Ethics and Anthropology and Constructing Identities
This midterm is an open book review exercise. Please use only course materials (e.g., course readings, lecture notes, films, etc.) to formulate your responses. The midterm covers material inclusive from Module 1 (What is Sociocultural Anthropology?) to Module 5 (Cultural Construction of Identity II). Please submit your responses in a Word Document, Pages Document, or Adobe PDF on Moodle; be sure to include your name and clearly indicate which questions you have answered.
How to Complete the Midterm
The Midterm is divided into two sections:
• Part 1: Ethics and Anthropology (complete 2 out of 4 options – 5 marks per response) •
Part 2: Constructing Identities (complete 2 out of 4 options – 5 marks per response) Answer each question in two to three paragraphs (350-500 words). Each response must cite at least one reading or lecture from the course. Students should only use class materials (e.g., readings, lectures, and films); external research is neither expected nor required for this assignment.
PART 1: ETHICS AND ANTHROPOLOGY Answer TWO of the four short answer questions. Responses should be two to three paragraphs in length (e.g., 350-500 words each). This section is worth a total of 10 marks (5 marks per response x 2 responses):
A) What can Columbus’ encounters with the Arawak tell us about ethnocentrism and cultural relativism? Explain with reference to the film, “BabaKiueria.”
B) What is the distinction Stefan Helmreich makes between cultural immersion and transduction? Which does he argue should be the goal of ethnographic research and why?
C) Who was involved in the Samoa Debate? What can this controversy tell us about fieldwork and the fieldwork process? Explain with reference to the concept of reflexivity.
D) Who was George Hunt and what were his relationships to Franz Boas, Lucy Homikanis, and Tsukwani Francine ‘Nakwaxda’xw? With reference to Margaret Bruchac’s chapter, explain why Hunt is a complicated figure in the history of anthropology.
PART 2: CONSTRUCTING IDENTITIES Answer TWO of the four short answer questions. Responses should be two to three paragraphs in length (e.g., 350-500 words each). This section is worth a total of 10 marks (5 marks per response x 2 responses):
A) What does Clifford Geertz mean when he argues that “culture is not stuck in people’s heads”? Discuss the significance of this statement with reference to either the Balinese Cockfight or to Baseball Magic.
B) Identify the stages of a rite of passage and briefly explain their significance for constructing identity. According to Victor Turner, what is the most important stage and why?
C) Drastic social change can lead to the creation of new worldviews and/or identities to help people make sense of their transformed worlds. Explain this statement with reference to Haïtian Vodou. D) Identify two categories of “Others” in national identity narratives and briefly explain why they are important to these narratives. GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS
• Some articles are rich in ethnographic detail. Do not try to summarize every detail in your response. Instead, concentrate on the author’s most salient examples to illustrate your point.
• Be sure to clearly indicate which reading(s) or lecture(s) you are referring to support your answers. This means using in-text citations when either paraphrasing or using direct quotations— e.g., (Grimes 2000, 103) or (Caporusso 2023, Lecture 2).
• You may use a style guide of your choosing (Chicago, MLA, or APA) so long as it is applied consistently. Failure to cite materials will result in a lower grade.
Subject and Section
Professor’s Name
Date
Part I: Ethics and Anthropology
1 What can Columbus' encounters with the Arawak tell us about ethnocentrism and cultural relativism? Explain concerning the film, "BabaKiueria.”
Columbus' encounters with the Arawak people are emblematic of ethnocentrism and serve as a springboard for a profound exploration of cultural relativism. Ethnocentrism, a fundamental concept in cross-cultural analysis, entails the evaluation of another culture based on the preconceived values and norms of one's cultural framework. As Columbus and his crew embarked on their exploration of the Americas, they did so through the lens of a European worldview, perceiving it as the pinnacle of human civilization. This perspective predisposed them to view the Arawak people, indigenous to the lands they encountered, through an ethnocentric prism, interpreting their culture, technology, and social organization as inferior due to their deviation from European norms. A film by Featherston entitled "BabaKiueria," an incisive cinematic work satirizes ethnocentrism by ingeniously orchestrating a historical role reversal. In this imaginative narrative, Aboriginal Australians colonize Europe, effectively placing Europeans in a position historically occupied by indigenous populations subjected to European colonialism. This inversion exposes the capricious and context-dependent nature of ethnocentric viewpoints. For example, in one scene, an Aboriginal Australian official declares that European habits and living conditions are "unhealthy and unsanitary," echoing the ethnocentric judgments Europeans once passed on indigenous cultures. This satirical shift compels viewers to reassess the foundations of ethnocentrism and challenges the arbitrariness of such views when reversed.
The film also serves as a compelling demonstration of cultural relativism. At its core, cultural relativism posits that a person's beliefs, values, and practices should be understood within their own culture, free from judgment against external cultural norms. In "BabaKiueria," the Aboriginal Australians, as colonizers, exhibit cultural relativism by applying their cultural norms, such as communal living and collective decision-making, to their treatment of Europeans (Featherstone). This highlights the importance of appreciating cultural diversity and recognizing that judgments about other cultures are often steeped in ethnocentric biases.
In summary, Columbus' interactions with the Arawaks and the narrative of "BabaKiueria" intertwine to illuminate