the 9th century. ?With the increasing complexity of society, more and more people were withdrawn from farming to become administrators, craftsmen and priests, all of whom had to be fed from the produce of the land.? (Bray, 102) Some of the Mayan cities had grown so large that food production in the surrounding lands had dwindled and many skeletons of Mayans that have been studied show signs of malnutrition. ?Food production could not be indefinitely increased and the short-term expedient of reducing the fallow period could lead to long-term disaster as the impoverished soil became less and less fertile.? (Bray, 102-103)"
Abstract This paper briefly defines these two concepts and examines how they apply to the societies of Mexico, Brazil, Bolivia, and the Dominican Republic. The writer defines acculturation as the process by which a culture is transformed due to massive adoption of cultural traits from another society. Transculturation is defined as a mutual sharing of cultures.
From the Paper "Perhaps one of the most clear-cut examples of transculturation is that of Mexican culture. This culture evolved from the pairing of Spanish settlers and the native inhabitants of present day Mexico, particularly the Mayas and the Aztecs. Unlike many other attempts at European colonization, the Spanish settlements in Mexico did not (at least in the long run) attempt to "filter out" native culture ("Mexico"). Instead, the culture of the original inhabitants were embraced, and likewise, so was that of their European counterparts ("Mexico"). The match resulted in a very unique identity that we know today as ?Mexican.? "
Abstract This paper describes and analyzes three different purposes served by tattoos. The paper discusses tattoos as forms of art, tradition, and even mutilation. Also, the paper posits that tattooing is a process conducted by the society that defines tattoos not only as an art form, but also a ritual wherein positive and negative images of body art, as well as its explicit and implicit meanings, are embedded.
From the Paper "Tattoos are one of the most prevalent forms of self-expression and self-identity in the American society. Tattoos are created mainly for its aesthetic purpose, illustrating the wearer's personality as personified in the graphics created and permanently "scarred" into the human skin. Technically defined, tattoos are a form of body art, where illustrations are decorated within the skin through the process of inserting ink substance into the skin through needles. This process, called tattooing, is a popular practice primarily conducted as either of the following purposes: (1) as a decoration or body art; (2) as a form of ritual; and (3) as creations of mutilation of the human skin."
Abstract This paper examines how feminist anthropology emerged in the latter half of the twentieth century and attempted to combat the representation (or lack of it) of women in anthropological writing. It looks at how in doing so, it moved through several stages, from trying to redress the imbalance in ethnographic knowledge, through a critique of the theoretical praxis of anthropology to the uncertain place that it has at present. It examines the background to the feminist movement in anthropology and attempts to see it in historical perspective. It then analyses each of the stages of feminist anthropology and assesses their contribution to the broader subject.
From the Paper "Feminist anthropology has allowed two great ethnocentric divides to be broken down. The first is that between nature/culture. Running through all the work of feminist anthropology is the rejection of the place women have been assigned as somehow preordained or organic. Fatima Mernissi shows that the passive role of the women in some Muslim societies, who is seen as potentially more sexually aggressive than the male, is a cultural construct: ?what is feared in Muslim marriage is the growth of the involvement between a man and a woman into the all-encompassing love, satisfying the sexual, emotional and intellectual needs of both partners.? Such as involvement would be seen as a direct threat to man's relationship with Allah."
Tags: economy, foucault, culture, kinship, political
Abstract This paper begins with an explanation of the cultural and sociological origins of Hip Hop and then describes how it has evolved over time to have two different faces. The paper describes one version of Hip Hop as more mainstream and accessible to society at large and one version as more underground, authentic, and still representative of the group that first created the Hip Hop culture.
From the Paper "The reasons why hip hop music became popular and the reasons why it is popular today are interconnected but unfortunately no longer identical. In the beginning, hip hop was based on cultural interrelation, rebellion, expression and accessibility -- its popularity was an organic part of its relationship to the impoverished and disadvantaged black community, and an implicit rejection of the way in which former modes of black music had sold out to white corporate America. Today, leaving aside the few dedicated independent and underground bands, hip hop has largely become part of the corporate machine. Modern hip hop's popularity is based on commercializing shrink wrapped rebellion, promoting the get-rich-quick dreams of an underprivileged class, and a myth of cultural continuity. However, this is not to say that nothing of the original vision remains, and there is certainly a degree to which hip hop is not dead."
Abstract This paper examines how the ancient Egyptian civilization, which lasted for millennia and had a considerably advanced cultural and artistic heritage, left scholars with detailed artistic depictions, monumental archaeological remains, and written records of its societal functions and processes of the government, commerce, and daily life of its people. It briefly assays some key tenets of Egyptian religion and society and then explores the way in which the ancient Egyptians thought of the afterlife as an extension and modification of their lives on earth. The mummification process is covered, as are the other complicated and exacting funerary rites of this venerable culture as applied to both the ruling class and the working class of ancient Egyptian society and the ways in which they thought of the afterlife.
From the Paper "As was stated, Egyptian tombs contained quotidian items from the person's life that were of value to them, as it was assumed that as the person continued into the afterlife, they would continue to utilize these items. A person's clothing and occupational tools would often be included in the tomb, along with writing materials. Sometimes, to save cost and space, models of actual items were used to represent them in
their stead, as they were seen to be transformed in the afterlife into their real equivalencies. Even food was provided in the tomb: offerings of food were also made after the person's death. It seems odd from the present cultural perspective to think of the afterlife in terms of eating actual food, but it must be kept in mind that the Egyptians did not as drastically polarize life and afterlife in the same way that those of the current Western tradition tend to."
Abstract The Woodlands people lived in three main areas, the upper Great Lakes and Ohio River valley, the Lower Great Lakes, and the coastal region. This paper examines some of the traditions of these Native American groups, as well as their spiritual beliefs. It looks at their connection to the land, their reverence for all living things, and naming traditions. The paper also touches on the artifacts that accompanied their spiritual rituals.
From the Paper "But for Native Americans, names referred more to spiritual qualities. Lakota men might receive their adult name because of a dream or from something they saw in a ?vision quest,? a purposeful spiritual retreat. Or they could be named for a wondrous deed or a horrid misdeed. No matter how the adult name arose, however, it meant more than Tom, Dick or Harry. The name was meant to draw a connection between the physical person receiving the name and the spiritual things inside and outside of that person."
Abstract This paper presents a section-by-section review of the anthropology textbook, "Gender in Cross-Cultural Perspectives," compiled by Caroline B. Brettell and Carolyn F. Sargent. The paper provides examples from each chapter of the book. Each section of the book deals with the myriad and diverse studies of gender.
From the Paper "One very interesting angle on the study of man and woman in prehistory is provided by Lila Leibowitz ("Perspectives on the Evolution of Sex Differences"), who provided a detailed account of primates? male-female roles. In the end, after writing an intriguing article, Leibowitz concludes that there is currently a "distorted" collection of evidence as to the gender roles in primates. Her hypothesis is very compelling, and she does not seem to be elitist in the least (which sometimes happens with scholars whose knowledge far surpasses the lay person). She explains that her hypothesis is presented in response ?to a spate of evolutionary theories which stress that our sex-role destiny along with our sexual anatomy was settled a long time ago.? Clearly she does not espouse a rigid view of the evolution of physical differences between men and women, and how sex roles came about. She calls for more study of the existing data."
Abstract This paper presents a detailed examination of the relationship between cultures and identities in today's world. The paper explores the different dimensions that influence individuals and identities and explains the impact on the way society operates in the world. The paper contends that people develop identities based on their personal desires, beliefs, and experiences, even if that strays from the cultural traditions they are living in.
From the Paper "As the world continues to evolve, societal changes are taking place. Globalization contributes to the melting pot called earth and as societal barriers come down, people have a chance to learn about other cultures throughout the globe. Wars, religions, education aspirations and other elements of daily life are impacted by one's identity. Whether one wants to be a scientist, housewife, rabbi or actor their personal identity has an impact on that desire being developed. Another important factor in how identity develops is the culture in which one is raised. Cultural differences play a strong part in the development of identity. They are similar yet different as their individual elements overlap and separate to create the difference between a population and an individual. One can examine several cultures worldwide to see how they create multiple dimensions when it comes to one's personal identity."
Abstract This paper looks at arguments for and against the use of race as a defining factor in forensic anthropology. It explains that some schools of thought argue that race should not be a factor, but scientists should rather view a skeleton as an independent human being. It discusses how others explain that determining a person's race from the remains often assists in solving a crime or mystery. Specific biology data and graphs are included in this paper to help understand these concepts.
From the Paper "All agree that all human beings belong to the same biological species, Homo sapiens, which means that all are capable of reproducing without barriers. In reality, however, people are restricted to those known to them when looking for a reproductive partner. As a result of this, in some areas, people of like characteristics tend to cluster together. Over time, then, geographic areas can vary even when the people who live in those areas all appear to be of the same ancestry. However, the issue of race also has important cultural and moral issues. In the past, human variation divided into "races" was viewed as a given, which each race distinct from other ones (Shreeve, 1994). While anthropologists as a group did not support the use of these differences as a way to sort people into some who were better than others, the view assisted those who wanted to assert such claims, insist that the races should be kept separate, and commit any number of social abominations in the name of race, and especially, racial purity."
Abstract This paper discusses the impact that cultural events have on tourism. Specific areas described are Southeast Asia and Middle Eastern nations. It looks at how the local culture impacts tourism and is also impacted by tourism.
From the Paper "Our own cultural heritage is deeply engrained into our psychic beliefs in such a way that we may never fully understand the deep effects that it plays on our everyday lives. This cultural identity is often tested when one ventures outside of this comfort area. This often occurs when an individual travels outside their local area or country. Cultural shock is often the result of this rapid, unknown change."
