College Name: Foothill College
Subject: Anthropology
Course Code: ANTHRO2345
Title: Week 2 Assignment
Question 40564: We will exam how individuals learn their culture in society. We also focus on the human life cycle and how cultures place emphasis on different life events in the natural cycle of the individuals in the group. For this project select one of the options detailed below to conduct a thorough analysis of your topic. Grading: Per syllabus = 20% of final grade Option 1: Select an event from society that you feel meets the criteria as a rite of passage. Examine this event by placing yourself in the role of participant observer to the extent possible. If that is impossible due to COVID, you may conduct interviews of other individuals who attended the event. In your participant observations and/or interviews attempt to determine why this is seen as a rite of passage in our culture. Write up your findings in the following format: a. Title b. Introduction with a hypothesis statement (i.e. In our society, college serves as a rite of passage of the individual into adulthood). c. An ethnographic description of the event from your field methods (participant observations and/or interviews). d. An analysis of the event as to why this event is a rite of passage, with specific reference to three elements or phases; 1) separation, 2) transition, and 3) re-incorporation. e. Compare this to at least one other rite of passage from another culture and discuss the general function of these rites. f. Conclusion, with a final statement either accepting or rejecting your original hypothesis as stated in (b) above. g. Bibliography: must be included if any references are used. Option 2: Examine as aspect of our contemporary society that you feel serves the enculturation process. Explore how this event or process facilitates the learning of culture by the individuals in our society. Examine this event by placing yourself in the participant observer role if feasible. If not feasible due to COVID, you may conduct interviews of others who participate in the process. Using these field methods try to determine why this helps to enculturate individuals in the population. Write up your findings in the following format: h. Title i. Introduction with a hypothesis statement (i.e. In our society, preschool serves as an enculturation process to adequately educate young children as to the values of the culture). j. An ethnographic description of the event from your field methods (participant observations and/or interviews). k. An analysis of the event as to why this event is an enculturation process, with specific reference to both the 1) conscious, and 2) unconscious ways this helps individuals to learn culture. l. Compare this to at least one other enculturation process from another culture and discuss the general function of these processes. m. Conclusion, with a final statement either accepting or rejecting your original hypothesis as stated in (b) above. n. Bibliography: must be included if any references are used.2 | P a g e NOTE: Options 3 and 4 may be both more possible during COVID and also more flexible to allow you the freedom to research something you select.Option 3: Select a group of people that you would like to research. Read an ethnographic study (short book) or research several ethnographic articles about the group of people and then write a paper explaining what you learned about rites of passage or enculturation in the group and how it relates to their different cultural norms than ours. Write up your findings in the following format: a. Title b. Introduction with a hypothesis statement (i.e. in the culture I researched, I found different forms of enculturation than in ours as illustrated by the following facts I gathered and I believe that the differences are due to what factors). c. An ethnographic description of the specific cultural difference you found in the culture you researched. d. An analysis of the differences as to why this culture has different values and behaves in a different manner than our culture. e. Conclusion, with a final statement either accepting or rejecting your original hypothesis as stated in (b) above. f. Bibliography: must be included of all references are used.Option 4: Select a topic that you have been inspired by in the textbook, lectures or class discussions. Research a specific issue within that area of interest using articles or a short book and then write a paper about what your research helped clarify about your original hypothesis regarding the anthropological issue. Write up your findings in the following format: a. Title b. Introduction with a hypothesis statement (i.e. in the culture I researched, I found different forms of enculturation than in ours as illustrated by the following facts I gathered and I believe that the differences are due to what factors). c. An ethnographic description of the specific cultural difference you found in the culture you researched. d. An analysis of the differences as to why this culture has different values and behaves in a different manner than our culture. e. Conclusion, with a final statement either accepting or rejecting your original hypothesis as stated in (b) above. f. Bibliography: must be included of all references are used.