How have anthropologists responded to colonialism in different Essay - 2

How have anthropologists responded to colonialism in different historical moments - Essay Example In some cases, anthropology is into smaller units namely linguistic, bodily, archaeology and cultural anthropology. Therefore, anthropology seeks to understand the various facets of culture within a given society therefore reflects on the tools, techniques, values, beliefs, economic mechanisms, social institutions and struggles of prestige within any given societal setting (Pritchard, 1969, p.30). With a wider spec, applied anthropological study helps in solving modern problems. Anthropologists not only use colonialism as a historical object of observation but also as a technique of control, which emerged from colonial dialect. Anthropology categorizes colonialism in dissimilar ways. The anthropology of colonialism categorically seeks to determine contemporary anthropology in relation to the colonial background under which it emerged. Ethno history on the other hand, seeks to draw boundaries between history and anthropology, neo-Marxism and feminism for instance fuel economic interes t of change and consequently in colonialism among the peasant societies in relation to their mode of production and form of economy. Anthropology of colonialism’s notions, through culture and method, has always turned out to have specific colonial functions or uses (Asad, 1973, p.5). Evans-Pritchard, in his book, â€Å"The Nuer†, indicates that society surrounding the Nuer people happens through groups and cattle. The Nuer is a pastoralist community residing along the upper part of the Nile. Their social structure was drawn from individualistic perspectives and lacked laws and leaders. Social order in society was maintained based on societal values and tribe orientation within a lineage system (Pritchard, 1940, p.9). From a scholarly perspective however, â€Å"The Nuer† is an intensive ethnographic study coined by Evans-Pritchard about the unusual and interesting people. To this people, economic relationships are of social nature hence everything that the people of this ethnic setting do, is bound by the factor that they belong to one community and they are therefore bound by their relation by productive system. Evans Pritchard, through his book therefore emphasizes on the lack of laws, government, political organizations and authority in the social systems of the Nuer hence a paradox in their political structure. He denotes that classification among these people is only in their relation to other political setups and it arises because of tribal hostility and aggression. This therefore means that, the availability of tension brings about sense of form. Because of this, social life therefore balances wrongs and individuals within the society. Through Evans-Pritchard’s writings, it is clearly indicating that through anthropologies colonialism should actually be analyzed as a culture, which has an origin from colonial control, which is set on a historical background, in this case, therefore, culture and history supplement each other in the manner in which they relate. In order to understand this interesting relationship, one ought to know the classifications and functions of culture through the history of colonial governments. Through the understanding of Evans-Pritchard’s work, we can deduce that anthropologists and historians in most instances agree that we all ought to be sensitive to contexts. The Nuer, therefore,

The role of social classes in the great Gatsby Research Paper

The role of social classes in the great Gatsby - Research Paper Example Fortunately, he becomes rich and starts to live at West Egg (Fitzgerald, 2012). His fight to win back his lover (Daisy) from his current husband, Tom, is used by the author of the novel to represent the role of social class. This portrays the difference between the rich and the poor (two social classes). â€Å"There is a difference between simply being a rich person (nouveau riche) and being rich and learned (old money), and this means that although Gatsby is rich he cannot fake education or the characteristics of a rich man† (Fà ¤lth, 2013). To begin with, towards the end of this novel, the narrator, Nick, meets the father of Gatsby during arrangements of his funeral. This part reveals how Gatsby had become rich and the way his social class had transformed. The father of Gatsby is an old man and was living a very simple life since he was not that rich. The house he is currently living was bought by his son Gatsby. He starts to narrate to Nick how his son when he was young. He explains to him how Gatsby left home at his youth age to pursue a better life and he fortunately gained the wealth he dreamed of (Streissguth, 2009). This story enables the story teller to understand that Gatsby had become a very rich man, but still maintained the characters he had before changing his social status, which is very necessary for his character and personality (Svensson, 2012). At some point, the narrator tells Gatsby’s father, â€Å"they’re a rotten crowd; you’re worth the whole damn bunch put together (p. 44)†. At this point, Nick is referring to Tom and Daisy. This means that, Tom and Daisy, despite their high social class, they are different from Jay because they are far much behind in terms of behavior and character. Secondly, another part that reveals the role of social class in the novel is when Daisy is driving back home with Jordan and Gatsby and hits a woman. Instead of stopping and assess the situations, she drives away and the