Azande

Through an anthropological lens, it becomes quite clear that illness is ultimately a socio-cultural experience. Illness is often defined as that which “encompasses the human experience and perceptions of alterations in health as informed by their broader social and cultural settings” (Brown 11). On the other hand, socio-cultural experience may be thought of as social and cultural factors which exert influence upon, in this case, various interpretations of illness. For instance, the idea of…

Final Learning Assessment (Rough Draft) As human beings we all have one thing in common, we all share the same home, the planet earth. Yet, within this home, every single one of us has our very own world. These may sound like contradictory statements, but they are not. The truth of the matter is, as human beings, we all make our own realities that differ from that of people in another country, state, or even our neighbors. Yet, simultaneously, we can share the same reality with hundreds,…

Mary Douglas was a British anthropologist and Oxford graduate. At Oxford, she was influenced by E.E. Evans-Pritchard. Evans-Pritchard’s work, in contrast to Mary, followed structural functionalism (Guest 46). One of her most famous writings was Purity and Danger written in 1966. Mary begins her Chapter, The Abomination of Leviticus by stating “Defilement is never an isolated event...For the only way in which pollution ideas make sense is in reference to a total structure of thought whose…

Evans-Pritchard’s paper is that it gives us the Azande point of view in their own words and actions, an does not romance about white is going on inside their minds.” – Hocart in “The Life Giving Myth” (pg.180) We could use symbolic nomenclature to describe ideas but it becomes so complex that any clarity…

Medical science doesn’t always solve medical issues based on patient diagnosis. You may find that the the technology and medical science provided by doctors can sometimes create new problems and can result in death. Many medical doctors do not believe that alternative medicine practices in various cultures coupled with technology and medical science produce better medical outcomes. Lia Lee was diagnosed with epilepsy as a baby in the book “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down” by Anne…

‘Sexuality is culturally constructed '. Explain and discuss this statement with reference to studies which explore sexuality in different parts of the world? In this essay I will assess the various cultural views, values, and treatments of sexuality, as well as the power relations connected to them. I will weigh the amount of research done on men against the amount of research done on women and try to explain this difference, in addition to exposing the liberties men are given in expressing…

Cesar Contreras African Religions: Through the Lenses of Geertz and Asad This paper argues that limited African religious practices support Clifford Geertz and Talal Asad’s definition of religion. I will explore artistic expression, personhood and divination through Geertz and Asad 's theories. Geertz was an anthropologist recognized for his work on cultural symbols. Asad was an anthropologist who explained the relevance of power. Asad criticized Geertz’s theory because it lacked disciplina.…

The rise of terrorism in the 1990’s can be linked back to a chain of events starting with United States foreign policy during the Cold-War era. When the Soviet Union pulled out of Afghanistan in 1989, a vacuum of power was left behind. During the Afghan-Soviet war, the United States funded billions of dollars to the Mujahideen to prevent Afghanistan from becoming communist. In the 1990s, members of the Mujahideen formed the Taliban to impose stability and rule of law. Osma Bin Laden, the…

When discussing the family and the dynamics involved therein, there seems to be a lack of literature relevant to the relationships of siblings. This is to say, when speaking about the family, it would appear that the way in which siblings interact with one another is of no consequence to understanding the family. In lieu of discussing siblings’ relationships as it pertains to one sibling to the other, the discourse of the family revolves around the “powerful parent-child dyad” (Pfouts 1972, 200)…

eHRAF Research Paper Criminal justice systems are the processes created by governments or ruling agencies to maintain order and punish crime within a society ("The Criminal Justice System"). One universal criminal justice system does not exist, instead, they vary from society to society. These systems are important because they help to uphold order, enforce norms and mores, and shape the values of a society. I have only researched the criminal justice system of the United States government,…