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Honor Killings, 2005.
An examination of honor killings in Pakistan.
1,339 words (approx. 5.4 pages), 7 sources, MLA, AU$ 67.95
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Abstract
This paper describes the problem of honor killings and looks at the history of honor killings in Pakistan. The paper then explains that the establishment and strict enforcement of laws protecting women from this kind of abuse and violence, as well as the cultural pressure to make change, are the basic approaches to rid the world of this kind of murder.
From the Paper
"Women throughout the world have long suffered at the hands of their husbands, fathers, and other male relatives. Why would a father, husband, or brother kill his daughter, wife, or sister? In some parts of the world, including Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Brazil, Uganda, and many countries in the Middle East, when a woman's family believes that her behavior has threatened the "family honor," killing her is seen as the only alternative . The practice of "honor killing", which is the murder of a (generally) female relative who is perceived to have brought dishonor to the family (which can be defined in terms as broad as looking at a man in a sexual manner, adultery, refusing a marriage proposal, refusing to have sex, or even being raped) by a male member of the family, has the highest level of reported incidence in the nation of Pakistan."
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Mythic Histories, 2008.
This paper provides a critical analysis of 'Pocahontas' by Paula Gunn Allen and 'The Kongolese Saint Anthony: Dona Beatriz Kimpa Vita' by John Thornton.
1,285 words (approx. 5.1 pages), 2 sources, MLA, AU$ 65.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer explores how, in "Pocahontas", Allen imbues her narrative representation of the life of Pocahontas with the qualities of the sacred. The thesis is argued that Allen, in keeping with the hybrid nature of her subject and the overarching American myth within which her subject is a critical figure, achieves her objectives by combining the narrative conventions of Indian oral traditions and mythic elements together with western narrative models and an anthropological understanding of myth. The paper further explains that this hybrid approach, as is seen with comparative reference to the story of Dona Beatriz Kimpa Vita, allows access to the multiple cultural perspectives necessary to understand these otherwise elusive and complex historical figures. From this perspective the paper shows how important an appreciation of the reality of the mythic can be in the comprehension of such women as Pocahontas and Dona Beatriz who would otherwise be alien and opaque to our western secular modes of analysis.
Outline:
Introduction
The Reality of Myth
The Importance of Being Hybrid
From the Paper
"In the realm of the strictly empirical as opposed to the mythic, Allen's hybrid narrative model yields insights into our understanding of her subject and the events of her time that would not otherwise be apparent. Consider, for example, the story of the initial contact between John Smith and the tsenacommacah of which our primary narrative perspective is a text of Smith's written years afterwards. Smith believed - understandably from his English perspective - that the young Pocahontas must have fallen in love with him, as this was the only explanation he could discern for her flinging herself upon his to save him from ritual execution at the hands of her father."
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Salsa Music, 2008.
This paper discusses salsa music and Puerto Rican culture.
750 words (approx. 3.0 pages), 4 sources, MLA, AU$ 40.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer relates that the Puerto Rican people have a sense of their cultural heritage that sets them apart from other Latinos. One may hear the cultural music of Puerto Ricans, a style that the world has come to know as salsa. The writer notes that the notion of a pure Puerto Rican culture is an irony itself, however, and this can be understood from a brief consideration of salsa and its cultural representations and implications. The writer maintains that, as the music has become popular around the world, the move to bottle it and sell it has been carried out in much the same way that other colonialist movements have, with the United States recognizing a viable product to be mined in the minority culture and then sold to the world as a product for profit. The writer concludes that in this way salsa is not only characteristic of the relationship between the Puerto Rican people and the U.S., it is in some ways contributing to their ongoing exploitation.
From the Paper
"It is, in other words, a beautiful mongrel mix of different cultural influences just as the Puerto Rican people themselves come from the intermixing of native Taino Indians, Spanish colonizers, and African slaves. The fact that it is in no way Puro Puerto Ricano makes it no less special or globally important. It simply is to acknowledge that it is through the stewing and brewing of cultural influences that both salsa music and Puerto Rican heritage gain their magic."
"Of course, salsa is not only important for what it says about Puerto Rican specialness. It is also important for what it says about everything in daily life of Puerto Ricans - from gender and class roles to fashion to politics."
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Twentieth Century American Popular Music, 2007.
This paper analyzes the developmental history of 20th century American popular music from the earliest jazz pioneers to the latest major pop stars of 20th century American music.
2,545 words (approx. 10.2 pages), 9 sources, APA, AU$ 116.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that all of the musical genres, such as Ragtime, Jazz, Big Band, Blues, Country, Rock 'n' Roll, Folk, Punk, Heavy Metal, Rap and Hip Hop, are linked together into a single unified whole in American music. The author discusses the importance of the development of Rock 'n' Roll and how it crossed over successfully into many earlier forms of the Blues and Country genres. The paper stresses that the contributions of the African-American influence on American music, which is the core element to many American styles that came earlier, are crucial to the latter popularity of Rap and Hip Hop.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Ragtime and Jazz
The Big Bands and the Blues
The Evolution of Jazz and Growing Popularity of Country Music: 1920-1950
The Rock 'n' Roll Era of the 1950s
The "Psychedelic" Rock 'n' Roll and Folk Music Movements of the 1960s
Punk and Heavy Metal: The 1970s and the 1980s
Rap and Hip Hop
Conclusion
From the Paper
"The first broadcast of the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee in 1925 was a crucial moment for the popularity of Country music to be introduced in American music. Often these fusion of old Bluegrass styles and Folk often helped to build the style of what became known as "Country" by the likes of the Grand Ole Opry. In this manner, Nashville became the center of this genre, helping to introduce country to a major audience. Once again, it was the radio that greatly helped to bring this music to millions of listeners across the United States."
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AIDS in Africa, 2008.
This paper explores why Africa is one of the hardest hit areas in the worldwide AIDS epidemic.
2,285 words (approx. 9.1 pages), 11 sources, MLA, AU$ 106.95
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Abstract
This paper suggests that the prominence of HIV/AIDS in Africa may be explained by (1) the impoverished nature of Africa as a whole, which makes people more susceptible to infection, and (2) AIDS denialism, which makes people believe they are not at risk. The author points out that both of these factors can be connected to colonialism, which impoverished African countries and created a racist discourse of disease, and to neo-colonialism, which keeps African countries poor and is the target of AIDS denialism. The paper stresses that the only way to reduce AIDS in Africa is to deal with this legacy of colonialism and the current effects of neo-colonialism. The paper included many quotations.
From the Paper
"Many researchers have argued that attempts to link HIV/AIDS
to Africa had a basis in racist philosophies. ... This argument would seem to indicate that arguments about the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Africa being caused by environmental conditions in Africa are part of a racist discourse. In essence it is the continuation of the argument that there is something mentally/morally deficient with African people that has transformed the entire continent into a source for disease. If the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Africa can't be explained by environmental conditions then how can this phenomenon be explained?"
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The Contemporary Fine Art Markets, 2007.
This paper is an anthropological analysis of the contemporary fine art market based on Stuart Plattner's study, titled 'A Most Ingenious Paradox - the Market for Contemporary Fine Art' from "American Anthropologist".
2,270 words (approx. 9.1 pages), 8 sources, APA, AU$ 106.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that Plattner's article, 'A Most Ingenious Paradox - the Market for Contemporary Fine Art', reports trends in the North American contemporary fine arts markets and in the commodification of fine art that reflect a neo-liberal environment of considerable new wealth and the culture of consumerism. The author points out that Plattner's orientation is one of participant-observation; a person exposed directly to the phenomenon of local fine art businesses and those who produce for them. The paper concludes that the local fine art markets are well established and profitable and that its artifacts may indicate a great deal regarding consumer tastes and behavior.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
An Informal Ethnography
The Decline of Authority
Economic Anthropology and Fieldwork in Toronto
Concluding Remarks
From the Paper
"Few consumers can know much of why one piece of fine art in a local venue costs more than another, as producers know that few seem to purchase with an eye to buying something to appreciate in value, as opposed to buying due to personal preference. In local and regional markets, the artists that Plattner refers to as identity producers can have an involved philosophy towards what they produce of which consumers need not know, featuring ideas of contributing to a total cultural heritage rather than pursuing artistic fame or monetary success."
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Indian Indentured Servitude, 2007.
This paper discusses Indian indentured servitude under the British colonial system.
2,110 words (approx. 8.4 pages), 7 sources, MLA, AU$ 100.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer explores the indentured servitude of Indians in terms of both its successful incorporation as part of the colonial system of domination and oppression, as well as in terms of how opposition and resistance to this system influenced political and social development in the region. The writer argues that with reference to both earlier and later periods of indentured servitude on different Caribbean sites, an accurate history of indentured servitude requires such a balanced analysis to understand fully its complexity and significance in terms of regional history.
Outline:
Introduction
Indentured Servitude as Subservience to Colonialism
Indentured Servitude and Resistance
Conclusion
From the Paper
"Indeed, to understand differences in resistance across the region - from island to island - we must acknowledge the extraordinary levels of control of the plantation and civil authorities over the movement and actions of the indentured Indians. For example, while discontent and resistance was widespread in British Guiana, on the neighbouring island of Trinidad - with the second largest colony of indentured Indians in the Caribbean region - there was minimal resistance. The differences between the two situations cannot be explained with reference to caste or class/education of the Indians, as both came from the same pool of migrants. Instead, it is theorized while the appalling labour conditions in the islands represented a tinderbox that would be lit at any moment, different approaches to dealing with potential discontent on the part of the authorities was a critical factor in explaining differences between islands."
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Cultural Performance, 2007.
This paper discusses the concept of cultural performance.
2,177 words (approx. 8.7 pages), 3 sources, MLA, AU$ 101.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer notes that the body of scholarly literature on "cultural performance" is diverse and spans a wide range of disciplines and theoretical perspectives and interests. This essay represents an effort to synthesize three prominent articles by leading theorists in this area: Victor Turner, Richard Schechner, and Marvin Carlson. The paper demonstrates that, while these articles cover similar material in many respects, they differ primarily in terms of their respective objectives, with Carlson's work being a broader, descriptive review of the body of literature on the subject of "performance" while Turner and Schechner present more focused, thesis-driven works examining performance from their respective theoretical positions. The paper also argues that a synthesis of the three articles allows the reader to not only situate the concept of "performance of culture" within its scholarly context, but also to understand with greater precision the implications of this concept for the analysis of specific cultural productions and narratives.
Outline:
Introduction
Performance: Interdisciplinary Agreement and Controversy
Performance Theory: 3 Articles and 3 Approaches
The Practical Significance of Performance Theory
Conclusion
From the Paper
"Schechner's article demonstrates in greater detail than Turner's just how many different forms performances can assume across cultures. Schechner departs from Turner in that while Turner argued that theatrical models of performances derived originally from religious rituals, Schechner suggests that this development may have been a two-way process in which rituals may also have emerged from theatre. It may be argued that Schechner is here extending Turner's idea about "feedback" between theatrical performance and society back to include the very origins of ritualized behaviour in the human species. This difference is important for it allows us to apply the theoretical models of performance analysis more widely than even Turner would acknowledge given that, as Schechner suggests, performance in the form of aesthetic genres (e.g., theatre, dance, music) may not have grown out of any previous form but may actually "be co-existent with the human species"."
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AIDS in South Africa, 2007.
An analysis of the social, cultural and geographical factors in South Africa that impact the prevalence and pattern of AIDS in that nation.
1,014 words (approx. 4.1 pages), 4 sources, MLA, AU$ 53.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the AIDS epidemic in South Africa. It describes the impact of social and cultural influences on the prevalence and pattern of AIDS in the country. It then discusses the combination of common and unique social, cultural and geographical factors that created this significant impact and provides and discusses examples of these factors.
From the Paper
"In conclusion, due to a combination of common and unique social, cultural, and geographical factors, such as prostitution, high levels of unprotected sex, the mobility of migrant workers, reluctance to discuss issues involving sex, and the low utilization of condoms, AIDS has become an overwhelming, lethal, merciless killer in South Africa.
But there is a slight glimmer of hope shining tentatively through the gloom and despair of the last thirty years."
"The latest studies of the AIDS situation in South Africa indicate that the number of people who became infected with the disease virus decreased for the first time since the epidemic began three decades ago. Health officials are unsure whether the slight decline marks a true turning point in the epidemic or a momentary pause. Nevertheless, the drop raises the possibility that the epidemic may finally begin to stabilize in South Africa."
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Gentrification and Urban Renewal, 2007.
An examination of the advantages and disadvantages of gentrification and urban renewal.
1,358 words (approx. 5.4 pages), 2 sources, MLA, AU$ 68.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses gentrification and urban renewal. It looks at the reasons for gentrification of a region and its advantages. The paper then demonstrates that while gentrification of an area is done to reconstruct the image of a region as acceptable to the public at large, it does so at the expense of those persons whom defined the original character of the region.
From the Paper
"Both of these scenarios reflect an absolute lack of consideration for the persons and the socio-cultural setting involved. The decision to enter into an area and apply gentrification does so at the expense of a population that is considered to have less inherent value than members of the mainstream population. Moreover, it is difficult to present arguments in the favor of the displaced communities that reach the mainstream population and policy members without implying that the conditions within these communities are beneficial. After all, no one could sensibly argue that keeping children in impoverished conditions with high crime rates and allowing drug use and the overt sale of sexuality are beneficial outcomes. Doing so, however, is a simplified argument that does not get at the heart of the issues involved: the decision to gentrify an area is the decision to destroy a unique culture, but it is instead framed as the appropriate decision to bring new vitality back into the community. It is rarely taken into consideration that the community that exists will be gone and that its participants will be forced to relocate, or that the relocation phase can make their lives worse than before."
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Jews in Present-Day Germany, 2007.
An analysis of the developing hostilities towards Jews in present-day Germany.
1,511 words (approx. 6.0 pages), 5 sources, MLA, AU$ 74.95
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Abstract
This paper looks briefly at the subtle and not-so-subtle hostilities and threats that confront Jews in present-day Germany. The paper argues that Germany's Jews may be about to see a return to the intolerance and viciousness of the middle-twentieth century. The paper discusses government policies in areas like immigration and education and the impact of a steady rise of the Muslim population in Germany.
From the Paper
"In closing, it is evident that many problems still bedevil German Jewry. For one thing, while there has been a superficial effort on the part of the German government to embrace Jews, this has occurred within a social and demographic context that suggests German Jewry will soon enough find itself targeted once again by hate-mongers and demagogues. Chiefly, even as German Jews must grapple still with a lingering sense of defeatism, they are now finding themselves surrounded by a less sympathetic German populace that is increasingly Muslim. While this does not have to lead to tragedy, the history of Germany suggests that Jews living in contemporary Berlin and other urban centers had best aware."
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The American Middle Class, 2007.
This paper compares two articles, which discuss the struggles of the American middle class: "Life at the Top in America Isn't Just Better, It's Longer," by Janny Scott and "Angela Whitiker's Climb," by Isabel Wilkerson.
980 words (approx. 3.9 pages), 2 sources, MLA, AU$ 52.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that the two articles, "Life at the Top in America Isn't Just Better, It's Longer" and "Angela Whitaker's Climb", address the struggles many peoples face in rising to middle-class "respectability" and comfort. The author points out that these articles show that social class determines not only the "creature comforts" one will enjoy in a lifetime but also the length of life one will be able to devote to those comforts. The paper concludes that, while the Wilkerson article raises some compelling points, the Scott article is more powerful because it juxtaposes the differential experiences of people who may share the same tragedies but not the same possibilities of recovery and ultimate success.
From the Paper
"As well, while both articles view poverty as a "trap" from which few escape, the Scott article is especially evocative because it actually captures what poverty means in terms of length of life and the extent to which that life will be complicated by health maladies that greater wealth could have avoided. Finally, both articles, to their credit, note how spouses in working-class and even middle-class homes must work together in order to ensure that the house, the cars and the children's educations are tended to."
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Human Language, 2007.
This paper discusses human language and speech.
1,169 words (approx. 4.7 pages), 1 source, MLA, AU$ 61.95
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Abstract
In this article the writer notes that speech as a phenomenon is only characteristic of humans. The introduction of speech and language is an event that cannot be compared to anything in human history. The writer points out that speech and language opened the door for easy and clear communication, thus enabling the distribution of knowledge, feelings and experiences among individual humans. The writer discusses that language plays an important role not only on the broad level of human race as a whole, but also on the level of every individual in the human race. It is not a static phenomenon. The writer notes that language changes within societies we live in but also the individuals within the societies change the language as they move from one environment to another and as they gather new experiences and knowledge. The writer concludes that language is not only a medium of communication. It also has deep significance for the cultural and social identity of an individual.
From the Paper
"The foundation of language and speech is of course in our physiological ability to express ourselves vocally. However, even though every one of us has this ability, we cannot start expressing ourselves verbally using spoken language from the moment we are born. We rather learn to speak, we learn to use the language in everyday life much like the humans did at some point in history. However, today we learn to speak with the help of our closest environment which is most often family. The first words or "vocal signs" we learn to use are often tied to the need for sharing our desires in the way most part of environment can understand and interpret. Simply by replacing mute, gesticulate "signs" of pointing, making faces or dancing, or "signs" of crying and grunting; with the "verbal sign" "angry" humans manage to establish contact with their broader environment."
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Culturally Aware Nursing, 2007.
A case study discussing the lack of cultural diversity among nurses.
1,373 words (approx. 5.5 pages), 10 sources, APA, AU$ 68.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses how cultural diversity is becoming an increasingly important issue to nursing. The paper discusses the lack of diversity among nurses and describes how this can affect patient care. It then presents a case study of an Eastern Indian patient and discusses the need for an interpreter and how her care may have been affected by the lack of cultural diversity among the nurses.
From the Paper
"Another strategy that can be used is the incorporation of cultural assessment tools, such as the Cultural Diversity Awareness Inventory by Henry (1985 as cited by Burcham, 2002) and the Self-Examination in Transcultural Issues assessment by Davis (1994 as cited by Burcham, 2002) which measure the respondent's attitudes and general cultural knowledge. Medrano, Setzer, Enders, Costello, Benavente and Smith (2005) emphasize the limitations on effective health care delivery that nurses display in a diverse cultural patient setting when they bring their own perspectives and value system into the encounter."
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History of Furniture Design, 2007.
This paper explores how the growth of domesticity in the Middle Ages affected furniture design.
2,618 words (approx. 10.5 pages), 10 sources, MLA, AU$ 118.95
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Abstract
The paper argues that the evolution of the concept of domesticity - and its associated impact upon furniture design - was closely associated with the rise of the bourgeois or middle class and the gradual preeminence of urban living as the defining lifestyle of the Middle Ages. The paper shows how the merchant classes of medieval European cities were the primary agents of historical and social change and innovations in furniture design.
Outline:
Introduction
The Rise of the Middle Class
The Early Medieval Home and Furniture
The Evolution of the Language of Domesticity
The Signification of Furniture
From the Paper
"It must be acknowledged that in making the argument that it was the early European middle classes in their small city dwellings, and not the medieval nobility in their huge, picturesque castles, who were primarily significant in terms of the evolution of domesticity and furniture design one is challenging a popular image of medieval history. However, while the nobility were undeniably the ruling class in medieval Europe, the history of the Middle Ages can also be read as a history of the decline of aristocratic power and the rise of the middle class."
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Transcultural Care, 2007.
This paper explores how Mexican-American and Arab-American cultural factors impact nursing.
978 words (approx. 3.9 pages), 2 sources, MLA, AU$ 52.95
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Abstract
The papers explains that the goal of transcultural care is to provide culturally congruent care which agrees with cultural beliefs, customs and traditions. The paper discusses the Sunrise enabler that illustrates diverse influencers of health, all of which interact. The paper focuses on two of those cultural factors: religious and philosophical and cultural values and applies these factors to two cultures, Mexican-American and Arab-American. The paper stresses that transcultural nursing is the only means by which care providers can effectively care for patients from diverse cultures.
From the Paper
"Use of the Sunrise Enabler begins with the worldview. "Worldview refers to the way people tend to look out upon their world or their universe to form a picture or value stance about life or the world around them" (Leininger & McFarland, 2006, p. 25). Worldview strongly influences care and health decisions, and also guides decisions and behavior related to wellbeing. Cultural outlooks are in fact cultural worldviews or ways of seeing the world. They are not going to be changed by logical argument. When providing care, it is very important that the nurse "focus on the client's beliefs, values, needs and lifeways" (Leininger, 2001, p. 21). The focus needs to always be on those beliefs, values and ways of coping with illness, not on one's own ideas. In many cultures, illness is seen as having cultural and religious causes. The decisions that patients and families make can be very different from what the nurse or other care providers would recommend."
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