Abstract
This paper discusses treatment of Native Americans' rights to their sacred sites under US Constitutional law. Three law journal articles are reviewed and utilized to form a thesis promoting the concept of communal religious rights. Historical background is provided also.

From the Paper
"The first clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."[1] However, throughout U.S. history, the federal government has deliberately restricted and prohibited the religious practices of North America's indigenous Native Americans. Rather than confront this severe blight on the country's human rights record, the various branches of the Euro-cultured U.S. government gloss over past transgressions of First Amendment rights, even as they attempt to justify new violations of Native Americans' religious rights."

Tags:american, amendment, constitution, culture, ethnic, first, indian, law, politics, religion, sacred, sites

From the Paper
"CAJUN CULTURE

This research paper examines the sources of Cajun culture in Louisiana and discusses the forces in modern American life which threaten its traditions. The dominant factor which has shaped the distinctive features and character of Cajun culture is the tragic history of the Cajuns and their Acadian forbears. Ironically, just as Cajun culture is becoming more widely known, it is undergoing significant change and its fabric is gradually weakening.

The Influence of Lost Acadia
Perhaps the most remarkable fact about the Cajun people is that they have survived their ordeals during the past four centuries. Cajun is a corrupted form of the French word for Acadian. It refers to people of French descent who were driven ..."

Abstract
A paper on the cultural review of the Amish society and way of life.

Tags:the, amish, society

Abstract
This paper examines how "Ishi in Two Worlds" tells the tale of an Indian man who was accustomed to living a traditional way of life and then was thrust into the full brunt of modern American civilization by a cruel accident. It looks at how it is the story of a man who dwelled in two worlds, how he spent most of his life in the ways and sphere of the Yahi Indians, and how, after his tribe's eradication, he was forced to live in contemporary civilization, specifically in the context of the modern American university among well-meaning anthropologists who wished to study and learn from him.

From the Paper
"Ishi's tale is thus at once fascinating and uncomfortable to hear, as the reader finds him or herself a witness to Indian histories, languages and narratives that would otherwise have been lost, yet also a fly-on-the-wall observer to the personal struggle of an essentially private individual, forced to cope with a civilization he never knew existed, a civilization that has overtaken his own even though it is not necessarily superior to the Yahi's ways. At least the anthropologist under whose care Ishi found himself had some of the current postmodern or tolerant mindset of today. They wished to learn about his culture with an open mind, rather than try to change him or to condemn the Yahi practices. Still, the solitude of Ishi's final years amongst White men and women makes his struggle even painful for a 21st century reader to acknowledge."

Tags:yahi, indians, civilization

From the Paper
"Munoz begins his study using the historical contributions of the Mexican Youth Conference and the group MAM. These organizations based their philosophy of advancement and upward mobility on the need for education above the secondary level. With an advanced education, these youths would become aware of and confront the much broader issues of their people within the U.S. as a whole. All of the actions of these movements, were grounded within the context of the American myth of democracy and the virtues of capitalism'. MAM was seen by outsiders as well as those within its membership, as a democracy in action, founded upon the greater values of the dominant society. I believe that Munoz sees this as an ambiguous philosophy, one that while helpful in the advancement of the. Mexican American youth, does not benefit the population as a whole. In fact, this course of action could be seen as detrimental because it fostered the belief that the youth were hindered by the lack of inspiration and encouragement to move towards a better education. "

Tags:hispanic, mexican, munoz

Abstract
This essay first examines the modern art movement known as "land art" or Earthworks. After explaining the philosophy and techniques used by all Earthwork artists, the essay concludes by evaluating the meaning and significance of the famous Spiral Jetty by Robert Smithson. This 1500 foot coil of earth, salt crystal, and rock that extends into the Great Salt Lake is the most famous work of land artist and has multiple meanings and associations that are analyzed in the paper.

From the Paper
"Earthworks, sometimes referred to as "land art," are a more recent development of modernist art, although they have their roots in thousands of years of cultural activity throughout the world. In that respect Earthworks differs from modern art movements like Impressionism and Expressionism. Stonehenge in England is an example of an ancient form of land art, and in most other nations can be found human alterations of the natural environment for symbolic or religious reasons. The Earthworks movement of the late 1960s and beyond was not the result of religious fervor or mystical devotion, but rather a grand response to art consumerism and insubstantial conceptual art (Hughes 384). Artists like Robert Smithson and Michael Hizer wanted to create huge and timeless rearrangements of the landscape that no one could ignore due to their overwhelming physical presence in the world. That is the nature of the Earthwork movement."

Tags:art, earthworks, jetty, land, robert, smithson, spiral, modern, Salt, Lake, Great

Abstract
This essay outlines the experience of cross gendered people in both India and the West and discusses liminal aspects of cross gendered experience. The paper begins with a history of the separation of "gender" and "sex", which occurred in the latter half of the twentieth century. The use of the term "gender" as a reference for the social aspects of sex identity first occurred in the context of clinical research on intersexuality (hermaphroditism) in the 1950's. The paper then explores the issues of transgender and cross-gender in today's times, specifically focusing on India as compared to the West. The paper explains that sex and gender are currently being redefined by feminist scholars with challenges to the 'universal' sex/gender binary through cross-cultural analysis.

From the Paper
"One of the most dynamic and relevant areas in anthropology today is the field of sex and gender in anthropology, with feminist scholars redefining Western, and anthropological, sex/gender "norms" through cross-cultural analysis. "The possibility of having more than two genders was opened up by divorcing gender from sexual morphology and by associating gender rather, indeed primarily, with social role and labor tasks" (Ramet 1996: 2). While concepts of universal, male:female, sexual binaries are being called into question, cross-cultural evidence and anthropological theories are being employed in entirely new ways."

Tags:berdache, binary, oppositions, feminist, hermaphrodite, hijra, sex, sex-change, transsexual

Abstract
This essay discusses the growing popularity and influence of tattoos in American culture over the past century. It dates back to the tattoos debut in America through the military in the late 1800's and then becoming a part of our circuses in the 1900's. This paper discusses how certain groups like feminists and sailors came to use tattoos and their variety of purposes from artistic impressions to story telling. It also discusses America's tolerance and acceptance for tattoos among the classes and genders throughout time and how this has changed. Tattooing is an art adopted by American society over 100 hundred years ago and is deeply rooted now in our culture as it has allowed us to examine and display portions of other cultures.

From the Paper
"The reasons and motives behind getting a tattoo are as varied as the designs one can create. In days past, some of the reasons may have been to show ones patriotism to his country, to show love and respect for another person or organization, to remember past events or record the places one has visited, or even to rebel against something. Today, the reasons for tattooing still include the previously mentioned points, but have expanded to include exploring other cultures, expressing ones individuality, and simply for artistic reasons. Tattooing is an important part of the "American culture" because the designs many people create draw upon so many different cultures around the globe. The American tattoo, in a sense, is like a melting pot of designs, just like America is the melting pot for all of the different cultures."

Tags:american, culture, history, tattoo, tattooing

Abstract
This paper presents an overview of the history of Southwestern Cuisine and its impact on American cuisine and culture, as well as information on how it is prepared and on which ingredients it relies.

From the Paper
"An examination of popular cooking magazines over the past years will show that food trends come and go quickly, but the proliferation of Southwestern Cuisine shows no sign of fading; rather, its popularity has remained and is growing its influence has expanded far beyond its regional origins. Its core ingredients of vegetables, legumes, meats and grains lend themselves to a variety of interpretation, from gourmet to vegetarian when combined with the spices, chilies and cheeses native to the Southwestern region of New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona."

Tags:beans, tortillas, Mexico, Tex-Mex, Arizona, Colorado, Native, Americans

Abstract
Childbirth is a culturally-mediated event, and this essay reflects this view. The paper includes a discussion of how ritual is significant to every society and how it varies. It shows a number of inherent differences in the ritual of childbirth between the two cultures, as well as some striking comparisons. Both women and their experiences serve as case studies in each culture. The paper discusses how these women relate to issues such as pain relief, support structures during and after birth - particularly the role of the husband/partner, surgical interventions such as Cesarean section, the importance of postnatal care and differences in emotional expression during birth.

From the Paper
"The experience of childbirth in any culture is a time of great anticipation and encompasses many different emotions, but is never simply a biological act. Childbirth in every culture around the world has been socially marked and shaped and there are quite marked differences in the ritual of childbirth from country to country. "The concept of "natural fertility" and "natural childbirth" are cultural constructs. Our lives are lived in socially independent groups guided by cultural rules." (MacCormack, 1982, p.2) Amongst other things, the ritual of childbirth may differ in where the birth occurred in the hospital or at home, the support structures provided or pain relief, and be influenced by cultural, traditional or religious beliefs. Scheper-Hughes (1987, in Davis-Floyd, 1997) and others put forward the argument that without culture, we would not have emotions, or at the very least be unable to interpret them. As such, culture is a very important factor in the analysis of the ritual of childbirth and emotion. Brigitte Jordan (1979), who many believe to be the mother of the study of childbirth, described birth as a "culturally grounded, bio-socially mediated, and interactionally achieved event." "

Tags:antenatal, anthropology, australia, babies, birth, caesarean, childbearing