Format of the Final Exam: The final exam consists of three parts:

PART 1 (20 points): Identify 5 out of 8 terms chosen from the list circulated in class and posted to the website. For each term, explain what it means and where it comes from (1.5 points) and why it is significant in the context of the themes covered in class (2.5 points).

PART 2 (40 points): A required essay on a topic synthesizing material from the entire semester. In your answer, you must discuss three authors or examples chosen from the list provided.

PART 3: (one essay, 40 points): The essays in this section will focus on the second half of the course. You must write on one of the two questions provided. Your essay must include discussion of two examples from readings, lectures, or films. For Part 2, you are free to choose any two examples relevant to your argument, but some suggestions will be provided to guide you.

Note #1: You may not repeat examples between your two essays. While you may, for example, discuss Malinowski's views on the kula in one essay and his views on culture and fieldwork in another, you cannot describe his views on the kula in more than one essay. If you repeat material, points will be deducted from your essay grade.

Note #2: In the questions below, different items separated by a slash should be treated as a single example. You can discuss one or both, but, either way, you will get credit for only one example. If you repeat material, points will be deducted from your essay grade.

Note #3: For Part II, you will be required to discuss at least one author from the first part of the course (i.e. before the midterm) and at least one author from the second part (post-midterm). Please keep that in mind as you review the questions below.

The following is a selection of study guide questions to help you prepare for the essay questions on the exam.In thinking through possible answers for these questions, pay particular attention to formulating a clear, interesting, and arguable thesis statement. For more information about thesis statements and some examples, see the writing assignments handout.

ESSAY QUESTIONS FOR PART II

1. How has the concept of culture been defined by various anthropologists? What strengths and weaknesses does each definition pose? How should anthropologists in the 21st century define and study culture? Discuss with reference to the work of three of the following: Malinowski/Rappaport, Mead, Farmer, Geertz, Steedly/Abu-Lughod, Wilk/Watson, and Rabinow.

2. One of the main objectives of this course was to explore the question, "what fate and value do cultural differences have in today's interconnected world?" Discuss the views of 3 anthropologists that we have studied in terms of culture, cultural exchange, cultural change, and/or globalization. How are their views similar? Different? Finally, what is, or should be the role of anthropology in light of the globalization of today's world? Choose from: Starn/Kroeber, Mead, Luhrmann, Kulick, Farmer, Mauss/Malinowski, Steiner/Wilk/Watson/Nietschmann

3. If you had to choose three valuable lessons you could take from this anthropological perspectives course, after reading the various works and discussing different concepts, what would those be? How have they helped you to better understand culture or how to perceive a culture? Your essay should discuss at least three of the authors we have explored.

4. Explain how cultural relativism is an integral aspect of three of the following authors' fieldwork: Malinowski, Lurhmann, Farmer, Mead, Tylor/Morgan, Kulick, Steiner/Wilk. Be sure to include details from pertinent readings, theories, etc.

5. While doing fieldwork, many anthropologists form relationships with their informants. Using examples from at least three different authors, explain the different types of relationships between anthropologists and their informants. How and why do these relationships affect the work of the anthropologists? Choose three of the following: Mead, Kroeber, Lurhmann, Farmer, Wolf, Kulick.

ESSAY QUESTIONS FOR PART III

1. In Farmer's book, AIDS and Accusation, we saw that there were cultural differences between Haitian and American explanations of understanding the spread of AIDS. He recommended extending a hermeneutic of generosity so that we could see the "truth" contained within views which we might find factually inaccurate. What do we learn from applying a hermeneutic of generosity? Is it a useful methodological and analytical technique? Discuss with reference to TWO examples. Suggested examples are: Farmer, Luhrmann, Wolf, Kulick.

2. How has globalization affected both core countries and periphery countries? For the better or for the worse and do the influences maintain "authenticity"? Why? Discuss with reference to three of the following: Farmer, Steiner, Carsten, world systems theory/Wallerstein, modernization theory, Mauss, Marx, Wilk, or Watson.

3. Anthropologist Nancy Scheper-Hughes theorized that there are three types of body. Name and describe the three types and explain how they relate to conflicts between naturalistic and personalistic modes of healing. Discuss with reference to two of the following: Farmer, Evans-Pritchard, Luhrmann, Eduardo the Healer.

4. We often refer to globalization as prompting a clash between modern and traditional ways of doing things or viewing the world. Anthropologists have typically cautioned, however, that the terms modern and traditional are problematic. What are the dilemmas raised by discussing "the modern" or "the traditional"? Are these useful terms? If so, how should they be understood? If not, what might be a better way of talking about the cultural effects of globalization? Discuss with reference to two authors, which may include: Farmer/Eduardo the Healer, Mauss/Malinowski/Ongka's Big Moka, Lurhmann, Steiner/Watson/Wilk, Steedly/Abu-Lughod.

5. In "Is Female to Male as Nature is to Culture?," Sherry Ortner claims that women handle physical reproduction which is closer to nature, while males handle social and technological reproduction which is closer to culture. She claims that because culture is superior to nature males are superior to females. Explore this theory through examples of cultures we have studied in this course: Wolf, Kulick, Paris is Burning, Mead, and Carsten. Based on this discussion, what do you think are the strengths and weaknesses to universal subordination theory? If you disagree with Universal Subordination Theory, explain why you think that women nonetheless seem to be defined as inferior.

6. Tania Luhrmann's Persuasions of the Witch's Craft describes the process of interpretive drift and uses this phenomenon to explain how many people in contemporary England come to believe in witchcraft. Define and describe interpretive drift. Choosing from other topics covered in the second half of the semester (kinship, gender, medicine, economics, and globalization), give two examples of other social or cultural phenomena which might be explained by the process of interpretive drift. Based on your discussion, what are the strengths and weaknesses of Luhrmann's analysis?

7. How does globalization affect healing systems, kinship systems, and conceptions of gender (pick two topics, and one author for each)? Are the effects on each of these an example of homogenization or heterogenization?

8. How would you compare the approaches of two of the following -- Malinowski, Mauss, Marx and Carsten -- in relation to their views on capitalism and economics? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each approach?

9. Discuss the arguments for and against globalization. How is homogenization a factor in this process and why do Marx and Mauss support this stance? How do World Systems Theory and Modernization Theory relate to globalization?

For more information, contact:  aleshkow@holycross.edu