Question 1

What did anthropologist Eric Wolf believe to be inherent in all relationships?

Accepted Answer

Eric Wolf believed that power dynamics are inherent in all relationships, emphasizing how power influences social structures and interactions.

Question 2

In his research conducted in the Trobriand Islands, Bronislaw Malinowski (1884-1942) employed an early form of what type of anthropological theory?

Accepted Answer

Bronislaw Malinowski employed an early form of structural functionalism in his research conducted in the Trobriand Islands. He believed that each part of a society functions to support the whole and that cultural practices serve a purpose in maintaining the social stability of a community.

Question 3

Clifford Geertz (1926-2006) urged anthropologists to explore culture primarily as:

Accepted Answer

Clifford Geertz was known for his symbolic interpretation of culture. He believed that culture can be best understood as a symbolic system of meanings that individuals create and interpret through their actions and interactions within their cultural context.

Question 4

Which of the following is defined as the ability or potential to bring about change through action or influence?

Accepted Answer

The definition provided fits with the concept of power, as it refers to the ability to make things happen or influence others. Stratification refers to the unequal distribution of resources and opportunities across society, while hegemony relates to the domination of one group over others through cultural or ideological means. Coercion refers to the use of force, threats or violence to make someone comply with one's wishes.

Question 5

What do anthropologists call the uneven distribution of resources and privileges, often along lines of gender, racial or ethnic group, class, age, family, religion, sexuality, or legal status?

Accepted Answer

Anthropologists call the uneven distribution of resources and privileges, often along lines of gender, racial or ethnic group, class, age, family, religion, sexuality, or legal status as "stratification."

Question 6

Clifford Geertz argued that every cultural action is more than the action itself. It also has deeper meaning, subject to interpretation. What key idea in anthropology did this important theoretical idea help promote?

Accepted Answer

Geertz's argument emphasizes the importance of symbols in understanding the deeper meanings of cultural actions, thus promoting the idea of semiotics and the use of symbolic analysis in anthropological studies.

Question 7

Which anthropologist advocated most explicitly for thick description?

Accepted Answer

Clifford Geertz is credited with coining the term "thick description" and advocating for its use in anthropological research. He emphasized the importance of understanding the cultural context and meaning behind observed behaviors and practices in order to fully grasp their significance.

Question 8

You are an anthropologist investigating the ways that malnutrition in pregnant women can affect the genetic development of their children. What field are you engaging with?

Accepted Answer

The field being engaged with is epigenetics, which studies how environmental factors can affect gene expression without changing the DNA sequence itself. Malnutrition can potentially alter the epigenome of a developing fetus and impact their genetic development. Structural functionalism, unilineal cultural evolution, and mental maps of reality are not directly related to this topic.

Question 9

In 1989, a large number of people in China protested the lack of democratic process through demonstrations in Tiananmen Square. From an anthropological perspective, what is this called?

Accepted Answer

This is an example of expressing agency, as individuals are using their voices and actions to express their dissatisfaction with the political system and demand change. Rioting is a narrow and negative interpretation of the events, while structural functionalism and hegemony do not accurately capture the nature of the protests.

Question 10

Early British anthropological researchers believed they could isolate and scientifically study the structure and specific details of what?

Accepted Answer

Early British anthropological researchers believed they could isolate and scientifically study the structure and specific details of society.

Question 11

In her book Liquidated: An Ethnography of Wall Street, Karen Ho combines a detailed description of cultural activity with an analysis of the layers of deep cultural meaning in which those activities are embedded. Her research is an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

Karen Ho's research in Liquidated is an example of thick description, which involves providing a detailed and nuanced portrayal of a cultural phenomenon while also considering its deeper cultural meanings and context. This approach is often used in ethnography and qualitative research. B, C, and D are not relevant to Ho's work.

Question 12

Stone tools enabled our ancestors to butcher meat more quickly and efficiently, thereby providing higher quantities of protein for the developing brain and influencing the direction of our physical adaptation. This demonstrates the intimate connection between ________.

Accepted Answer

The use of stone tools by our ancestors is an example of how nature (the ability to develop and use tools) and nurture (the need for higher protein intake to support brain development) are interconnected in influencing human physical adaptation.

Question 13

What is one field you may explore if you want to study the complex relationship between culture and biology?

Accepted Answer

Epigenetics is the study of changes in gene expression that are influenced by environmental factors, including culture. By studying epigenetics, one can explore how cultural practices and beliefs affect biological processes, such as development and disease susceptibility.

Question 14

What approach might you employ if you want to study the specific role that religion plays in maintaining societal well-being in a particular group of people?

Accepted Answer

Structural functionalism is a sociological approach that focuses on the functions and roles of different social institutions, such as family or religion, in maintaining social stability and well-being. This approach would be useful for studying the specific role that religion plays in maintaining societal well-being in a particular group of people. It would help to analyze the various functions of religion and how it contributes to the overall functioning of society.

Question 15

Many early anthropologists drew from biology to support their work. They believed that society, like the human body, was composed of interconnected parts, with each part having:

Accepted Answer

Many early anthropologists believed in functionalism, which held that society was like an organism in which each part had a specific function that contributed to the overall well-being of the society. This metaphorical view of society was drawn from the biological sciences, where different organs in the human body have specialized functions.

Question 16

Which of the following is defined as the ability to create consent and agreement within a population, sometimes unconsciously, by shaping what people think is normal, natural, and possible?

Accepted Answer

Hegemony is defined as the ability of a dominant group to create consent and agreement within a population by shaping what is considered normal or acceptable. It involves influencing the culture, beliefs, and values of society to maintain the existing power structures. Coercion involves the use of force or threats to control behavior, while enculturation refers to the process of socialization and learning one's culture. The culture of consumerism is a specific aspect of hegemony that promotes the idea of consumption as a way of life.

Question 17

Culture is more than a set of ideas or patterns of behavior shared by a group of people. It also includes general mechanisms created by people to promote and maintain their core values. The recent changes in same-sex marriage laws in the United States reflects the influence of which of these types of mechanisms?

Accepted Answer

Same-sex marriage laws in the United States were influenced by powerful institutions such as the Supreme Court, which made the landmark decision to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide in 2015. The decision reflected a shift in societal values towards equal rights and acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community.

Question 18

We often find ourselves seeing something as a "natural truth" and viewing any alternative as unthinkable. What is this an expression of?

Accepted Answer

This expression is known as hegemony of ideas, where dominant ideas and perspectives are viewed as natural truths and alternatives are considered unthinkable or even dangerous. This reinforces the existing power structures and reinforces the status quo.

Question 19

Anthropologists have uncovered evidence of vast trade networks throughout the entire continent of North America that long pre-date the arrival of Europeans. This exchange of material goods and cultural traits supports which of the following concepts?

Accepted Answer

The evidence of trade networks suggests the diffusion of cultural traits and material goods between different communities or regions in North America. Stratification refers to the unequal distribution of power and resources within a society, which is not necessarily implied by the evidence. Evolution refers to the gradual development of species, which is not relevant to this context. Enculturation refers to the process of learning culture through socialization, which is not directly related to trade networks.

Question 20

Antonio Gramsci (1891-1937) described two aspects of power. One was material power. What characterized the other aspect described by Gramsci?

Accepted Answer

Gramsci described the second aspect of power as the ability to create consent and agreement, also known as ideological power. This refers to the ways in which those in power use media, culture, and education to shape society's beliefs and values, ultimately leading to the acceptance and reproduction of a dominant ideology.

Quiz 2: Culture