The American Religion: consumerism
The American Religion: consumerism "An anthropological approach to religion involves seeing how symbols, myths, rituals, ethics, and experiences of 'the sacred' operate within, and are produced by, society". It is my argument that through the study of religion and symbolism the one religion, which is prominent in the US more than any other, is Consumerism. Defining what constitutes a religion is a difficult, if not an impossible quest. However, before determining whether or not certain belief-systems and/or ritualized practices can be considered a religion, a definition is imperative. Bowie offers many different definitions of religion. ~ Melford Spiro defined religion as "an institution consisting of culturally patterned interaction with culturally postulated superhuman beings" ~ Horton has a definition which is "an extension of the field of people's social relationships beyond the confines of purely human society," in which human beings see themselves as being in a dependent relationship vis-à-vis their "non-human alters". ~ Ninian Smart has provided dimensions used to define religion. These dimensions are; 1. Ritual or practical 2. Doctrinal or philosophical 3. Mythic or narrative 4. Experiential or emotional 5. Ethical or Legal. 6. Organizational or Social 7. Material or artistic 8. Political and economic. ~ For Tylor, "religion is an attempt by human beings to make
Destiny of Tsatsloba in Mountainous Regions of Contemporary Georgia.
Destiny of Tsatsloba in Mountainous Regions of Contemporary Georgia Introduction to Cultural Anthropology Professor Peter Krasztev A term paper After the destruction of the Soviet Union and Socialism in Eastern Europe, a great variety of traditions, beliefs and customs that were neglected or faded during Soviet times started to be revived. People turned back to religion, ethnic minorities reconsidered their histories and reintroduced some folk festivities, - these and other related events marked rise of national consciousness and respect towards national cultural identities. However, some of the rituals deeply rooted in pre-Soviet times that died out during 20th century seemingly will never be restored in the national/regional awareness. Tsatsloba is among these rituals in Georgia. Why did Tsatsloba vanish from several mountainous regions in Georgia and what makes me think it will never be reinvented? To answer this question, let me at first elaborate the essence of Tsatsloba and its socio-cultural significance among the ethnic groups who practiced it. Tsatsloba is one of the most discussed old customs in the Pshavi mountainous region of Georgia. It is an old custom of sexual origin, a prolonged pre-marital foreplay without engaging in the sexual activities (Gogolashvili, 2003). Makalatia (1935) points out somewhat similar custom not only in Khevsureti, the immediate
Mulitple Ways of Knowing thePast
Sabra Bhat Professor Davis, Professor Rhodes Anthropology 101 0 December 2008 Essay 3.2 Multiple Ways of Knowing the Past Personal diaries, travel narratives, and other forms of written historical records are rarely as mysterious as the ancient remains studied by archaeologists. In fact, archaeology provides limited scientific data, but a plethora to discover, debunk, and interpret about our human past. In archaeology, there are no modern-day witnesses or substantial written records to confirm our understanding of the past, rendering the ancient sites a paradise for individuals with daring imaginations and creative ways of interpreting a single history. The only problem with this is that there tends to be multiple interpretations that are potentially biased and inaccurate. One must recognize that one observer develops an interpretation based on his own experiences, knowledge, and understanding of archaeology, which can be very different from another observer's. Conflicting theories on the nature of a burial site and biased perceptions of the women's role in a prehistoric society are only two of a multitude of obstacles that archaeologists have been facing discovery after another. Historic sites such as Stonehenge in Britain and Little Rapids in East Dakota delineate the clash of interpretations among anthropologists. It also shows the clash between anthropologists and
Identity Culture and Power - Cop Culture
Identity Culture and Power - Cop Culture The theme of this essay is that of Cop culture, a viewed way in which the police behave in their area of occupation. In this essay I will be looking at how the culture manifests itself and how this is enacted and re-enacted by those in it. Taking into consideration some of the areas of study i.e. identity, gender, membership, group and cultural values, and power relations. We can look first at what cop culture is, how it is created and sustained. How through the nature of the work in the police force, and their interaction and socialization within the larger community is viewed. In a work environment such as the police force a deeply conservative group, and the native of the work that of isolation. This isolation creates within its members seen as a "race apart", a form of solidarity, which establishes as they view the world as an "us against them" concepts. They have a to look out for each other, back each other up and the level of trust between them has to be high. A very closed shop environment, which is hard to penetrate. Police cop culture has created a set of values and beliefs, which in many ways reflect those of a wider society from which they come. The major population of the police force is taken from working class and the lower middle class persons, who make up the bulk of the population. So it can be seen generally that
Discuss the extent to which tourism is a neo colonialist activity supported by cultural perceptions based on social Darwinism and colonialism.
Discuss the extent to which tourism is a neo colonialist activity supported by cultural perceptions based on social Darwinism and colonialism. '...the deeply infused culture of relationships between settlers and the colonised, first created in those distant days of 'discovery', lingers and casts its stereotyped understandings on the contemporary world.' (Whittaker, Ed. Robinson and Boniface, 1999, p.33) Mass tourism was introduced in around 1841 when Thomas Cook offered the first package tours including transport and accommodation (Lickorish and Jenkins, 1997 p. 17). Since then the World Tourism Organisation (www.unwto.org 11/05/07) states that 'the number of international arrivals shows an evolution from a mere 25 million international arrivals in 1950 to an estimated 806 million in 2005, corresponding to an average annual growth rate of 6.5%' Further to this the WTO also states that the 'international tourism receipts represented in 2003... approximately 30 per cent of worldwide exports of services'. Azarya (2004 p.949) cites Wood (1997, p.2) when stating that; '...international tourism symbolises globalisation not only in its massive movement of people to virtually every corner of the world but also in its linkage of economic, political and sociocultural elements.' However this movement of people around the globe to various nations can only emphasize the
Is there such a thing as 'black' religion in Brazil
Is there such a thing as 'black' religion in Brazil Brazil is a multi-cultural and pluri-ethnic society. The population is made up of peoples from all over; native Indians, Blacks from Africa, Iberians, East Europeans and Japanese for example. Miscegenation and racial mixing has resulted in a myriad of races, ethnicities and cultures. The arrival (except the indigenous peoples who were already there) and immigration of these people from all over the world, in the past five hundred years has signified the arrival of numerous different cultures, ways of life, patterns of behaviour, languages, customs, traditions, religions and beliefs. Their lagacies constitute Brazil and its people today. Blacks, throughout history, have played an integral role in the Brazilian economy. The Atlantic Slave Trade brought African slaves to the New World over a three hundred year time span, to work as slave labour throughout the Americas. Africans from Guinea and Angola, to Mozambique, arrived on the Atlantic coast of Brazil between 1538-1888, to work as field workers, artisans and house domestics. In 1798, of Brazil's total population of 3,250,000, 1,582,000 were Black slaves and 406,000 were free Negroes (Bastide, 1971, p. 6). By 1817, these figures has risen to 3,817,000, 1,930,000 and 585,000, respectively (Bastide, 1971, p. 6). The Black population was not evenly distributed throughout
Basically the ascetic technique will kill all microorganisms that are present and employ sterile objects and other items. The different types of contamination are:
Introduction Whilst conducting an experiment it is essential to prevent bacteria or microorganisms contaminating results. To prevent this scientists use a technique called the ascetic technique. Basically the ascetic technique will kill all microorganisms that are present and employ sterile objects and other items. The different types of contamination are: . Airborne micro organisms 2. Contamination of culture bottle and the rim of the petri dish from microorganisms on hands. 3. Contamination for non-sterile tools. The aseptic technique ensures that the culture remains free of contamination and that microorganisms are not released into the environment. Aseptic techniques do the following in a clinical setting: *Remove or kill microorganisms from hands or objects *Employ sterile objects and other items *Reduce clients' risk of exposure to microorganisms that cannot be removed Safety points * Clear up any spillages immediately. *Incubate at 30 degrees Celsius -this will ensure no pathogenic bacteria or viruses grow. *Work near a Bunsen burner (within 1 foot) because the upward currents will prevent particles falling down into the culture. *Prevent from placing things on the workbench as it may be contaminated with microorganisms *Wear goggles at all times whilst doing the experiment *Heat the rim of the culture bottle to prevent airborne contamination. *Flame
Why Advertising Plays an Important Part in Modern American Culture.
Selling the Mirror Why Advertising Plays an Important Part in Modern American Culture by Dena De Angelo-Shuayto Introduction Advertising is all around us. Sometimes we notice it and sometimes we do not. It can be as blatant as a 30-second spot on the Super Bowl, or as innocuous as a Nike logo on a hat. Yet, is it more than just marketing? Do the subliminal messages planted in our minds stop at the cash register or has something deeper happened between Madison Avenue and Main Street? Does advertising effect us in some profound way that goes unnoticed, permeating our psyches in ways we take for granted? Or, in a worse case, become oblivious to? Advertising has shown it has the power to define our choices, from which brand of toothpaste to buy, to which governor to vote for. Those choices are inextricably woven into our everyday lives, making up, over time and by further homogenization, facets of our culture that are uniquely American. In many respects we have become a culture of consumers. As a result, advertising has played and continues to play an important part in modern American culture. In order to support the above statement, the term culture must first be explained in the context of the following presented arguments. Culture can be defined as "the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon man's capacity for learning and
Can you see any differences between Japanese and Chinese politeness practices? Do you think that people over emphasise politeness as a marker of cultural difference? If not, why not?
Can you see any differences between Japanese and Chinese politeness practices? Do you think that people overemphasise politeness as a marker of cultural difference? If not, why not? "Politeness strategies vary from language to language and from culture to culture."1 Politeness 'strategies' - both politeness principles and politeness practices, which come about as products of the principles - of any culture are heavily laden with cultural values and ideas intrinsic to the particular culture. These can be realised in two ways: verbally and non-verbally. Because the verbal nature of politeness (language usage and so on) is more tangible than non-verbal aspects, the focus of this essay is on verbal aspects of politeness practices in modern China and Japan. Both Chinese and Japanese cultures are rich in history; hence present-day politeness practices must be evaluated with respect to historical influences. While politeness principles may be similar for both cultures there are some differences in politeness practices due to the differing social conditions in China and Japan; arguably, these practices can be seen as markers of cultural difference. There are two major politeness principles to consider with regard to Chinese and Japanese culture: the Confucian notion of limao and rei, a Japanese derivation of that notion. Limao reflects Confucius' ideal model of any society and
How do ethnic groups differ with respect to the emphasis they give to their native language? In your opinion, does the English language constitute a core value for Anglo-Australians? What about other English speaking countries?
How do ethnic groups differ with respect to the emphasis they give to their native language? In your opinion, does the English language constitute a core value for Anglo-Australians? What about other English speaking countries? This essay will attempt to give an explanation of culture and language and provide a background about the importance language within ethnic groups. It will give examples of ethnic groups that consider language to be the most significant core value of their culture and why their language is so important to them. Other minority groups that put less emphasis on language and place more importance in other core values will also be addressed as well as multiculturalism and its effect on ethnic language maintenance. Finally, how important the English language to Anglo-Australians and people of other English speaking countries will be discussed. It is imperative when discussing language of ethnic groups that culture and the importance of language within that culture is addressed. Culture can be defined as 'learned beliefs, values and customs that serve to regulate the behaviour of members of a particular society' (Batorowickz, 1994) It can also be described as shared beliefs, knowledge and ideas about values, norms and customs that can be passed from one generation to another. Culture is a product of social interaction, it is shared and it is continually