Final Research Paper

In the Final Research Paper, you will examine your own culture from an etic (outsider’s) perspective and another culture from an emic (insider’s) perspective to demonstrate your understanding of cultural relativism and examine misconceptions and ethnocentric beliefs concerning each of these cultures. Keep the distinction between cultural relativism and moral relativism in mind as you write your final paper. Even if you do not personally agree with a cultural practice, demonstrate your understanding of the practice in its cultural context. Avoid opinionated or judgmental language in your paper.

Cultural relativism is the idea that the beliefs and practices of a culture should be understood within the context of that particular culture’s background, history, and current events surrounding it. We should not ethnocentrically impose our own beliefs and opinions, which are products of our own enculturation.

Cultural relativism is not the same as moral relativism, however. As Crapo (2013) notes

We need not, for instance, come to value infanticide in order to understand the roles it may play in peoples’ lives in a society where it is customary. What cultural relativism requires of us is simply that we do not confuse our own feelings about such a custom with understanding it. To do the latter, we must investigate the meanings the custom has for those who practice it and the functions it may fulfill in their society. (section 1.4, “Cultural Differences: Cultural Relativism,” para. 3)

Keep the distinction between cultural relativism and moral relativism in mind as you write your Final Research Paper. Even if you do not personally agree with a cultural practice, demonstrate your understanding of the practice in its cultural context. Avoid opinionated or judgmental language in your paper.

Your Final Research Paper will consist of two main parts, framed by an Introduction and a Conclusion. See the Final Paper Flow Chart for a quick overview of the assignment. See the following instructions for information on each part of the paper.

Introduction

Begin with an introductory paragraph that has a thesis statement at the end. The introduction should set up your topic, giving a preview and summary of the analysis you will present in the body of the paper. The thesis statement is the last sentence or two of the introduction and states what the main point structuring your paper will be.

Here is an Example of an Introduction (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..

Part I

Using the article by Miner (1956) and the feedback you received from your instructor on your worksheet in Week Three, describe one aspect of your own culture from an etic perspective. See the appropriate Sections in the Textbook in the List of Topics (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site., based on your chosen topic from Week Three, for information on how to approach your paper from an anthropological perspective. You can describe American culture in general, as Miner does, or you can describe an American subculture, such as a specific geographical group (e.g., New Yorkers), a particular ethnicity (e.g., African Americans), or an age-related category of Americans (e.g., millennials).

Use reputable statistics and/or scholarly research to support any factual statements. Do not rely solely on personal experience or opinion.

Here is an Example of Part I (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..

Part II

Refer to the article you chose for Part II of the worksheet assignment in Week Three and describe an aspect of another culture from an emic (insider’s) perspective. You do not have to do research beyond reading your chosen article; however, if you do choose to conduct additional research make sure to use reputable statistics and/or scholarly sources to support any factual statements. Do not rely upon personal experience or opinion.

Here is an Example of Part II (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..

Conclusion

End with a concluding paragraph that reinforces your thesis. Summarize and tie together your main points for the reader. Provide a brief self-reflexive analysis of what you learned while writing this paper.

Here is an Example of Conclusion (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..

The Final Research Paper

• Must be five to six double-spaced pages in length (excluding title page and references page, meaning it will be seven to eight pages total), and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center (see the APA Essay Checklist for Students (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.).
• Must include a title page (see title page (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.) with the following:
  • Title of paper
  • Student’s name
  • Course name and number
  • Instructor’s name
  • Date submitted
• Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.
• Must have well-structured body paragraphs with clear transitions from one topic to the next. Incorporate in-text citations (see In-Text Citation Guide (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.) from your scholarly sources to support your analysis throughout the paper.
• Must describe an aspect of your own culture from an etic perspective for Part I.
• Must describe an aspect of another culture from an emic perspective for Part II.
• Must demonstrate a perspective of cultural relativism throughout, avoiding judgmental and opinionated language.
• Must end with a conclusion that that reinforces the thesis and provides a self-reflexive analysis.
• Must use at least one scholarly resource in addition to the textbook, the Miner article, and the article chosen from the list in Part II of the Week Three assignment.
• Must document all sources in APA style in the body of the paper and on the references page as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
• Must include a separate References Page that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. Here is an Example of a References Page (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..

STEP #1 – READ — Columbus, the Indians, and Human ProgressPlease read the chapter entitled, “Columbus, the Indians, and Human Progress,” found in the book A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn.  If you do not have your book yet, you can view the chapter online by clicking the link above.
Please read this and be prepared to discuss at least 5 things  from the chapter you found interesting, strange, or of importance.

Link- http://libcom.org/a-peoples-history-of-the-united-states-howard-zinn/1-columbus-the-indians-and-human-progress

STEP #2 – READ — Lies My Teacher Told Me

Please read Chapter 2 entitled, “1493: The True Importance of Christopher Columbus,” from the book Lies My Teacher Told Me.

Please be prepared to discuss at least 5 things from the chapter you found interesting, strange, or of importance.

(See Book Link Under Course Info)

Link- http://www.ier.edu.vn/upload/product/tai-lieu-tham-khao-dao-tao-giao-vien-lich-su-va-day-hoc-lich-su-tai-hoa-ky-149754535413.pdf

Discussion for Assignment #2

So, how many of you, one of the first words that came to mind when thinking about Native Americans have been portrayed to you in other classes (thinking all the way back to elementary school) was SAVAGES?

How many of you thought about small groups of half-naked people whooping and hollering while dancing around a fire outside of a teepee?

Most People in my classes, this is their recollection of previous teachings on Native America. Surprising?

So what if I were to tell you that instead of the handful of Natives here in the Americas, there were actually as many as 120 million of them in 1492? That this population size was equal to that found in Europe at that time? 

What if I told you that these “savages” lived in cities-sophisticated cities, many more sophisticated than Paris, France at that time. Not just the incas or the Mayans either, there were cities all over the Americas. That the Americas are home to the greatest number of pyramids in the world… That the largest pyramid in the world is actually in the Americas not in Egypt, and that one side of the base of this pyramid measures a half mile in length? And that it has just been discovered within the last 10 years because it had literally swallowed up by the Amazon jungle?

Did any of you know all of this? Most of my students are dumbfounded by these revelations.

And if I were to ask you to name something foundational to this country that we have adopted from Native America, how many of you could give me an answer?

I ask you all of these things as we continue our discussions of the “discoverer” of America, Christopher Columbus, for a reason. Was he truly the discoverer of this land? Were there other foreigners who came here long before Columbus? Why don’t we celebrate the Afro-Phoenicians (Africans) as “discoverers” of America? or the Chinese? for that matter, why do we celebrate a ” discoverer” at all when there were already 120million people living here?

Why do we not celebrate Native Americans as one of the great “founders” of this country as we do Columbus, or the Pilgrims, or Washington, Jefferson, etc? Are they not part of our foundations? How would James Loewen explain this?

Especially since much of our ideas about democracy actually come from Native Americans?

YES, DEMOCRACY one of the ideas that makes up the very foundations of this country comes from the Iroquois Confederacy.

I would bet very few of you know this….

What are your thoughts about all of this? What other issues came up for you in your readings and the lecture? 

1. Please post an initial response of at least 150 words

2. Reply (2 or 3 sentences) to at least 3 other students initial postings.