Introduction To Cultural Anthropology Religion Essay

Introduction To Cultural Anthropology Religion Essay 1. Sorcery vs. witchcraft; ? almost identical terms as both use the magic spells, mystical or paranormal means to harness occult forces to produce desired results. Ideally speaking, persons pursuing witchcraft do not aim at producing evil results. Somehow the term sorcery is used pejoratively to denote the use of supernatural powers to produce unnatural and negative course of events. [0 Source: http://www.witchcraft.com.au/witchcraft-and-sorcery.html] sorcery -can be learnt and practiced by anyone, use of materilas to invoke supernatural powers to harm people. witchcraft- is considered to result from inherent mystical powers and is practiced by invisible means. No use of materials rather harm through use of T supernatural means, but through emotions and thought alone. [0 Source: http://www.witchcraft.com.au/witchcraft-and-sorcery.html] 2. Animism, ? is the absence of any belief in god, rather, belief that people have souls or spirits in addition to physical, visible bodies [0 Source: http://quizlet.com/dictionary/animism/] 3. Polytheism,? is the belief of multiple deities also usually assembled into a pantheon of gods and goddesses, along with their own mythologies and rituals. Lead to rise in religious class which holds special powers for the devine legitimacy. Usually the religious follows through hereditary. [0 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polytheism] 4. Monotheism; ? the belief in the existence of one god, one supreme. Religious power usually only under hands of religious class. 5. Magic; ? ? System of supernatural beliefs which leads to manipulation of the forces. Usually for specific purpose such as protection from illness, misfortune, natural evens, and cure and even prevent illness from occurring. Usually individually oriented, and practiced at irregular times- in times of need. 2. Short essays (one/two paragraphs): IN YOUR OWN WORDS, respond to any TWO of the following questions. Illustrate with examples. There is no need for citations. Please make sure to copy down the question in your paper in its entirety, bold it, and then follow it with your response. (10 points) 1. Define ritual and the sacred. What functions do formal rituals play in society? How about the sacred? Illustrate with examples. 2. Define Rites of Passage. What are their functions in society? Who are the main anthropologists who discuss it? What are the different stages of a rite of passage? Illustrate with an example. How do the stages of a Rite of Passage apply to your example? A ritual event that marks a person s progress from one status to another, usually shows anthropologist what s important for a certain culture, usually in a ceremony form surrounded events such as puberty, coming of age, marriage, and deaths. Some examples of rites of passage for religion are baptism, confirmations, which are important to certain religions. This Idea of Rites of passage was introduced by Arnold van Gennep, as first introduced the idea of the transitional phase between childhood and full inclusion into a social group. According to Gennep it has three phases, the Separation, transition and Re-incorporation phases. In the first state its the withdraw from current status as you prepare to more from one status to another, usually symbolized by detachment of a individual or group to symbolize the cutting away from your old self. The second state is the period between the old stage and new stage, also the most dangerous. You haven t entered the new stage but already left the old stage. The threshold. And the thirdstage is the re-incorporation where you are not defined as a new person through a new stage. You completed your duty and are ready to reeneter the world as a new person, which can be symbolized by a ring, belt, crown, or anything else. An example of this idea if graduation, the seperation stage is when you are separated from your family and on stage. The inbetween stage is when you are actually standing up but have not yet gotten your diploma this is the threshold- your not a graduate yet but at the same time you are no longer a student. and the reincorporation is when you sit back down as a college graduate and go back with your family no longer on stage. 3. Discuss the difference between illegal alien and undocumented worker as discussed by Leo Chavez in Shadowed Lives. When you normally think of someone who is an illegal alien and an undocumented worker its usually the same idea. according to Chavez in Shadowed lives these two are different concepts when it comes to immigrants. On page 15 Chavez defines the undocumented immigrants- when speaking of individuals who have crossed the border illegally, without the consent of the INS, and who reside in the United States. so in simple terms they are immigrants with out documents from the INS. One the other hand the idea Illegal Alien is defines as the legality of undocumented immigrants presence in the United States. They are not legitimate members of the community. They are rather outsiders, but actually they are the same thing as an undocumented worker just with a negative connotation. And missed qualities due to the words alien- outsiders. Both illegal aliens and undocumented workers do the same act just one is followed with negative connotation with the names illegal and a alien. 3. Long Essay (5 paragraphs/sections). Answer any ONE of the following. Remember to structure your response in a five paragraph/sections format (Introduction, three body paragraphs/sections, conclusion). Always start by defining your terms. Illustrate your response with examples, materials from readings, lectures, and class discussions. For question 1, you are expected to reference/cite at least three sources from your readings. For questions 2 and 3, you are expected to reference at least three examples. Remember to include a bibliography at the end of your essay. (25 points) 1. Define religion. How do anthropologists approach religion? What are some of the common cross-cultural features of religion? How do anthropologists classify religious forms? What are the main types found around the world? What are the main functions in society? Lastly, in your conclusion, discuss whether you think religion hinders or encourages social change. Illustrate with ethnographic evidence and materials from class discussion and readings. Religion is a term that is used by anthropologists in order to define a system of symbols which acts to establish powerful and long lasting moods, formulating conceptions of a general order of existence and clothes with such an aura of factuality that the moods and motivation seem uniquely realistic (Geertz). In reality the definition of religion is one that is difficult to distinguish from social institutions since there are different rituals for each religion and some ideas can be religion for some but not for others. This is where boundaries usually get blurred and non-existent, therefore unable to have a definite religion. Anthropologists usually look at the idea of religion to view the hierarchy of a culture as well as to compare and contrast different cultures and their beliefs. One of the common cross-cultural features of religious if the idea of the supernatural ideology. The supernatural is the idea that tends to be in every culture just in different ways. But usually related to two forms the non-human and the human origin. The Nonhuman origin is the Gods whom are named different personalities. The other form is spirits- these are unnamed supernatural beings of non-human origin who are beneath the gods in prestige and often closer to the people, these can be evil, helpful and even mischievous. The Human origin of supernatural beings is Ghosts whom were once human since they are the souls of the dead people. As well as ancestral spirits whom are the ghosts of dead relatives. The way that we interact with the supernatural seems to be different depending on the culture; this can be by prayer, physiological experience, simulations, feasts, as well as sacrifices of animals or other things. The main parts of religion that anthropologists look at are cults which are forms of religions that have heir own set of beliefs, rituals, and goals (Ferraro) which vary from Individualistic, which have no religious specialists but rather each person has a personal calling/relationship with the spirit. Followed by the Shamanistic cults, which are part time religious specialists who have supernatural powers by either birth or training. This is where all contemporary societies have their own method of a shaman. The roles that one has is a healer, fortune telling in exchange for gifts, and possesses the power to control spirits, and prevent them from causing harm. Followed by Communal Cult- which as an elaborate set of beliefs, where groups of people conduct religious functions on behalf of community, Such as rites of passage or rites of solidarity (Gennep). The last cult that is followed by anthropologists is the Ecclesiastical cults, which are monotheistic, or polytheistic religions, with full time professional clergy, who is either elected of appointed. With these cults women are usually not associated with this class. Usually consisting of a hierarchy between the clergy and the lay people, where the clergy are the ritual managers who are active and the lay people whom are passive. The main types of religions in the world have Christian fundamentalism, which have increased over the past decades, with the influence of public national and international policies. These usually restrict scientific and technological innovations. The second type is the Islamic fundamentalism and the religious nationalism where the movements to merge religions are in the hands of governmental institutions and leaders. As well as globalization by the western societies seen as a threat, which lead to safety of religion but rather brought in more restrictions. In conclusion I think that religion actually encourages social change because we are always finding new ways of defining our world, we always have people that are fighting against religious beliefs, therefore the longer we have it the more of a threat it will be and the more things that religious talks about will be debunked. We are seeing religion as being an essential part of life but its always resulting a a change in society for the better or for the worse, with different people falling under different categories of Atheism, polytheistic and monotheistic, due to new findings. Therefore religious is actually encouraging change not stopping change from occurring. You always have people that actually believe once again or those that believe in more than one god, or those that completely lost hope in religious due to new studies. > C. Geertz, Religion as a Cultural System, in Anthropological Approaches to the Study of Religion , ed. M. Banton (London: Tavistock, 1966): 1-46 > Gennep, van Arnold, Rites of passage. 1960. > Ferraro, Chapter 12 Part 1, Supernatural Beliefs. Powerpoint- Religion and Magic.

Hercules in Popular Culture

Hercules For my research paper I chose to explore and analyze instances of the great Greek/Roman hero, Heracles (Hercules), appearing in popular culture and the effect his myths had on early civilizations. Considered by most to be the greatest of the Greek folk heroes, Hercules was the embodiment of masculinity and physical power. The word â€Å"herculean† literally translates into â€Å"having enormous strength, courage, or size† (dictionary. com. ) Since their inception, the myths and legends of Hercules have been immensely popular and have had vast influences on people and cultures throughout the world.Over the next few pages I will attempt to compare and contrast several examples of Hercules’ representation in pop culture with the underlying myths that are being depicted. I will also piece in the undeniable influence these myths have had on people throughout history. First, however, I would like to start by giving a little bit of background information on the hero known as Hercules. Hercules was born as the son of Zeus and a beautiful mortal woman named Alcmene, in the Greek city of Thebes. Due to his father’s divinity, Hercules was given the gift of extraordinary physical strength and courage.From the beginning, the events of his life were shaped by the wrath of the goddess Hera, who scorned the boy that was a reminder of her husband’s infidelity. As he matured he faced countless tasks and hardships, but through his victories he forever glorified himself in ancient literature. The stories of Hercules had quite a large impact on the early Greeks. Some, such as the ancient Spartans, believed they were descendants of the great hero and strived to be like him on the battlefield and in the gymnasium.Elsewhere, in Thebes, the Cult of Heracles was a religious group that was created which worshiped him as the divine protector of man. The cult constructed many shrines throughout the ancient world and even held festivals in his hon or every year (theoi. com). Later on, the Roman Empire completely idolized the champion they referred to as Hercules and showcased his popularity by crafting countless statues, temples and gardens in his name. In Pompeii, there are many such gardens that were built for him including the House of the Garden of Hercules (Jashemski).A mountain passage that led from Italy to Spain was even known to the Romans as â€Å"The Road of Hercules† (DeWitt). Beautiful architecture dedicated to Hercules can still be found throughout the world today, such as the Hercules Garden at the Blair Castle in Perthshire (Dingwall). As you can see, he is more than just a myth to these people; he is an influential cultural icon who they looked up to. As great a hero as he was, Hercules was not without flaw. He was also know to have an intense desire for women and wine and was prone to extreme fits of rage (Phillips).One myth which paints Hercules in a bad light comes from his childhood. As a boy, he m urders his musical tutor Linus with his own lyre for reprimanding him. In adulthood, he kills his wife Megara and their children while he was temporarily driven mad by Hera (ancientgreece. com). Though not perfect, I believe that it is this complexity of character that has fascinated audiences and allowed the Herculean myths to withstand the test of time so well. Another factor that I believe has played into the popularity of his myths is the contemporary obsession with â€Å"larger than life† heroes and the heroic ideal.Andrew Anderson, a Harvard professor of the Classics, explains that Hercules was the first representation of the â€Å"perfect hero† and may have been used as the model for later greats such as Achilles and Alexander the Great, who were both thought to have idolized Hercules. Myths of Hercules have captivated audiences and established themselves in popular culture since the days of ancient Greece. Flash forward to the present, and the Hercules name is trendier than ever. His stories are regularly depicted through the use of books, TV shows, comics, movies, plays, action figures and even video games.Though he hasn’t always been portrayed correctly in the lime light, these modern day representations are imperative to keeping his legend alive. In the last 50 years alone, he has been the inspiration for various works of art. In 1963, Hercules was shortly represented in the movie Jason and the Argonauts. He joined Jason and the crew of the Argo in search of the Golden Fleece but left the mission early for personal reasons, which is consistent with the actual myth of Jason and the Argonauts.In 1970 the movie Hercules in New York cast the perfect leading role in Arnold Schwarzenegger, who looked like a modern day version of our hero, but had little to do with actual mythology. The casting of Arnold Schwarzenegger as Hercules seemed especially valid because both have had such an impact on the ideals of physical fitness and the art of body building. It is said that famous body builder Eugene Sandow (1890’s), who is treated as a father of the early muscle building movement in America, was inspired to lift weights as a child after seeing a classic statue of Hercules (Wyke).Another facet of popular culture that showcases Hercules is the Marvel Comic Books. The Marvel version of Hercules was created in 1965 by Stan Lee as a super strong rival to Thor, who came from Norse mythology (comicvine. com). In the comic books he is commonly shown in his Lion skin cloak and holding his iconic wooden club. His typical super strength and courage are defining qualities in the comic book representation, as is his role as a womanizer. The Marvel comics also correctly portray his bouts with Atlas and the monster Typhon.One fairly recent portrayal of Hercules can be seen in the 1997 Disney movie, Hercules. The details of the movie don’t follow the mythology of Hercules perfectly, but it hits enough of the main point s to make for a passable story. For instance, from the beginning the film implies that Hera is the actual mother of Hercules, which we already know is untrue. In the movie, Hera is kind and compassionate towards Hercules, which contrasts sharply with the cold remorse she holds for him in most historic literature.Another discrepancy is the role of Megara in the movie, who was previously mentioned as Hercules’ first wife. In the movie, she is under the power of Hades and is trying to help make Hercules become a mortal. If they do not succeed, it is prophesized that Hercules will rise up and stop Hades and the Titans from taking over Mt. Olympus. Though the movie wasn’t always accurate, it did a great job of blending in other famous myths into the story. However, the film does correctly portray many aspects of the actual myths.The 12 Labors of Hercules, which may be the most popular literature based on our hero, is accurately portrayed in the movie in the correct order. S ome other examples include the reasoning behind Hercules’ semi-divinity, his godlike strength and courage, and his journey to the Underworld and conflict with Hades. The movie also properly states that Hercules will be the only mortal ever to join the gods on Mount Olympus upon his death, though in classic literature he dies on his own funeral pyre after being poisoned instead of drowning in the river Styx.The movie became a hit with children and is definitely responsible for increased interest in Greek and Roman myth with American youth. The success of the movie led to the creation of an animated cartoon series and even a videogame for the Playstation and PC. In the last decade, he has been represented in the popular video game franchise Kingdom Hearts, in which he is presented as he looks from the Disney movie. Even more recently he appears briefly in the book The Sea of Monsters, which is book number two in the ever popular Percy Jackson and the Olympians book series.Itâ⠂¬â„¢s interesting that these myths have had such a strong following for such a long period of time. From ancient Greece to present day, the legends of Hercules have fascinated countless generations of people and have withstood the â€Å"test of time† extremely well. Hercules is more than just a set of stories and myths; he is a world renowned pop-culture icon who will inspire more books, television and movies in the years to come. Sources Heracles and His Successors: A Study of a Heroic Ideal and the Recurrence of a Heroic Type Andrew Runni AndersonHarvard Studies in Classical Philology Vol. 39, (1928), pp. 7-58 Published by: Department of the Classics, Harvard University Stable URL: http://www. jstor. org/stable/310599 http://open. edu/openlearn/history-the-arts/greek-heroes-popular-culture-through-time? track=e02cce8d6b Rome and the â€Å"Road of Hercules† Norman J. DeWitt Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association Vol. 72, (1941), pp. 59- 69 Published by: The Johns Hopkins University Press Stable URL: http://www. jstor. org/stable/283041 The Hercules Garden at Blair Castle, PerthshireChristopher Dingwall Garden History Vol. 20, No. 2 (Autumn, 1992), pp. 153-172 Published by: The Garden History Society Stable URL: http://www. jstor. org/stable/1587041 â€Å"The Garden of Hercules at Pompeii† (II. viii. 6): The Discovery of a Commercial Flower Garden Wilhelmina F. Jashemski American Journal of Archaeology Vol. 83, No. 4 (Oct. , 1979), pp. 403-411 Published by: Archaeological Institute of America Stable URL: http://www. jstor. org/stable/504139 Heracles F. Carter Philips The Classical World Vol. 71, No. 7 (Apr. – May, 1978), pp. 431-440Published by: Classical Association of the Atlantic StatesStable URL: http://www. jstor. org/stable/4348926 Herculean Muscle! : The Classicizing Rhetoric of Bodybuilding Author(s): Maria Wyke Source: Arion, Third Series, Vol. 4, No. 3 (Winter, 1997), pp. 51-79 Published by: Trustees of Boston University Stable URL: http://www. jstor. org/stable/20163635 http://dictionary. reference. com/browse/herculean http://www. theoi. com/greek-mythology/heracles. html http://www. theoi. com/Cult/HeraklesCult. html http://www. ancientgreece. com/s/GreekMyths/Heracles/ http://www. comicvine. com/hercules/29-2503/

Joseph Marie Jacquard and the Jacquard Loom

Most people probably don’t think of weaving looms as a forerunner of computers. But thanks to French silk weaver Joseph Marie Jacquard, enhancements to automated weaving helped lead to the invention of computer punch cards and the advent of data processing. Jacquards Early Life Joseph Marie Jacquard was born in Lyon, France on the July 7th, 1752 to a master weaver and his wife. When Jacquard was 10 years old, his father died, and the boy inherited two looms, among other holdings. He went into business for himself and married a woman of some means. But his business failed and Jacquard was forced to become a limeburner at Bresse, while his wife supported herself at Lyon by plaiting straw.   In 1793, with the French Revolution well underway, Jacquard took part in the unsuccessful defense of Lyon against the troops of the Convention. Afterward, he served in their ranks on the Rhà ³ne and Loire. After seeing some active service, in which his young son was shot down at his side, Jacquard again returned to Lyon.   The Jacquard Loom Back in Lyon, Jacquard was employed in a factory and used his spare time in constructing his improved loom. In 1801, he exhibited his invention at the industrial exhibition at Paris, and in 1803 he was summoned to Paris to work for the Conservatoire des Arts et Mà ©tiers. A loom by Jacques de Vaucanson (1709—1782), deposited there, suggested various improvements in his own, which he gradually perfected to its final state. Joseph Marie Jacquards invention was an attachment that sat on top of a loom. A series of cards with holes punched in them would rotate through the device. Each hole in the card corresponded with a specific hook on the loom, which served as a command to raise or lower the hook. The position of the hook dictated the pattern of raised and lowered threads, allowing textiles to repeat complex patterns with great speed and precision. Controversy and Legacy The invention was fiercely opposed by the silk-weavers, who feared that its introduction, owing to the saving of labor, would deprive them of their livelihood. However, the looms  advantages secured its general adoption, and by 1812 there were 11,000 looms in use in France. The loom was declared public property in 1806, and Jacquard was rewarded with a pension and a royalty on each machine.   Joseph Marie Jacquard died at Oullins (Rhà ³ne) on the 7th of August 1834, and six years later a statue was erected in his honor  at Lyon.

How To Turn Essay Writing Into A Pleasant Experience

For most of us, essay writing is as painful as pulling off our fingernails†¦with an ice pick†¦while dancing a jig. However, it does not have to be. Yes, your professor (unsuccessfully) already tried everything. Give this foolproof method a try, you (and your cat) won’t be disappointed. 1. Be Spontaneous! Often we are our worst critics, which means that there is one important element missing from our writing. Pick up your favorite piece of writing and it is highly likely you will find it in there. Spontaneity is one difficult thing to fake. When writing your first draft, dial the settings of your internal essay editor to mute. If you stop to cringe at every mistake you make, you’ll never be spontaneous. The mark of a good piece of writing is that it flows smoothly. Revisit for nitpicking but for now, just let the spirit move you! 2. Act On It! A general design that will work for most essays goes something like this: State your topic be gentle and take your time to introduce it. Support it – now trot out facts and pieces of evidence in support of your topic. Rinse, Lather, Repeat – do #2 again. Get up close and personal – now give your personal opinion regarding the topic at hand. End It – summarize the first four steps to form a conclusion. This isn’t the design, it is a design. If it does not fit your essay, remodel until it does. If it does, why fix something that isn’t broken? Don’t Drag It Out! So the boy elf decided that he’d go join the war against the exceptionally evil warlock and once he had him under his control, he was going to end him and then he’d have pie†¦lots and lots of pie. Wait, who was going to get pie? The exceptionally evil warlock? Didn’t the elf want to kill him? Wasn’t he already dead? This is what a really long sentence does to the reader. Any reader, be it your teacher or your cat (more on that later), will be jarred by an extremely long sentence. Avoid long sentences like you would avoid the plague. They are the bane of smooth pieces of writing that take you along for the ride. Read Up On It! Read what you like because it is highly probable that is what you will love writing about. Pick up a book or an article by your favorite writer and re-read it, noticing how they write. Pay attention to sentence structure and the verbosity (the lack of it) and then model your writing after it. Reading various sources will also aid you in forming your arguments while addressing that topic in an essay. To Err Is To Be Human With Lower Grades! Now comes the hard part. Editing puts the fear of god in world famous best-selling authors. They would rather do anything than revisit their work and dissect it like they dissected frogs in the Biology lab. Even so, they do it. So man up (or woman up) and read your work with a critical eye. Once you are done with the second draft, give it a read-over to ensure no mistakes have escaped your eagle eyes. Done? Good, I will admit I had my doubts. Moving on! Let Me Hear You Say It! Yes, editing your work is important, yet when you continue to read the same piece of text for the umpteenth time, you’re bound to miss out on some errors. How do you rectify these seemingly invisible mistakes marring the perfection of your masterpiece? Simple, you let the computer (or your pet cat) read it back to you. The change in activity and tone — your cat is not going to mimic your inflection, would it? — will help you grasp some of the errors you would have missed otherwise. Challenge Yourself! Participate in challenges, like the NaNoWriMo. Not only will you get better at writing, regular practice will help you fall in love with the art that is writing. Do not let your newly acquired grasp at essay writing get rusty. Frequent use will polish off the rough edges.