Cultural Anthropology: Can There Be Any Universal Human Rights?
consists of five questions, each worth 20 points. They are broad critical thinking questions that ask you to really use your head and justify your responses. I would like for each question response to be at least 250 words long and chock full of as many specific examples you can pack in. DO NOT plagiarize any portion from the book or a website. If you do, you will receive a zero. If you need to learn more about plagiarism and how not to do it, go to this website: www(dot)plagiarism(dot)org. You will need to conduct outside research for these questions, and I want you to use good, college level sources (no wikipedia) and your textbook to guide you. For instance, have a look at human rights websites, or the website of the American Anthropological Association. Please ask me for help if you have any questions at all. Please cite your resources at the end.
1. Can there be any universal human rights? What issues can be raised when trying to assert universal human rights? Who should decide what universal human rights should be, and what about those who disagree with them? What organizations are already trying to address this issue?
2. Give examples of how ethnocentrism functions in a culture. Do you think that ethnocentrism can ever be a good thing? First, define ethnocentrism.
3. What are some examples of ethical considerations with which an anthropologist must be concerned when conducting fieldwork? Use the American Anthropological Association website to help you here.
4. Imagine you are designing a training course for business people who will be working and securing deals in another country. What are some aspects of culture in general that you may wish to cover? What are some of the cultural differences that can make people uncomfortable when meeting or doing business (this is a general question, and I am looking for general categories here. If you have specific cultural examples, great!)
5. Consider the climate in which you live. What technological adaptations help you to function? Are there any biological features you possess which have helped you to adapt?
Professor’s Name
Course
Date
Cultural Anthropology
Question One
I believe there can never be universal human rights because of the culturally diverse nature of human beings. Some cultures will always feel superior and as such will want to dictate what universal rights should be. Every culture has different experiences and different views of what should constitute a human right. Some cultures believe in communism while others believe in individualism and as such, they have a different view on universal human rights.
Trying to assert universal human rights raises issues such as implementation and enforcement of those rights across different cultures (OÇonnor). How can cultures that are not universal enforce universal human rights? The question of which governing bodies would enforce these rights given that each culture has their own governments is paramount. Issues concerning tradition and religion also arise from trying to assert universal human rights.
All cultures should have a representative in deciding what universal human rights should be. A body that constitutes of all representatives from across the world will be most appropriate in deciding what universal rights should be because all voices will be heard. Such is the case with the group of people who drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which constituted people with different cultures and from different legal backgrounds(United Nations). Those who disagree will also be heard and this will ensure that a consensus is reached. The United Nations (UN) and other human rights organizations are trying to address the issue of universal human rights. The UN, through the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), is actively involved in the protection of human rights through their peacekeeping missions in different countries.
Question Two
Ethnocentrism is the tendency of people to interpret other cultures according to the practices and perceptions of their own culture (Myers). People will readily accept people with whom they share a similar culture and ignore those who have different cultures because they think their culture is important and superior to the rest. Ethnocentrism is a universal issue that is experienced in all fields be it politics or in business.
Ethnocentrism functions in a culture in various ways and the effects vary depending on the parties involved. For example, in the legal system, people with different cultures are involved. Culture plays a major role in the courtrooms and determines the outcome of a case (Maeder and Yamamoto). In a case where the defendant has a different culture with the judge involved, elements of the cultural difference may affect the verdict delivered. Cases of racial or religious prejudice in the courtrooms are not a new issue and have seen court rulings being appealed if the defendant feels that they were given harsh verdicts based on their culture.
Purchasing of local products by consumers is also an example of how ethnocentrism functions in a culture. Some consumers believe that imported products are of low quality than the local products or believe that they are failing their own people by supporting outsiders. Thus, they are very careful when making purchasing decisions because they are concerned with the state of the economy. In some cases, firms prefer employing top managers and supervisors from the home country because they believe their people are superior and hence well-equipped in decision-making.
Ethnocentrism can be good because it promotes patriotism and gives people of a certain group a sense of belonging and support. However, the negative effects of ethnocentrism outweigh the positive effects because it creates prejudice and animosity among people of different cultures. As such, people from different cultures hardly interact and that constricts their thinking. There is so much flow of information when culturally diverse people interact but ethnocentrism comes in the way of that.
Question Three
Anthropologists encounter many ethical dilemmas when conducting fieldwork. They are likely to empathize with their subjects and at times these affect their research. One of the ethical considerations that concern anthropologists is the issue of anonymity(Cassell and Jacobs). In some cases, the group or subjects being researched have preferences concerning the revelation of their identity. Some may prefer to remain anonymous and other requires to be fully recognized. Thus, an anthropologist m...