Reformed University Fellowship

Here is the link to my Prezi presentation! Enjoy!

http://prezi.com/slb-rzmx3mc5/reformed-university-fellowship/

Media Post: Linguistic Anthropology

I was just typing into yahoo different searches for my anthropology media post, and I stumbled across this cartoon. It is just a funny play on men and women, which has to do with Linguistic Anthropology. I just thought I would add in some comedy on my blog. Men do the hunting, and women are the brains. 

Media Post: Family and Kinship

http://prezi.com/s3dvthssehmq/anthropology-family-kinship

I was doing some research on how to do a Prezi for my presentation in class and also looking for media ideas to post here. I came across this Prezi that discusses how family and kinship are an important part of anthropology. This Prezi addresses the main themes and ideas that we discussed in our lecture on kinship and gender.

Media Post:Arizona immigration law: Supreme Court again examines federal power

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/arizona-immigration-law-supreme-court-again-examines-federal-power/2012/04/21/gIQAf78hYT_story.html?wprss=rss_homepage

Here is a link that addresses the current issue with Arizona and their recent laws passed to counteract the problem with illegal immigrants. A great comment made by Solicitor General Donald Verrili Jr stated, "“As the framers understood, it is the national government that has the ultimate responsibility to regulate the treatment of aliens while on American soil, because it is the nation as a whole — not any single state — that must respond to the international consequences of such treatment,” So, is it the governments rightful power to control immigration and the issues pertaining to it?

Final Film

I'm not sure if I too late to post, I simply forgot about it, sorry!

The last film we watched was a really interesting look into the depths of racism. In 1910 58% of mining workers were immigrants, blacks, Chinese, and Mexicans. A 1911 biologist by the name of davenport examined race and he noted that race theory began to look at groups of people, and people were seen as races. According to the American Breeders Association, biology was destiny, a matter of life or death. That is so strange to me that we had/have a "breeders association." The film also addressed America as the "Melting Pot." The melting pot idea was that in 1910 all the races would melt down in to one essence and mold into Americans. This idea was based first on a theatrical play. Another idea that stuck out to me was that in the film it said that "whiteness" was key to citizenship.

Media Post: Check this out!

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Culture/Lifestyle/2012/Mar-21/167429-anthropology-meets-food-in-armenian-cuisine-cookbook.ashx#axzz1rfAy0AVp

This is a really neat article I found pertaining to cooking, but with an anthropological twist. This article explains how for some people, cooking is a way of storytelling. The cookbook titled "Armenian Cuisine" is filled with traditions and a slice of the authors history, as she tells it through the way she cooks and the recipes that have been passed down. I've never had Armenian food, but I sure would love to try it!

Official Statement on Race

It is interesting to know that the American Anthropological Association has created a Statment on race. Why do they have a statement? Why do they think they need to have one? One sentence that stood out to me was this," How poeple have been accepted and treated within the context of their society and culture has a direct impact on how they perform within that society." The way we define a person or the way we treat someone can impact the way they perceive themself and how they function insociety. Its almost as if people can tell people how to live their lives based on what society says. Factors such as income, job status, and family are key at play here. People can define someone as "poor" by the way they dress or by where they live. Also, people can define someone by the size of their home. The fact that these factors define someone make that certain person begin to belive that is who they are or that they deseve the way they live or function in society.

White Privilege

After reading this, I decided to right a free verse poem focused around the privileges, specifically the 19th one. I hope you like it.

Number 19

By: Rachel Adams

 A privilege

A white privilege

Something we have, that no one else does

What is privilege?

How do we earn it?

Do I have to be white?

I thought America was the home of freedom

Where must I go to flee persecution,

The pain, the hate, the people staring?

Arizona leads the way

To the active power of racism

Good cop, bad cop, how do we know?

What must I do to gain your trust?

I am a human being, just like you

With eyes, hair, teeth, and a heart

Is it because...

I look different?

Talk different?

What must I do?

Don't question me because my skin is different

Or, my language is not of your own

Question me only

If I am doing something illegal

Not because of the way I look

I look at number 19

This describes a white privilege

But, a fear for color.

Mixed Blood

When I first read the title for todays reading, I had no idea what it was going to be about. Now after reading it, i can understand what mixed blood is in reference to. One main sentence that stood out to me was in the beginning paragraph, "In America, a person's race is determined not by how he or she looks, but by his or her heritage." This article take a look at way two nations view "race." Jeffery Fish observed the U.S. and Brazil. Do all anthropologists believe that race is a U.S constructed idea? What is race? Is it necessary to name a group of people by the word "race." Race sounds almost like a harsh word. Does race imply to heritage and culture or to skin color. Most people I hear speaking of "racism" base their assumptions on skin color. Is skin color just the way people identify a culture of people. Then again I hear people called by their "name" that somehow has been given to them, Asian, Latino, and American. Race is a very touchy subject, especially when speaking of the awful terms of racism. This whole world is not the same, there are millions of people, and if we were all the same, there were never be any diversity or the chance to learn and travel for cultural reasons.

Federally Sponsored Mexican Immigrants

Immigration, like I stated in my previous post, is a major thing that is occurring now. States like Texas, Arizona, California, and Florida have been major targets for immigrants. Now, according to this article, the south has become the new area to migrate to. North Carolina was spoken of specifically in this article. Once NAFTA was created, North Carolina saw a great loss in manufacturing jobs. As that occurred, North Carolina become to the leading state with immigrants from 1995 to 1999. Another interesting thing about North Carolina in the late 90s, was the fact that nearly all farmworkers were latinos, and they were importing more Mexican "guest workers" than any other state under the H2A program.

The Other Side of Immigration

It was great getting to watch this film again. Last semester I took a political science class of Latin America, and one of the issues we discussed was immigration. I was also really good to see how many students came out to the film showing. This film really gives you an in-depth look at what happens behind the scenes of immigration, the things that never gets reported. The media, I think, is one of the main reasons why immigration has such a bad connotation. News channels and media sources likes to play up anything they can get their hands on, so that they can earn good ratings. Illegal immigration has become a big issue here in America, but right now we don't have a good handle on it, nor are we taking care of it properly. It was to listen to all the men and women interviewed as they spoke of the lost opportunity thanks to the US. The US constantly blames the illegal immigrants for problems, when the US was the one who started all of this by taking the food markets away from people in Mexico. Illegal immigration is a very sensitive subject here in the US, and it's going to be a while before things begin to straighten out.

The Commodification of Domestic Labor

When I first read the title of this article, I wasn't quite sure what it would be about. After reading it, it was interesting to find out it was referring to jobs such as maids and nannys. I was not raised with a maid or a nanny. A lot of my friends were however used to having a maid. In the article it discussed that many women nowadays are working 40 hour work weeks and they are either ttoo tired or have more work to do once they get home, and they are unable to cook and clean. The solution to this problem wasto hire a maid. Some households would hire someone to simply help out once a week, once a month or several times a month. Other household who hvae extra rooms and money, hire a live in maid who does daily cleaning and taking of some foods. In other situations, families would look for someone to care for their child in the home and do minimal cleaning and food preparation. That type of job is considered as a nanny or Au Paire. For me, I enjoy cleaning and cooking; however, it would be relaxing to know I didn't have to come home to a dirty house. I know that some people enjoy and are fortunate enough to have money for a maid, but there is also the side of, is this a good job? This type of position is nomally filled by a woman, and usually from another country. The work can be hard and tedious with little pay, but I do know families who pay extremely well for the services they provide.