Race is one of the most bedeviling of anthropological characteristics. The concept, with the barest tips of its roots in biological realities and the rest of the plant firmly grafted to cultural and sociological constructs, is one of the first concepts that anthropologists dealt with vigorously in terms of the history of the profession. Ideas about race both helped establish anthropology as a discipline in its own right (distinct from history, political economy, philosophy, comparative religion and ethics) and kept it from being entirely assimilated into the post-colonial mindset. Like the poor for the rest of humanity, the idea of race - for both good and ill - seems always to be with the anthropologist.
Thus it is hardly surprising that Roger Lancaster should become fascinated with the concept of race during his fieldwork in Nicaragua. For the milieu in which he is working provides a fascinating swirl of ideas about race. It would seem to be impossible (at least from the information we have about Nicaraguan society) to write accurately about contemporary Nicaraguan society and culture without an examination of the role that race plays within the society.
And yet, while race - and especially ideas about "blackness" - is central to Nicaraguan conceptions of self-identity, Lancaster makes it clear that these are not the only concerns for his "natives," and so it would not be fair to discuss his ethnographic work without at least some mention of them. So while this paper focuses on ideas about race in Nicaragua - and in particular about ideas of "blackness" or "negroness," it is essential to remember that claims about negroness are for Nicaraguans always mediated by other claims about gender...
Cultural Anthropology Native anthropology" is a set of theories based on non-Western precepts and assumptions in the same sense that modern anthropology is based on and is supported by Western beliefs and values (Jones, 31) "native anthropologist" differs from an anthropologist who is not native to the society being studied in the following ways. Essentially Anthropologists can be described as either insiders or outsiders. An "insider" is a person who conducts research on
Cultural anthropology otherwise known as the socio-cultural anthropology or social anthropology is basically the study of culture and is mainly founded on ethnography. Ethnography is based on the methodology of collection of primary data and is purely a product of research where inductive method is used as well as a heavy reliance on the participant observers. It is considered as the holistic and scientific study of humanity and majorly the branch
Love Medicine Cultural Anthropology focuses on how various customs, traditions and background of the individual will influence their lives. These insights offer specific ideas to provide a better understanding of what is happening and the long-term impacts of specific individuals and groups. The book Love Medicine is taking this approach by looking at the changes that are occurring with Chippewa Indians. They are located on a South Dakota reservation from the
Marriage Incest Taboos Marriage and incest taboos Defining Marriage Marriage is a sanctioned union between people that establishes certain rights and obligations between those people, their children, and their relatives (Ember & Ember, 2010). These rights and obligations may include many things, including the right to property, labor, childrearing and bearing, status, and home (Ember & Ember, 2010). These privileges and rights vary greatly from culture to culture. For example, in some cultures,
Cultural Adaptations to Environmental Conditions in the Arctic North The first human occupation of the Americas occurred in Berengia during the last glaciation of the region. Later, it was more widely accepted that the primary center of population expansion was in Alaska, subsequently spreading into the Canadian Arctic and Greenland. The physical environment of the populated regions influenced the developing cultures of each group, affected by access to resources, barriers to
individual may have about a particular group of people can drastically effect their attitude and behavior towards that particular group of people. When two people from different cultures, with their own biases and cultural thinking, are faced with the prospect of interacting, these preconceptions can emerge in the form of confusion, misunderstanding, and even anger. One situation that comes to mind occurred while a friend was visiting her boyfriend. His
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