Ethnography

This ethnographic study of the history, rent state and proposed health benefits as understood to be alternative health care of Buckram yoga will consider bibliographic research and will include a first-hand account as well as Informal interviews. Buckram Chuddar was born in Calcutta, India in 1946. He started to learn yoga poses and theory as young as three years old. At the age of five Chuddar began to work with Guru Vishnu Gosh who happened to teach children next door to Shuddery home. It was Gosh who encouraged him to compete In the National India Yoga Championship.

Chuddar went on to win the championship three institutive years starting at age eleven, making him the youngest champion. At the age of twenty, however, Shuddery knee was crushed by an eighty pound weight dropped by his weight lifting spotter, Western medicine told him that he would be crippled for the duration of his life. Chuddar was reluctant to accept this reality and decided to better the condition of his knee with yoga under the supervision of Gosh. It is claimed that he was able to walk and was fully recovered from this life- altering Injury in Just six to eight months (Slicked, 2003).

This miraculous recovery as Coauthor’s Inspiration to dedicate his life to the practice and spread of yoga. Gosh taught Chuddar a more traditional Hath yoga “picking specific saunas [or postures] for specific ailments,” (Slicked, 2003). From these teachings, Chuddar chose twenty-six poses meant to be completed twice over, punctuated by a savanna, or corpse pose which acts like a rest period, along with two breathing exercises to be completed in the p of ninety minutes. Each pose is designed to work certain areas of the body such as the spine, knees, digestion system and immune system.

This sequence is also designed to be performed in a humid room heated to 105 to 108 degrees Fahrenheit; this Is meant to mimic Indians climate, facilitate a deeper range of motion for the yogi and help prevent injury (Slicked, 2003). Chuddar made a name for himself in Japan prior to bringing his brand of yoga to the United States but the first American Buckram yoga studio was established in California In 1973 after trading yoga treatment for a green card into the country with President Richard Nixon (Gala, 2009).

While ;yoga In America was Initially popularized amongst the elites and has been associated with movie stars and intellectuals since 1 OFF blood pressure and lengthened one’s life p that practice became fashionable amongst the general public,” (Gala, 2009). Since then, yoga in general has moved from being more or less a past time to being part of a fitness, health and wellness program amongst many types of people.

Those practicing western medicine often see yoga as a benefit in the sense that it is a cardiovascular activity, it is considered relaxing by most and will burn calories that might not have been burned otherwise in patients ho might be overweight and reliant on medications. Whether or not yoga can live up to its vast health claims in Western medicine standards has yet to be determined. Even still, Buckram yoga’s popularity through celebrity status or otherwise has made it a billion dollar industry with Chuddar himself collecting 2. 6 million dollars in 2003 from teacher training alone (Gala, 2009).

Shuddery extensive unabashed wealth and endorsement of competitiveness in what is typically considered to be a spiritual pursuit has brought about a certain amount of controversy but has not dampened he interest in the yoga itself. People everywhere continue to believe in its abilities to heal, ward off ailments and keep the body trim and healthy. When I walk into my Buckram yoga studio in Phoenix I am immediately greeted by a cheerful woman dressed in yoga clothes passing out class schedules to those who just finished a class from behind a desk.

I sign my name and remove my shoes at the door. The main room includes a large refrigerator should you want to purchase a water bottle, racks of mats and towels that can be borrowed and large, luxurious ouches where people sit to await the next class. The locker room around the corner is equipped with an open shelving unit to place your personal belongings, a shower, a restroom and separate sink unit with a large mirror, towels, decorative soaps, etc. All around, this facility is very well maintained and seems to go out of its way to provide comforts and niceties to its patrons.

The locker room provides a place for friends to talk to one another but most stifle conversation in the main room. In the locker room I ask my fellow Buckram followers why they chose to incorporate Buckram yoga into their lives. A woman who appeared to be in mid-thirties explained: “l read that this yoga is the best out there because the heat helps you push out all your toxins, you know, because you sweat so much. I also read that you burn Just a ton of calories which is good because I don’t have all the time in the world to spend at the gym. Another, who appeared to be in her twenties and in good physical shape, told her story: “I was always really active and played mostly soccer but I tore my CAL a couple years ago and I can’t do all the things I used o. A friend of mine, kind of a granola girl, brought me here and I have been coming ever since! I always feel like I had a really good workout but I don’t feel like I’m stressing any part of my body too much. ” In asking a woman who let me know that she was sixty-five why she considered Buckram yoga to be a benefit to her she said: “My doctor suggested I try to be more physically active but I’m not the girl I used to be… ‘m not able to do much really and I’m unwilling to subject myself to water aerobics. He [the doctor] is concerned about my blood pressure and my stiffening mints. When he told me about Buckram yoga I about died right there imagining doing something like this in that kind of heat! But I gave it a go, of course I have to bring in a stool to help me balance and I don’t do every pose, but I think it’s helping. I feel a different take on Buckram yoga from the physical payoffs: “I’m a new mom and my maternity leave ended a few weeks ago. Vive been practicing yoga for years but I like Buckram the best right now.

There’s no top 40 music playing in the background, everyone who is here wants to be here for Just this- not to be seen wearing a cute roust outfit and it’s Just all about you for an hour and a half. You stare at yourself in the mirror and you hear the instructor but really you Just hear your own breathing. I feel more centered when I leave here. ” When I enter the classroom I am immediately overwhelmed by the humidity. Being from Phoenix, Arizona I am no stranger to heat but in this classroom the air is thick and Just bordering on difficult to breathe for me.

The lights are low and there are already students lying on their back in savanna position. No one speaks in the room as it assumed to be a peaceful place f meditation. Class begins when the instructor turns the lights on and introduces herself. The instructor makes a point of asking if there is anyone in the room new to Buckram yoga, congratulates them for coming and reminds them to stay in the room, lie on their mats if need be and to have fun. We go through all twenty-six poses, including the breathing exercises, with her dispensing instruction as we ease into each new movement.

She also reminds us all to focus on our gaze in the mirror and that our bodies our stronger than our minds are at times so getting through class will quire determination on our parts. For safety reasons students are allowed to drink water as they please but it is discouraged to drink outside of the designated times and while the class in the midst of a pose. However, once the class is finished you can observe the majority of people gulping water hurriedly before getting into the final savanna which concludes the sequence and allows time for personal meditation.

While I lay in silence I find myself agreeing with the major points my interviewees offered: Buckram yoga is a tough but gentle workout for people of all levels and remotes a sense of personal well-being and calm that very few workouts I have tried do. This, however, was Buckram Shuddery aim all along. He believes that if you practice this yoga to the best of your abilities you will “live a better, healthier and more peaceful life,” (Chuddar, 2010).

For Chuddar, physical health and mental peace must coincide for one cannot exist without the other. Martin Marty discusses the importance of recognizing that spirituality and physical health are indeed intertwined in his essay Religion and Healing: The Four Expectations. This essay souses more so on faith in the religious sense but for many yoga offers a very spiritual connection to a force that has the power to heal, bring calm and bring like- minded people together to form a sense of community.

Marty reminds us that “in a typical half year of American publishing… Hundreds of… New Age titles on health and well-being appeared… Imaging, breathing, meditation, herbalist, and hypnosis are but a few of the many technique for being in tune with the infinite,” (Marty, 2005). It can be safely assumed that yoga could be added to that list in which ways people reach out spiritually. Harold Koenig writes in Afterward: A Physician’s Reflections that we need be focused on healing the “whole human person,” (Koenig, 2005).

“From ruttier to rummies: A Contribution toward the Ethnography of Peeling. ” In Cultural Anthropology: A Sampler. Up. :19-22. 2. Elliot Rolling objectives for the article were to observe male urinating behaviors In public restrooms. I believe he did meet his objectives because he was able to observe them Pee. 3. As stated before, the method that Rings used to research his topic was to observe males urinate. I feel Like watching people pee could make people uncomfortable, mad, or actually elate their privacy.

Although, the only way to actually understand the culture behind males urinating is to actually observe their behaviors so I think that his method was inappropriate but necessary. 4. The author’s findings started off not in the bathroom, but actually led up to why a male goes into the bathroom. While in a social group, one must withdraw themselves from the group by some sort of excuse or statement like saying, “l have to go to the bathroom. ” He further discusses that bathrooms could also be used as a social setting.

For example, in high school hanging UT in the hall ways was not allowed, yet if students met up in the bathrooms, they could hangout and talk without the disturbance of a teacher. Going on, he discovers that “peeing is the activity primarily intended by… Males”. He discovers that men prefer to have there own personal space of one urinal to the left and right. This becomes violated when one another know each other. Another key fact that Rings realizes is that during the act of peeing, one must look forward and keep they’re eyes to themselves.

If one was to look at another man, this might “invite the suspicion of nonsexual interest. ” Also, he notices the “shaking of the penis” to get the last drops out, even though no matter how much shaking you do, when you finish up and walk out the bathroom, the last drops of pee come out and onto your pants. He concludes that Americans value three things: privacy, masculinity, and cool. And infers that “elimination patters are intimately linked with a cultures system of values. ” 5. I think that the significance of the work is trying to understand how people learn the etiquette of using the bathroom without formally being taught.

In class we learned bout ethnography, which is the description of a culture through an observer. In the article, a man was observing males Pee. 6. I evaluate this work as an Interesting topic because many people would not think twice about the fact that there was so much that went Into public etiquette. If I were conducting this experiment I would have test subject stand at certain urinals and see which urinals random strangers would consistently use to get better and accurate Information. Anthropology By agrarian 2 October 2013 1. Orrin Elliot 1975 “From Ruttier to Rummies: A Contribution toward the Ethnography of Peeing.

In Cultural Anthropology: A Sampler. Up. Elliot Rings objectives for the article were to observe male urinating behaviors in public restrooms. I believe he did feel like watching people pee could make people uncomfortable, mad, or actually realizes is that during the act of peeing, one must look forward and keep they’re eyes article, a man was observing males Pee. 6. I evaluate this work as an interesting topic that went into public etiquette. If I were conducting this experiment I would have test consistently use to get better and accurate information.

1.  Does the study meet the scientific requirements?

It cannot be denied that scientific study has become of great importance to any profession.  Everyone is aware of the fact that knowledge is increased through study and that critique of that study can also provide a basis for improving the study practices. This study, “The Glass Phallus Pub (lic) Masculinity and Drinking in Rural New Zealand by Hugh Campbell meet the scientific requirements as it involved an intensive analysis of a particular site.

2.  Is it a research study?

Moreover, it is a scientific study utilizing the ethnographic fieldwork research methods.  Ethnographic research or fieldwork is considered an essential part of the training towards becoming a social scientist such that it is said to play a role in “consciousness raising” by extending one’s view of the world and challenging one’s assumptions about the nature of things (Robson, 1993).  Through ethnographic research the fieldworker gains an appreciation of the diversity and complexity of the human social condition and, at the same time, of the ultimate unity of human-kind.

3.  Is it a quantitative study?

No, it is not a quantitative study since it did not use any notation system. It must be noted that quantitative researchers assign numbers to observations and produce data by counting and measuring things.  Further, this study did not use any counting and measuring of things.

4. Is it a qualitative study?

Yes, this is a qualitative study since the researcher did not make counts or assign numbers to his observations. But rather, the researcher gain access into the “life-world” of his subjects and male groups; that is, to discover their motivations, their sources of meaning, their emotions and other subjective aspects of their lives because it is only in doing so that a researcher will be able to see, to describe, and to understand human behavior and social phenomena with greater depth.  In addition, the researcher employed a qualitative research method which is participatory ethnographic fieldwork (p.262)

5.  Is it clearly written?

Yes, it is clearly written as the researcher used the first person and based on his experiences and analysis

6.  Assess the title.

The title is somewhat vague though as the author used a metaphor and one may not be totally familiar with “The Glass Phallus.”  So, one has to read the article thoroughly first before understanding the meaning behind the title.

7.  Assess the authors` affiliations.

Not much of the authors` affiliations were included in the study except that he has lived in the research area or community for five years as this is a participatory ethnographic fieldwork (p.262)

8.  Assess the abstract.

The abstract is clearly stated and includes the necessary things to include in an abstract such as the subjects and locale of the study, design of the study, the results, and the conclusion.

9.  Assess the references.

The references used were comprehensive and suited to the given study.

10.  Is there a centrality of purpose between the introduction, method, and results?

Yes, more or less there’s a centrality of purpose between the introduction, method, and results. But lesser centrality between introduction and method as the introduction is more of a myth about the rural pub, a nostalgic fiction of yesteryears as described in the introduction.  The method and results has more centrality as the author was able to connect the method used which is ethnographic fieldwork to the results of the study which is more qualitative.  The results of the study presented are ethnographic data which are the product of systematic and sustained observation.

11.  Critique the introduction according to:

– the literature review

The authors’ review of literature was conducted and integrated in the discussion part of the article although previous studies were not referred to by specific articles, the names of authors and publication years were given. Moreover, the literature reported supported the selected qualitative method used in the study.

–    study purpose

This study, “The Glass Phallus Pub (lic) Masculinity and Drinking in Rural New Zealand” by Hugh Campbell, examined the various ways in which pubs operate as a social site, where male power is constructed in rural communities.  Another is to examine the way in which symbolic notions of rurality are integral to the construction of gendered power in rural space.

12.  Critiques the Method according to

– the sample selection

The sample of the study population was large (150-200) men who worked in farm service industries, were farm workers, owned or managed small farm service firms, or (a minority) were bachelor farmers.  Manual laborers on farms and in the farm service industries constituted the majority, but men from the agricultural petite bourgeoisie also were presented consistently.

The participant sample selected basically on their performance known as the after-work drinking session.  The temporal parameters of after-work drinking strongly influenced which local men could join the pub (lic) performance of masculinity.  In addition to the fact that this study was the result of two periods of fieldwork within 5 years of ethnographic research, all the above mentioned criteria achieved the data saturation required.

– the study design

A participatory ethnographic study using formal and informal interviews was conducted to frame the design of the study (p.262). The method used was appropriate for this study as it sought to examine the various ways in which pubs operate as a social site, where male power is constructed in rural communities.  Also to examine the way in which symbolic notions of rurality are integral to the construction of gendered power in rural space.

In addition, the qualitative interviews were undertaken to understand the experiences and all that they entail.

– data collection procedures

Data collection procedure used which was formal and informal interviews and were consistent with the purpose of the study since the study was a qualitative.  Moreover, 200 hours of participatory ethnographic fieldwork (in the pubs), made an even greater abundance of informal discussion and dialogue with members of the community.

– researcher’s role

The researcher’s role is to conduct interviews (formal or informal) using the participatory ethnographic fieldwork.

– the issue of time

This study was done for approximately 5 years of living in the community. The researcher has done interviews and discussions not just in the pubs but also in various locales such as sports clubs, churches, and voluntary organizations, and in the subjects` workplace.

– materials/instruments used

The strategies and tools involved in data collection includes ethnographic audiotaped interviews which includes open-ended, broad “grand tour” questions followed by more focused and in-depth discussions; participant observations were conducted in a variety of places; photography was extensive.

13.  Critique the Results according to

– findings

Analysis from data obtained revealed two major characteristics of pub drinking performance, which are the conversational cockfighting and the disciplines of drinking. These two combine to ensure that a particular version of masculinity, here called pub(lic) masculinity reproduce itself.  A further finding is that masculinity in this kind of performative situation develops a degree of invisibility.

– tables, graphs or charts

No tables, graphs, or charts were included in the study.

– statistical data and tests used

No statistical data or tests were used as this is a qualitative study. So no sample data were given.  Only some conversation or descriptive data were presented.

-discussion

The discussion of the result was done comprehensively and thus thoroughly

-limitations

The researcher realized the difficulties of analyzing an invisible masculinity and argues that rendering masculinity is an important task for any sociological analysis of both public leisure sites in rural society.

-implications

– The significant implication of this study is that rural sociologists must move quickly beyond viewing rural pub as just another aspect of the rural idyll but it is more of the operation of gendered power in rural communities, and as a site where rural masculinities are enacted and defended.

Reference

Robson, C. (1993) Real World Research: A Resource for Social Scientists and

Practitioner-Researchers. Blackwell.

The Buddhist Experience Buddhism is a religion that focuses more on the individual and the actions of that individual, which was prevalent to me when I made my way into Portland and set foot in a Buddhist temple. The man I met within the walls of this temple was far from my stereotypical thoughts of Buddhist monks. The man I met looked like your plain old, average Joe, American man. Before I delve into the depths of my visit to this inspiring place, I need to sum up the Buddhist religion and why I chose to study this particular group of people.

First, Buddhism. Buddhism is a religion based off of the idea that there is a path that one can take to achieve enlightenment, instead of believing in a god or multiple gods. Buddhism began with a man named Siddhartha. Siddhartha, the son of a king and heir to the throne, was forbidden to leave the castle walls within which he was confined. His Father, the king, made him stay within the walls at all time so as not to see the suffering that was happening in the outside world. His father even hid all aging and sickness from his son.

One day, Siddhartha told his personal bodyguard that he wanted to venture beyond the walls of the castle. The servant had no choice but to obey what Siddhartha had told him. The two set out and on their journey, they came across an old man in the street who was very close to dying. Siddhartha asked the bodyguard what was wrong with the man and the bodyguard had no choice but to tell Siddhartha the truth. They repeated this feat of leaving the castle walls on 3 more occasions, seeing a sickly woman on the side of the road one day, a dead body on the side of the road the next, and a renunciator on the fourth and final day.

Each time the bodyguard was asked what was wrong with the person they saw, and each time, he was forced to tell Siddhartha the truth. These four people became known as the four sights, and eventually lead to Buddhism’s main teachings: life is suffering but there is a way out of the suffering. The way out of the suffering of life is through the Noble Eight Fold Path. The Noble Eight Fold Path teaches the way to act within the living world and what you can do to further your way along the path of Enlightenment.

The Eight folds are: Right understanding, Right thought, Right speech, Right action, Right livelihood, Right effort, Right mindfulness, and Right concentration. This is the way that everyone should live if they want to achieve enlightenment along the Buddhist path. This is not the only thing that Siddhartha taught though. Like every single religion since the beginning of time, there is a list of rules. Christianity has the 10 Commandments, Islam has the Five Pillars of Islam, and Buddhism has the Religious Reformations of Buddha. Unlike most religions, Buddhism strays from the focus on an all mighty deity or deities.

Buddhism preaches five different logics that deviate from the norm when it comes to religious ideals: first, Strive after enlightenment with due diligence. This means you must put a lot of effort into the job of enlightenment if you wish to achieve it. Second, there will be no metaphysical theorizing. This is the one that seems to throw a wrench into the ideals of every religion before it, there is no God and if you even think that there is a God, you are disgracing the Buddhist way of life. Buddhism is a way of life, it is not a religion with a holy God. Third, there is no tradition, no ritual.

The teachings themselves are supposed to lead you, but if you do not know yourself, there is no way that you can know Buddhism and have the ability to follow the Noble Eightfold Path to enlightenment, once you find yourself and know yourself, then you can accept or reject the teachings of the Buddha. Fourth, is that you will find salvation through your efforts. If you are a diligent Buddhist and you work at the Eightfold Path to achieve enlightenment, you will be rewarded; you just need to have patience. Finally, there are no supernatural miracles, no water into wine, no parting of the Red Sea, just what goes on down here on plain old earth.

In fact, at one point, the Buddha says “Those who attempt to work miracles are not my disciples”. This tells you just how serious the Buddha is about his focus on the natural and this-worldly things. Now that the basics have been laid out, time for why I chose to study Buddhism. Buddhism has been in my life for as long as I can remember, if only minimally. My father subscribed to a Buddhism magazine called Tricycle, more of an Americanized look at Buddhism. Moreover, the teachings of Buddhism and its focus on the here and now, how you treat people around you, and how you act towards people, have always been appealing to me.

This opportunity fell into my lap and I was more than happy to take the chance to learn about something I had always known too little about. When I approached the temple, I immediately got a feel for an organized group of people simply by the way they approached the trimming of the trees and plants. Everything seemed to have a purpose and seemed to play off each other. The trees, with circles of branches only, seemed to perfectly accent the red, almost poinsettia looking flowers behind them leading up the staircase into a very plain, unexpressive building.

Once I gained entrance into the temple itself, it was a different site than I expected. Beyond a Plexiglas barrier, was a very church-like worship area with decorations on a slightly elevated plateau. Gold smattered in with vivid colors greeted my eyes as I stepped through the door into the temple’s worship area. There was a statue of the Buddha in the middle, made out of gold, with a halo surrounding his head. On the left, slightly behind the level of the Buddha, was a cloth with the picture of 7 men that our Reverend Gregory G Gibbs would refer to as the authors of the Chinese Buddhist Cannon which is about 100,000 pages long.

There was two thirds of a copy of the Cannon itself on the far sides of the raised area. In front was a large circular bowl with a top on it that we were informed was used for incense which is one of the three offerings that people were allowed to leave for Buddha. Incense is one of the ancient ways, and would be burned while the reverend would teach to the disciples. The other two gifts were flowers, which were meant to signify impermanence, and candles, meant to signify wisdom.

The man we were lead by was a middle aged looking white male, far from the short, bald, Asian monk dressed in flowing orange robes I had expected to meet. He taught us all about the temple and how it had been around for more than 105 years. He was a very cordial man who loved to hear the sound of his own voice, unfortunately. The man lead us through the basement, seeing holy murals that had been created for the centennial celebration a few years prior. He was very obviously a pious man who had sought to follow the path of the Buddha into enlightenment.

The relationship of feminism and anthropology can convey a new development to the manner descriptive anthropologies are written and done. Lila Abu-Lughod ‘s statement women’s rightist descriptive anthropology is an ‘ethnography with adult females at the Centre written for adult females by adult females ‘ can be seen as an attempt to happen a distinguishable manner of making and composing descriptive anthropology. In this essay I will look at the roots of feminism and feminist anthropology. I will so discourse Abu-Lughod ‘s statement and seek to explicate how her statement is good to anthropology and whether it is possible to make research her manner. I will secondly look at the advantages and disadvantages of the statement. I will concentrate on impressions of partial individuality and objectiveness. Finally, I will reason by discoursing some of the issues environing the authorization of adult females, and that although Abu-Lughod ‘s statement does hold some benefits it misses the of import point. I will reason that feminist descriptive anthropology should be used as a political tool for deprived adult females and it should reflect a “ corporate, dialectical procedure of edifice theory through battles for alteration ” ( Enslin:1994:545 ) .

Feminism can be defined as ‘both a societal motion and a position on society. As a societal motion, it has challenged the historical subordination of adult females and advocated political, societal, and economic equality between the sexes. As a societal and sociological position, it has examined the functions that sex and gender drama in structuring society, every bit good as the mutual function that society dramas in structuring sex and gender ‘ ( Oxford dictionary 2007 ) . There are three chief classs in which the different moving ridges of feminism can be divided. Among the first one which was from 1850 to 1920, during this period most research was carried out by work forces. Feminists aimed to convey the voice of adult females in descriptive anthropology, they gave a different angle on experiences of adult females and the environing events. This brought a new angle because male descriptive anthropologies merely had the chance to interview other work forces e.g. what were adult females like. Important figures during this period were P.Kayberry who worked with B.Malinowski at LSE. She focused on faith but she examined work forces and adult females in her work.

Traveling on to the 2nd moving ridge of which was from 1920s to 1980s, here the separation between sex and gender was made by of import women’s rightists. Sexual activity as nature and gender as civilization. This takes us to the nature civilization duality which is of import when we are concentrating on the subordination of adult females in different societies. The dualities between sex/gender, work/home, men/women, and nature/culture are of import in societal theory for raising arguments. Important figures in the 2nd moving ridge feminism were Margaret Mead she made a batch of part in her work on the diverseness of civilizations here she helped to breakdown the prejudice that was based on constructs of what is natural, and she put more accent on civilization in people ‘s development. Most of import work ‘s of Mead was Coming of Age in Samoa ( 1928 ) . Another of import figure was Eleanor Leacock who was a Marxist feminist anthropologist. She focused on catholicity of female subordination and argued against this claim.

This 2nd moving ridge of feminism was influenced by a figure of events in history, the 1960s was closely linked to political agitation in Europe and North America, like the anti-Vietnam war motion and the civil rights motion. Feminism was something that grew out of these political events during the sixtiess. Feminism argued that political relations and cognition were closely linked with each other so women’s rightists were concerned with cognition and we have to oppugn the cognition that was being given to us. Feminism during 1960s called for the constitution of adult females ‘s authorship, universities, feminist sociology and a feminist political order which would be classless.

Feminists became interested in anthropology, because they looked to ethnography as a beginning of information about whether adult females were being dominated everyplace by work forces. What are some of the ways that adult females are populating different societies, was there grounds of equality between work forces and adult females. Did matriarchal societies of all time exist and to acquire the replies to such inquiries they turned to ethnography.

This takes us to the issue of descriptive anthropology and what we understand about adult females in different societies. It became obvious that traditional ethnographic work ignored adult females. Some of the issues environing adult females are ; ethnograhies did non speak about adult females ‘s universes, it did non speak about what went on in adult females ‘s lives, what they thought and what their functions were. When we discuss the inquiry are adult females truly subordinated, we realize that we do non cognize much about adult females in different societies. B.Malinowski ‘s work on the Kula did discourse the male function in the exchange of valuables. But during the 1970s Anette Weiner ( 1983 ) went to analyze the same society and she found out adult females are playing an of import function in Trobriand society excessively. Their involved with the Kula, exchanges, rites etc but Malinowski ne’er wrote about it. Female anthropologists of the seventiess would travel and look for of import work forces, and so they would analyze their values, their societies, what was of import to them. These anthropologists assumed, that work forces followed male logics in this public/private divide in line with this divide between the domestic and public sphere. They would besides presume that what went on in the populace sphere, economic system, political relations was more of import the domestic side.

The construct of objectiveness came to be regarded as a manner of male power. Feminists claimed that scientific ideals of catholicity, eternity, and objectiveness were inherently male-dominated and that the more feminist properties of particularism, empathy and emotionalism were devalued ( Abu-Lughod 1990 ) . Feminists argued that to take over male domination these female properties had to be given more importance and made clear. Abu-Lughod ‘s ideal manner of making research is when a female ethnographer takes portion in the descriptive anthropology, instead so taking herself, who listens to other adult females ‘s voice and gives histories ( Abu-Lughod 1990 ) . The female ethnographer is able to make so because although the adult females studied differ from the ethnographer, she portions portion of the individuality of her source. The female research worker therefore has the appropriate “ tools ” to understand the other adult female ‘s life ( Abu-Lughod 1990 ) . this is why harmonizing to Abu-Lughod female descriptive anthropology should be an descriptive anthropology with adult females at the Centre written by and for adult females. Abu-Lughod says that early women’s rightist anthropologists did non truly make anything about cognition. They had good purposes but they did n’t make much as they were trapped in ways of thought that had been given to them by the masculine nature of the academy.

I am going to look at the advantages and disadvantages of using ethnographic methods for sociological research. Ethnography is in-depth research into people’s lives through the use of primary data such as Observations and Interviews, and also secondary data such as diaries, and official documents. The first method of research I am going to look at is a primary research method that is unstructured interviews.

There are a few advantages to unstructured interviews such as; if a researcher is going to conduct and unstructured interview then the participant is more likely to discuss sensitive information with them, this is because they may feel that the interviewer is sympathetic and understanding and so are more likely to open up towards them. Another advantage is that it allows people to explain their answers further if they need to, for example with questionnaires the person answering may not be able to explain why they put that answer, and so their point is not put across as they would like to have been.

There are also some disadvantages to unstructured interviews such as it takes time and can cost a lot of money; although this method is very effective at finding out detailed information about a person and their life, it can take a lot of time to conduct an interview and even longer as it is unstructured so the interviewer can ask as many questions as they like; it could cost quite a lot as you might need to hire an office to do so, and if you need to interview a lot of people over a few days the cost could rise very quickly.

Also interview bias is another disadvantage; this means that the interviewer can ask questions that can influence the answer, which then affects the outcome of the results. Interviewer bias can be illustrated through the use of leading questions for example “Do you get on well with your boss? ” this question can make the interviewee question their relationship with their boss, and subtly raises the prospect that maybe they don’t get on with their boss.

Another method of primary research covert observation, this involves the researcher joining the group that they are studying, and in covert observation the researcher does not tell them or allow them to find out their true identity. There are some advantages to covert observation such as it has high validity, as the researcher gets first-hand information about the people they are studying.

This is a major advantage to covert observation because if this was done by someone else it may not be on the exact same topic and so not all the information they need is there. Another advantage of this method is that it avoids the observer effect, which is that people change their behaviour when they know they are being observed, and this would not show a true reflection of what they are really like.

Some disadvantages to covert observation is that the participants are unaware of the experiment and so this is an ethical issue, as some people may not have wanted to be a part of the experiment, and if they find out that they are they could try and sue the researcher. Another disadvantage of this method is that the researcher could become influenced by the group and when writing their findings down it could be in favour or prejudiced against the group.

Katrina Washington Professor J. Longacre English 111 Sec. 26 November 25, 2012 Segregate the Other Segregation occurs within the African American race and also towards African Americans by society. Sometimes in life you can be segregated by your own race. Or maybe the outsiders see it as you being an “other” just because you have different opinions about certain things that they feel is right or wrong. Being the black sheep of a crowd within your very own kind is never a good feeling. In my own personal experience of life, I am always the other out of every group of black people which is my race.

Various times I am embarrassed for the way the engage their ignorance into their actions and words. I am a black woman of intelligence and perseverance. I do not tolerate any type of foolery of people’s stupidity to make myself fit in with that particular crowd. I attend the University of Tennessee at Martin, a predominantly white school, where I am always overlooked by my words due to dominant opinions already made about us black folk. However, there was a very heated situation that happened recently that almost lead out of control.

The night of the election really took a turn for the worse on campus. Needless to say that since there was a black man versus a white man running for presidency, there were lots of racist actions shown and racist words thrown. This situation made me feel very nervous and uncomfortable because I knew how the turnout would be. Once Barack Obama was announced as president again… things on campus got a bit out of hand. Almost all the black students were outside in the parking lot acting like wild monkeys.

Yes I understand they were happy and all, but it shouldn’t have been that ridiculous. There were several white students hanging out windows bellowing racist remarks and insults. Once they started throwing out those dirty words, I felt sick to my stomach. Disgusted and irritated just by the sound of the word “Nigger”! Black students that heard those bad remarks took things in their own hands and it almost became a riot right there in the parking lot. Me trying to bring down some of the heat, I tried to tell them to calm down and that it wasn’t that serious.

They just looked at me as if I had the word weirdo written across my forehead. They ignored my words and thoughts of expression due to my opposite opinion on how to handle things. I then immediately became the “Other”. I hate to be stereotyped as the average loud, gang banging, trash talking, attitude having black person. And what I was trying to warn them to not fit into the typical stereotypes. However, they thought I was stuck on stupid or something and mentally put me in a little segregated group of my own for my unspoken actions for help.

It made me feel eliminated by my own race for thinking outside their mentality structures; fortunately, I do not abide by the status quo. Being the other is never a good spot to sit in. Your voice is never heard and you are always judged if you disagree with what they think. When you don’t agree with their opinion about whatever, they judge you as being weird or strange. Why do you have to be strange just because you want to speak for yourself and not follow behind others? It’s so annoying and pitiful when you talk to someone about your feelings or what have you, and they act like they really care.

Yes people always say they understand what you’re talking about when you tell about a bad experience, especially some sort of struggle or downfall. Unfortunately, most of the time people just tell you they understand to shut you up. The people that agree with you will never understand what the under covering of the words you speak simply because they are not you. It’s needless to say that they’ll blackmail you with your own information once you think you can trust them. There is always a story behind people’s words and their opinion counts too.

Being the other is a tough role seeing that people can hear you, but they’re not listening. People hear your cries, but can’t feel your pain. If you ask me, it feels so much worse to be put down by your own race rather than any other. To add extra burden to the plate, high school days were no easier to be myself. I attended a school full African American; there were no white or Hipic kids what so ever. I never wanted to attend a school with strictly one race, even though I’m African American, I always felt like the only white student there.

All the students just took things too far with the names, insults, and ignorant ways. They insulted the way I dressed, talked, and even how I spent my personal time outside of school. “Why you talk so proper like a white person? ” they asked. “Why you dress like them little rich snobby white girls? ” they said. Always upset that they judged me to be something I’m not by the look of my appearance or the sound of my voice. Every time I stood up to defend myself, they said they understand why I don’t act like them; but everybody knows they were saying it to shut me up.

They always avoided me and treated me like an outsider because of my significant differences. Even though I am still African American just like them, they still looked to me as the other. I say it is a form of racism within my own race and even social group. How can you segregate someone of your own kind? Every race should get along, but also every race should stick together and have each other’s back. No matter the difference in personality, style, voice, or appearance. We are all the same and it is so stupid to be judged off of those things.

Author Christopher Sunami of Essay “Racism” states, “Race enters the picture only in as much as it is an easy trait to identify and a hard one to change. For this reason, people of a different racial group are the best and easiest targets for “Othering. ” We live in a world filled with different religions, lifestyles, and races. Remember back in the day how all black people were slaves to the whites? There were whips and chains to prove the black people’s place in the world. Times were terrible and black people had no clue how to get away or how to make everyone believe that it should discontinue.

However, in the present time period, statistics say that slavery is still about, just in a different approach. The current approach to slavery usually takes place at work or within social groups around your very own community. Be that as it may, there really is no bright side. There is a cleaner word for slavery but it sort of has similar meanings. The word I’m referring to is “the other”. The word basically means any group identifiable as a whole to which they don’t belong personally. The biased title of being “the other” occurs everywhere none stop.

Unfortunately it will not stop, being that the other has no voice and is alienated consistently for his/her opinion or thoughts. As shocking as it may appear, being the other can actually form in its own race group. Being discriminated against by other races is bad enough, but it is more degrading to be discriminated against within your own race group. Author Chris Gosden of the article, “Race and Racism in Archaeology” says “All human beings make value judgments concerning other people and things all the time and these are based on physical and formal qualities of persons. People judge other people off of the simplest things imaginable. It is really irrelevant to do such things to people just because they enjoy being themselves. Gosden also mentions that there are two types of discrimination. There is positive discrimination, which is usually making a good judgment to probably better something or someone. There is nothing wrong with judging someone to let them know that they are doing something wrong or giving off the wrong impression to people whom they do not know.

People should realize that it is a form of slavery to discriminate against someone of your same race, eyes need to be opened wider, ears need to listen harder, and racial groups need to grow closer. Gosden also states, “One pervasive argument about racism is that it is a product of colonial and capitalist relations over the last few hundred years, so that nothing like it existed in earlier periods of human history. ” Racism has been taking its toll on the world and certain races for so many years. Needless to say that racism affects a particular race more than any other.

African Americans usually get judged harder for the color or “colour” of our skin if I may. I am an African American myself and I get racist remarks thrown at me here and there just because of my skin color. It is a darn shame that things have not gotten better in this particular situation by now. It is actually almost as bad as slavery was back in the day. The reason being is because back in the day slavery was out in the open without any type of sugar coating. Now it is all sneaky and under cover. Most people act to be blind to this type of thing either because they’re ignorant or just in denial to the truth of reality.

One thing everybody needs to be sure of, is that almost anything can happen. There is so much going on in this scandalous world that people just look over. Back to the racism in the same race issue… people can’t just continue to look over that like it is okay. There is enough struggles African Americans go through, the last thing they need to be doing is discriminating against each other. African Americans struggle with poverty, unemployment, and believe it or not, an unheard voice to the authorities of this place we live in.

Not to mention the people that calls themselves Christians and true believers of God. They are usually the main ones who back stab their kind. Author Christopher Sunami also states, “In America this has historically been a white-against-black issue, although this has shifted somewhat recently. In some communities, Latinos have replaced blacks at the bottom of the social structure. ” I feel this is very untrue seeing that the employment rate of Latino’s is higher than the African American employment rate. It was and always will be a white against black racial issue.

No matter what people say or how many things are proven, I see it every day out of my African American eyes. It is most definitely nothing I am proud of; however, I would never turn my own kind away because of his/her difference. It is so ignorant that people are this way, acting just like those other racist groups. The belief of all racism ceasing to exist has been sitting on a wing and a prayer, and I severely fear that it will remain the same. Work Cited Sunami, Christopher. (2006): n. page. Print. Gosden, Chris. “Race and Racism in Archaeology: Introduction. ” March 2006, n. pag. Print.