Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (0780)

Angela Lockard Reed

Essay 3 – Due December 3, beginning of class

Ethnography Comparison

            Anthropologists are interested in framing broad hypotheses about human behavior.  In order to do this it is imperative to use examples from multiple cultures to ensure that their conclusions are not grounded in a single case.  For this assignment, you will be taking on the role of an ethnologist, using multiple ethnographic accounts to study human behavior and culture. 

            You may choose one aspect of human culture discussed in class for your comparison.  Potential topics to compare are:  (1) family, marriage, and kinship; (2) subsistence and economy; (3) religion; or (4) culture change.  Information on each of these topics is present to some degree in each of the ethnographies read in class:  Parallel Worlds, The Trobrianders of Papua New Guinea, and Tecpan, Guatemala: A Modern Maya Town.  You must include examples from all of the ethnographies in the discussion of your topic.  Applicable examples from your text or films watched in class would enhance your arguments.  As an anthropologist, you also must use relevant anthropological terms in your discussion. 

            This essay should not be written in the first person.

The report should be typed, double-spaced, margins no more than 1.25”, and 12 point font.  The paper should be five-eight pages long.

Your essay should contain:

-                      a title

-                      an informative introduction with a discussion of the topic you chose and why it is relevant to anthropology

-                      background information on each of the societies that are being compared

-                      a comparison of similarities and differences between the societies in relation to the topic you chose

-                      conclusions on human behavior in relation to your topic and based on your examples

Grading guidelines

            -           Turned in on time, appropriate length, honest effort                      10 points

            -           Background discussion of topic                                                        5 points

            -           Discussion of and examples from all 3 ethnographies                 18 points

            -           Other examples from text and films                                                  2 points

            -           Conclusions on human behavior                                                       5 points

-           Appropriate use of terms from text and lecture                               5 points

            -           Clarity of writing, grammar, spelling                                                  5 points

            -           Total                                                                                                    50 points