Below are the 11 most recent journal entries recorded in Bethany Sloan's LiveJournal:

Friday, April 28th, 2006
8:19 am	Hmong among us Coming off of a similar movie about refugees about the Lost Boys of Sudan, this film brought out many of the same feelings. Mainly, a question of how can we help these refugees and how much of this should the government be responsible for? Many of the people interviewed seemed upset that the government spent any money on the Hmong refugees and even said that they “would like to go home themselves”. That’s a horrible thought to get in your head. How do they know what the Hmong want? I think many Americans focus on the negative, surface issues that come with refuges. I myself admit that I am sometimes guilty of this. When there are lines at the store and someone trying to communicate with the salesperson cannot speak English, it’s difficult to not assume that they don’t want to learn English or that they don’t like America. While this example is harsher that a typical situation, I think that many people have thought similar things. Let’s say to put it lightly, this video made me angry at the assumptions I’ve made. Seeing the Hmong family grocery shop and navigate through the airports made me completely rethink my judgments. I now want to go out of my way to help those who might look lost or who might not understand something because who knows what there story is or where they might be from. I would also like to help volunteer with recent refuges. Maybe if our government can’t provide the type of education and training that these people need, we can all step up and help out. All those people interviewed in the video would probably be more accepting and understanding if they saw how much these people are trying to fit in. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
8:08 am	Lost Boys of Sudan This movie made my jaw drop. Although most of the films we've watched make me feel privileged to live in the US, this one made me a little bit upset. While I understand that there are thousands of refugees that enter the US daily, I think we should consider the quality of life they would see here before allowing them to come. While in most cases the States can provide a safer environment free from massive genocide, I struggle with watching the stories of these boys. After three months, they are cut off of financial help and most “fend for themselves”. As we discussed in class, it takes years to fully understand the new language so where are they after three months? And the fact that they don’t have specialized training or education just astounds me. I can’t believe that we would bring them over and crush their dreams of getting a good education and helping their homeland. How will they help Sudan when they are barely making enough money to pay rent, and are not learning a skill that will be useful back home? Whether they stay or not, they need more help. Another tough part to watch was when the boys on the plane didn’t even know what butter was. It is understandable since they had never seen American food before, but that is a little bit sad. I feel bad that they didn’t have a mentor who traveled with them to explain things as they went. I feel like successfully educating and training recent refugees will not only help them be successful and independent, but also will instill a sense of American pride in them, that will keep them from sinking to crime or other harmful outlets. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Friday, April 7th, 2006
8:59 am	Journalist Point of View on Chagnon Napoleon Chagnon along with a few other participants effectively turned the Yanomamo society upside down. In analyzing this controversy in the Amazon, our group found three different areas of interest. First we delved into Chagnon’s lies (according to Tierney, also the medical corruption surrounding his research, and finally, his blatant disregard for the American Anthropological Association’s Code of Ethics. A good portion of Chagnon’s research portrays the Yanomamo and fierce fighters. In reality, this is a doctored view of the people. Although even video productions painted this image, it was mostly scripted and imaginary. He in fact caused many of the conflicts that existed amongst tribes due to his massive distribution of goods. An example of Chagnon’s unethical tactics among the Yanomamo include a typical taboo in which one should not speak the name of a deceased person or even a fellow man. This roadblock did not aid in Chagnon’s plan to study evolution among the tribes so he simply bribed them with goods, causing them to reject their beliefs and give him the needed information. Another shady piece of information is that Chagnon was not in fact the first outsider to penetrate the villages. There was in fact a woman who was kidnapped by the Yanomamo and ended up living with them for over forty years. A second point of interest in this case is the medical tests rumored to have been started by Chagnon. In 1968, he began vaccinating the Yanomamo society for measles. In reality there was little need for such a vaccine at the time and the experimental strain that he used was so strong, it started a measles epidemic. Almost half of the Yanomamo contracted the disease and many died from it. Along with studying the spread of infectious diseases as evident through the measles experiment, Chagnon desired to study the genetics of village headman to see if he could find a leadership gene. This second test required blood work from his test subjects so he again used the many goods he had to bribe the villagers for vials of blood. Finally, we focused on the many Code of Ethics violations that we took from Chagnon’s stay with the Yanomamo. In the introduction of these ethics, the sentence “These obligations can supercede the goal of seeking new knowledge” struck our attention. While we don’t claim Chagnon was an evil man out for harm, he did not chose these obligations over his desire for knowledge. From the above information, it is easy to see how Chagnon failed to adhere to the following points: Respect the well being of humans and avoid harm or wrong, ensure their research doesn’t harm the safety, dignity, or privacy of the people, do not exploit the individuals under study, and finally Bear responsibility for the integrity and representation of their discipline. In the quest to seek new knowledge, there are right and wrong ways to go about your search. Clearly a blatant disregard for the people under study along with callous medical experiments is not the most humane. If only Chagnon had put more effort in studying topics which would not harm the Yanomamo like his measles epidemic, or other genealogical patterns that did not require his subjects to turn from a belief of not speaking a deceased person’s name, then we would not be as concerned with his lasting negative effects. This should serve as an example to all anthropologists in that the way in which you go about your fieldwork, no matter the “noble” end result, is important and any inappropriate behavior will be uncovered. http://www.publicanthropology.org/forum/background/controversy.htm www.aanet.org (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, April 3rd, 2006
1:05 am	Female Circumcision This movie definitely had a huge shock value. While I understand that different cultures and different people will have their own traditions and beliefs, I can’t quite accept practices that are so painful and almost inhumane. I suppose my main issue is that I would want these girls to be able to receive some sort of anesthesia and safe, sterile operating conditions as well as check ups and pain killers. Plain and simple, that’s where I have a problem. The video mentioned all the reasons why the villagers think this practice is necessary and that’s fine, I can understand to some degree where their values come from but I still believe that NO ONE should be forced to undergo such a malicious and horrifying event. I’m shocked that they are strong enough to live a normal life and not be haunted buy the memories of this experience. One main reason why I cannot understand their particular routine of female circumcision is that I don’t have the same faith in the priestess who performs this deed. To the people of this village, they rely on the fact that the priestess should hold the power to safely perform this process in the same respect that I would rely on medication and a sterile, safe environment. I found this video in stark contrast to the Tough Guise movie that we recently watched. Whereas men in our nation (and most likely in similar fashion to these African nations that we learned about) are taught to be in control, strong, and independent, the women who undergo this procedure are doing so for opposite reasons. Clearly female circumcision shows women that you must do this so: men will appreciate and recognize you, you will find a husband, and you will be accepted in society. Also, your personal feeling about this practice is meaningless (especially for those girls who are put through this at a young age), your pain is your own issue, your personal enjoyment of sex is of no importance, and that each time you must have sex, you will be in pain and realize that the man you are with controls you. I could go on and on but I just am quite disturbed that men are taught to be independent and strong whereas girls are taught to be submissive and almost worthless. (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, March 27th, 2006
10:24 am	Movie on male stereotypes One quote that stuck out from this movie was given by a teenage school shooter who said, “Murder is gutsy and daring”. Where did we go wrong, that’s my question? How could any human, male or female ever describe cold-blooded murder as anything but WRONG? I can understand why men feel pressure to be tough, demanding and strong but where do the few boys that make the headline news get the idea that murder is the epitome of masculinity? While all the violent video games, sporting events, and movies can shed light on these male traits that every man should supposedly strive for, they seem obviously out of line in the real world. Growing up I was bombarded with teachings on “Everyone is unique and different”, “Be yourself”, and “Remember the Golden Rule”. So, no matter the stereotype, I feel that these fundamental morals will always overrule the view of the “perfect woman” that some women might strive for. No matter how many Barbie’s I played with or how many makeup ads I’ve looked at, I would never compromise these morals to be the “ideal girl” (popular, thin, rich, pretty). I would assume that men with a similar background as myself would agree that with this strong base, there is no outlandish image that they would strive for that goes against these beliefs. Thus, I feel that in order to correct this male stereotype we need to instill a strong sense of self in our young boys so that no matter what society says, they know who they are and what is right. Changing the media or video game industry will never happen, it’s at home and in school where we can right this wrong. When boys are confident and loved, there is no reason why they would have to commit murder to consider themselves a man. (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, March 6th, 2006
10:53 am	How much affect does Disney have on our kids? After watching this movie in class, I realized that Disney adds more to our previously discussed gender stereotypes and ideals than perhaps even Hollywood. How much easier is it to draw the “perfect” female body than to find it in the real world? I’ve heard in the past that make believe characters like Barbie for instance have such idealized body shape and size that it would be physically impossible for her to walk or breath for that matter. Do we want to introduce such unachievable images to our children? Well, to be honest I’m mixed on whether these cartoons cause harm in our youth. Growing up, I watched the same movies and wanted to be the characters in every Disney movie, yet I don’t feel that they caused me to have an unhealthy body image. When it comes down to it, I feel that a parent’s love and guidance far out shadow any negative images seen on Disney movies. I still believe (or daydream) that I will be a princess one day. Does that make me a victim of Disney? No, I think it makes me a success story of Disney encouraging me to dream. As far as the various stereotypes portrayed in Disney movies, I have another opinion. Growing up in a predominately white suburb and having few culturally diverse friends, I wish Disney and other children’s movies of my time would have exposed me to other cultures. I would say that through schooling and my parents I learned to never look down on people who are different but solely based on Disney films, who knows what my opinion would have been. Would I be like the child mentioned in the video that associated black children with the crows in a movie? I sure hope not. I think our society has shifted away from this misrepresentation with cartoons such as Dora the Explorer. I do think that Disney had me believing that Saudi Arabia was a scary foreign land with Aladdin, that white people do run Africa like in Tarzan, and that Latinos can be portrayed as Chihuahuas. Hopefully newer Disney movies will have a higher hurdle to cross in that they won’t be accepted when they falsely portray a race. Another difficult topic is that raised in Beauty and Beast, in that every abusive, violent man has a shining prince under it all. I see how this might encourage children to look for that good, decent man under an abusive father or relative. Overall, I think almost any TV show, cartoon, or toy for that matter may be falsely interpreted by as child and it is necessary for parents to take an active role in their children’s growth and learning. Hopefully with parent supervision, children will understand that gender ideals are not the only thing that one should strive for. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, February 21st, 2006
12:10 am	Trobriand Cricket In my life, sports have been a cornerstone where I have found friends, competition, prestige and honor. For the Trobrianders, the game of cricket provides a source of similar outcomes. Introduced by Fiji missionaries in hopes of diminishing war and witchcraft, cricket soon became heavily rooted in these two Trobriand practices. When villagers played against the missionaries, the Trobrianders thought that they won because the missionaries were not allowed to use magic. The game, originally intended to be for eleven gentlemen, turned into a villiagewide extravaganza. However many men wanted to play, played. The outcome is mostly determined by whose magic is the strongest that day, and similar to the beliefs of many Americans, the fans (and in the Trobriands, their magic) have an influence on the game. Similar to American fans taunting a strikeout batter or a pitcher who just had a homerun hit, the Trobrianders on the opposing team break into song or dance. While some of these dances are sexual (or even about Australian P.K. gum!), most seem to be taunting the opposite team. Even the team names have an effect on the introductions that they have or the chants that they use, very similar to the Bulls who have a bull mascot and chants that the crowd yells relating to their team name. While the influence of magic, and lack of stringent rules on the game seem a bit different from American competitive games, overall, I saw many connections between the two cultures. It is fascinating to see that on the outside our two cultures seem light-years apart, we both adopt similar styles of competitive play. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, February 13th, 2006
1:37 am	Peters-Golden, Trobriand Islanders For this entry, I would like to touch on the short reading about the history of the Trobriand Islanders. Two main points of interest that struck me were the Trobriand Exchange (kula) and the practices of the Islanders in a time of death. When I first read that the exchange of kula, or shell goods throughout the Island led one ethnographer to propel the practice out of “haphazard, primitive” economic status, and into the study of professionals, I had to read more. It is not often that non-Western economic practices are given respect or further study. To be honest, after reading this section, I still felt confused on the whole practice. There are set paths that lead the kulas through the islands, stopping with the same individuals every 2-5 years. This is difficult for me to understand seeing as how if the kula are continually circulating, what value do they have? If a man at point A sends kula to point B, does he have to earn those kula back, or perform any rituals? On the other hand, I find it fascinating that on such set and pertinent paths, it is still possible for a “trade group” to uproot one of its members. For instance, when one chief died and tried to pass down his kula rings to his son, two out of the three were diverted elsewhere since the son was thought to be weak. Can you imagine in our society being taken out of our economic circles just because one member thinks you are weak? The death rituals of the Trobriand Islanders proved just as confusing for me to understand. First, of all it’s interesting that every single death is thought to involve the sorcery of another. Kids die at the hand of a weak curse while it takes a much stronger one to harm an adult. The mourning rituals also offer a glimpse into a well managed and understood (amongst the natives) practice. I have trouble following who the Workers and Owners consist of, and the whole fact that the Workers get paid to mourn. Especially since the exchange of yams is hotly argued, it seems some Workers would mourn soley for the payment. Also, the thought of losing a spouse is painful enough let alone the fact that upon burial you must stay in seclusion for weeks and have others feed you. That seems almost unbearable. Overall, I was intrigued nonetheless by the many customs described in this passage. I think this helped me understand what Dr. Gardiner said at the beginning, that we have to break apart what we know and think to understand the culture of others. It’s very true that in order to understand and appreciate the differences in the Trobriand Islanders, one must put aside all past knowledge and try to rebuilt one’s thought process to follow that of a native. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Monday, January 30th, 2006
12:43 am	Haitian Culture Video After reading Mama Lola and getting an inside look at Vodou, I thought this movie shed light on many aspects of the religion. A quick recap of the video: For years, the Duvalier regime ruled the country. An attempt to uproot the dictators only opened the door to more oppressive leaders. Eighty-five percent of the country is illiterate, getting their information from radio broadcasts. Many see elections as pointless since elected officials turn their backs to the people once in office, using large numbers of military personnel to keep the radical in check. The government even cuts off rice farmers by buying cheaper rice from Miami, Florida. Farmers have been killed trying to raid these imports in order to restore their livelihood. Groups of farmers gather to discuss the issue but will it ever be resolved? Most take refuge in the common struggle. Throughout the video, scenes included townspeople singing songs about the political candidates, criticizing the politicians or poking fun at the regime. An interesting connection is that of Mama Lola’s network in Brooklyn. While less emphasis is placed on the political climate of the US, we still see principles of Haitian culture in New York. For instance, when Mama Lola required medical treatment and was in the hospital for days, she quickly received food, shelter, medicine, even counseling on what to do about her bills upon her release. In contrast to typical American relationships, Haitians seem to expect and encourage helping their friends, family, and neighbors. In relation to the Vodou religion, it is clear that it was born out of the suffering of Haitians. Oppressed for many years and denied basics such as food and shelter, it is natural that the religion stresses worship to gods whom will provide. Rituals such as the birthday celebration of Kouzen Zaka show a belief in luck provided by the gods. For example, when someone borrowed money from this god, she said that she could have paid less interest by going to a bank, but Zaka’s money would bring her more luck. From the desperate state of Haiti, it is now clearer than ever why people turn to Vodou; the fact that it is “a way of life, not a religion” that teaches Haitians how to read, survive the marketplace and many other skills, show why such a high percentage follow this practice. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Monday, January 23rd, 2006
1:03 am	Brown, Peters-Golden How do anthropologists study culture? Taking our understanding that culture is shared, learned, and symbolic, anthropologists such as Brown jump right in and experience it. Much like her experience with Mama Lola, Brown was forced to find the fine line between being an objective observer, a witness to the various Vodou ceremonies, and a wholehearted participant. I understand the difficulties because as Brown described her relationship with Mama Lola, it quickly became one of mutual friendship and support. When Brown herself had personal problems, she turned to Mama Lola and her practices for support rather than simply discussing the meaning of a particular practice for research. In order to learn the Haitian culture, Brown frequented parties and ceremonies such as the Birthday Party of Kouzen Azaka to hear firsthand the story of various Vodou spirits. Through sharing her problems with Mama Lola, Maggie, and other family members, she shared in the meaning of spirits. Not just by mere definitions but by real world examples (“Kouzen Azaka, Mama needs to pay her mortgage….”), Brown could understand why such ceremonies were practiced. Does everyone have to be initiated into a culture to study it? I don’t think it is a requirement in most cases. Traditional Haitian culture seems to be more involved and intricate in its ceremonies and thus Brown’s willingness to plunge into the situation definitely aided in her understanding. If I were in Brown’s shoes, I would have rejected Vodou initiation as against my religion and thus might not have been able to study the Haitian culture as well. To some extent, the fact that she was able to open herself up to this new religion allowed her to fully understand the symbolic meanings behind this culture whereas an “outsider” perhaps would only understand the shared or learned aspects of the culture. For example, if a ceremony reaped personal benefit, Brown would have understood specifically why the ceremony is performed. Hearing that it benefited someone else, however, could have left Brown skeptical of its meaning. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, January 18th, 2006
8:22 am	Williams, Bohannan What is culture? Is it a mere word or the meaning behind it that creates the picture that appears when we think of “culture”? In the Williams reading, he traces the word through time and by knowing its past, is able to understand its current definition. In contrast to Williams’ vernacular approach, Bohannan paints a picture of culture through a retelling of Hamlet on the African bush. I think that Williams’ approach is much less meaningful than that of Bonhannan. While reading through Williams’ work, I felt that each definition of culture kept the same overall message. Whether in the early days when culture was considered more of a noun of process, as Williams states, the tending of something (usually crops and animals), or in the latter stages of the noun when it meant more of a way of life, or of art and intelligence, both seem encompassed in my own personal definition of culture. In the Bohannan reading, I felt that her story allowed me to use my own definition of culture, the religion, law, and daily life of a people, to analyze the tribe in which she studied. I felt that while the Williams piece gave me a strict “this is the definition of culture”, Bohannan gave me an example of a new and different culture. At the beginning of her reading, I agreed with her thought that the meaning of Hamlet in all cultures would have been the same. However, the minute the first elder interrupted her story, I knew that perhaps something would be different. Every part of the culture of Hamlet was overturned by the elders who simply did not have the same religion, or marriage practices, or family situations. The story turned from one of tragedy to one of witchcraft and tribal chiefs. It was truly fascinating to finally realize that everything done within your own culture, every decision you make, can mean something else to a person of a different culture. (1 Comment |Comment on this)