Abstract This paper examines how burial rituals or funerary customs in other cultures are as unique and different as the cultures themselves and how, in every culture, when death occurs, the body is usually buried or cremated respectfully to honor the person that passed on. It looks at how different cultures have different beliefs regarding what happens to a person after they die and how, in general, most cultures believe that one's soul leaves the body and goes on to another world or to become another creature. In particular, it shows how a culture's belief of what happens to the soul affects the manner in which the dead are prepared or disposed through analysis of the burial rituals of several different cultures and religions.
Outline
Introduction
Egyptians
Hinduism
Judaism
Islam
Tibetan Buddhists
From the Paper "An Egyptian funeral began at the house of the deceased early in the morning. By the time that the funeral began the person had already been mummified (Taylor 114). The mummification process itself was a very long process that lasted on an average of seventy days or more (Mims 197). The mummification was completed in order to preserve the body so that when it's soul came looking for the body it would be recognizable (Arriaza 123). They would be carried from their house by servants through town and across the Nile in a procession that would end at their tomb (Taylor 115). During the procession food would be handed out and professional mourners were hired to mourn the dead (Taylor 114)."
Abstract The paper discusses Yukio Mishima's short story entitled, "Patriotism," and the contrast between traditional morality and modernity in pre-World War II Japan. The paper gives a history of the Japanese feudal code and describes how traditions and the concept of honor were integrated into the militaristic government of Japan. Historical context is given to Mishima's story, and the February 26th Incident for which the story uses as its catalyst is described in great detail. The second half of the paper deals with the story itself, giving examples and quotes from the short story to prove the point that Reiko and her husband did not kill themselves due to their passionate love for one another, but instead, were forced to do so because the traditions of ancient Japan and the practices of the modern military system forced them into a situation where suicide would be the only honorable way for them to die. The paper proves the point that Mishima was attempting to demonstrate, that even a love so deep and strong as the one that Reiko and her husband shared could not flourish in the close-minded and backwards-thinking world of Japan in the early-to-mid 20th century.
From the Paper "Takeyama chooses suicide because he knows that he cannot kill his close friends who began the uprising against the Emperor, but consequently he cannot live with himself if he disobeys his Emperor. This represents a loyalty to not just Emperor Hirohito, but also to the code of honor that the military system in Japan established in each soldier. The only honorable thing for Takeyama to do, knowing that he'll be disobeying an order from God essentially, is to kill himself and respectably declare his allegiance to the Japanese Empire in his farewell note. This strict system of ethics and morality is what has pigeonholed Reiko into making her choice to follow her husband, and Takeyama also understands that if Reiko were left alive, the shame and pressure put on her by Japanese society would be unbearable. He sees her killing herself not as just an act of dedication towards him, but as a way to free her of the burdens that would undeniably follow her if she were to live on as the widowed wife of a traitor."
Abstract This paper examines how "Ishi in Two Worlds" tells the tale of an Indian man who was accustomed to living a traditional way of life and then was thrust into the full brunt of modern American civilization by a cruel accident. It looks at how it is the story of a man who dwelled in two worlds, how he spent most of his life in the ways and sphere of the Yahi Indians, and how, after his tribe's eradication, he was forced to live in contemporary civilization, specifically in the context of the modern American university among well-meaning anthropologists who wished to study and learn from him.
From the Paper "Ishi's tale is thus at once fascinating and uncomfortable to hear, as the reader finds him or herself a witness to Indian histories, languages and narratives that would otherwise have been lost, yet also a fly-on-the-wall observer to the personal struggle of an essentially private individual, forced to cope with a civilization he never knew existed, a civilization that has overtaken his own even though it is not necessarily superior to the Yahi's ways. At least the anthropologist under whose care Ishi found himself had some of the current postmodern or tolerant mindset of today. They wished to learn about his culture with an open mind, rather than try to change him or to condemn the Yahi practices. Still, the solitude of Ishi's final years amongst White men and women makes his struggle even painful for a 21st century reader to acknowledge."
Abstract In his book "Discipline and Punish", Michel Foucault analyses the rise of a new type of disciplinary power, one linked to knowledge, techniques of surveillance, and the production of 'truth'. This paper looks at Foucault's analysis of the 'technological take-off in the productivity of power' and how he saw power as utilising the 'techniques' of the production of truth, knowledge, and surveillance. It also covers the idea of power acting through the subjectification of individuals. Finally, it attempts to analyse Foucault's framework for understanding culture, and the extent to which it is useful for this purpose.
From the Paper "To understand how Foucault uses the idea of knowledge as power, it is perhaps most useful for us to first look at how truth is produced, i.e. how 'regimes of truth' came about, and how these are used to legitimise knowledge in order for knowledge to have status and thus be used in power relations. For the production of truth both makes claim to power and sustains and justifies it. Foucault questions the absolute truth of knowledge and sees truth as being something constructed to impose ideas of what is right and true (Fillingham 1993:5-7). "
Tags: abnormal, deviant, knowledge, objectification, panopticism, panopticon, subjectification, surveillance, truth
An analysis of how, with careful consideration of the wall drawings and of the culture that created them, and their physical journey, we can justly determine much about the life and society of the stone age.
3,568 words (approx. 14.3 pages), 6 sources, 2000, $ 99.95
From the Paper "It is hard to comprehend a culture without technology. What would we do without these necessities and pleasures of life? To determine the answer, let's take a look at a totally unfamiliar society- the cave dwellers. They lived without technology, existing upon nature alone.The cave dwellers haven"t left us a lot to go on, but what they did leave us is rich in knowledge. What we have found are their cave paintings. What we can learn from these is debated. Some argue that these cave drawings only teach of location and a bit about the society. Others argue that we can learn not only that, but we can learn why they were drawn; and what the message becomes to us. The question is, then, can Paleolithic art be interpreted accurately enough to give a adequate depiction of Cro-Magnon life" I believe that with careful consideration of the wall drawings and of the culture that created them, and their physical journey, we can justly determine much about society and the stone age."
From the Paper "In this book of many parts and subparts, Gutierrez deals with the impact of European colonization on the indigenous peoples of the American Southwest. He documents the ways in which the Spanish culture affected and ultimately altered the Pueblo culture and their very fabric of life. His book spans the three century period from 1500-1846 and focuses on marriage, sexuality, and power during this colonial period before the arrival of the Anglo culture, upon annexation of the Southwest into the United States. An annexation that also added new situations and ideas to the already existing mix of culture and religion. "
A look at how the Amish have adopted alternatives in order to keep their traditional lifestyle with respect to power, agriculture, transportation, and communications.
2,280 words (approx. 9.1 pages), 3 sources, 1999, $ 70.95
From the Paper "The Amish of Pennsylvania have riddled American society since the dawn of the modern era. While rapid new technological changes have greatly altered the shape of modern society, the Amish still cling to their antiquated ways and strong traditions. However, as the Amish continue to remain outside the technological loop that dominates modern earth, they risk the chance of eventually becoming obsolete. As a way to keep their faith, the Amish have slowly began to negotiate the use of electricity, the telephone, automobiles, and farming equipment. In their quest to keep their traditional lifestyle, the Amish have adopted alternatives with respect to power, agriculture, transportation, and communications."
Abstract The ideology of Jeans in the United States has been changing for decades due to the shift in pop culture. Because of the diversity of American culture, the idea behind the jeans has evolved from hard-working to self identification. The author examines the changing symbolic significance of jeans for American society over time and the symbol they serve for popular culture.
From the Paper "Jeans, or to be exact, blue jeans, have been carrying its very symbolic significance for America over the last 150 years. For the past century and a half, the culture of jeans has changed the ideological symbolism from initial proletarian wardrobes (toughness, independence, and hardworking) in the mid-nineteenth century to modern twenty-first century representation of selfness (uniqueness, individuality, and personal styles). Not only has the ideology changed over time, but the jeans per se, its design, style, embellishment, or even marketing strategy also change from "western-era" plain style emphasizing durability, through "rebellious-period" creative style stressing anti-tradition, to "post-war epoch" advocating casualness, following neck-and-neck along the societal pulsation. Jeans therefore can serve as an accurate barometer of trends in contemporary, now and then, popular cultures."
Abstract This is a serious look at the way women are treated in Kenya. The paper goes out to explain the various consequences and types of Female Gentalia Mutilation . It also tries to justify why the practice is still carried out through the eyes of the traditional people. . The author argues that there is a need for strong outreach, education at the grassroots and family life education: that involves the communities and addresses the main reasons to discontinue the practice. This should be done in compromise but not by attacking the practicing few.
From the Paper "According to the Kenya demographic Health Survey (KDHS), female circumcision is the partial or complete cutting away of a woman's external genitalia. While the practice is thought to be a cultural tradition in Kenya, KDHS says its origin and underlying cultural rational is not clearly understood. It is commonly referred to as female circumcision mostly to imply that it is similar to male circumcision. However, the degree of cutting is more extreme and often impairs a woman's sexual and reproductive functions. It is because of this that the name female genital mutilation is starring."
Tags: circumscision, clitoridectomy, passage, rights, rite, womanhood, women
Abstract This paper takes an in-depth look at the intense passion that the ancient Mayan civilization had for sporting activities. The author discusses how the ballgames of the times had many different levels of meaning, ranging from entertainment to ritual, as tributes to the gods. The paper details the rules and regulations of such ancient games as Poc-a-tok and Ollama, and how Mayans saw sports as public reenactments of warfare.
From the Paper:
"Through this ballgame one can learn a lot about Mayan culture. The never-ending love and devotion that they held for the Gods of their people is apparent in the fact that they organized these ballgames to please them. They played until they collapsed from exhaustion, in some instances, so that they could be sacrificed if they won. The Mayans were a people of respect and warfare. This is evident in the way that after each raid that they planned only with the specific alignment of the sun and the planets they always held the game at the Victor's homeland, there was no straying from the tradition. They placed value in worship of their gods and honor to those brave players who opted to die for the game and in turn for their Gods."
Abstract This paper looks at the underlying trends of each population growth factor separately, particularly the immigration factor. It includes several graphs and in-depth data of the population in the United States as a whole as well as divided into sectors. It gives an historical overview of the Hispanic immigration from its origin until the present day. Finally, it concludes that the Hispanic population will continue to grow rapidly into the largest minority group due to their immigration and birth rate.
From the Paper "Researchers in demographics have persistently foretold that the rapidly growing Hispanic population would inevitably develop into the leading minority group in the United States. Updated data released from the 2000 census reveal that this belief is fast approaching actualisation. The data indicates that America's Hispanic population grew by 58% during the 1990s, putting Hispanics practically equal with African Americans as the country's biggest minority group. Most demographers predicted that the Hispanic population would equal or exceed African Americans by 2005. But that may occur sooner than initially anticipated. (Travierso, Maria. 2001, 1) How has this approaching dominance among minorities occurred and what does this mean to the U.S. population at large?"
Tags: Hispanic, United, States, census, 2000, population, minority, demographics
Abstract This paper is an in-depth discussion of multiculturalism, it defines it and states that an entirely different view of culture is needed in the intellectual discourse of society. Elst analyzes culture using the example of analyzing sex. Elst makes it clear in his analysis that pluralities of identity are the norm, that everyone is multi-ethnic and multi-racial in some fashion. Finally, the paper concludes that each individual should study and redefine his own culture.
From the Paper "Even in the current, mainstream political debate over what constitutes ?multiculturalism,? it is common cultural parlance to view culture as a static entity. Multiculturalism is defined as the manner in which more cultures are integrated into the fabric of the dominant discourse, rather than as a way of deconstructing notions of how culture itself is perceived and misperceived. As the title of Dirk Van Der Elst's book Culture as Given, Culture as Choice, suggests, however, framing the debate in such a fashion is not necessarily the most radical choice. Elst suggests that nothing really exists as ?culture,? rather culture itself is a constructed, socially produced norm."
Tags: cultural, multiculturalism, Dirk, Van, Der, Elst, social, norm
Abstract A thorough discussion of the history and pros and cons of cloning in general. This paper supports cloning humans to help humanity so long as the ability is not abused. Topics presented include natural clones and philosophical, physical, medical and various other issues.
From the Paper "The word "cloning" once brought to mind a vast array of ideas and thoughts often possible only within the context of science fiction, and yet our technology has now reached a stage in which possibility has become reality. In 1996, the first successful mammalian clone was created and named Dolly - a sheep born asexually who had the exact same genetic sequence as her mother (Hawker). Recently, in 2001 a human embryo was cloned and grew to the 6 cell stage before it died (Hill). These two events have raised an enormous amount of questions surrounding the ethics and benefits of cloning. Even though cloning exists in nature (Identical Twins, bacteria, most unicellular organisms, plants not from seeds, some algae and fungi, many Invertebrates are all natural clones), there is a sense of taking evolution and nature into our own hands by cloning?most especially in context to cloning human beings (Hawker). There are strong arguments both for and against cloning, but I believe cloning is only feasible to help humanity so long as it is not abused."
Abstract This paper is an examination of the artwork of ancient Egypt. It looks at the paintings of ancient Egypt and explores the different messages that they hold within. Some of the themes found in these paintings include god, life after death and the actual process of dying. In many cases, the paintings are a personal history of the individual that is now preserved for future generations. The author shows how animals played an important role in their life and how many animals hold special meaning for these ancient Egyptians. The author goes into great detail about the materials used in these paintings, including the type of paints, brushes, colors, canvases and surfaces used by the Egyptians to paint these magnificent pieces of art.
From the Paper "The artwork of ancient Egypt remains a never-ending source of fascination for many living in the modern world. Painting is perhaps the most intriguing and perceptive medium of expression used by the Egyptian artisans. The subject matter, materials used, techniques, and style reflected in the paintings mirror the time period in which they are painted. The paintings produced in Egyptian antiquity are insightful windows into the culture, beliefs, and ideals of the dynamic ancient civilization."
This paper gives a cross-cultural analysis of the indigenous peoples of the BaMbuti tribe in Africa. This paper focuses on examples from their politics, economics and religion from a functionalist's perspective.
Abstract In his ethnography "The Forest People," Colin Turnbull has done an excellent job of providing details of the different aspects of the BaMbuti. This essay gives a descriptive analysis of three cultural traits of the BaMbuti's culture from a functionalist perspective. The three topics discussed in this paper include politics, economics, and religion. There are many examples that could be included within each topic; however, for the purpose of this paper, it focuses mainly on one particular example for each section.
From the Paper "With regards to political organization, the BaMbuti is a tightly knit hunter-gatherer tribe that has its own unique set of checks and balances. From a structural-functionalist perspective, peoples of the BaMbuti have no formal political authority; there are neither formal written laws, nor law enforcement agencies needed in the BaMbuti's relatively simple social structure. To the BaMbuti, cooperation is key concerning decisions affecting the group as a whole (Turnbull 124)."
