Anthropology 3900n
Second Thought Paper Question
Due February 16, 2006
Discuss one of the following topics in 3 pages or less. Include in your discussion a
summary of the article and a section that includes critical discussion and questions. Your
thought paper should also have an introduction that mentions your main points.
1. How does Cronon define the western and North American concept of wilderness?
How did it come about? Do you agree with him?
2. How was the western concept of ‘nature’ informed by French enlightenment
thought? How did this concept contain within it a dichotomy between male and
female?
3. How do hunting and gathering societies, discussed by Bird-David, conceive of
‘human-nature relatedness’? How is this different than western societies?
4. Discuss the various studies that Ellen describes that do not support a notion of a
separate realm of ‘nature’. Why does he wish to retain the notion of a separate
nature and do you agree with him?