Anthropology has come a long way in terms of its evolution of shifting from a place where one of its main objectives was focusing on the foreign becoming familiar and relevant. Along with the idea of the familiar becoming foreign in its own capacity too. In addition to this, understanding that one not can consume knowledge, but one also has the ability to produce it too. With production, it allows for critiquing the outcomes of the past and sometimes addressing issues that have not really been explored in an anthropological academic space. In this manifesto, I will talk about my personal visions of what I see contemporary anthropology addressing, especially within the university space.
One topic of which is very important to me is the topic of mental health issues amongst black students navigating university spaces. Along with how these spaces are not only perpetuating forms of structural violence, but also enforce stigmas that exist amongst black people. I will do this, firstly, by providing a brief description of the origins of the study of anthropology. Secondly, followed by how contemporary anthropology has improved upon the work of its predecessors. Thirdly, how I believe that anthropology needs to address the mental health concerns of Black Africans in Africa as the information that I have acquired is based on research of African Americans. Lastly,
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However it is not substantial, in terms of fully relying on it, as in South Africa, Black people make up the majority of the population. Whereas, in America they are the minority. Therefore, besides the difference in the geographical positioning of the two countries. The sociopolitical circumstances are not the same and that has to be taken into
In the article The Politics of Black Women’s Studies by Akasha Hull and Barbara Smith, Hull and Smith studiously literate the politics and controversy around the fundamentals of black women’s studies in the past and modern day. Furthermore, the ideology of the article falls under the premise that racism and prejudice are still current and prominent factors that affect the development of black women’s studies in the way it is taught in universities, and the role it takes upon the lives of black women. To begin, it is evident that the premise of the article is solely based on the pros and cons that derive from black women attempting to exist in a white man’s world by making a name for themselves in society. Hull and Smith state that “the necessity
There are many open wounds in the African-American community that have not healed what so ever. Disintegration of family structures in the African-American community has been a persistent problem for far too long. High out of wedlock birth rates, absent fathers, and the lack of a family support network for many young African-Americans have led to serious problems in America's urban areas. The persistence of serious social problems in inner-city areas has led to a tragic perpetuation of racial prejudice as well. African Americans still face a litany of problems in the 21st century today.
The African History evolved throughout the 20th century where an increasing number of white historians working in the field ( Holt & Brown, 2000). However, there were numerous areas in which work needed to be done. Therefore white historians entered the field to share the work. One of them published the first extensive study of slavery.
In Chapter 1 and 2 of “Creating Black Americans,” author Nell Irvin Painter addresses an imperative issue in which African history and the lives of Africans are often dismissed (2) and continue to be perceived in a negative light (1). This book gives the author the chance to revive the history of Africa, being this a sacred place to provide readers with a “history of their own.” (Painter 4) The issue that Africans were depicted in a negative light impacted various artworks and educational settings in the 19th and early 20th century. For instance, in educational settings, many students were exposed to the Eurocentric Western learning which its depiction of Africa were not only biased, but racist as well.
Professor Khalil Girban Muhammad gave an understanding of the separate and combined influences that African Americans and Whites had in making of present day urban America. Muhammad’s lecture was awakening, informative and true, he was extremely objective and analytical in his ability to scan back and forth across the broad array of positive and negative influences. Muhammad described all the many factors during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries since the abolition of slavery and also gave many examples of how blackness was condemned in American society in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Professor Muhammad was able to display how on one hand, initial limitations made blacks seem inferior, and various forms of white prejudice made things worse. But on the other hand, when given the same education and opportunities, there are no differences between black and white achievements and positive contributions to society.
Koume Ono Ritsumeikan University Introduction to Anthropology The most surprising thing to me about reading Mary Douglas anthropology book, Purity and Danger: An Analysis of Concepts of Pollution and Taboo, is that I was actually fascinated about everything she argues in the book, many things I had questioned about but did not know the answer or simple facts that make you realized how our society structure works. Which is why in these book review paper I will emphasize more in some chapters rather than the book itself in one big paragraph. Mary Douglas, analyses the ideas of pollutions and taboo in different cultures and also different timing (primitive cultures, modern cultures) focusing in the Gestalt psychology. However, one of the things I liked the most about her writing style is that she avoided limited explanations, explained everything in details and giving examples making it easier for the
In Basil Davidson’s video, “Different but Equal”, Davidson examines ancient Africa, and how Africans were perceived in ancient and modern times. Davidson discusses pre-colonized Africa and its history, and how racism prevailed in the past and in modern day. By discussing early civilizations, as well as modern day perspectives, Davidson allows the viewer to have expansive information on how individuals view Africans and their culture. In Davidson’s video, he discusses how people in the past have viewed Africa and African culture, and how that relates to our perception of Africa in modern times.
Anthropology Questions: 1. Was this crime indicative of the beliefs, morals, and culture of the two aggressors? 2. Were there any scratch marks found on the victim? Were there any fingernails found at the scene of the crime?
Being black in America for most people means you have to face discrimination, and live the hard life at slums. However, as time goes on, there are more and more successful African
In Monique and the mango Rains, there are many connections to course concepts. This book connects to the anthropological perspective which includes holism, cross culturalism, and cultural relativism. She also experiences culture shock. This book can be related to the Anthropological Perspective because there are examples of holism, cross culturalism, and cultural relativism thought the book.
HIV/Aids is predominant in the African American community; in fact half of the infected population
This week, the readings point the spotlight at the some of the depressing hardships that the African-American population frequently experience. In “Naughty by Nature”, Ann Ferguson covers the different perceptions that society has of colored boys. David Knight’s work “Don’t tell young black males that they are endangered” seeks to explain the differents outcomes of African-American youth that arise when society constantly oppresses them. The last article by Carla O’Connor, “The Culture of Black Femininity and School Success”, focuses on the image of African-American woman that is created as a result of them attempting to preserve in a system that opposes them.
This excerpt is extremely important because it makes us better understand the status of African people, subdued by the European nations, and how the concept of slavery was perceived and addressed by
Raj Patel, a professor at the UC Berkeley Center for African Studies, brings forth both personal experience and recollection of
The Croods: anthropology media analysis answers 1. The ancestral group the Croods belonged to were the Homo neanderthalensis also known as the Neanderthals. There are many firm reasons why the Croods belonged to Neanderthals, for example according to many anthropologists Neanderthals had short, muscular, and powerful bodies with larger faces and bigger brains and the Croods fit into this description of being a Neanderthals. Another reason why the Croods were Neanderthals because in the beginning of the movie it was show that the Croods live in a cave and as per anthologist they believe that Neanderthals used to live in caves also known as cavemen’s as it was mentioned by the Croods that they were cavemen.