IHSS B 2021-22

https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/ancient-dna-traces-history-of-south-asians-66395 We don't often think about it, but all modern-day races and cultures are a combination of ancient civilizations, many of which are overlapping in ways we probably wouldn't guess at. This article focuses on the origin of South Asians. Modern-day Indians and Pakistanis partially descend from farmers and hunter-gatherers from the Bronze Age Indus Valley Civilization, according to articles published by Cell and Science. Some members of the valley civilization, notable farmers, migrated southeast and mixed with hunter-gathers from different regions of southeast Asia and made the ancestral South Indians. Others traveled North and came across nomadic Europeans. They combined their cultures and created Indo-European languages. This was the rise of the ancestral North Indians.  As mentioned earlier, farmers being the ones who split off is very important for the development of their civilizations...

  Sienna Kissack Mr. Roddy IHSS August 31, 2021 Cultural Anthropology Blog This article talks about the different transformations of Mallorcan landscapes. It also talks about the growth of tourism, climate change, and how well the land has been taken care of for business. Jessica Hardin, who is the narrator, also writes about the crops and how vegetables are a sign of wealth and poverty, and health and illness. Throughout this article, Jessica writes about the corona virus pandemic health and politics of care. Anna Eisenstein focuses her research on women in Uganda. Her focus is divine guidance and coordinating with others. Joseph Weiss explores the indigenous population and military in Canada. Weiss describes a colonial project that was misleading. Nick Seaver talks about care, scale and analytics.

 In 2021, there have been many issues that have come up and have affected humanity. The article that I read demonstrated how caring was used to solve issues in different cultures and locations around the world. My favorite example that they gave was Radhika    Govindrajan's point about India's state-sanctioned cow- protection policies. The cow- protection policies were made due to religious beliefs in India. For it to become a policy to protect cows in India, there had to have been a large number of people who cared for this cause. Cared for the lives of the cows and their safety. To me, it's incredible how emotion can turn into a policy for a whole country. In my opinion, care is a very underrated form of solving issues. Usually, when we think of solving problems we think of arguments, battles, or war but in some cases, care can become an option for fixing these problems. But first, we need to learn to respect each other and work together. One problem I hope we can resol...

Broadly speaking, article talks about climate change and its effects on the earth. More specifically, it talks about all the wild forest fires that are happening. There are some that are now annual in places such as Australia, Brazil, and many more.  The article also defines what a firestorm is. A firestorm is when a wild fire’s intensity grows so much so, that it can generate winds by itself. These winds help to fuel the fire further. The article makes a really interesting connection. It says that the combination of things like ecology, technology, and power can create a “sociological firestorm”.  I interpret this “sociological firestorm” as perhaps a conflict that is started within a society. As the conflict escalates, there are butterfly effects of this conflict that escalate it even further, causing it to ripple more, and so on. This is the way that the article ties into cultural anthropology. It talks about society, the way it functions, and how it can be sometimes c...

This article forced you to think about how Covid-19 has affected our morality, and what practices make someone ethical in this context. During this global pandemic, people were forced into isolation, and while most of us felt lonesome a majority stayed inside their corridors. This was mainly due to constringent rules keeping people inside but also having trust in others. While many stayed inside, for some being alone wasn’t bearable. Going to see others, even when you or your family weren’t high risks were seen as unethical. Risking other’s lives so you can have a fun night was selfish, but in any other scenario, hanging out with people seems wouldn’t have this effect and would be fine. Covid has affected what we see as moral, because the whole world, in what seemed like a day, shut down. The writers in this article made it clear that it wasn’t their jobs to say what was ethical, and what wasn’t, they instead wanted us to make that decision. One of the questions they asked so we would ...

https://culanth.org/fieldsights/a-case-for-design-anthropology-for-creating-human-centered-ai This article focuses on the application of Anthropology in AI-related product development. A large part of this article is dedicated to explaining the issues with consumer research tactics. The author points out how the lack of AI literacy makes research tactics like interviews, focus groups, and surveys unusable. For example, it does not do you much good to ask a person if they want a steering wheel in their self-driving car because the idea of a self-driving car is vague enough that it can vary greatly from person to person. Instead, the author especially recommends a more prototype-oriented consumer research process. This means using simulations and prototypes to induce more realistic reactions to your AI product.

Everest Leo Mr. Roddy IHSS 30 August 2021 The Effect of 3.11 in the Japanese Political Scene https://culanth.org/fieldsights/3-11-the-politics-emerging-and-dissipating-ten-years-since     It has now been over 10 years since the largest recorded earthquake to hit Japan devastated not just their cities, but provoked their citizens. In the past few decades, there hadn't been much political action or resistance from the citizens. It's almost their way of life, going along with what they think they can't change. But after 3.11 (the name of the earthquake) the citizens of Japan were inspired for the first time in over two decades to hold mass demonstrations, some organized by students. The response to the earthquake also fostered resistance against certain political figures and the decisions they made, as well as support for changing the constitution. However, the Japanese didn't want to be labeled as being "political", wanting to be "normal" instead, but ...

  Sienna Kissack Mr. Roddy IHSS August 24, 2021 Anthropology Terms An example of cultural universals in the world is my family. In my family I was raised by the bible. Growing up, we would have to pray every night and at every meal. We would have nights where we read the bible and would have to learn about different things. Sometimes we have to learn how to dress nicely and wear certain clothes. In other cultures, they would have to wear certain clothes to stay strictly by their religion. They would also not be able to eat certain foods on certain days. But every religion is different. An example of acculturation is the Native Americans. The reason why is because they replace certain types of cultural elements. For example, the way they dress and their language. Another example is if you move to the US and come from out of the state, you would need to learn English or any other language.

  Syncretism   an amalgamation or incorporation of traditional and introduced alien culture traits.  In Southern Mexico and Guatemala, the Maya Indian combination of mutually exclusive indigenous religious and European Christian beliefs to create a new composite religion is an example.  Syncretism is often a psychologically more satisfying alternative to rapid acculturation that totally replaces indigenous cultural beliefs and customs since one's own cultural identity is maintained. While syncretism is most recognized in religious terms, another great example that is more relevant to our current time is musical syncretism. When Europeans colonized America, taking along with them millions of West African slaves, their cultures, and more specifically their music, came with them. Indigenous Amerians also had their own instruments and styles of music that the colonizers incorporated into theirs. These three cultures created a combination that would become the root o...

  Ethnocentrism Ethnocentrism can be found all over our world. One quick example of this is religion. My family follows Catholicism. The religion has been passed down through generations and still today both sides of my family follow it. When I accidentally start an argument about religion with my family, they all go crazy. They start repeating the ten commandments and keep insisting that this is the way everyone should live. Another thing I've noticed with my family when they meet someone with a different religion they either judge them or try to convert them. They are truly devoted to God, there isn’t anything wrong with their beliefs, but pushing them on other people is a little bit too far.  Another simple example of ethnocentrism is using things like silverware. Here in America, we use knives, spoons, forks, and sporks. Some middle eastern cultures do not use silverware to eat, instead, they use their hands. A lot of people look at it as gross and dirty, but in reality, i...

  Sienna Kissack Mr. Roddy IHSS August 24, 2021 Ethnographer Trip I finally made it to Tenochtitlan. As I got off the plane, I pulled out my phone from my pocket to check which direction to go to meet my guide. I’d been pretty interested in learning more about the Aztecs and about their culture. Having this opportunity right in front of me made me feel giddy. I was finally going to meet the Aztecs. I found my guide. He waved towards me and I hesitated before walking towards him. He was a fairly tall man, dressed in a green t-shirt and blue jeans. “Are you ready to get going?” He had a smile on his face, clearly excited about getting to guide me and teach me about the Aztecs. “Yup!” I said in an excited tone of voice. … As I finished setting up my tent to sleep in, I set down my luggage. I got to tour around Tenochtitlan and learn about how they lived. What I learned so far is that Aztec art is a big part of their culture and that it is mainly used for symbolism. I also lear...

Ryn Shabat                                   Mr. Roddy IHSS 8/23/21 Anthropology Terms Acculturation An example of acculturation would be the Westernization of Europe and Asia, this was done by American influence through media and the fact that America is a global superpower. Adaptive mechanism An example of the adaptive mechanism would be humans forming villages and farming instead of being nomadic and following their food as it went. This helped their population grow and caused them to form different communities and cultures.  

  Lately, I have paid more attention to the Inuit society. Today the remaining Inuit people live in Alaska, Nunavut, Greenland, and Northern Quebec. This area is called the Inuit Nunangat. It is often identified as a tundra and it is almost inhospitable to live there due to its low temperatures. The people who live here usually have some relations to Inuit tribes. I decided to visit the Inuit Nunangat to learn more about the people and what it’s like to live there. I arrived at Nunavut and was greeted by my guide, a woman who had lived in the area for her whole life. The weather was certainly cold as I was told. As I was guided around the area, I began to study the community. The houses were made from wood planks. Most of them looked the same, running down due to the constant cold weather. The houses were all spaced out amongst the Nunavut. I also noticed that Nunavut seemed untouched compared to America, where we have phones and TVs that we use almost daily. Here, there wa...

Jayla Balderas  Mr. Roddy IHSS 23 August 2021                                           Ethnographer Journal  During the year 1920s I traveled back in time after being offered a job with my position as an Ethnographer. With the purpose of taking observational notes on the beliefs, customs and culture clothing attire of the “New Woman.” that emerged during the roaring twenties. On the first night I grasped an idea of what most flapper girls wore. Most fell into the fashion of the time. I observed a group of girls from the flat where I was offered a place to stay for one month by a girl named Beatrice. She along with a few other girls gathered around a set of vanities. I quickly understood the typical attire for these flapper girls was short bobbed hair, sequin dresses or skirts. I later learned a few girls changed their names to a few of the more popular fl...

  Jayla Balderas  Mr. Roddy IHSS 23 August 2021                                       Blog: Anthropology Terms  Ethnocentrism- Ethnocentrism at times can be seen as a negative term due to the fact that it directly signifies one's own culture and beliefs are greater than the rest. This can be seen throughout the States as we are a nation of migrants with numerous values and upbringings. This includes religion, more specifically Christianity. Christianity can be seen throughout history pushing other religions down and not allowing them to be practiced for the belief that Christianity is the superior religion. Other religions practices were deemed wrong through the eyes of god and many were forced to convert to Christianity for this excuse.  Enculturation- Beauty standards are taught through both environment and culture from a young age. Different biases start forming subco...

  Adaptive Mechanism-      An example of an adaptive mechanism seen in nature is in the Red Mangrove tree. The Red Mangrove is able to survive in extreme coastal conditions. Because of adaptations in its root systems, it is able to grow in saltwater. This ability comes from the tree’s complex root filtration system which separates the salt from the water. The Mangrove tree is able to filter out as much as 90 percent of salt from the seawater that enters its root system. Because of the unique adaptive mechanism the Red Mangrove tree utilizes, it is able to thrive in an environment that is ill-suited for most other species of plants.  Syncretism-      An example of religious syncretism comes from the intermixing of the Taoism, Confucianism, and Legalism beliefs which occurred in China during and after the Warring States period.      Another example of syncretism is seen in the holiday Easter. Easter is generally seen as a Christian ho...

1. Cultural anthropology "T he study of contemporary and recent historical cultures all over the world. The focus is on social organization, culture change, economic and political systems, and religion. Cultural anthropology is also referred to as social or sociocultural anthropology." I think that Ethnography is a great and accurate example of what cultural anthropology is. In short, the study of other cultures. Cultural anthropology can consist of research on another culture from afar or actually going to observe and experience the other culture - both fall somewhat under the category of  ethnography.

Back in 2103, I got into ethnography. I had gone on a couple trips to study other cultures, but I was always with a partner. This was my first solo trip. I was going to visit a large group of AI human replicas - robot type things, if you will. They’d become so advanced, they were capable of living independently and over time they’d even expanded and created a culture of their own. I found this all fascinating. I landed in their home city of Guella at 7:00am that thursday. As I stepped outside, the view was like nothing I’d ever seen before. The domed houses seemed to be made of some kind of clay, but they somehow glistened in the morning sun, as if they’d been glazed.  I was greeted by a friendly bot named Clo. He looked and moved just like a human, but his hair was brilliant blue, and his eyes dark purple. He explained that in Guella, most bots believed that coloring your hair was good luck. A coming of age kind of thing. He wore an iridescent piece of fabric around his body. It r...

  linguistics  the comparative study of the function, structure, and history of languages and the communication process in general.  Linguistics is also referred to as linguistic anthropology. There are different branches of linguistics, An example of one would be Syntax. This is the study of sentence structure and formation in different languages. English sentence structure goes by subject, verb then objects, but this is different to Japanese which goes by subject-object then verb.  An example of linguistics would be the etymology of a word. Like for the word God it comes from Old English, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch god and German Gott . Without linguistics, we would not know this information.  Ethnocentrism the deep-felt belief or feeling that your culture is superior to all others.  Being fond of your own way of life and condescending or even hostile toward other cultures is normal for all people.  Alien culture traits are often viewed as...

Acculturation One of the most present examples of acculturation in our lives as residents of Houston Texas is the gradual mixture of traditional Texan culture with the culture of Latino immigrants. This acculturation has led to a number of changes in both Texan and immigrant culture. From the gradual mixture of cuisine that led to the Tex-Mex food, we all know and love. To seeing Latino influences in anything from music to the very language that we learn at school. Ethnocentrism There are tons of examples of ethnocentrism throughout human history. One of the first ones that are bound to come to mind is 1940s Germany. They so firmly believed in their cultural superiority that they decided to invade the world.

IHSS Ethnographer Story It was 2030, I had graduated college, and the first thing that I wanted to do as an ethnographer was to learn about the society that I had first been a part of. The country of Portugal. I was born there but moved to Houston at the age of 6. Of course I still eat the same foods as them, speak the same language as them, but my everyday life is probably completely different from what they’re used to. I was able to raise some money for a one year trip to Lisbon, the capital, where I will stay in my parents house. As an ethnographer, my role was to learn about the people, what makes them different from Americans, and how Americans can benefit from them. I decided to spend my weeks in local restaurants and bars, getting to meet new people and learning about their personal lives and issues. This trip also enabled me to put my Portuguese skills into practice 16 hours a day, 7 days a week. I traveled all over the country getting to know people with different beliefs, fin...

IHSS Blog Anthropology Terms Transculturation: Definition - What happens to an individual when they move to a new society it adopts in their culture.  Example (1) - I’m an example of transculturation because I was born in Portugal, lived there for 6 years, then I moved to the US, and slowly with time I started adapting into the American ways of life.  Example (2) - Another example of transculturation is when the Spanish Conquistadors traveled to America, they forced their ways of life and religion into the Native American people that they came across.  Ethnocentrism: Definition - The deep feeling of belief or feeling that your culture is superior to others.  Example (1) - Some Americans like to make fun of people from China for eating with Chop-sticks, instead of eating with a fork and knife like “regular people do”.  Example (2) - The Nazis also believed that they were better than Jewish people and blamed them for their problems, so Adolf Hitler decided to kill...

Some of the most poorly understood groups in the world are football hooligans. And after having witnessed a football match paralyze a country I decided to go study hooliganism. And there is no better place to study football hooliganism than the home of football itself: England.  I had spent the first two months of my summer observing the booze-driven celebrations of the English soccer fanatics. And slowly began to integrate myself into their culture as the tournament reached its climax. While the reaction seemed crazy to me already the locals told me to be careful because it was after a major loss that the effects were really felt. While at first, I was skeptical because it seemed to me that a loss would take the energy out of a drunk. That night not only were there fights breaking out throughout the city but even worse there was a lot of racially motivated violence especially after some disappointing performances from some of the dark-skinned players. You see just as a sport might...

 The Huli tribe has been misunderstood and misrepresented in media for centuries. My goal is to go to this nomadic tribe located in Papua New Guinea so I can understand and inform others of their lifestyles. They have never been observed, and are ignorant of other cultures, and I wish for my presence to leave no footprint. I solely want to understand them, not change them. After 3 months of studying Huli culture, I've picked up on a few things. The men stay with their mothers till the age of 7, at this time they go with their fathers to learn how to survive. I stayed with a woman, and her son, and decorated by their hut are hats. They explained, as well as they could with the little English they knew, that the men made these as a representation of their strength. They would use their hair to make the hats, and I went to observe the men making them. Some of the village boys showed me how I could make my own, though women doing this is unheard of, they still persisted I made one. I...

  Three years ago I became an ethnographer for a race of aliens. When humans became aware of alien existence a few years ago after a UFO crash they were wary. Some people even wanted to resort to violence. I didn’t want that so I volunteered to go study their culture and lifestyle. I have learned a lot since coming. I know the aliens have a spoken language, but human vocal cords are different from theirs so I am unable to speak it. I am able to decipher some of their language, however. They live on Mars where weather conditions can be extreme so their bodies have adapted to be tougher than humans. Their bodies also are covered in a layer of a sticky substance to which the men attach rocks as a part of a coming of age ceremony. I also know that they require no food or water to survive. Instead, they sustain themselves on the gasses in Mars’ atmosphere. They live in a socialist society and rarely show violent tendencies. They are also welcoming of newcomers and have treated me well. ...

  I am learner. I come from cave with family. Today I go with Uug to see new place with different things. Uug is father. My mother stay with small kids back at cave home.  When me and Uug find new place I see other humans live there. There are a lot of them. They are ugly and gross. They say they roll in mud so the sun does not burn them. They have ugly voices too. They talk in family tongue but it sound bad. I think they are also stupid because they do not eat my meat. When i give them a fat bird they not eat it. Instead they cook bad smelling plants.  They are very stupid. At dark time i heard loud noises and yelling. Big people came in camp carrying the biggest animal ever. I was shocked. I learn they DO eat meat, but only BIG meat.  When I go home I help Uug do art. We draw the new humans on Ugg's story wall. I get to draw the big dead animal. The new humans are gross but have good meat. I go with Uug again soon to find more humans and their food.