Essay Instructions
We have spent the last several weeks learning the basic knowledge and skills of an anthropologist. Now we are going to learn how to think anthropologically by examining a more recent global issue. In the first chapter of your textbook, we defined cultural relativism. Cultural relativism “is the idea that any aspect of a culture must be viewed and evaluated within the context of that culture. The job of the anthropologist who is applying this perspective is to describe a cultural trait, custom, belief, activity, or any part of a culture and to show how it fits into the values and traditions of that cultural system.” Yet, in many instances anthropologists struggle with this idea of cultural relativism when a practice seems to violate a person’s human rights. How do we not judge when someone is getting hurt or is being treated unfairly?
Purpose
The purpose of this essay is for you to report what you learned about the different forms of marriages (from Chapter 8 reading), why these cultures practice the marriage forms that they do, and how this can be construed as a violation of some or one of the Universal Declaration of Human rights. You are expected to read the course materials presented here in the instructions for the Global Issues in Context essay, and then pass on what you have learned. I am asking you to present what you discover in a clear and unbiased way.
Your no less than one-page, at least five paragraph essay should include a thesis statement where you take a position using an anthropological perspective.
The most important part of your essay are the three body paragraphs where you demonstrate what you have learned about taking a holistic and culturally relative perspective and your topic. See grading rubric to help you get started.
Be sure to do the following in your essay:
- Describe the variety of families and marriages cross-culturally with examples (all marriage forms not just polygamy).
- Recognize patterns of family and marriage and explain why these patterns represent rational decisions within the cultural contexts.
- Evaluate any one issue with regard to polygyny and universal human rights such as (but not limited to) right to marriage, age of consent, slavery, gender inequality, federal financial assistance
The essay is worth 45 points total grade.
Sample Thesis Statements
While there are many patterns of family and marriage cross-culturally that seem to represent rational decisions within their cultural contexts, it is important to evaluate how [issue or behavior] goes against universal human rights.
[yes, you can use some variation of this thesis statement in your essay]
OR
“When considering the facts about whether polygyny violates universal human rights, anthropologists need to evaluate the cross cultural perspective, definitions of marriage, and an individual’s freedom (or another issue of your choice – see the list of universal human rights – feel free to use this thesis statement).”
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