INTRODUCTION TO CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
Prof. Jason James
jjames@umw.edu
Monroe 304F, Phone 654-1169
Office Hours: Mondays 9:30-11:30, Tuesdays and Thursdays 3:30-4,
and by appointment
Woman #1: My grandson’s decided to major in anthropology. Woman #2: Ooh, dear… Isn’t that where they study all those primitive
people and their barbaric cultures?
COURSE OVERVIEW
Cultural anthropology proceeds from the premise that human beings share many basic qualities, but they are also in
many ways very different from one another. In fact, for cultural anthropologists the most important quality that humans
share is precisely what makes them different from one another: they are social and cultural creatures. The ways people
in different societies make sense of the world, give their lives value, and organize their relationships vary widely. For
cultural anthropologists, then, there is relatively little in “human nature” that is permanent or universal. Much of what is
usually taken to be “natural,” like being male or female, is regarded by cultural anthropologists as significantly shaped by
culture, which means that it is variable across societies and changeable over time, not “given” or permanent.
Ethnography, the primary kind of writing produced by cultural anthropologists, seeks to describe social relationships and
cultural forms for a particular group, and sometimes compares them with those of other groups. Anthropologists often
compare the cultural forms at hand to what is known about others, including her or his own. The “tools of the trade” in
anthropology are theoretical concepts used to understand complex forms of symbolism and ritual, power, economics,
gender, sexuality, morality, emotion, identity, and artistic forms, to name a few. Most anthropologists apply these
concepts to material they have gathered during “fieldwork” – an extended period of research that often but not always
involves living in a social context different from where the researcher grew up.
In this course we will approach some of the central topics that concern cultural anthropologists through readings, films,
discussions, lectures, activities, and assignments. Readings include a full-length ethnography, selections from a general
text on the central concepts of cultural anthropology, and selected academic and news articles that will be available on
the course Blackboard site.
I strongly encourage you to bring your own observations, questions, ideas, and anything you find (say, in the newspaper
or on television) into our discussions and your other work in the course. Curiosity and active engagement are key to
success in this course. Cultural anthropology is as much a way of looking at the world as it is a body of knowledge, and
that way of looking at the world involves acknowledging that there are different views on what is right and true that are
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equally compelling and obvious to those who hold them. Looking at the world in this way does not require that you
abandon your own prior beliefs or suspend all judgment, but it is crucial to be willing to examine your assumptions, to
avoid jumping to conclusions, and to try to see the world through eyes other than your own. This is not always easy, but
it can be incredibly rewarding.
COURSE GO ALS
• Develop your capacity to think anthropologically about your own behavior and cultural environment, including
contemporary political and social issues. Cultural anthropology is above all about questioning – questioning the unspoken
assumptions that guide human thought and behavior, and asking the meanings of words and actions beyond those on the
surface that we take for granted. It can give you powerful insights into what otherwise appears “normal” or “natural” and
offer you tools for thinking about the forces shaping the world around you.
• Expand your knowledge about human diversity and your awareness of the ways your culture shapes your perception of
others’ ways of life.
• Further strengthen your academic skills in discussion as well as critical thinking, reading, and writing.
COURSE MATERIALS
Books
The following texts are available at the campus bookstore and will be on reserve at Simpson library:
• Lila Abu-Lughod, Veiled Sentiments.
• Eric Luke Lassiter, Invitation to Anthropology.
Articles on Blackboard
All readings and handouts other than the two books will be available on the course Blackboard site in pdf format. Look
for the Course Readings button. These files can be read using Adobe Acrobat Reader, which you can download free of
charge. If you try to access a file with your own computer and it does not work, make sure you have the most recent
version of Acrobat Reader. If that is not the problem, try one of the campus computer labs or the library. I will also
place a binder with copies of these texts on the table near my office, to be used at that location only.
You should read the selections assigned for a particular date before coming to class. Reading questions posted next to
the link for each reading selection on Blackboard will help to guide your reading. It will also be useful to look back at the
central questions listed on the syllabus for each section of the course. It helps to think of your reading for the class as an
active, strategic process: it should involve not simply reading a piece from start to finish, but rather preparation (looking
at reading questions, thinking about how the reading fits into the immediate and wider context of the course, scanning
the reading to get a sense of its structure and basic points) and active engagement (writing notes and questions in the
text or elsewhere, reflecting on how the text relates to other readings and topics in the course, summarizing for yourself
the central points of the text, commenting on the text on the discussion board, etc.).
Be aware that we will not give every reading assignment or every reading question equal attention in class. A few
readings may not be discussed directly at all. In this course you are expected to take an active role in your learning,
which includes thinking about the material on your own, with classmates, or with me in office hours. The articles we do
not discuss directly present ideal material for commentary in journals or on the discussion board. If we do not discuss a
particular reading in depth and you have questions, don’t hesitate to raise them in class or in office hours. Please bring
assigned texts and handouts as well as your notes on the readings to class in case you need to reference them for
discussion or an activity.
Concept Sheets
Concept sheets usually contain definitions of central concepts and other information related to a given topic. They can be
downloaded from Blackboard: look for the Handouts button on the left side. They should be treated like a reading: go
over the handout and think of questions before the class session for which it is assigned.
COURSE REQ UIREMENTS AND GRADES
Grades will be based on the following:
Discussion board or journal (15%)
Three Activity Papers (15%)
Mid-Term exam (25%)
Final exam (40%)
Self-Assessment (5%)
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Grades
See “Grading Scale” on Blackboard under Syllabus for the scale used in this course. A “U” grade will be given at midsemester if you are earning a C- or below in the course. If you do not turn in an assignment at all, you will receive “0”
points for that assignment (as opposed to an F, which is 60%). Please include the honor pledge on all work you turn in.
Participation and Attendance
The amount you learn and your success in this class depend on your coming prepared to engage the material actively by
posing and answering questions, listening to your colleagues and the instructor, and contributing constructively to
discussion.
Classroom Environment
A good classroom environment is essential for learning. I expect that you will be respectful to your fellow students and to
the instructor by keeping extraneous conversations to a minimum, turning off cell phones and any other devices that
make distracting noises, and focusing attention on our discussion or activity. In class discussions it is also essential to
maintain a basic level of respect. Disagreement and debate are encouraged, but constructive debate involves listening
and taking your fellow speakers seriously.
Discussion Board/Journal
You can choose one of two options for this part of your grade. The first option is to participate in the on-line discussion
board on Blackboard. The discussion board is a forum in which you can continue discussions begun in class, present
ideas and questions about issues raised by readings, make connections between ideas from class and your own
experiences, etc. The main point of the assignment is that you take the opportunity to explore, discuss, and debate
issues raised in class. To earn full credit on the discussion board, you should make thoughtful, substantial contributions
at least once a week (resulting in at least 13-14 postings by the end of the semester). In most cases this will mean
posting more than once to a given forum. You should post to a forum between the dates indicated. Postings done later
will not count. Your postings should also be distributed among the various forums. Twelve posts done during the last
three weeks of class will not count as much as twelve posts done over the course of the semester.
If you prefer, you may instead keep a journal of reflections on the course as the semester proceeds. The journal may be
typed or hand-written; if you choose to write by hand, please make the writing legible! The journal should include at
least one entry per week and should include a substantial amount of reflection or commentary. Let me know by the
beginning of week 2 if you wish to do a journal instead of the discussion board. You may not change back to the
discussion board option once you have opted for the journal, but if you choose the journal option, you may certainly still
consult the discussion board and post comments if you wish. I will ask you to turn in journal entries around the middle of
the semester and on the last day of classes. Journal entries should not include much summary of the readings. The best
journals demonstrate familiarity with the readings and class discussions but also display an effort to go beyond a basic
commentary. Most impressive are those entries that show serious thought, grappling with questions and ideas.
Activity Papers
This assignment is intended as an opportunity for you to do a bit of ethnography yourself, and thereby learn more about
both anthropology and your own society. In some cases you will conduct short interviews, in others you may reflect on
your own cultural practices or perform a kind of social experiment. The resulting paper should be no more than 3 doublespaced pages. You are asked to do three of these papers during the semester. Check the course schedule below for
activity assignments. You may also propose your own activity; check with me before proceeding. You may do one
additional activity paper and I will take the best 3 out of 4 scores.
The activity papers are graded on a simplified scale: √+, √, and √-, corresponding roughly to A, B, and C. I am not able
to offer extensive comments on these papers, but feel free to see me for additional feedback. Activity papers are due in
class one week after the date they appear in the syllabus. I will grade these essays based on organization and clarity,
evidence of effort and thought put into them, whether they make explicit, meaningful reference to relevant ideas from
class readings and/or discussion, and whether they include detailed examples from research as evidence for the
conclusions presented. Important concepts should also be defined and their connection to the examples in the paper
explained. Your paper must not only report in detail your research findings (what happened, what people said), but also
draw at least a tentative conclusion based on those findings (what these things tell us about this cultural issue). Feel free
to come to office hours or see me after class if you have questions or concerns. The activity paper rubric is posted under
Syllabus on Blackboard. It is helpful to look at the rubric when working on an activity paper to keep in mind the
expectations. Hard copies of activity papers must be submitted in class on the due date. I will not accept emailed
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papers. Papers turned in late will be reduced by one mark (e.g. √+ to √) for each day late. Turning the paper in later
the day it is due will count as one day late.
NOTE: When you do observation or interviews for these papers, you must uphold the ethical standards of the American
Anthropological Association contained in its Statement on Ethics (see Course Readings).
Paper Format
All written work should be double-spaced, in a readable font, minimum 11 point, with 1-inch margins. You do not need a
title page (your name and class info can go on the top line), and you may use both of sides of each sheet.
Take care that your written work does not include any of the following common errors. Your grade will be reduced if the
paper includes any of these errors:
1) Their, there, and they’re. “Their” is first person plural possessive, as in “their belongings.” “There” is used to
indicate an actual or metaphorical place, or to assert the existence of something, as in “The book is over there,”
and “There are no more chips.” “They’re” is a contraction of “they are” and should not be used in formal writing.
2) Accept and except. “Accept” is to receive or acknowledge something, as in “She accepted the gift” or “He
accepted the fact that he would get less vacation.” “Except” implies exclusion, as in “Everyone went to the
movies except for Bill.”
3) Novels. Do not refer to academic texts based on research, including ethnographies like Veiled Sentiments, as
“novels.” Novels are works of fiction. “Book” or “text” is fine. If it is an ethnography, you can also refer to it as
such.
4) Definitions. Do not use definitions of anthropological concepts from standard dictionaries (including
dictionary.com) when there are more detailed academic ones available on concept sheets or from other sources.
Standard definitions frequently do not fully reflect academic usage.
5) Introductions. Avoid unsubstantiated and overly general statements in introductions, such as “Throughout
history a distinction has been made between male and female…” or “Humans have always engaged in exchange”
and the like. In nearly all cases they are either incorrect or are so broad as to offer no useful information.
Exams
The exams are intended to encourage your ongoing engagement with the course, to assess your understanding of issues
and concepts from readings and discussion. There will be one mid-term exam that will take about 60 minutes of class
time and a longer final, which will include true-false, concept, and essay questions. On true-false questions you will be
given the opportunity to choose “both” and explain your answer if you feel the statement could be both true and false.
While the final exam will focus mainly on material covered after the mid-term, it will also cover some of the most
important material from earlier sections of the course as well.
The exams are designed to test your understanding of the issues and readings more than your recollection of details,
although I do pose questions with an eye toward determining if you read assigned texts carefully. With respect to truefalse questions, it is a good idea to think about the question in relation to things we have emphasized in class. Ask
yourself, “What issue is Prof. James emphasizing by asking this question?” I do not pose questions on obscure pieces of
factual information, but rather with the aim of having you think carefully about important points from readings and
discussions, including the meaning and application of concepts.
Reading & Studying
It is very difficult to expand your understanding of cultural anthropology or do well in this course without reading the
assigned texts. Research has shown that reading (effectively) is the best way to learn. The most effective strategy for
doing well on papers and exams is to do the assigned readings actively and strategically, attend all class meetings, and
think about the central questions, issues, and concepts raised in discussions, lectures, and readings. The reading
questions posted on Blackboard for each reading assignment can be quite helpful in this regard, as are the key questions
posed for each topic area on the syllabus. If you can answer the key questions thoroughly, you should be in good shape.
Keep in mind that may assign texts that present different perspectives on an issue: the fact that something has appeared
in an academic or news article does not make it “gospel”!
Course- and Self-Assessment
This assignment is an opportunity for you to offer a final reflection on what you have learned in the class. The point is
not to “blow sunshine,” as the saying goes, but to write 1-2 pages seriously reflecting on the course and your
performance in it. I will ask you to grade yourself on your engagement in the course.
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Extra Credit
You may do extra credit work to raise your grade. Submitting at least three high-quality extra credit submissions can
raise your final grade by 1/3 (e.g., from B to B+). Two of these can be commentaries on optional readings (see
schedule). I also welcome your own ideas for extra credit work. A movie or book that strikes you as relevant to the class
always works well. A standard extra-credit submission is a 2-3 page review of a lecture, article, book, or film. The paper
should make explicit connections to issues and/or readings from class. Please talk to me before doing extra credit work,
and by all means proceed from your own interests, questions, and curiosities.
STUDENTS IN NEED O F ACCO MMO DATIONS
The Office of Disability Services at UMW to guides, counsels, and assists students with disabilities. If you receive services
through that office and require accommodations for this class, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible
to discuss your approved accommodation needs. Please bring your accommodation letter with you. I will hold any
information you share with me in the strictest confidence unless you give me permission to do otherwise. If you need
accommodations (note taking assistance, extended time for tests, etc.) and have not yet done so, contact the Office of
Disability Services to make arrangements.
SCHEDULE
The course schedule is subject to adjustment as the semester proceeds. Changes will be announced in advance in class.
THE PROJECT OF ANTHROPOLOGY
Colonialism, Theories of Difference, and the History of Cultural Anthropology
*In what ways was early anthropology connected with colonialism?
*How did notions of progress, evolution, "civilization," and race impact early anthropological understandings
of cultural difference? How did Franz Boas counter these notions? Why is it problematic to view cultural
change and history in terms of "progress"?
T 8/26
R 8/28
T 9/2
R 9/4
*What is the "colonial mentality," and to what extent does it continue to shape perceptions today? What
conflicting ideas about the “primitive” have Europeans held, and why?
Course syllabus
Concept Sheet: The Colonial Encounter and Early Anthropology
NEWS: Urbina, "Disco Rice, and Other Trash Talk."
Invitation, Ch. 1
Excerpt from Burton, The Lake Regions of Central Africa.
Césaire, Discourse on Colonialism (excerpt).
NEWS: Duke, "Block that Metaphor."
FILM: "Cannibal Tours" (excerpts).
Optional: Pierpont, "The Measure of America."
• ACTIVITY 1: Interview at least 4 people about how they imagine "third world countries." What
countries do they see as "third world," and how do they see them as different from the U.S.?
What kinds of people live in these countries, and why are they "third world" as opposed to "first
world"? Do they think such countries should become more like the U.S.? Relate your findings to
Duke's article "Block that Metaphor" and state your conclusions: What does your study suggest
about young Americans' views of these countries? Do they bear traces of a colonial mentality?
Culture, Ethnocentrism, Cultural Relativism: Guiding Concepts and Ethics of Fieldwork
*How does the concept of culture affect the way we understand the definition of "human" and the concept
of human nature? What do anthropologists mean when they say that culture is homo sapiens’ primary
adaptation?
*How does cultural relativism guide anthropologists' understanding of cultural differences? How does
ethnographic fieldwork go hand in hand with cultural relativism?
*Does cultural relativism mean that anthropologists can never take a moral stand on any cultural practice?
*How is ethnocentrism similar to but also different from the colonial mentality?
*How do anthropologists work to overcome their ethnocentrism?
*How do cultural anthropologists use "culture shock" and social errors as research tools?
*What are the central ethical considerations that guide ethnographic fieldwork?
Bohannan, "Shakespeare in the Bush."
Metcalf, "Death Be Not Strange."
Handout: Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism
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T 9/9
R 9/11
Invitation Ch. 2
Geertz, "The Impact of the Concept of Culture on the Concept of Man" (short excerpt).
Miner, "Body Ritual Among the Nacirema."
Activity 1 paper due.
American Anthropological Association Statement on Ethics.
Veiled Sentiments – skim 1-9, read "Fieldwork" section 9-24.
Lee, "Eating Christmas in the Kalahari."
MAGIC, RELIGION, & RITUAL
Rationality and "Magical Thinking"
*How was the idea of "magical thinking" related to European notions of the "primitive"? What do
Malinowski and Gmelch suggest about the associations between "magical thinking" and the "primitive," and
"rationality" and "civilization"?
T 9/16
R 9/18
T 9/23
Invitation Ch. 7
Malinowski, "Rational Mastery by Man of his Surroundings."
Gmelch, "Baseball Magic."
Vodou: Syncretism & Exoticism
*What do syncretic religious traditions like Vodou suggest about cultural boundaries and cultural change?
*In what ways do popular representations "exoticize" Vodou? Why do you think they do so? Are these
representations ethnocentric? Colonial?
*How do anthropologists interpret rituals, and why are they considered so important? What is a rite of
passage and what pattern do most rites of passage follow?
Mcarthy-Brown, "Voodoo."
FILM: "Legacy of the Spirits."
Finish discussion of film, religion, and ritual.
EXCHANGE AND SOCIAL LIFE: THE POWER OF GIVING AND RECEIVING
*What "strings" are attached to most if not all gifts? How can giving be a source of power or prestige?
*What role does exchange play in forming social relationships? In what sense can most aspects of social
life be viewed as forms of exchange? How does exchange create "social capital"?
*In what sense are "moka" and "potlatch" rational activities from the point of view of those who participate
in them?
R 9/25
*Can a sacrifice or offiering made to a deity, such as those practiced in Vodou, been seen as a form of
exchange? What kind? In what ways are relationships between humans and deities or spirits comparable
to those between humans in terms of reciprocity?
*How would you interpret Lee's situation in "Eating Christmas" in terms of exchange/reciprocity?
Cronk, "Reciprocity and the Power of Giving."
Concept Sheet: Exchange and Reciprocity.
Exchange Game.
• ACTIVITY 2: 1) Keep track of your exchanges (material and non-material) over a 2-day period.
Include a chart reporting your exchanges that categorizes them according to the four types
described on the Exchange and Economy handout. 2) Choose one from the "generalized" or
"competitive" category: explain why this exchange fits the appropriate definition, then describe
the situation and the relationship involved. What did the exchange signify beyond the exchange
itself? Connect your analysis to Cronk's discussion of exchange.
T 9/30
R 10/2
FILM: "Kawelka: Ongka's Big Moka."
Weatherford, "Big Men on Capitol Hill."
"Moka"
Finish discussing "Ongka's Big Moka."
Activity 2 paper due.
T 10/7
MID-TERM EXAM
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R 10/9
SOCIAL STRUCTURE & SOCIAL ORDER
*How is the concept of social structure different from the concept of culture? Why do anthropologists
investigate social structure?
*Why do we generally follow social norms?
Concept Sheet: Social Structure and Control.
NEWS: Luo, "Excuse Me. May I Have Your Seat?"
• ACTIVITY 3: Think of a social norm that you would be willing to violate (nothing damaging or
illegal!) and try it out a number of times. Describe the norm and what you did to violate it.
Report your own reactions and those of others around you. What were the sanctions (positive or
negative)? Would your behavior violate a norm in all social situations, or just some? How would
you describe some of the types of situations where it would or would not be considered a
violation? Finally, what did this experiment teach you about social structure? Make reference to
the Social Structure and Control handout in your discussion, especially the issue of social context
and the concepts of "norm" and "sanction."
Fall Break
Kinship as Social Structure and Culture
*Why has kinship traditionally been an important aspect of ethnographic study? How does kinship serve as
a primary aspect of Awlad Ali social structure? How would you describe Awlad Ali social structure, especially
the primary statuses and dominant norms?
R 10/16
T 10/21
R 10/23
*Based on the examples offered by Geertz and Scheper-Hughes, can we say that "family" and "parents" are
culturally relative concepts?
Invitation Ch. 6
Veiled Sentiments 1-24 (review/skim), 39-65.
NEWS: Tierney, "The Struggle for Iraq."
Scheper-Hughes, "Mother's Love: Death Without Weeping."
Geertz, "Life Without Fathers or Husbands."
FILM: "Without Fathers or Husbands."
Activity 3 paper due.
Honor and Modesty - Awlad Ali Social Structure
*How do Awlad Ali define their identities as individuals and as a group?
*What role does the value of autonomy play in the Awlad Ali system of honor? How is hierarchy justified?
How do the Awlad Ali define honor? How can it be gained and lost?
*How are Awlad Ali men constrained by the honor system?
Veiled Sentiments 78-103.
CONSTRUCTIONS OF DIFFERENCE I: GENDER
*What does it mean for anthropologists to say that gender and sexuality are a culturally constructed?
*In what sense do people "perform" gender norms and identities? In what ways are do they learn to do so
through enculturation and socialization?
*What are the implications of treating gender as a binary or dichotomy, as is often done in the US?
*On the basis of what cultural understandings do Awlad Ali women practice veiling? What does veiling
"mean"? What are the norms that guide veiling? How is it related to modesty, honor, kinship, and ideas
about maleness and femaleness?
T 10/28
R 10/30
Veiled Sentiments 103-134.
Invitation Ch. 5
NEWS: Bilefsky, “Albanian Custom Fades.”
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T 11/4
R 11/6
Roffman, "What Does 'Boys Will Be Boys' Really Mean?"
NEWS: Brown, "Supporting Boys and Girls When the Line Isn't Clear."
FILMS: "Gender and Communication" and "Juggling Gender."
• ACTIVITY 4: Observe a specific interaction or activity on campus in terms of individuals
"performing" gender. (The film "Gender and Communication" offers some examples of what this
means). Report the details of what you observed and explain in terms of performing gender. Be
sure to explain this concept and state explicitly the conclusions you draw based on your
observations. Make use of the Lassiter chapter on gender, and/or the films on gender.
Veiled Sentiments 152-167.
Abu-Lughod, "Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving?"
THINKING POWER AND ORDER: HEGEMONY, RESISTANCE, ANTI-STRUCTURE
*Are ghinnawas subversive of Awlad Ali social norms? Can they be justifiably described as "resistance"?
"Anti-structure"? How about other practices recently adopted by Awlad Ali women?
*Do the male meddahatts in Oran subvert or circumvent conventional gender categories in Algeria?
*Do the parties where the meddahatts play represent a form of resistance? Anti-structure?
*In the case of the Nuyoricans described by Bourgois, how can drug dealing be regarded as a form of
resistance? How would you describe the hegemonic order against which they practice resistance?
T 11/11
Concept Sheet: Hegemony
Bourgois, "From Jibaro to Crack Dealer."
Optional: WNYC radio show on cultural capital.
Activity 4 paper due.
R 11/13
Veiled Sentiments 171-177.
FILM: "A Little for My Heart and a Little for My God."
Veiled Sentiments 240-259, xi-xxvii*
*If you have the first edition of the book, I can send you the new preface.
Finish discussion of "A Little for My Heart…." and Veiled Sentiments.
T 11/18
CONSTRUCTIONS OF DIFFERENCE II: ETHNICITY, RACE, AND IMMIGRATION
*What is the generally accepted view among cultural anthropologists concerning race? What would they
probably argue in response to new claims that racial categories have a genetic basis?
*How do anthropologists distinguish between "race" and "ethnicity"? In what way can ideas of racial
identity be viewed as a form of ethnicity?
*How are ethnic categories and identities "constructions of difference?"
*What is "symbolic ethnicity"? Can a person change or choose their ethnicity? What factors influence the
degree to which this is possible?
*In what ways does ethnicity have greater consequences or social costs for some people than for others?
To what degree to individuals have the freedom to choose their ethnic identities, and what factors influence
this?
*How can we understand the tensions in Siler City from an anthropological point of view? Do they arise by
virtue of "constructed differences"? Because of racism?
*In what ways are the new residents in Siler City constructed as "other" in a way that reflects other
residents' sense of their own identity?
R 11/20
Concept Sheet: Immigration
NEWS: The Economist, "Scarf Wars."
NEWS: NYT, "A Veil Closes France's Door to Citizenship."
Begin reading articles for Tues. 11/25.
FILM: "The Divide."
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T 11/25
Fish, "Mixed Blood."
AAA Statement on Race.
NEWS: Leroi, "A Family Tree in Every Gene."
NEWS: Tough, "The Black Supremacist."
Uehara-Carter, "On Being Blackanese."
Optional: WNYC Show on Race and Medicine
• ACTIVITY 5: Interview at least 3 people about their ethnic identity. How do they define
"ethnic" and "ethnicity"? Do they regard themselves as having an ethnic identity or ethnicity? If
not, why not? If so, how does this identity play a role in their everyday lives? Do they feel they
have a choice in whether it plays a role? Do they regard their race as the same or different
from their ethnicity? In your analysis, discuss whether and how the terms "symbolic ethnicity"
and "racialized ethnicity" might be used to interpret their responses. Make use of the Fish,
Conley, or Bernstein article in your discussion.
Thanksgiving Break
T 12/2
R 12/4
Concept Sheet: Race and Ethnicity
NEWS: Harmon, "Blacks Pin Hope on DNA…"
NEWS: Nixon, "DNA Tests Find Branches but Few Roots."
Bernstein, "Goin' Gangsta, Choosin' Cholita."
Course conclusion.
Journals due.
Activity 5 paper due.
Self-assessment due.