Essay
1-In recent weeks we have studied some of the basic concepts, premises, and approaches of anthropology.
We have taken a broad survey of the four fields and zoomed in to more closely examine the approaches of Cultural and Linguistic Anthropology.
We have looked at how anthropologists study language and communication.
Important terms from this first unit include culture (and its attributes), cultural relativism, ethnocentrism, naïve realism, ethnography, participant observation, thick description, emic and etic, euphemism, metaphor, the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis.
In a 4-5 page essay, please answer the following sets of questions:
What is participant observation? How does it differ from detached observation and what are some of the advantages of using participant observation in cultural anthropology?
Explain why cultural anthropologists do participant observation and how this relates to the broad aims and goals of anthropology. In your answer, draw liberally from the list of terms above, as you see fit.
You should define and explain the terms and should suggest how these ideas relate to the task of anthropology and to participant observation specifically.
In your essay, please cite from a minimum of three required readings plus other sources, such as class lectures, discussion forums, or films - equal to a total of six sources, minimum.
Your discussion of each reading should describe the main ideas of the text, including whom or what it is about, who wrote it and when, and a brief summary of the main argument.
For lectures, cite in text as follows: (Klepinger 2018a: slide 1). In the bibliography, you should title the lectures and list in date order (as a, b, c, etc.) according to your needs.