In this paperwork, response paper 1, I am going to handle four questions.
Define and describe ethnography. Explain how it is used as a method in Anthropology.
Ethnography is defined as a qualitative research method that is used most often in social sciences, such as sociology and anthropology (Brewer, 2000). Ethnography is, thus, used by cultural anthropologists to learn another culture. Ethnography is a unique method, since it does not rely on statistical data for it is more on recounting an occurrence in the social world and the personal lives of the community. Ethnography method is adopted by anthropologists, since they believe that it gives efficient result when compared to other methods. The anthropologists carrying out the research, often, immerse themselves in the group, activities, and lifestyle of the people being studied. The anthropologists are expected to behave the same way as a group in the study so as to create a favorable environment between the groups under study and the anthropologist. It is important to note that anthropologists, under the eyes of the subjects, they are both part of the study and the initiator of the study. They, anthropologists, have numerous techniques that are used so as this method can be successful at the end of the day. Those techniques include; interview, recording, survey, casual conversation, and direct participation. With, better, implementation of these techniques, we should expect nothing but the best. For example, ethnography has been used by anthropologists to study religious belief among various cultures. Ethnography help anthropology to dig out sensitive issues regarding religious belief, for example, through the adoption of ethnography, anthropologists have come to conclude that religious belief differs across the world, some culture still practice human sacrifice (Brewer, 2000).
Describe how the use of language impacts communication. Use specific examples from the text and from your own life experiences
Language is a central factor affecting communication. Hence, for an effective communication to take place has to be employed and used efficiently between the two parties. A situation may arise, whereby, there is ineffective language, and then this situation will result to a breakdown in communication that amazingly may not be realized by everyone at the time. It is, therefore, important to note that for an effective communication with others to take place, both your language and theirs must be compatible. Some words have more than one meaning, hence making it tough for your receipt to understand what you are trying to communicate.
In general, effective communication entails proceedings, connections, and reactions .It must, therefore, depend on the flow of inquiries, information, and replies are passing to and from the contributors, hence creating a good environment for understanding. One of the most frequent causes of misunderstanding is that related to the meanings of words. A case conducted in Folk Taxonomy about basic color terms indicates that different colors have a different meaning when it comes to people from other walks of life. The case clearly indicates that the extent of different color terms was quite different for different languages. I can recall a situation, whereby; the Pastor addressed the people in their local native language, that I was not familiar with, to raise their left hand up; I did not know what to do, but to copy the congregational where I did a bad work by raising my right hand.(power point, week 2).
Describe what a kinship system is and how it has been significant in anthropology.
Through the help of culture ecology, that is a tool used by anthropologists to study how people use culture to adapt to particular environments, we can be in a position of acquiring the knowledge on how humans adapt culturally to their environments.
Enculturation is defined as the process, whereby, an individual, especially children, acquire behavioral patterns and other aspects of their culture from others through observation, corroboration, and teaching. A child may observe how their parents are eating and, thereby, end up being acculturated. I can testify that I learned how to cook through observing my mum in the kitchen. People can learn in schools or religious institutions of what the society expects of them-the norms and values of the community. Innovation is also another technique that humans can implement in order to adapt culturally to their environment, since we are living in a world that is changing or moving rapidly in all its sectors, hence the call to be innovative so as to remain relevant in this world. Humans can also acquire cultural traits from one culture to another through the process of diffusion and the widespread replacement of one set of cultural traits with another-acculturation. Individuals moving to a new environment can learn from the experts, in that society they are moving in, on what is expected of them in that new community, hence have to undergo alteration process, whereby, they match to cultural changes that occur within the lifetime of a person and increase survivability (power points, week 1 and 4).
Works cited
ANTH 380: Cultures in Conflict Week 1.Course introduction; Understanding culture; Conflict
Theory; Key concepts
ANTH 380: Cultures in Conflict week 2.Language and Worldview; Gender
ANTH 380: Cultures in Conflict week 3.Kinship and family; Reproduction
ANTH 380: Cultures in Conflict week 4 Ecology and substance; population dynamics;
Environmental conflict
Op-ed: Cultural relativism of human rights by Ishtiaq Ahmed.
Brewer, John DEthnography. Buckingham: Open University Press, 2000. Print.
