From the Paper "The purpose of this research is to examine ways in which the Babylonian, Israelite, and Greek states maintained a condition of inequality and assured the persistence and protection of an elite class. The plan of the research will be to set forth the context for exploring the class systems of the ancient world and then to discuss the approaches that each society took to the project of preserving the social status quo, with a view toward suggesting the impact on ancient social practices on societies of subsequent historical periods.
The social order of Babylonia was derived from the Hammurabi Code, which was detailed and hierarchical in nature and which provided a rule of law in a well-defined class system. According to Pfeiffer, Babylonian society comprised three social classes. The awelum was the aristocratic class, comprising businessmen ..."
Examines the relationship between mainstream and Native American cultures in the context of Internet communications, data accessibility and ethnography.
1,125 words (approx. 4.5 pages), 3 sources, 1999, $ 39.95
Abstract Although some non-revisionist anthropologists might wince at the thought of comparing social and cultural life within the United States with the social and cultural life within the Navajo reservation, it will become clearly valid upon the realization that -- although the reservation shares the same land mass as the United States -- the Navajo tribe is clearly an indigenous people and culture. Modern cultural anthropology is undergoing the impact of critical revisionist theory. Indeed, structural ethnography, cultural ethnography, and psycho
From the Paper "THE EFFECTS OF GLOBALIZATION ON CULTURE AND SOCIETY
WITHIN THE UNITED STATES AS COMPARED TO CULTURE AND SOCIETY WITHIN THE NAVAJO NATION
Introduction
Although some non-revisionist anthropologists might wince at the thought of comparing social and cultural life within the United States with the social and cultural life within the Navajo reservation, it will become clearly valid upon the realization that -- although the reservation shares the same land mass as the United States -- the Navajo tribe is clearly an indigenous people and culture. Modern cultural anthropology is undergoing the impact of critical revisionist theory. Indeed, structural ethnography, cultural ethnography, and psycholinguistic ..."
Abstract Tensions in South Africa between the British and the Boers developed soon after the two populations came together in the region, and this tension would continue until the Boer War at the end of the nineteenth century. One of the more memorable events that took place over this century-long history of conflict was the Great Trek, a migration of Boers from the British territory to another territory in an effort to create their own land and control their own destiny.
From the Paper "Tensions in South Africa between the British and the Boers developed soon after the two populations came together in the region, and this tension would continue until the Boer War at the end of the nineteenth century. One of the more memorable events that took place over this century-long history of conflict was the Great Trek, a migration of Boers from the British territory to another territory in an effort to create their own land and control their own destiny. This trek would have consequences both at the time and in later history leading up to the Boer War.
Throughout the 19th century, Great Britain expanded its possessions in southern Africa, and over this period ill feeling mounted between the Dutch descended population, called Afrikaners, or Boers, and British settlers, leading to the Afrikaner migration called the Great Trek (1835 1843) and the ..."
Abstract The Eleventh Century was the end of one millennium and the beginning of a new one. In many ways, it was a period in which humanity emerged from the Dark Ages that had prevailed throughout Europe through much of the first millennium A.D. even as the Roman Empire changed to the Byzantine empire and others.
From the Paper "The Eleventh Century was the end of one millennium and the beginning of a new one. In many ways, it was a period in which humanity emerged from the Dark Ages that had prevailed throughout Europe through much of the first millennium A.D. even as the Roman Empire changed to the Byzantine empire and others. We call this the Dark Ages today because its history is somewhat obscure and because much of classical learning was temporarily lost. In the Eleventh Century, certain changes came about showing a new relationship between government and governed after the Battle of Hastings and the creation of the Magna Carta in England. In other parts of the world, other civilizations were either winding down are beginning to flower, depending on history and circumstances. It is these other parts of the world where much of my own interest lies, given that we are only beginning to under ..."
An examination of the violence, legal discrimination, segregation, domestic abuse and assassination against females in cultural, political and religious contexts.
2,700 words (approx. 10.8 pages), 10 sources, 2000, $ 95.95
From the Paper "Introduction
The last half of the twentieth century saw increased participation by women in politics, economics and social settings throughout the world and in many different environments. Women entered the global workforce in greater numbers than ever before, and women increasingly participated in guiding the directions not only of their own families, but of entire societies. Women became heads of state in Israel, Pakistan and the United Kingdom and assumed leadership roles in commerce. Despite these advances, the advances of some women have not been universally enjoyed throughout the world. Women in many countries continue to face both subtle and overt discrimination, and in some countries, actions against women can be particularly violent. The problem can be particularly acute in societies where there are cultural factors..."
From the Paper "Trying to discover who we are as both individuals and as members of the group to which we belong can be both difficult and full of ambiguities, and can last a lifetime. This process is especially difficult for those who find themselves to be minorities in their own cultures, especially if the majority groups are overtly hostile towards them. How the members of such minority groups come to terms with who they are can take several pathways, and Axtmann summarizes the most common of these:
The search for identity within a global society within a global world may manifest express itself politically in the formation of a global consciousness; it may also manifest itself in religious fundamentalism, civilizational consciousness, and/or ethnonational revivalism."
An examination of the ways native American peoples and African slaves rebelled against and/or adapted to dominant Spanish culture in Mesoamerica and Peru in 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries.
1,125 words (approx. 4.5 pages), 3 sources, 2000, $ 39.95
Abstract This paper examines the ways in which native American peoples and people of African descent resisted, revolted from, escaped, adapted, and incorporated the dominating culture in Mesoamerica and Peru during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries.
From the Paper "This paper examines the ways in which native American peoples and people of African descent resisted, revolted from, escaped, adapted, and incorporated the dominating culture in Mesoamerica and Peru during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries. The conquest of the Americas by the Spanish was among the most complete and oppressive in all the New World, managing to overpower and, in some cases, eradicate the existing cultures. However, the oppressed minorities were able to retain some elements of their own identities, often creating elegant adaptations and responsive solutions to the efforts of their conquerors. An ongoing nativist movement was also part of their attempt to retain their individuality in the face of powerful invading forces."
Within a few decades of European discovery of the New World,
From the Paper "The Bambara (or Bamana) are one of the main subgroups of the Manding peoples (also called Mandinka or Mandingo) and are one of the two main groups of the Manding people (Imperato 34). They dominate the life of the country both politically and economically (Imperato and Traore 224). The Bambara people live mainly in the grasslands around Bamako in the upper Niger River region of southern Mali. There are approximately 2,500,000 Bambara people. This paper will look at some background information on the tribe, including their location, social structure, political system, population size, and medical system. According to Imperato, all Manding peoples originate from a mountainous region of the same name that sits astride the border of Guinea and Mali. This area was the base of the vast medieval Empire of Mali (34). The Bambara founded the upper Niger state..."
An examination of cross-cultural differences in the cause and treatment of physical abuse. Includes parenting, punishment, risk models, intervention and the role of social workers.
2,700 words (approx. 10.8 pages), 18 sources, 2000, $ 95.95
From the Paper "Cross Cultural Differences in Child Physical Abuse:
The Theory and Research
Introduction
Nature and Scope of the Problem
Over several decades, a substantial body of research has been accumulated indicating that there are a number of crosscultural differences in people's perspectives of what constitutes physical abuse of children (Hart, Binkley & Brassard, 1998).
Because many countries either collect no statistics on child
physical abuse and/or only minimal statistics, it is impossible to arrive at a global estimate of the problem (Buchanan, 1996).
However, it is known that in America alone, approximately three million children are reported to child protective services for child maltreatment; of these, about 22 percent are for..."
From the Paper "It has become commonplace to accept that humans came to the New World from Asia across the Bering Strait. It has also become commonly accepted that the people who crossed this strait were in fact Homo sapiens sapiens (and not some earlier form of the species) and that they did not begin this migration before the terminal Pleistocene era.
These assumptions are based upon a number of aspects of the archaeological and biological record. The lack of human skeletal remains in the New World before the end of the Pleistocene sets the period before which migration seems unlikely to have occurred. The biological connections between the peoples of Asia and the native peoples of the Americas suggest that at one time these groups formed a common and united gene pool. And the fact that dental variation in the Americas is less than that in Asia..."
Abstract This paper discusses the phenomenon of richer and poorer nations, by analyzing Landes' book. The paper outlines Landes' opinion that England was the first country in world history to develop and can therefore show other nations how to succeed. The writer portrays the book as a direct negation of the concept of multiculturalism in declaring that even the Chinese and Islamic civilizations? great scientific and technological advancements could not continue to progress as Europe has.
From the Paper "While Harvard Professor of History and Economics David S. Landes states in his book that that no has the simple answer as to why some nations are very rich and some are very poor today, he nevertheless argues that the West has been way ahead of the East in progress and success. He categorically points to England as the first country in world history to develop and this happened in the 18th century. Because of this, he writes that Europe (or England) shows how a nation can succeed. The book is a direct negation of the concept of multiculturalism in declaring that even the Chinese and Islamic civilizations? great scientific and technological advancements could not continue to progress as Europe has. He attests to a European miracle in earlier centuries."
A discussion of the ritual of circumcision in the Aborigine Aranda tribe of Australia and how this practice relates to the aspect of magic and religion.
Abstract This paper provides a brief history of the Aranda tribe (also called the Arrernte), a group of Aborigines who lived in Central Australia, their rituals and customs . In particular, it examines the rite of circumcision when a boy reached the age of ten to twelve. The ritual takes many months to complete and begins with the men of the camp tossing the boy in the air repeatedly, somewhat like we toss a child in a blanket signifying the boy's long journey into manhood. It also looks at the practice of "totemism," which blends nature with their religious beliefs and how the totem (tjurunga) for the circumcision ceremony was one of their most significant totems.
From the Paper "The Aranda tribe (also called the Arrernte) is a group of Aborigines who lived in Central Australia. They were the source of the "Dream Time" legends, and lived in a society filled with complex religious and spiritual events. Several anthropologists and scientists studied the tribe around the turn of the 20th century, and documented their rituals and rites. They were hunter-gathers, who did not know how to raise crops until the white man came to Australia. They had complex religious beliefs, which were illustrated by their many rituals and rites, including the many layered rites young men must go though to enter manhood."
Abstract This paper discusses the book, "The Meanings of Macho: Being a Man in Mexico City" by anthropologist Matthew Gutmann. The paper presents Gutmann's theory that the stereotype of the Macho Man is merely an image that distorts the truth and renders the society incapable of helping the Mexican society change. The paper provides a chapter by chapter summary and a critical review of the book.
From the Paper "Matthew Gutmann is an anthropologist who writes books turning his experiences and knowledge into phrases that teach a lesson that cannot be ignored. As a Professor of Anthropology at Brown University he is familiar with the gender bias inherent in society and it is this gender role that he discusses in his books. Before writing The Meanings of Macho: Being a Man in Mexico City, Gutmann lived for a year in the town of Colonia Santo Domingo. His reason for staying there was that he wanted to experience first hand the community culture and norm so as to understand the social dynamics that created the 'Macho Man'."
Abstract This paper introduces, discuss and compares the concept of American New Imperialism. Specifically, it discusses the significance of America's acquisition of Hawaii. It looks at the history of the island and the heritage of its inhabitants and then examines how all this was destroyed due to the American gaining control of the island.
From the Paper "Imperialism took place around the globe in 1800 and 1900s at a tremendous scale. Most of the imperialist powers were based in Europe, such as England and France, but the United States had its share of annexations and takeovers, such as The Panama Canal and the Philippines. However, the United States annexation of Hawaii is perhaps one of the worst examples of imperialism in history. "This act of American imperialism was the death knell of Hawaiian sovereignty and continues to negatively affect the lives of people of Hawaiian blood today.""
Tags: island, heritage, inhabitants, control, sovereignty, wakiki
Abstract This paper argues that Neanderthal man is related to modern humans by looking at elements of the Neanderthal physiology, behavior and cultural life. It shows how, allowing for the effects of a harsh, cold climate, Neanderthal physiology is remarkably similar to that of Homo Sapiens and how like modern humans, Neanderthals developed tools and had a capacity for language. Neanderthals also buried their dead, created artwork, had a concept of an afterlife and had a societal structure with strong social ties.
From the Paper "Recent findings on the mitochondrial DNA taken from the right humerus of a Neanderthal skeleton failed to show significant similarities with the mitochondrial DNA of modern humans. According to the study, one sequence of Neanderthal DNA differs drastically from the same stretch of modern human DNA -- about half as much as today's humans differ from chimps. Disparities that large, the researchers conclude, suggest that about 600,000 years ago, Neanderthals branched out into their own evolutionary line. This line was distinct from the line that eventually would become today's Homo sapiens (Suplee A1). Neanderthals were too genetically different from modern man and should thus be classified homo neandertalis."
Tags: dna, skeleton, physiology, culture, homo, sapiens, language
