Description
DUE TONIGHT HAVE ALL MATERIALS
In recent weeks, we have studied economic and political systems. We have discussed the
anthropological approach to kinship, marriage, and the family, as well as how ideas of love and
relationship can vary across cultural groups and through time. We have analyzed sex, gender, and
sexuality as powerful social constructs that shape our experiences of the world and our
opportunities in it. Important terms from this second unit include social construct, ecology,
subsistence strategies, teleology, political economy, kinship, affinity, consanguinity,
matrilineal, patrilineal, and bilateral descent, marriage, exogamy, endogamy, monogamy,
polygamy, gender, sex, heteronormativity, transgender, third gender (ex: hijra, berdache).
Readings and lectures on each of these topics have presented evidence of human variation in
ways of life, political organization, love, family organization, and identity.
In a 4-5 page essay, please discuss at least three of the assigned readings from this Unit and how
they connect to the themes we have studied. Remember that a key aim of anthropology is to
compare and contrast across time and space in order to understand what makes us human
and to what extent human beings can differ from one another in basic values or life ways.
Please use the readings you select to explore this question of universality vs. variation in
human experience. How and why do humans differ? What aspects of human experience
would you argue are more universal or shared cross-culturally and across time? Use the
selected readings to explore these questions. 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. Use lecture notes, additional readings, and the list of terms above
to substantiate your interpretation of the three primary texts you choose. You should define and
explain the terms you draw on and should also suggest how these ideas relate to your increasing
knowledge of human variation and difference. In your essay, please cite from a minimum of three
sources (i.e.: PowerPoint presentations, class activities, readings), in addition to the required
readings you select – equal to a total of six sources, minimum. For PowerPoint lectures, cite in
text as follows: (Klepinger 2022a, slide 1). In the bibliography, you should cite these as class
lectures, alphabetized by author name (Klepinger, Laurah), with the current semester date.
Include the title (and week) of PowerPoint lectures and list in date order (as a, b, c, etc.)
according to your needs. Please refer to the bibliography of course texts at the end of the course
syllabus for full citation information on all films/readings, and use these as examples for any
outside sources you identify.
Essay is worth 10 points.
Checklist/Rubric:
Paper submitted on time, meets formatting and citation guidelines, and 3
clearly engages with assignment criteria:
Well organized and carefully edited: 1.5
Demonstrates integrated understanding of concepts from this unit: 3
Uses appropriate evidence and citations to support claims/argument: 2
Exceptional paper (writing style, creativity, humor, or keen insight): .5
