Cultural Appropriation: Miss America?

 CULTURAL APPROPRIATION

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/missamerica/miss-america-cara-mund-hits-the-atlantic-city-beach-for/article_badccd84-0c36-57db-afcb-995fecb67af3.html

And then...The SHOW ME YOUR SHOES PARADE
But, where does this tradition come from?

The parade used to be serious, but now that solemn event is a burlesque of dress up and decorated shoes. Miss Minnesota as "Prince"

And...Then there is the RAINBOW, everywhere, but why?

And..."Here she comes...Miss Missouri" The First out LESBIAN Contestant to make it to the Miss America P

New York Avenue and the Boardwalk was the location of many gay Bars through the 1980's and in particular, Drag Queen hangs. Drag Queens used to hang out of the apartment buildings and off balconies where Ripleys now stand and yell, "She Me Your Shoes!!!!" to terrified contestants who were instructed to smile and look away and not to get flustered by the seedy, and threatening cat calls (as they saw them).

Now, come full circle, but the meaning and history of this event...LOST. This is Cultural Appropriation. When those in power assume the cultural practices of the oppressed and rewrite history in our social memory, to make it their own.

Can you think of other examples of Cultural Appropriation?

Miss'd America: Cultural Appropriation?

Social Memory: One Event...Two Stories

Do Black Lives Matter? Do Blue Lives Matter? Do Both Lives Matter?

• That depends on your social memory.

• What are the "stories" into which these same events are woven? 

• What can the anthropological perspective tell us about why they are different?

STANDING ROCK SIOUX & The PIPELINE

Another example of social memory!

Protests in Charlottesville

How could we have such different meanings associated with statues???

AND......

A Storm Called Harvey? What about "natural disasters?"

Jesus's wrath or global climate change?

Meaning & Interpretation:

WTF???

WTF???

Why is the concept of culture important? 
How is the anthropological method and perspective unique? 














WHAT'S FOR LUNCH?

• Hamburgers
• Petrified shark fin
• Dog

EXPLAIN THIS?

• ADHD
• PMS
• Highest rate of C-sections

What are Americans Like?

How American Teens view the World?

Cultural Stereotypes of Americans as Reported by Spanish Teens

• Most Americans are very tall with blue eyes and blond hair
• American women are either unusually fat or unusually thin, never of normal build
• American men have muscular builds. they wear sleeveless tee shirts, to show off their physiques.
• The first two things Americans want to discuss are salary and age
• The two favorite liesure time activities in the US are movies and rodeos
• Although extremely punctual and efficient in their jobs, Americans don't consider their work important
• most Americans live either in sky scrapers or on farms
• In marriage in the US, the wife always dominates
• American cities are so dangerous that a person has a good chance of being killed in the streets. therefore, American men either know kung-fu, or carry a gun.
• Americans generally eat fast food Monday through Saturday, but never on Sunday.
• American men are always drinking beer, even at breakfast
• Americans frequently put their feet on desks or tables and frequently belch in public
• Americans yawn a lot and never try to hide it
• Americans like to wear very bright colors and mixed patterns. They wear summer clothes, even in winter
• Americans only communicate online or on their cell phones

(From Laurie Greene & Carol Ann Pesola-Brown)

What is Anthropology???

Anthropology is the study of humankind. The distinguishing feature of humankind is that we are animals that create culture. Therefore, CULTURE is central to the study of human beings in all the sub-disciplines of anthropology.

What is Going on Here?

The four sub-disciplines are:

•       physical anthropology

•       cultural anthropology

•       archaeology 

•       linguistic anthropology

although anthropology began as an academic discipline, it is now frequently applied in order to assist communities in their desire to change their own culture. This is called APPLIED or ACTION ANTHROPOLOGY. We will be focusing on Cultural Anthropology and its applications in social action in the modern world.

The ANTHROPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE is a way of seeing and has evolved from (1) observation of "the others"-people who Europeans came in contact with during the Age of Exploration and Colonialism to both (2) collaboration with and (3) advocacy for these "others" with respect to human and environmental rights.

3 European Encounter (byproducts of other economic and political efforts) which highlight how a THEORY/perspective can shape PERCEPTION:

• 1492---Christopher Columbus (the "new" world)
• BIBLICAL EXPLANATION: (xviii)

Monstrous Races



AND MORE...!

• thought he was on a mission from God (crusade) as part of a grand plan to unify Spain and expel the Muslims and Jews
• 9th chapter of Genesis: The sons of Noah dispersed and populated the earth after the great flood-they were the sons of Japheth!
• Las Casas critique: (xxii)

• belief in "naturalist" curiosity led him to take specimens (including indigenous people) back to Spain for exhibition (he did not think to ask!)
• NOBLE SAVAGE or MONSTROUS MEN: "Monsters" and other strange creatures were said to inhabit the extreme parts of the globe according to Greek & Roman geographical thought of the day-influenced evaluation.
• 1778---Captain James Cook (Royal Navy in Hawaii) 
• Meaning & Interpretation: "taboo"---what are the meaning of these rituals and how can one know if they do not know the "culture" in which they are contained????-What anthropologists do!
• Assumed natives were amazed by the prowess of his ships and his dignity.

• 1808---Simon Fraser (Canadian fur trader) 
• "Social Memory"-memories of events being told and retold change their shape over time. Events get their meaning through the STORIES they are combined into. This is how we understand history.
• opposing stories (xxxi), Fraser Versus Indigenous Memory

The Nootka...after meeting Fraser

Anthropology is interdisciplinary and frequently borrows research data from fields in the humanities, social and physical sciences. It is also reflexive, in that anthropologists always consider the bias inherent in their research (theories/hypotheses), as well as their interpretations.At the root of anthropological understanding are the opposing perspectives of cultural relativity and ethnocentrism.

•       ETHNOCENTRISM: the belief that the way you think and behave (your cultural perspective) is natural and correct.

•       CULTURAL RELATIVITY: the belief that one can only understand the worldview and practices of a people from the perspective of that culture in which it is contained.

anthropologists always suspend judgment and take a culturally relative view when doing research and analysis. Since all of us are cultural beings, we are all by nature ethnocentric. Therefore this perspective is a conscious effort to be reflective.

Why Study anthropology?

•       We try to understand the lives of OTHERS so that we can understand OURSELVES. 

◦       in the course of our normal everyday lives we fail to critically observe our own lives. We rarely even notice what we do or believe

◦       Studying other ways of thinking (habits of mind) and other ways of behaving (traditions and practices) reveals the ASSUMPTIONS underlying our Behaviors. These assumptions can be described as culture.

•       We study human cultures so that we can understand current events in the world today.

◦       Much of the conflict and turmoil that we see in the world is based on cultural conflict

◦       resolving these issues requires that we understand the values, beliefs and practices of those in conflict

•       We live in a global community. Because of globalization, our social and economic activities and deeply intertwined. Trade and migration make our ability to interact with and within other cultures essential

◦       Understanding the forces of globalization and culture change in essential to successful interaction

◦       Understanding other cultures is essential to successful interaction

•       WE live ina diverse and complex socity as a result of the forces of migration, globalizations and economic development. 

◦      Understanding the nature of inequality and the forces which create and maintain it is essential if we are concerned (as anthropologists are) about social justice.

◦       These forces and processes are dependent on the values and beliefs in culture.

CULTURE is the sum total of the practices, values, beliefs, ideals, and products shared by a group of people. Culture is:

•       learned

•       shared

•       symbolic

•       interconnected (its parts)

People is a culture do not have to live together in a society. culture is a more basic worldview of which society is one "functioning" part.

Culture is often view as being both ADAPTIVE and IDEOLOGICAL.

•       the adaptive view of culture sees it as a mechanism through which a group of people adapt to their environment. We will see how the British School of Social Anthropology and materialist theories rely heavily on this definition of culture

•       the ideological view of culture sees culture as a way of thinking (worldview). We will see how the Structuralists and American Structuralists view "culture" in this way.

Most anthropologists see culture as being characterized by both of these aspects. This is most clearly seen in the American School of Anthropology founded by Franz Boaz

CULTURE is the LEARNED, SUM TOTAL of SHARED BELIEFS, PRACTICES, BEHAVIORS and PRODUCTS of a group of people. It is INTERCONNECTED and composed of SYMBOLS.

ANTHROPOLOGY VERSUS SOCIOLOGY

1. CULTURE versus SOCIETY
2. "marginality" (marginal) versus "deviance" (deviant)
3. qualitative versus quantitative data
4. cross-cultural versus Western (traditionally)
5. rural/urban versus urban (traditionally)
6. fieldwork versus survey research

FUNCTIONS OF CULTURE

1. Adapt to the environment
2. Create and perpetuate social cohesion
3. Answer Questions about the unknown
4. Educate Children

PERSPECTIVES ON CULTURE

1. Cultural Relativity versus Ethnocentrism
2. Emic versus Etic
1. Emic: perspective from someone insider the culture (a member)
2. Etic: perspective from someone outside the culture
3. Real versus Ideal
1. describes the complexity of culture which is made of of individuals who vary around the shared values, beliefs, and practices. 
2. This dynamic of heterogeneity (internal variation)  does not negate the shared whole we call culture.

FEATURES OF CULTURE (holistic)

1. facial expressions
2. religious beliefs
3. religious rituals
4. importance of time
5. art
6. values
7. literature
8. child-raising practices
9. ideas about fairness
10. ideas about friendship
11. ideas about modesty
12. foods
13. eating habits
14. understanding of the natural world 
15. concept of self
16. importance of work
17. concept of beauty
18. music
19. styles of dress
20. worldview
21. housing
22. rules of social etiquette
23. concepts of space
24. definition of family
25. ways of learning
26. value of education
27. importance of family
28. who deserves respect
29. ways of adapting to the environment'
30. language
31. what is community
32. success
33. friendship
34. what is a child
35. what is gender
36. how many sexes are there
37. what does one live in and with who
38. how are things given value
39. what do we consume
40. more....

Syllabus & Reading List

INTRODUCTION TO ANTHROPOLOGY                 Fall 2017  (yippee)

ANTH 1100                                                        
B125

T/Th 8:30-10:20                                          Laurie Greene

Office: C107; X4564

Office Hours: Tuesday/Thursday 10:30-12:20,  or by appointment

E-Mail: laurie.greene@stockton.edu (please put ANTH 1100 in subject line)

Texts/Materials:

Kenny, Michael G. & Kirsten Smillie. (2015) Stories of Culture & Place: An Introduction to Cultural Anthropology  (University of Toronto Press).

Boyd, Colleen & Luke Eric Lassiter, eds. (2011) Explorations in Cultural Anthropology: Readings 
            (AltaMira Press).
*Additional short readings posted on the blog/blackboard

Syllabus and Reading List:

Week 1: INTRODUCTION & THE NATURE OF CULTURE (9/5-9/7)

   Topics:          Course Requirements & Grading

                        What is Anthropology/Cultural Anthropology?
                        What is "Culture" and why do we study it?
                        How does one study culture? 
                                  The "comparative method"
                                  The importance of "meaning" & the difficulty of "interpretation"
                        Why anthropology matters: applying anthropology to todays problems

   Readings:       STORIES OF CULTURE & PLACE  Introduction (9/5)
                        EXPLORATIONS... Body Ritual Among the Nacirema (chapter 1) (9/7)

"Body Ritual Among the Nacirema."

PDF: http://www.sfu.ca/~palys/Miner-1956-BodyRitualAmongTheNacirema.pdf

HTML: http://www.ohio.edu/people/thompsoc/Body.html 

   Due:              Class Discussion: Whose Lives Matter? (9/5) My Exotic Life -(9/7)

Week 2: CULTURE SHOCK (9/12-9/14)

   Topics:          Ethnocentrism & Cultural Relativity

                        Methods of Direct Observation: Fieldwork & participant Observation
                        Human Nature: Unity (universals) & Diversity

   Readings:       STORIES OF CULTURE & PLACE  Chapter 1 -(9/12)
                        EXPLORATIONS... Crack in Spanish Harlem (chapter 2), Eating Christmas in  
                                       the Kalahari (chapter 4), Reflections of a Shy Ethnographer (chapter 5) 
                                       -(9/14)

   Due:              Class Discussion: How is the anthropological method and perspective unique? Why is the concept of culture important? 

Week 3: FIELDWORK STORIES (9/19-9/21)

   Topics:          Doing Fieldwork

                        British Social Anthropology: Functionalism & Beyond                        
                        American Anthropology: Boas to Structuralism
                        Applying Anthropology: Medical, International Development & Climate Change

   Readings:      STORIES OF CULTURE & PLACE  Chapter 3 (9/19)
                        EXPLORATIONS... Cultural Relativism & Human Rights (chapter 3) , 
                                  Doing Collaborative Ethnography (chapter 6) -(9/21)

   *Movie:         Paul Farmer and Medical Anthropology (9/21)

   Due:             Class Discussion: Pressing World Problems for Anthropologists (think tank)

                        

Week 4: HISTORY & ANTHROPOLOGICAL THOUGHT (9/26-9/28)

   Topics:         Cultural Evolution & Evolutionary Theory

                       The Myth of the "Noble Savage"

                       The Grand Diffusionists and the Notion of Racial Superiority

   Readings:      STORIES OF CULTURE & PLACE  Chapter 3 (9/26)
  *Movie:          Barbara Myerhoff:

   Due:             Class Discussion
                       Essay#1: Anthropology & Human Rights (9/28)

               

Week 5: KINSHIP: MARRIAGE, FAMILY & DESCENT (10/3-10/5)

   Topics:          The Role of Kinship Systems in Anthropology
                                  Social Organization
                                  Unilineal Descent: Matriliny & Patriliny
                                  Bilateral Descent
                        Marriage Systems
                                  Monogamy
                                            Serial Monogamy
                                  Polygamy
                                            Polygyny, Polyandry & Group Marriage
                        Marriage & Economic Exchange: Dowery, Bridewealth
                        Genetic Versus Social Kinship

   Readings:       STORIES OF CULTURE & PLACE  Chapter 4 (10/3)
                        EXPLORATIONS... Gay Marriage (chapter 23), When Brothers Share a Wife 
                                   (chapter 24), Caveat Emptor (chapter 25)- (10/5)     

   Due:              Class Discussion

                       

Week 6:   SUBSISTENCE & THE ENVIRONMENT (10/10-10/12)
                        Subsistence Patterns and the Concept of Adaptation
                        Food Collectors Versus Food Producers
                        The Impact of Domestication
                        The impact of Climate Change
   Readings:       Blackboard: 
   Due:               Class Discussion
                         Essay #2: Anthropology & The Future of Marriage (10/12)
   Film:              The Anthropologist (10/12)
  

Week 7: SYMBOL MYTH & MEANING (10/17-10/19)

   Topics:          The Concept of Meaning & Culture-Symbols
                        Benedict's Cultural Patterns
                        Cultural & Personality/Illness as non--Modal
                        Religion, Myth & Magic

   Readings:       STORIES OF CULTURE & PLACE  Chapter 5 (10/17)
                        EXPLORATIONS... - The Sacred Pipe (chapter 26), Oh Gods! (chapter 27), Folklore & 
                                     Medicine (chapter 28)(10/19)

   Due:              Class Discussion



Week 8: NO Class Preceptorial Advising Tuesday, October 24^th

**MID-TERM EXAM REVIEW, Thursday October 26th,WEEKS #1-6**

       **MID-TERM EXAM, Tuesday October 31st,WEEKS #1-6**

Week 9: LANGUAGE & RELIGION, SYMBOLIC SYSTEMS (10/31-11/2)

   Topics:           Habitus, Culture & Body Techniques
                         Language as a Symbolic System-Epistomology
                         Language & Cu;lture

   Readings:       EXPLORATIONS...  The Circle (chapter 8), Fighting For Our Lives (chapter 9), Body Art 
                                        (chapter 10)-(11/2)

   Due:              Class Discussion

                        Essay # 3: Anthropology & The Impact Climate Change (11/2)

Week 10: CONTEMPORARY ISSUES: POLITICAL SYSTEMS & THE POLITICS OF CULTURE (11/7-11/9)

   Topics:          Political Systems
                                   Bands, Tribes, Chiefdoms & States
                        Political Movements
                                    Cultural Nationalism & Revitalization Movements
                                    Nativistic Movements
                                    Cultural activism

   Readings:       STORIES OF CULTURE & PLACE  Chapter 6 (11/7)
                        EXPLORATIONS... One Hundred Percent American (chapter 11), A Tribal Chair's Perspective 
                                     (chapter 14), Melungeons & The Politics of Heritage (chapter 16)- (11/9)

   Due:              Class Discussion

Week 11: CONTEMPORARY ISSUES: GENDER (11/14-11/16)

   Topics:          Gender, Sex & Sexuality
                        Gender as a social construct
                        Feminism & Queer Theory
                        Sex Assignment & Sexual Identity

   Readings:       STORIES OF CULTURE & PLACE  Chapter 7 (11/14)
                        EXPLORATIONS... Different Words, Different Worlds (chapter 18), Ladies Behind Bars
                                      (chapter 19), The Sworn Virgins (chapter 20), Hijra & Sadhin (chapter 21)- (11/16)

   Due:              Class Discussion

       

Week 12: CONTEMPORARY ISSUES: RACE (11/21)

   Topics:           Diversity of the Human Race
                         Race a a Biological and Political (Social) Construct
                         Outlawing Race Mixing
                         The Causes of Genocide

   Readings:       STORIES OF CULTURE & PLACE  Chapter 8 (11/21)
                        EXPLORATIONS... Scientific & Folk Ideas (chapter 15), Inventing Hispanics (chapter 17)- 
                                       (11/21)

   Due:              Class Discussion
                        Essay #4: Anthropology & Trans-sexuality and the Future of Gender (11/21)

No Class November 23rd Thanksgiving Break

Week 13: CONTEMPORARY ISSUES: GLOBALIZATION (11/28-11/30)

   Topics:          Change, Progress & Modernization

                        Globalization & Migration
                        Cultural Imperialism
                        Culture & Place /Transnationalism

   Readings:       STORIES OF CULTURE & PLACE  Chapter 9 (11/28)
                        EXPLORATIONS... The Silk Road (chapter 12), The Globalization of Brazilian Fishing 
                                     (chapter 13), -(11/30)

   *Movie:        

   Due:              Class Discussion

Week 14: ANTHROPOLOGY & SOCIAL ACTIVISM & REVIEW (12/5-12/7)

   Topics:          Activist Anthropology

                       Applying Anthropology   
                       Exam Review (12/7)

   Readings:      EXPLORATIONS... Reflections on Collaboration (chapter 29), -(12/5)
                       Blackboard

   Due:             Class Discussion
                       Essay #5: Anthropology & The Changing Face of Racism (12/7)

   

Week 15:  FINAL EXAM 8:30, Tuesday, December12^th

Requirements and Evaluation:

            This is an introductory level course in anthropology, but that does NOT mean that it will be any of the following ("Top 10 List" of things NOT to expect):

            (1) So easy that you will brag to your friends about your astute course selection skills.

            (2) Requiring no reading, riveting discussion, or deep, soul searching thinking (I have torturous ways to make your talk, exposing even the most personal of your desires and heinous of your opinions).

            (3) A boring overview of the textual material by a professor who has absolutely NO CLUE that you are reading romance novels and doing your "Greek" bulk mailings in the back of the room. (I will be aware of this activity).

            (4) The same course that has been taught for the past 15 years, so that you can get a preview copy of the exams and pre-written paper assignments from your friends. (too bad).

            (5) A touchy-feely, left-wing, liberal discussion of political correctness and cultural sensitivity by a professor that is so far to the left that she can't see around the corner. (I have good eyesight).

            (6) A writing intensive (W1) course...surprisingly, I expect you to be able to write.

            (7) A course comprised of testing based on multiple choice exams, whose questions are taken directly from a study guide that will be distributed on the first day of class.

(8) A course unconcerned with the due dates of assignments since after all, this is not your major, and therefore, understandably, unimportant.

            (9) A course where you are required to buy a textbook as a reference, but are not expected to actually READ it. (How redundant).

            (10) A break in your schedule, a convenient time to take a short but rejuvenating nap, chow down on junk food with noisy wrappers (without offering some to your professor), and then take a trip to the powder room to freshen up.

                    NOT!!!

                       

       This class WILL be evaluated on the following criteria:

            (1) Essays (5, ~3 page length)………………………….50%

            (2) Midterm………………………………………………………20%

            (3) Final……………………………………………………………20%

            (4) Class Discussion/Attendance…………………….10% (really)…I better know your name!

            The material discussed in this class will be thought provoking, often "bizarre", and sometimes controversial. It is essential that you participate in class, and attempt to contribute to class discussion. This should be fun. Class participation will be a factor in determining the outcome of your grades at the end of the semester. There will be NO "extra credit" work in this class. So, participate; it makes this class much more interesting. Although I do encourage all discussion, I will also insist that certain rules of conversation and debate be followed in class. This means that all argumentation must be presented in a polite and respectful manner. I will not tolerate any disrespect for your classmates.

            As a second component of class you will be required to write essays on the articles from Conformity & Conflict reader every other week. These essays will be an evaluation of your ability to apply the theoretical information presented in class to analize practical sitations in which the anthropological analysis may be applied.  These will make up 50% (half) of your grade.

YOUR OWN DEATH will be one of the few excuses that I will accept for late papers. Please have your dog muzzled, make sure that your car is tuned up and your tires are rotated, check on the health of your close relatives, service your computer and printer and visit a relationship counselor atleast four days prior to each due date. If you are having any serious problems you must see/talk to me BEFORE the day that the paper is due.

           

The exams will NOT be inclusive. The midterm will cover everything through chapter 8 (week #6) in your text (Social Organization) and any essays that have been done up to that point, along with films and other topics discussed in class. The final exam will cover weeks #7-15. Do Not Be Afraid !

            Ethnographic films will be shown periodically throughout the semester. Documentary is an important illustrative tool in anthropology and the materials covered in these films will be included on your exams. You will be given a viewing guide to accompany each film. These guides will contain questions which are meant to direct your observations and class discussion of the film. These do not have to be handed in, but should be completed and saved for your own benefit. The films for this semester are listed on your syllabus, but I reserve the right to alter this film list if necessary. You are responsible for viewing any films that you may miss. All films are owned by the media service in the lower library level.

            FINALLY, all the requirements listed above are to be completed to receive credit for the course. I reserve the right to deny any student a passing grade who has NOT completed ANY of the requirements outlined above. But for sure…Failure to turn in one essay will result in no higher than a “B” grade for the term, reguardless of your average---two papers (“C”), three papers (“D”).